Tarjomān or Interpreter, the first satirical newspaper and the emergence of modern satire in Afghanistan

Abstract

With the ratification of a new constitution in Afghanistan in 1964, freedom of expression was allowed and a number of independent newspapers emerged, among them the first satirical periodical, Tarjomān or Interpreter. This paper explores Tarjomān's contribution to satire in Afghanistan, a critical genre in a closed society. Tarjomān not only published satirical pieces in traditional forms, but also introduced new forms, especially political cartoons and satirical fiction. It transformed old forms for new sociopolitical needs, changing the status of satire from mere mockery to high art and making it a political tool. This was mainly due to the artistic and political skills of its founders, Nawin and Bashir. As well, satire found its closest connection with politics in modern times in Tarjomān.

KEYWORDS:

• Modern Afghanistan
• Tarjomān
• independent press
• satire
• satirical newspaper

Notes

1. In practice most newspapers were banned without a court decision. In an editorial in 1971 Tarjomān pointed out: ‘While according to the Press Law, censorship before printing is prohibited, currently it is in place and happening; and amazingly it is enforced strictly on some newspapers and mildly on others’ (Bashir, ‘Qalam-ha,’ 1).

2. Nawin, ‘Musāheba,’ 55.

3. For more information, see Ghawas, Shuarā-i, 19; Razawi, Nasr-i Dari, 248.

4. The Durand Line, which was drawn by the British Government in 1893, divided the Pashtun people between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

5. Interestingly, Tarjomān was published mainly in the Persian language.

6. Bezhan, “Artists,” 637; For more information, see Adamec, Biographical Dictionary, 137; Zalmai, Tārikhcha-i, 152–55.

7. Nawin, “Musāheba,” 54.

8. Nawin, “Musāheba,” 55.

9. Bashir had only three years of formal education. As a young man, he worked as a coat-maker. Later he published some of his satirical works under the pseudonym Posteendoz or Coat-maker.

10. Noorani, Honar-i, 4.

11. Bezhan, ‘Satire,’ 477.

12. He moved to Melbourne, Australia, in the early 1990s, but recently moved back to Afghanistan and is serving as an adviser to the Minister of Information and Culture.

13. Tarjomān, ‘Kharmora,’ 2.

14. Tarjomān, ‘Chundok ba jarāyed,’ 45.

15. Noorani, ‘Kalemati qasār,’ 2.

16. Mullah Nasroddin is a legendary figure in Central and West Asia, typifying a wise fool. In these areas, there are a great number of jokes and satirical anecdotes connected to him.

17. Noorani, ‘Hadaf-i nasharati,’ 3.

18. Noorani, ‘Tanz,’ 105.

19. Among the well-known satirists who contributed to Tarjomān were Shaeq Jamal, Abdul Haq Betab, Ibrahim Alemshai, Azad Kabuli, Talib Qandahari and Hossain Tawfiq (for their biographies, see Khasta, Māserin-i; Adamec, A Biographical).

20. Bashir, ‘Waqte ke,’ 2; ‘Shokhi bā Dār wa Dasta-i Tarjomān: Tamana,’ 5; Tamana later became an employee of the provincial library in Herat.

21. Bashir, ‘Shokhi ba: Walipour’, 5.

22. Bashir, ‘Shokhi ba: Walipour’, 5.

23. Nawin, ‘Musāheba,’ 55.

24. Noorani, Honar-i, 537–38; Noorani (personal communication, Kabul, July 2012).

25. Bashir, ‘Mushkel-i’ 1.

26. Noorani, ‘Tanz,’ 105.

27. Noorani (personal communication, Kabul, June 2013).

28. Betaraf, which literally means non-affiliated, referred to people who were not members of a political party, but expressed their own political ideas.

29. Bashir, ‘Tarjomān chi mekhwāhad,’ 1.

30. Bashir, ‘Aghāz sāl chārum,’ 2.

31. Bezhan, ‘Emergence,’ 931.

32. Dupree, Afghanistan, 607.

33. Personal communication, Melbourne, May 2009.

34. Tarjomān, ‘Nazar-e rejāl’.

35. Kushkaki, ‘Payām,’ 1.

36. Tarjomān, ‘Nazar-e rejāl’.

37. Bezhan, ‘Artist,’ 646–47.

38. Bashir, ‘Waqte ke,’ 1.

39. For example, the translation of an article, ‘Are Our Government Officials Spies?’ published in Afghān Millat on 25 April 1967, but censored by the government, caused the resignation of Prime Minister Muhammad Hashim Maiwandwal (1965–1967) and his cabinet. In political circles, the article was interpreted as saying that the prime minister had trained as a spy when he was studying in the USA (see Dupree, Afghanistan, 612–15; Farahi, Afghanistan 93–5; Farhang, Afghanistan 751–52).

40. Tarjomān, ‘Yādāwary,’ 4.

41. Bezhan, ‘Satire,’ 467.

42. Bezhan, ‘Rawand,’ 85.

43. His works are in the Horatian style, which according to Griffin, display a gentle humour and extraordinary mobility of tone, with the aim of correcting shortcomings (Satire 8).

44. Noorani, ‘E Hamo’.

45. Bezhan, ‘Satire,’ 477–78.

46. See for example the following stories by Noorani, ‘Musaheba ba Khanum Imperialism’ (Interview with Lady Imperialism), ‘Chapit Hasti ya Rasti’ (Are You Left or Right) and ‘Makāteb-i jadid ijtemāi’ (New Sociopolitical Schools).

47. Until the eighteenth century there were no borders which divided the Persian-speaking world. Therefore, regardless of the place of birth, poets belonged to the entire Persian-speaking realm.

48. Mulzem Kunduzi, ‘Elān-i,’ 3; A popular traditional storytelling book.

49. Nawin, ‘Musāheba,’ 54.

50. McCloud, Understanding, 153.

51. This is in addition to the column of ‘Pir-i Siyāsat’ (Master of Politics), which dealt with political issues.

52. Prior to this, Breshna had created two such cartoon characters, Ajab Khan and Rajab Khan in the early 1950s, but they represented social classes and issues, while those of Nawin symbolised the political establishment.

53. Bezhan, ‘Artist,’ 643.

54. Buell and Maus, ‘Is the Pen Mightier’.

55. See Bezhan, ‘Satire,’ 472–73.