Gitti Asadyari Lupo's story

Her transition to New Zealand is one unfortunately wrought with persecution and strife. This forced emigration to New Zealand was due to the turmoil brought about by the Iranian revolution in 1978.

The Iranian Revolution

The Iranian revolution was a series of events that culminated in the overthrowing of the Pahlavi dynasty and the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The government was replaced by an Islamic Republic under the rule of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

There was an increase in tension and discontent within Iran around the Shah’s rule as they believed he was introducing too many western ideals and policies into Iran. These included the discouragement of separation by sex, as well as the custom of women covering oneself with a hijab in public. This attack on Islamic tradition was opposed by many and thus lead to revolution. This was emphasized by Ruhollah Khomeini, who was an Islamic traditionalist and therefore hated the introduction of western ideas. He rallied like-minded people and presented himself as a saviour figure against the 'persecution' of Islamic beliefs in Iran. Once he came into power he started implementing policies in order to maintain Islamic influence and remove Western influence in Iran. This included the persecution of non-Islamic religions such as Baháʼí. In the ten years after the initial revolution, more than 200 Baháʼís were executed and hundreds more were imprisoned and tortured. As well as this tens of thousands lost their rights to education and shelter. Many also lost their jobs as a result of the oppression of their beliefs.

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Gitti’s story

Gitti Asadyari Lupo was born in Iran shortly before the revolution. Her Father was Muslim and her Mother came from a secular Russian background. However, they both became Baháʼí when they were young (Her dad was around 20 and her Mother was around 18). Gitti had 5 siblings who were all at least ten years older than her. Her early childhood before the revolution was fairly standard; she says that she enjoyed it. This all changed however during the revolution as Gitti and the rest of her family suddenly found themselves being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Suddenly Gitti could no longer go to university and her family had to live under constant fear of persecution. Sadly, Gitti’s father was executed due to his religion, forcing the family into turmoil.

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Her family decided that Gitti should escape Iran so she could pursue an education at University, as women were not allowed to enter university in Iran. They had to do so illegally as the government monitored international travel. One of her sisters had already left for New Zealand, allowing Gitti a destination to escape to. Gitti was trafficked across the border to Pakistan where she would then eventually be shipped to New Zealand to join her sister.

Although she had escaped Iran, Gitti’s struggles did not end there. The cultural integration into New Zealand was not easy and she experienced separation from her family. When she first moved to New Zealand she did not speak English well and therefore had struggles when communicating with people, leading to a feeling of isolation and alienation. There were also many cultural hurdles to overcome and understand. For example, Gitti found it unusual that the act of holding her sister's hand in public (which had been normal in Iran) was seen as a romantic activity in New Zealand culture, and held implications differently than in Iran. With the help of her university friends, after a few years, Gitti had a better grasp of English and Kiwi culture.

Despite the hardships, Gitti says that she now loves living in New Zealand due to comfort and safety. She also says that she misses Iran before the revolution but does not want to live there anymore as she now feels New Zealand is her home. Furthermore, she knows that she could never go back to the pre-revolution life due to the drastic changes in Iranian policies and life following the revolution. Nowadays, Gitti has successfully integrated into kiwi society, and had taken advantage of her right to education, and is now working as a software test manager in IT.

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