Mojgan Misaghi: The 17th Letter of the Living

In 2023, Whistling Hens and Mojgan Misaghi became connected through the Iranian Female Composers Association Award, and commissioned The 17th Letter of the Living. This piece is based on the life of a significant female figure—Táhirih—who holds a significant place in the composer’s personal history, having profoundly influenced her perspective on women's rights during her upbringing within a Bahá'í household. Táhirih, also known as Fatimah Baraghani, was a 19th-century Iranian poet, women's rights activist, and religious figure within the Bábí faith. She fervently embraced the Báb's teachings and gained notoriety for her fearless advocacy. Táhirih is best remembered for unveiling herself in front of men during the Conference of Badasht, a bold act that symbolized her defiance of societal norms. In 1852, Táhirih was executed in secret because of her affiliation with the Bábí faith and her role in the unveiling incident. Before her death, she defiantly declared, “You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women.” Táhirih's legacy includes her significant contribution to the early women's rights movement and her revered position in the Bahá'í faith, where she remains an emblem of courage in the struggle for gender equality and religious freedom.