''Javānmardi'' () is a
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
word which refers broadly to the ideological or philosophical underpinnings of an ethical system dominated by altruism, magnanimity and liberality linked to
chivalry
Chivalry, or the chivalric language, is an informal and varying code of conduct that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood, with knights being members of ...
, and particularly spiritual chivalry.
It is a concept usually discussed within
Sufi
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
contexts.
''Luti'' and ''Dash mashti''
The ''lutis'' ( ''lūtī'') were a unique type of masculine men with roots from the Persian Sufi brotherhoods, ''
ayyār
''Ayyār'' (, pl. ''ʿayyārūn''; , pl. ''Ayyârân'') refers to a person associated with a class of warriors in Iraq and Iran from the 9th to the 12th centuries. The word literally means vagabond. Ayyars were associated with ''futuwwa'', or ...
''s, and
futuwwa
Futuwwa (Arabic: فتوة, "young-manliness") was a conception of adolescent moral behavior around which myriad institutions of Medieval confraternity developed. With characteristics similar to chivalry and virtue, these communal associations of Ar ...
ideas in 15th-19th century
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
. They had distinct rites, attitudes, clothing, and traits, most notably practicing
Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals
Pahlevani and zourkhaneh rituals is the name inscribed by UNESCO for Warzesh-e pahlavāni (, "heroic sport") or Warzeŝe Bāstāni (; , "ancient sport"), a traditional system of athletics and a form of martial arts originally used to train wa ...
. Their spiritual and martial model of masculinity was ''javānmardi'', which means the state of being ''javānmard''.
Fellow ''lufti'' ''ayyār'' members were considered to be ''Dash mashti'' (or "Fellow bro(ther)s"), towards whom you have a commitment. They also consumed wine and even read Iranian poetry like Ferdowsi.
In late 19th century, a unifying national Persian masculine gender identity was gradually formed during the political and social developments and modernization/Westernization in late
Qajar
The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...
(1785-1925), particularly during the
Persian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution (, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911 during the Qajar Iran, Qajar era. The revolution led to the establishment of a Majl ...
(1905-1911), and first
Pahlavi periods (1925-1941), which came into conflict with the ideals, norms, traits, and appearance of the lutis; the latter gradually became menacing, counter-normative, deviant, anxiety-provoking, chaotic, and violent.
In popular culture
Dash Mashti
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
was an influential subgenre of the
Iranian cinema
The cinema of Iran (), or of Name of Iran, Persia, refers to the film industry in Iran. In particular, Iranian art films have garnered international recognition. Iranian films are usually written and spoken in the Persian language.
Iran has bee ...
that embodied ''javanmardi'' ideals and ideas. Most of these films were produced in 1950s in Iran. The best example is considered the 1971 movie
Dash Akol.
Iranian cinema has been key in shaping contemporary portrayals of Iranian men, blending traditional concepts like ''javanmardi'' with modern influences. Nacim Pak-Shiraz's analysis explores how
''filmfarsi'' redefined masculinity, empowered marginalized men, and reflected women's roles in both mainstream and alternative narratives.
In modern Iran
In modern times the concept indicates an idealized configuration of masculinity in Iran. Some historical actors are considered representative of the ''javanmardi''-ethos paradigmatically. The merchant Tayyeb Hajj Reza'i (1912-1963) is nowadays remembered as the "javanmard-e bozorg", i. e. the "great ideal man".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Javanmardi
Sufi philosophy
Persian words and phrases
Culture of Iran