Educational Media Reviews Online

This video looks at the changing lives of the Turkman of Iran who live in small villages northeast of Teheran near the Afghanistan border. Photographer Nasrollah Kasraian and associates capture many aspects of Turkmen traditional culture including a shaman treating physical and mental illness and traditional women's roles of raising children, working the rice fields and weaving rugs. Returning four years later, after the introduction of electricity, and of course, television and video games, radical changes have occurred. Motor bikes and vehicles have replaced horses and camels. Western values and culture invaded overnight, while it took thirty years for these changes to occur in the rest of the world.

Technically, the video is very well done. Photography is beautiful, including the landscape as well as the people. Though not fast-paced, the images clearly present a culture in transition. Appealing to academics as well as laypersons interested in Turkmans, public, high school, and college libraries would want to purchase for their multi-cultural and anthropological collections. Since the Persian Gulf War and because of the current energy crisis, more Americans are interested in learning about Iran and the many facets of Iranian culture, even as American corporations flood countries with Coke and Mickey Mouse. Recommended.