April 3, 2024 • 48 mins
24-year-old, Iranian Female Wrestler, Painter and Published Author of Poetry, Melika Balali, along with her husband, immigrated from Iran to Scotland. She’s now wrestling in Scotland as well as teaching wrestling. Melika plans to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, USA. We talk with Melika about her time in Iran, her career as a female Wrestler, her paintings and her poetry, as well as the move to Scotland. Her story is compelling!
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Outdoors People TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).
Outdoors People Radio Show is broadcast on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).
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(00:00):
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(00:31):
Welcome to outdoors people with me.C w Getz and her Maya mar Zaki.
Good evening. It's Wednesday, Aprilthird, twenty twenty four. We
(00:53):
have got I always wanted to sayit like this. In the downtown Wendy
City. We've got thirty eight degreesfahrenheit and that's three degree Celsi has kids,
and you know, you know,like for the morning commute people would
radio. I never fortunately or unfortunatelyI never made it there, but I
always wanted to do that. Butyes, thirty eight and by the way,
snow today. It's really kind ofa little freak of nature sort of
(01:18):
thing. And it's not like it'snever happened before. There's been blizzards here
in April. But like you saidbefore the show, you were here but
a couple of times. Yeah,didn't snow almost all winter, except for
January when I was in Brazil,which was beautiful. And then now it's
supposed to be spring and we havesnow. I don't somebody's confused somewhere,
(01:38):
but yeah, thirty eight three celsies, what are you gonna do with that?
Man? Yes, the same year. This season doesn't want to change,
so we're supposed to be chiller becausethey all just just tarted. But
it is hot again. Oh really, yes, it is somewhere again.
I don't know what's going on withthe letter in the world. I don't
(02:02):
know. It's just called it's fallenapart of the seams man. The train
is off the tracks and we don'tknow where it's going. How would Bob
How would Bob Ross say that wedon't know where it's going and I don't
know if we really care, remember, he would say that I don't know
that we remember. That's funny.I love it. Well, good,
(02:22):
alrighty, let's see here. Well, let's go on, let's meet our
guests here. This evening, twentyfour year old Iranian female wrestler, painter,
and soon to be published author ofpoetry, Melika Balali, along with
her husband, immigrated from Iran toScotland. She's now wrestling in Scotland as
well as teaching wrestling there. Malikaplans to qualify for the twenty twenty eight
(02:45):
Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. So Yes said, this is time
(03:07):
Pleasure shows. We welcome to theshow. Malika. Hi, thank you
(03:31):
so much for having me. Iwas very excited watching the video. I
think you captured both side of mewrestling and paintings. And thank you so
much for the good work that youdid. I'm glad to hear that.
Yeah, I'm glad to hear that, you know. And and the thing
is it was a surprise because youhadn't seen that before we aired it.
(03:53):
There's you know, that was somethingwe just put together out your friend.
It's such a CUTEEO oh my gosh, like the culest video. And you
were going to be the coolest personwhen we are going to interview, and
I'm dying for that interview. Thankyou very much for being here with us.
(04:14):
I don't want to be a spoileron this, but I got to
tell you I really believe we're goingto see her on television, and I
can't spill any more than that becauseit'll ruin part of this interview, So
I'm just gonna leave it at that. So there you go. Yeah,
we are lucky because we could talkto her before she became so famous.
That's what I'm saying. Yeah,so you guys are going to see her
(04:38):
on television soon around her neck.Yeah, absolutely practiced a lot to win
the medal. I'm sure you are. And uh, just describe life in
iron for our woman. As awoman, you face lots of discrimination living
(05:04):
in Iran, and most of themcaused and by government regulation. And some
of them are because of the societalnorms and traditions that's you know, related
to your family and to your youknow, the education system that's created by
(05:29):
the government. But all of themhand in hand, from education to employment
to the society. You face lotsof discrimination, and I think as a
woman you face lots of hardship.But as a good part women stay hand
in hand to face this discrimination andfight with it and find a new way
(05:51):
to create their own freedom. Asa new revolution of woman life freedom that
is a store by the death ofMasamini. Wow. Yeah, So let
me ask you this, if ifit's okay just being a woman in Iran,
what is it like being a femalewrestler in Iran? So a wrestling
(06:18):
specifically is a national esports in Iran, and it's a male dominated sports.
So traditionally Iranian when they born,they start learning wrestle while they are kids.
So if the family gathering, theystart playing with our with their kids
(06:42):
and make it a very small dowe lost her is my computer and cheer
always and they wrestling together. Butas a girl, you are just watching.
You cannot join these fights, soyou cannot join these passion. But
for me it was the same,I just watched. But since March twenty
(07:06):
fifteen, a sort of a wrestlingstarted in Iran with her job. So
this means a male dominated sports startfor women with a head job. And
this means they need they can engagein this sport which is only for men,
(07:27):
but they need to respect their religionclosing the religious head job. Yeah,
and this is that even though withthe head job, all the sport
female athlete, okay, all thefemale athlete facing discrimination, lack of support,
and also they are representing half ofpopulation of Iran that facing discrimination,
(07:58):
and I proud of them even thoughwith the discrimination in their family and education
system and society, they step upand shout their voice out. Yeah,
well, that's that's unreal. Imean Brazil, it is a sexish country.
(08:20):
It is very man dominated, andwe have many crimes against show women.
But in theory, in law wehave the same rights. But actually
and it is very hard to livehere. So I cannot even imagine how
is living in your own being awoman. So that's that's that's unreal,
(08:46):
and it is very it's very nicethat you are here and expressing you and
we're going to talk more about you. But it is nice everything that you
have done. One point, youand your husband choose to immigrate to Scotland,
and how that was for both ofyou. How was the experience for
(09:11):
both of you, So facing freedomand also adapting ourselves to the cultural change,
it was quite a challenge. SoI came as a partner with my
husband. My husband got a followshipfor the University of Edinburgh in the Ash
(09:33):
Institute, and also he got afollowship from APF based in US, and
I was lucky to come to Scotlandbecause I first started wrestling in a normal
way, wearing single lids and beequal with men and training with them in
(09:54):
Scotland. And also I had asupport of the government and also the university.
All of them were open to meprovide the education opportunity for me.
Also as an Iranian woman, whenI came here, I removed my job,
and it was very hard for meto adapt myself. Myself is them
(10:20):
and also confidence was lower than ayou know, first word country woman.
And I tried to adapt myself andbuild up my language first and then catching
up in you know, my sportsworld and also my art, and tried
(10:43):
to see myself as a free woman. But I think this process of this
process, of this process for meto change and adapt was so much.
Yeah, so it was quite youknow, don't think process for me.
You just stop and say, ohmy gosh, I just can't believe how
(11:07):
different this is and where I met, how far I've made it and how
far I've gone, And it's kindof reflect on your life. Sometimes you
just kind of catch up with yourself. You do that. Actually my husband
doing it, so he sometimes comeand say to himself that I inspired by
(11:28):
my past because he had very tragicpast. This is his story, but
I learned from him that sometimes whenI see my past, I get inspired
and become motivated to move forward fasterand faster like a sprinter. Yeah.
Yeah, that's a really good lessonfor everyone who is listening. You needed
(11:56):
to change your whole mindset. You'rea way of seeing and facing life to
experiencing something different, but in thesame way, something better for you as
a woman in an europe country,in a free country, for women in
general. So it's very brave ofyou because even though it was a good
(12:18):
change was a big change. Soit's very brave of you. And talking
about how brave you are, asI understand you will be competing to qualify
for the twenty twenty eight female FreeStyle wrestling team. Is that correct?
(12:41):
Yes, this is my ambition,this is my aim. So for all
athletes, they wish to be Olympicathletes, so they wish to get the
gold medal. But being an Olympicathlete is here. I need to work
so hard for it, and Olympicis not a gift. You need to
(13:05):
earn it each step of it.Neat, blood and sweat, and I'm
willing to pay that price. AndI'm because I don't want to become a
champion with a medal. I wantto become a wrestler by its means.
I always saw my father and allmen's doing wrestling in TV in YouTube,
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and I saw the picture of awrestler, but I didn't know what is
behind in the waiting room, intheir wrestling room, what they are doing.
And I love the process, eventhough after I got injured, I
had an injury and after that itwas very hard for me to back up,
(13:54):
and I also start learning a newsport beside of wrestling. And by
doing all those things, I thinkI'm getting a step by step closer to
where I want to go. ButI don't want to reach that goal and
see nothing after that. I wantto enjoy the process of building my skill
(14:18):
as an Olympic aflet. So myambition is to become qualified for twenty twenty
eight Olympics in Los Angeles, andit's a long way, but I'm sure
my will. Because I wasn't ableto wrestle, it was a banded sport
(14:43):
for me, and I value themetroom, the wrestling room more than other
girls because they had these mets andyou know, they were wrestling was available
for them, but it was athan the sport for me and nice I
think I see it with my bloodand flesh, the worth of it.
(15:07):
Yeah, yes, I can speakfor myself. We take for granted the
freedom that we have and we don'tknow how important it is and how much
women needed and still fighting for that. So that's very inspiring and very nice.
(15:28):
A few now you are living yourdream the things you're always dreaming about.
Now it's real. You were buildingthat. Yeah, I feel I
almost feel guilty for being a maleright now. Yes, you should.
Is for men to in Iran,so it's not only for women, it's
(15:52):
for men to. So both genderfacing discrimination, but women face worse,
way worse than man. Yeah.Okay, So I'm going to ask you
about your I'm Gonnahift Gears and askyou about your paintings. But first I'm
going to ask you this were whatkind of kid were you? Were you?
I mean, I'm thinking, youknow, there's this wrestler in the
back of your mind when you're akid, and I'm wondering, did you
(16:15):
just go out there and kick youknow, kick ass in the playground and
you know with the boys and themaybe there, I don't know, they'd
play a recess or what were Whatkind of kid were you so you cannot
imagine? I was kind of Yeah, I was kind of kids that cry
(16:36):
very fast and also was very fasttoo broke, so I was very shy.
And I also was very you know, childish kids. So I was
you know, always uh, youknow, be aside and don't talk with
(16:56):
the people, don't just painting,just reading, you know, books like
mostly literature, and I am short. Norman was my favorite, the the
Uranian book. And also but afterI start doing wrestling, my personality change,
(17:18):
my reality change. So the boyis exactly lovely. But I think
before wrestling, I didn't have myown creation in painting and also poetry.
But I think wrestling give me thiscourage to speak up for myself first,
(17:41):
give me this confidence, and besidesof it, I start creating my own
arts. And yeah, you knowI know another another lady just like that.
She's on the other end of thisclimbing am I right? Yeah,
that's true. I was very shinegirl as well, and climbing and montaineering
(18:03):
general changing my life so I reallyunderstand where you can from right, and
it is very brave a few becausenot it's not for everyone changed so much.
So I'm very proud of you.Thank you so much. I'm very
(18:26):
proud of you too. But Ithink just my family like me this way.
So they always wanted me to beshy and don't speak for myself and
be aside, be a good girl. You know. You know, my
(18:48):
parents a little bit like that too. When I started playing drums. I
don't have to explain any more aboutthat. Yeah, because you know,
it is easier to control a shinekids if he has no voice. But
now you are that strong woman fightingand fighting against everything in front of you
to be yourself. There's that.I came in Scotland. It was very
(19:15):
hard for me to adapt myself,but I got inspiration from Iranian women.
Most of them were in prison,most of them were attacked by acid because
they didn't cover their face, andthey start speaking by for themselves, like
Marcia brought him me and she hada ted talk and I got inspired with
(19:40):
them. Even though they were underdiscrimination, under pressure, under every kind
of uh, you know, asuppression, but they start speaking for themselves.
So I start going to the gym, working out, and I start
planning for myself, like how todevelope my self esteem because I feel like
(20:04):
I didn't have any life before Ihad I start my life in Scotland.
Yeah, such a cool you know. By the way, I have to
say this, we need to thankour mutual friend Clarissa Jacobson for having just
arranging this to have you on theshow, because Clarissa said, you have
(20:25):
one heck of a story, andshe was she was right, absolutely right,
spot on. But Angel I loveher. I hope she's listening right
now. But I'm gonna shift gearshere just for that. Malika, what
was you? What is your inspirationbehind your paintings? I want to ask
(20:45):
you that. Oh did you hearus? Did you catch it? Did
she with us? Yes, I'mhere with you. We just want to
know what's the inspiration behind your paintings. So, as I said, I
got inspiration for developing my confidence whileI was in Scotland. It was very
(21:08):
hard for me to get inspired inyou know, Scottish weather. It was
very gloomy, but it is nice. The people are nicer than the weather.
But I start, you know,painting Iranian women first, you know,
during COVID, I start developing myold painting skills through YouTube. It
(21:33):
was very effective, and when Icame to Scotland, I started developing my
bigger pictures. So I made acollection for women of Iran who start speaking
for themselves after you know, WomanLife Revolution. I start naming this collection
(21:55):
woman Life Freedom. And I alsoadd some of the you know, strong
girls and women who died in theprotests, like Massamini, like Ni Kosharkami,
like the picture on my back isArmital gerovand from Iran who died the
(22:18):
same way as MASAMII died. Andthis is this collection is like a tree.
And I believe women have this powerlike a tree that even though they
have a wound in their body,in their hearts, they have the power
to grew a bud in between thewound and you know, make a heal
(22:40):
So the healing power is come frommothers, come from the earth, come
from a woman. So this collectionsymbol come from this and yes, and
I write poems for each paintings.Yeah, to describe how I you know,
collect the sea balls and put themtogether on a canvas. Well,
(23:03):
well that's that's very impressive and that'sthat's interesting that you can pick up everything
that's wrong or everything that you don'tlike and then change that for make something
better and make you stronger. Yes, but sometimes the world is so tricky.
(23:26):
People change by the time. Soat that time I got inspired by
these people. But through the timethey might change. But it doesn't mean
I always get inspired by them.But at that age and that time,
I got inspired by all of them. Yeah. Yeah, that's the part
(23:48):
of the process that you're talking aboutwrestling. So that's your painting process and
you are enjoying it till the endand we don't know when it the end
is going to be right and talkingabout the inspiration on how it is the
inspiration for her poetry. So asI said, I first my first poem
(24:14):
was for one of the mothers ofa prisoner who died in Iran, and
I wrote that poem and send itto her and they wasn't able to read
that, and they asked me toread it by my voice because they wouldn't
understand what this means. And whenI read it, they start saying,
(24:38):
oh, it's a poem. AndI find out that I have this talent
that I can develop and study moreabout poetry. And actually it was the
same way for my painting, andI developed both of them in twenty twenty
one when I arrived in the Scotlandand I start writing for each painting a
(25:06):
poem, and while I was painting, I start imagining what's the meaning behind
what I'm painting and try to addit in my poetry, try to add
it and bring words on the paperand also adding those words into the picture.
(25:26):
So both of them was working handin hand. Oh how those skills
were sleeping inside of you and youdidn't know, and now all of them
woke up. So it became areally strong and rock star. Yeah,
but I think I wasn't so lucky, But I think I used the time
(25:52):
effectively. I lost lots of time, I should say that, but because
I was in a you know,a new country, I didn't have so
much friends. I most of thetime I go to the gym and come
home and that's it, and sometimesgo out with my husband, but that's
(26:14):
it. And I have so muchtime to develop and paint and work out
and train two times a day,and my day become full of the you
know, paintings, writing and youknow, exercise, and just eating and
sleep. But look at how hasyour family and I ran reacted to your
(26:36):
decision to become a female wrestler.I'm curious about that. First, my
family have a you know, astrict mindset about you know, religion.
They are they have they are verystrong in their religious belief and when I
(26:56):
just immigrate, I share some picturesof myself with how head job, and
my mother mostly disagree with the waythat I was. She wanted me with
a chador even herd job and thenchador the black storb, and I didn't
like this way. I wanted toadapt myself and discover the new me.
(27:21):
I wanted to find out who Iwould become if I was here. And
even though right now, even thoughI find out okay, I want to
paint, I want to write,I want to wrestle, I still don't
know who I was if I wasborn here, I might you know,
become a you know, a rideror a horse rider. I want to
(27:45):
discover that. For the first time, I start cycling here and it was
very very strange feeling for me becausecycling is banding around for women. Women
of Iran cannot cycle, yes,but my family didn't like me to wrestle.
Uh. They even don't like meto be without a job. But
(28:08):
when I start speaking up for myselfand even though sharing some beliefs of like
a feminism, like I have myown right and asking and shouting out for
it, they didn't like this,so they stop contacting with me. But
(28:30):
I feel like we didn't choose wheretoo born. But oh, this is
my choice to who become. SoI yes, maybe my last name is
not my choice, but my path, my way is my choice. Yeah,
(28:51):
yeah, that's that's that's pretty youknow, And honestly, I'm sure
you're not the first child to disappointher parents. But at the same time,
and it's kind of a that's atough place to be. I'm sure
it's like, you know, yeah, if your parents want you to be
one way, and you know there'sa religious beliefs involved in that, but
then you're like, hey, I'mmy own person and I have my own
(29:12):
life. It's got to be astruggle for you, right, Uh huh
can you hear me? Yeah,Okay, so that's that's a very good
point. Actually, one of mypainting is about gold Shifter Para Honey,
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and she once says said that theonly problem is that I'm a woman.
If I was a man, Ididn't have so much problem, And this
is the same for me. Allthe problem is that I'm a woman.
Yeah. If I was a man, there wasn't any problem. Yeah,
(29:56):
same for that girl that I paint. Yeah, the problems and the solutions,
because you found very nice solutions.Here's what I want to know.
What do you think they're gonna sayonce you win gold medals eight Olympics?
(30:18):
I don't know. Yeah, besideof my family and the government of your
own and also there was lots offorces that wanted to stop meeting wrestling.
But I want to say to them, I just did it. Like I
don't know which actor was that,but she got those car and say look
(30:44):
at me now. I want tosay that, Yeah, look at me
now. I think you'll be ableto say that once you pull away all
those gold medals that you're going towin. So yeah, yeah, but
you know anyways you you are nowyou can't say that now, yes,
right, like you are an advantageof almost all women I know from like
(31:07):
free countries, you know, whowere born encounters like Scotland, like Brazil,
like United States. So you won'talready. Yeah, you're right.
Actually, sometimes I say to myselfwhen I got disappointed and facing lots of
challenge in front of me, ActuallyOlympics is not a gift for me.
(31:30):
I should fight for it. ButI feel like even though now, even
wearing the single leads, I representIranian women who like to wrestle but they
cannot. So I'm fighting for eachone of them, but mostly for myself.
Yeah, because I have lots ofdream that has died, but I
(31:52):
try to reborn each one of them. Oh that's that's very beautiful. Absolutely,
thank you. And what lesson hasexperienced try you that you would be
willing to share with our audience thisevening. Yeah, just I would like
(32:20):
to say, just be with aflow and let the wind, oh you
know, move you to the placethat you want to go. Yeah,
and don't fight with the destiny.Yeah. I didn't live to the destiny,
but nowadays I believe that there isa destiny, and I feel like
(32:43):
if we become uh, you know, loose with the flow, it will
be more enjoyable. That's a greatI like that like that a lot,
right, couldn't said It's better myselfnot just joke. Right, we're learning.
(33:07):
We are learning so much this evening, m h. And we are
going to learn even more about youwith your pictures. And I need to
say, that's my favorite part ofthe show. I was waiting for that.
(33:28):
I love it, I said,because of you, because you are
waiting and I don't want to disappointto you. It's like show and tell.
It's cool. I always say,you know, this is this is
the little extra bonus part we doon our show here right right, So
who on do you have the pictures? Here? We go? Yeah,
(33:51):
what are we looking at her?Is she with us? Stay with us?
We're having some internet issues here.It looks like this is female car.
There you go. Yeah, soI think here is the first place
that I'm displayed that I'm showing thispainting. Yes, very very cool.
(34:15):
Oh interesting, there's a lot wow. Oh his crowls Uh try tie this
tree which represents the equality for women, and they trying to cut the tree.
(34:36):
They don't like women have that,you know, they're their own rights.
Yeah. Interesting. Now, okay, now I'm seeing this a little
different way, like, oh mygosh, that's that's so heavy, like
such a heavy ceiling. Yeah,because because I know, like even even
though here in Brazil that we havethe same right Strava, it's it not
(35:00):
happens, and the society tried toshut us down every time. So every
time I feel like that tree forsure, that's wild how these things represent.
And you look at this picture andyou know, I think it really
does a lot for to have alittle bit of an explanation on these things,
(35:21):
because I'm, oh, wow,now really understanding this a lot better.
I think these painting was from Iran, but I didn't like them so
so much because the technical are verybasic, so there isn't so much lighting
in it. But when I seethat you like them, so I become
(35:44):
more proud of them more so,you know, I're just too hamble because
it is an amazing feature and thetechnique, and I think how it is
dark is how it should be becauseit is a dark ceiling, being in
the dead position and the feeling youwant to put on that and you make
(36:05):
me feel that so more than wellthen thank you, Yeah, very very
nice. There's a lot of detailin that picture. Yeah. So this
one is a mother that you know, even though she dried, her child
is a you know, fresh butI mean a fresh you know green,
(36:30):
a new tree that is going togrow, which means a mother try to
you know, help their kids togrow up or they you know, do
anything for their kids to grow up. But definitely that kid is a boy.
Yeah. Now let me ask youa question, do you I mean,
(36:53):
I've seen two trees. Now,do you have a thing where like
trees are are something that you paintfrequently or how does that work for you?
Or maybe no, just a coincident. So my father is a farmer,
so I grew up in a farmin a you know world of trees
in a jungle. So I feellike I bond with the trees. So
(37:21):
this is a subject that I alwayslike to paint. Even though when I
design a poster for my husband movie, I use trees. Most of the
subject that I use is trees.Yeah that's cool. But in the same
hand, I feel like represent alife if you want to represent a woman
(37:43):
in the tree like that one,the next the last one. I think
tree and naturally represent can represent lifeand how to create life. It's a
good association. Yeah, next one. There you go. These are Scottish
(38:06):
painting. Yeah. So when Istarted doing judo, Uh, there there
was a light coming in my painting. So I have pro judo to tank
in the city center of Glasgow wherethe community is full of joy, and
(38:29):
they brought you know, lots oflight in my painting. So these are
the most the first paintings that Istart to paint for Scotland. I like
that chisels, look to the tothis woman's face that you painted here,
that's that's very cool. Yeah,thank you. And this one is my
(38:52):
first my no, not the first. The first painting that I did,
I gifted to the University of Ediebro and this is the second one.
Uh, this is naturalist today.Uh. And she she is a lawyer
and she's speak up for the youknow, the woman and for the equality
(39:15):
and the government imprisoned her only becauseshe speak up and you know, defend
the right of woman, the rightsof a woman. And as you see,
the crawl is a bad you know, very dark side and the candle
represent the right. Everything means something. I love that and you know something,
(39:38):
that's a beautiful, beautiful painting.That extremely beautiful. And you see
the you know, blue lights onthe back represent the you know, uh,
the prison which they imprison her.Yeah. Ooh, that's heavy.
There's a lot going on in yourpaintings. I love this your spirit.
(39:59):
This one is my first painting everpainted. Are you are making up seriously?
This is your first one? Ohyeah, this is miss painting.
You are natural, are you?Well? We're born with those tolerances.
That's crazy. Yeah. Yeah.Did you how much like art lessons did
(40:22):
you have? I mean before youdid this painting? So I studied art.
I didn't study a sports so Istudy animation and filmmaking and also in
the university I study theater literature.Wow, yes, because you are now
(40:42):
okay, you're in your profession againis tell us again? So now you
cut out there, Malica. We'rehaving some minternet issues. Try that again,
you cut start over there please,so recently because I represent Scotland only,
(41:06):
not going for any international matches.I don't earn money from wrestling that
much, just from my teaching.But for my paintings, I sell paintings
and sometimes painting people portrait. Butthese paintings that are for women are for
(41:29):
showing in the exhibition and speaking forthe woman's rights, which I don't intend
to sell mostly, but yes,and I have planned to publish my book.
So, yeah, my poetry book, which contained lots of poem that
I write after I immigrate, andI see it in a way that I,
(41:52):
you know, self trapping myself withthe poetry. Yeah. So this
one is Mardi Brahimi and she attackedby a seed in her face and she
is speaking up for her right andas you see her face is you know,
(42:15):
cover and bandage. But there arevery green bots that grew up from
the wounds and mm hmmm yeah,very yeah. There's there's a lot going
on in this one here too.Well. Yeah, the background I painted
with my finger. Yeah, Ididn't have so much material like brushes or
(42:40):
something, but I had some oilpaint and I start painting at first the
background with my finger. You fingerpainted this background? Yes, you should
have seen my finger paintings in schoolonly smokes. Actually it's very good feeling,
(43:01):
but you need you need to makesure that was your fingers. Very
good. Yeah, it's you know, but never look. Yeah, I
don't want to see my climber fingerspainting. It's not going to look like
(43:22):
so goodly you Yeah, okay,wait, let's go. I'm going to
ask you what what what what arewe looking at? Let's go back to
the other one. I'm sorry,one what what tell us what's going on
here? Tell us what this represents. So this is a woman who is
young and her body is young,but her hair is you know, white,
(43:45):
which means she becomes old inside.And she's you know, burning in
fire. And she also covered herhair with a hey job, and but
still she's dancing on fire. Thismeans even though woman of you run a
struggling you see a face of aheaven that they are you know, happy,
(44:08):
but they are not. They arein a fire and they are dancing
with a fire. And this firemight you know, cause their life or
there might die or something, butthey still keep growing. And as you
see, there is a tree thatis going up with a blood color,
(44:32):
which means they are fighting. Butthere is a tree that's going down and
burning, which means a three mightburn and die, a three might go
up and grow up, even thoughwith a blood collar that's very very deep.
(44:57):
So this one is a womb,but it's painted as a tree.
It's kind of like a walk lossas well. But you know, a
woman like a child, but youknow, a grown woman's body is inside
of it in a blood water,and it's going to die in the womb,
(45:24):
which means when when a woman growup in Iran, they died even
hm because they are a woman.So when they go to sonography, they
first ask if it's a boy ora girl. If it's a boy,
(45:46):
they are happy, they're celebrating.But if it's a girl, they start
saying, oh, that's a girl, that's a shame. Yeah, they
start saying this. So they thatchild in the in the womb of a
mother start you know, feeling this, you know, negativity, and this
(46:08):
negativity will you know, kill her, like executing her in the womb of
a mother. That it's so heavyand can represent so many people and so
many future culturism parents. So heavy. Thank you very much for sharing your
(46:31):
paintings with us. That's so nice. Thank you so much for having me.
I really enjoy talking about this paintingand I haven't shown them. I
just share them on Instagram, butI never talk in detail about this painting.
(46:53):
Yeah, I do the opportunity todo that, right, The world
need to see a to listen tothat. So I'm very glad that you
had the time and talking about it. Where can people find you a wine?
So I'm very active on Instagram.I have two pages. One of
(47:14):
them is for my art, oneof them is dedicated to my you know,
activism and sports. And yes,you can find me on Facebook with
if you search medical Bilali and yes, and thank you so much. Well,
but Leaka, hey, we wantto thank you. Thank you for
(47:36):
being our guest here. It wasan absolute pleasure having you on the show.
And thank you again to Clarissa Jacobsonfor making all this possible. We
really appreciate that, Clarissa. Yeah, thanks to Clarissa. She is very
great help. Actually she's the firstwas a friend of my husband and after
(47:57):
that a good friend of me.Yeah. Yeah, yes, it is
impossible not to be friends with herif you know her, it is impossible.
She's such a good person. Andthen why she became friends and know
people like you because yeah, heis very good writer as well. Yeah,
(48:19):
yeah, Well, we want tothank our audience for tuning in to
tonight's show. Be sure to tunein for next week's episode, Survival and
Ocean Race with our guest Liz Gallowayalong with Maya Marzaki. This is cw
GET saying thanks for tuning in toOutdoors people see you next week. Choo
Topics and opinions expressed in the followingshow are solely those of the hosts and
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(00:31):
Welcome to outdoors people with me.C w Getz and her Maya mar Zaki.
Good evening. It's Wednesday, Aprilthird, twenty twenty four. We
(00:53):
have got I always wanted to sayit like this. In the downtown Wendy
City. We've got thirty eight degreesfahrenheit and that's three degree Celsi has kids,
and you know, you know,like for the morning commute people would
radio. I never fortunately or unfortunatelyI never made it there, but I
always wanted to do that. Butyes, thirty eight and by the way,
snow today. It's really kind ofa little freak of nature sort of
(01:18):
thing. And it's not like it'snever happened before. There's been blizzards here
in April. But like you saidbefore the show, you were here but
a couple of times. Yeah,didn't snow almost all winter, except for
January when I was in Brazil,which was beautiful. And then now it's
supposed to be spring and we havesnow. I don't somebody's confused somewhere,
(01:38):
but yeah, thirty eight three celsies, what are you gonna do with that?
Man? Yes, the same year. This season doesn't want to change,
so we're supposed to be chiller becausethey all just just tarted. But
it is hot again. Oh really, yes, it is somewhere again.
I don't know what's going on withthe letter in the world. I don't
(02:02):
know. It's just called it's fallenapart of the seams man. The train
is off the tracks and we don'tknow where it's going. How would Bob
How would Bob Ross say that wedon't know where it's going and I don't
know if we really care, remember, he would say that I don't know
that we remember. That's funny.I love it. Well, good,
(02:22):
alrighty, let's see here. Well, let's go on, let's meet our
guests here. This evening, twentyfour year old Iranian female wrestler, painter,
and soon to be published author ofpoetry, Melika Balali, along with
her husband, immigrated from Iran toScotland. She's now wrestling in Scotland as
well as teaching wrestling there. Malikaplans to qualify for the twenty twenty eight
(02:45):
Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. So Yes said, this is time
(03:07):
Pleasure shows. We welcome to theshow. Malika. Hi, thank you
(03:31):
so much for having me. Iwas very excited watching the video. I
think you captured both side of mewrestling and paintings. And thank you so
much for the good work that youdid. I'm glad to hear that.
Yeah, I'm glad to hear that, you know. And and the thing
is it was a surprise because youhadn't seen that before we aired it.
(03:53):
There's you know, that was somethingwe just put together out your friend.
It's such a CUTEEO oh my gosh, like the culest video. And you
were going to be the coolest personwhen we are going to interview, and
I'm dying for that interview. Thankyou very much for being here with us.
(04:14):
I don't want to be a spoileron this, but I got to
tell you I really believe we're goingto see her on television, and I
can't spill any more than that becauseit'll ruin part of this interview, So
I'm just gonna leave it at that. So there you go. Yeah,
we are lucky because we could talkto her before she became so famous.
That's what I'm saying. Yeah,so you guys are going to see her
(04:38):
on television soon around her neck.Yeah, absolutely practiced a lot to win
the medal. I'm sure you are. And uh, just describe life in
iron for our woman. As awoman, you face lots of discrimination living
(05:04):
in Iran, and most of themcaused and by government regulation. And some
of them are because of the societalnorms and traditions that's you know, related
to your family and to your youknow, the education system that's created by
(05:29):
the government. But all of themhand in hand, from education to employment
to the society. You face lotsof discrimination, and I think as a
woman you face lots of hardship.But as a good part women stay hand
in hand to face this discrimination andfight with it and find a new way
(05:51):
to create their own freedom. Asa new revolution of woman life freedom that
is a store by the death ofMasamini. Wow. Yeah, So let
me ask you this, if ifit's okay just being a woman in Iran,
what is it like being a femalewrestler in Iran? So a wrestling
(06:18):
specifically is a national esports in Iran, and it's a male dominated sports.
So traditionally Iranian when they born,they start learning wrestle while they are kids.
So if the family gathering, theystart playing with our with their kids
(06:42):
and make it a very small dowe lost her is my computer and cheer
always and they wrestling together. Butas a girl, you are just watching.
You cannot join these fights, soyou cannot join these passion. But
for me it was the same,I just watched. But since March twenty
(07:06):
fifteen, a sort of a wrestlingstarted in Iran with her job. So
this means a male dominated sports startfor women with a head job. And
this means they need they can engagein this sport which is only for men,
(07:27):
but they need to respect their religionclosing the religious head job. Yeah,
and this is that even though withthe head job, all the sport
female athlete, okay, all thefemale athlete facing discrimination, lack of support,
and also they are representing half ofpopulation of Iran that facing discrimination,
(07:58):
and I proud of them even thoughwith the discrimination in their family and education
system and society, they step upand shout their voice out. Yeah,
well, that's that's unreal. Imean Brazil, it is a sexish country.
(08:20):
It is very man dominated, andwe have many crimes against show women.
But in theory, in law wehave the same rights. But actually
and it is very hard to livehere. So I cannot even imagine how
is living in your own being awoman. So that's that's that's unreal,
(08:46):
and it is very it's very nicethat you are here and expressing you and
we're going to talk more about you. But it is nice everything that you
have done. One point, youand your husband choose to immigrate to Scotland,
and how that was for both ofyou. How was the experience for
(09:11):
both of you, So facing freedomand also adapting ourselves to the cultural change,
it was quite a challenge. SoI came as a partner with my
husband. My husband got a followshipfor the University of Edinburgh in the Ash
(09:33):
Institute, and also he got afollowship from APF based in US, and
I was lucky to come to Scotlandbecause I first started wrestling in a normal
way, wearing single lids and beequal with men and training with them in
(09:54):
Scotland. And also I had asupport of the government and also the university.
All of them were open to meprovide the education opportunity for me.
Also as an Iranian woman, whenI came here, I removed my job,
and it was very hard for meto adapt myself. Myself is them
(10:20):
and also confidence was lower than ayou know, first word country woman.
And I tried to adapt myself andbuild up my language first and then catching
up in you know, my sportsworld and also my art, and tried
(10:43):
to see myself as a free woman. But I think this process of this
process, of this process for meto change and adapt was so much.
Yeah, so it was quite youknow, don't think process for me.
You just stop and say, ohmy gosh, I just can't believe how
(11:07):
different this is and where I met, how far I've made it and how
far I've gone, And it's kindof reflect on your life. Sometimes you
just kind of catch up with yourself. You do that. Actually my husband
doing it, so he sometimes comeand say to himself that I inspired by
(11:28):
my past because he had very tragicpast. This is his story, but
I learned from him that sometimes whenI see my past, I get inspired
and become motivated to move forward fasterand faster like a sprinter. Yeah.
Yeah, that's a really good lessonfor everyone who is listening. You needed
(11:56):
to change your whole mindset. You'rea way of seeing and facing life to
experiencing something different, but in thesame way, something better for you as
a woman in an europe country,in a free country, for women in
general. So it's very brave ofyou because even though it was a good
(12:18):
change was a big change. Soit's very brave of you. And talking
about how brave you are, asI understand you will be competing to qualify
for the twenty twenty eight female FreeStyle wrestling team. Is that correct?
(12:41):
Yes, this is my ambition,this is my aim. So for all
athletes, they wish to be Olympicathletes, so they wish to get the
gold medal. But being an Olympicathlete is here. I need to work
so hard for it, and Olympicis not a gift. You need to
(13:05):
earn it each step of it.Neat, blood and sweat, and I'm
willing to pay that price. AndI'm because I don't want to become a
champion with a medal. I wantto become a wrestler by its means.
I always saw my father and allmen's doing wrestling in TV in YouTube,
(13:31):
and I saw the picture of awrestler, but I didn't know what is
behind in the waiting room, intheir wrestling room, what they are doing.
And I love the process, eventhough after I got injured, I
had an injury and after that itwas very hard for me to back up,
(13:54):
and I also start learning a newsport beside of wrestling. And by
doing all those things, I thinkI'm getting a step by step closer to
where I want to go. ButI don't want to reach that goal and
see nothing after that. I wantto enjoy the process of building my skill
(14:18):
as an Olympic aflet. So myambition is to become qualified for twenty twenty
eight Olympics in Los Angeles, andit's a long way, but I'm sure
my will. Because I wasn't ableto wrestle, it was a banded sport
(14:43):
for me, and I value themetroom, the wrestling room more than other
girls because they had these mets andyou know, they were wrestling was available
for them, but it was athan the sport for me and nice I
think I see it with my bloodand flesh, the worth of it.
(15:07):
Yeah, yes, I can speakfor myself. We take for granted the
freedom that we have and we don'tknow how important it is and how much
women needed and still fighting for that. So that's very inspiring and very nice.
(15:28):
A few now you are living yourdream the things you're always dreaming about.
Now it's real. You were buildingthat. Yeah, I feel I
almost feel guilty for being a maleright now. Yes, you should.
Is for men to in Iran,so it's not only for women, it's
(15:52):
for men to. So both genderfacing discrimination, but women face worse,
way worse than man. Yeah.Okay, So I'm going to ask you
about your I'm Gonnahift Gears and askyou about your paintings. But first I'm
going to ask you this were whatkind of kid were you? Were you?
I mean, I'm thinking, youknow, there's this wrestler in the
back of your mind when you're akid, and I'm wondering, did you
(16:15):
just go out there and kick youknow, kick ass in the playground and
you know with the boys and themaybe there, I don't know, they'd
play a recess or what were Whatkind of kid were you so you cannot
imagine? I was kind of Yeah, I was kind of kids that cry
(16:36):
very fast and also was very fasttoo broke, so I was very shy.
And I also was very you know, childish kids. So I was
you know, always uh, youknow, be aside and don't talk with
(16:56):
the people, don't just painting,just reading, you know, books like
mostly literature, and I am short. Norman was my favorite, the the
Uranian book. And also but afterI start doing wrestling, my personality change,
(17:18):
my reality change. So the boyis exactly lovely. But I think
before wrestling, I didn't have myown creation in painting and also poetry.
But I think wrestling give me thiscourage to speak up for myself first,
(17:41):
give me this confidence, and besidesof it, I start creating my own
arts. And yeah, you knowI know another another lady just like that.
She's on the other end of thisclimbing am I right? Yeah,
that's true. I was very shinegirl as well, and climbing and montaineering
(18:03):
general changing my life so I reallyunderstand where you can from right, and
it is very brave a few becausenot it's not for everyone changed so much.
So I'm very proud of you.Thank you so much. I'm very
(18:26):
proud of you too. But Ithink just my family like me this way.
So they always wanted me to beshy and don't speak for myself and
be aside, be a good girl. You know. You know, my
(18:48):
parents a little bit like that too. When I started playing drums. I
don't have to explain any more aboutthat. Yeah, because you know,
it is easier to control a shinekids if he has no voice. But
now you are that strong woman fightingand fighting against everything in front of you
to be yourself. There's that.I came in Scotland. It was very
(19:15):
hard for me to adapt myself,but I got inspiration from Iranian women.
Most of them were in prison,most of them were attacked by acid because
they didn't cover their face, andthey start speaking by for themselves, like
Marcia brought him me and she hada ted talk and I got inspired with
(19:40):
them. Even though they were underdiscrimination, under pressure, under every kind
of uh, you know, asuppression, but they start speaking for themselves.
So I start going to the gym, working out, and I start
planning for myself, like how todevelope my self esteem because I feel like
(20:04):
I didn't have any life before Ihad I start my life in Scotland.
Yeah, such a cool you know. By the way, I have to
say this, we need to thankour mutual friend Clarissa Jacobson for having just
arranging this to have you on theshow, because Clarissa said, you have
(20:25):
one heck of a story, andshe was she was right, absolutely right,
spot on. But Angel I loveher. I hope she's listening right
now. But I'm gonna shift gearshere just for that. Malika, what
was you? What is your inspirationbehind your paintings? I want to ask
(20:45):
you that. Oh did you hearus? Did you catch it? Did
she with us? Yes, I'mhere with you. We just want to
know what's the inspiration behind your paintings. So, as I said, I
got inspiration for developing my confidence whileI was in Scotland. It was very
(21:08):
hard for me to get inspired inyou know, Scottish weather. It was
very gloomy, but it is nice. The people are nicer than the weather.
But I start, you know,painting Iranian women first, you know,
during COVID, I start developing myold painting skills through YouTube. It
(21:33):
was very effective, and when Icame to Scotland, I started developing my
bigger pictures. So I made acollection for women of Iran who start speaking
for themselves after you know, WomanLife Revolution. I start naming this collection
(21:55):
woman Life Freedom. And I alsoadd some of the you know, strong
girls and women who died in theprotests, like Massamini, like Ni Kosharkami,
like the picture on my back isArmital gerovand from Iran who died the
(22:18):
same way as MASAMII died. Andthis is this collection is like a tree.
And I believe women have this powerlike a tree that even though they
have a wound in their body,in their hearts, they have the power
to grew a bud in between thewound and you know, make a heal
(22:40):
So the healing power is come frommothers, come from the earth, come
from a woman. So this collectionsymbol come from this and yes, and
I write poems for each paintings.Yeah, to describe how I you know,
collect the sea balls and put themtogether on a canvas. Well,
(23:03):
well that's that's very impressive and that'sthat's interesting that you can pick up everything
that's wrong or everything that you don'tlike and then change that for make something
better and make you stronger. Yes, but sometimes the world is so tricky.
(23:26):
People change by the time. Soat that time I got inspired by
these people. But through the timethey might change. But it doesn't mean
I always get inspired by them.But at that age and that time,
I got inspired by all of them. Yeah. Yeah, that's the part
(23:48):
of the process that you're talking aboutwrestling. So that's your painting process and
you are enjoying it till the endand we don't know when it the end
is going to be right and talkingabout the inspiration on how it is the
inspiration for her poetry. So asI said, I first my first poem
(24:14):
was for one of the mothers ofa prisoner who died in Iran, and
I wrote that poem and send itto her and they wasn't able to read
that, and they asked me toread it by my voice because they wouldn't
understand what this means. And whenI read it, they start saying,
(24:38):
oh, it's a poem. AndI find out that I have this talent
that I can develop and study moreabout poetry. And actually it was the
same way for my painting, andI developed both of them in twenty twenty
one when I arrived in the Scotlandand I start writing for each painting a
(25:06):
poem, and while I was painting, I start imagining what's the meaning behind
what I'm painting and try to addit in my poetry, try to add
it and bring words on the paperand also adding those words into the picture.
(25:26):
So both of them was working handin hand. Oh how those skills
were sleeping inside of you and youdidn't know, and now all of them
woke up. So it became areally strong and rock star. Yeah,
but I think I wasn't so lucky, But I think I used the time
(25:52):
effectively. I lost lots of time, I should say that, but because
I was in a you know,a new country, I didn't have so
much friends. I most of thetime I go to the gym and come
home and that's it, and sometimesgo out with my husband, but that's
(26:14):
it. And I have so muchtime to develop and paint and work out
and train two times a day,and my day become full of the you
know, paintings, writing and youknow, exercise, and just eating and
sleep. But look at how hasyour family and I ran reacted to your
(26:36):
decision to become a female wrestler.I'm curious about that. First, my
family have a you know, astrict mindset about you know, religion.
They are they have they are verystrong in their religious belief and when I
(26:56):
just immigrate, I share some picturesof myself with how head job, and
my mother mostly disagree with the waythat I was. She wanted me with
a chador even herd job and thenchador the black storb, and I didn't
like this way. I wanted toadapt myself and discover the new me.
(27:21):
I wanted to find out who Iwould become if I was here. And
even though right now, even thoughI find out okay, I want to
paint, I want to write,I want to wrestle, I still don't
know who I was if I wasborn here, I might you know,
become a you know, a rideror a horse rider. I want to
(27:45):
discover that. For the first time, I start cycling here and it was
very very strange feeling for me becausecycling is banding around for women. Women
of Iran cannot cycle, yes,but my family didn't like me to wrestle.
Uh. They even don't like meto be without a job. But
(28:08):
when I start speaking up for myselfand even though sharing some beliefs of like
a feminism, like I have myown right and asking and shouting out for
it, they didn't like this,so they stop contacting with me. But
(28:30):
I feel like we didn't choose wheretoo born. But oh, this is
my choice to who become. SoI yes, maybe my last name is
not my choice, but my path, my way is my choice. Yeah,
(28:51):
yeah, that's that's that's pretty youknow, And honestly, I'm sure
you're not the first child to disappointher parents. But at the same time,
and it's kind of a that's atough place to be. I'm sure
it's like, you know, yeah, if your parents want you to be
one way, and you know there'sa religious beliefs involved in that, but
then you're like, hey, I'mmy own person and I have my own
(29:12):
life. It's got to be astruggle for you, right, Uh huh
can you hear me? Yeah,Okay, so that's that's a very good
point. Actually, one of mypainting is about gold Shifter Para Honey,
(29:34):
and she once says said that theonly problem is that I'm a woman.
If I was a man, Ididn't have so much problem, And this
is the same for me. Allthe problem is that I'm a woman.
Yeah. If I was a man, there wasn't any problem. Yeah,
(29:56):
same for that girl that I paint. Yeah, the problems and the solutions,
because you found very nice solutions.Here's what I want to know.
What do you think they're gonna sayonce you win gold medals eight Olympics?
(30:18):
I don't know. Yeah, besideof my family and the government of your
own and also there was lots offorces that wanted to stop meeting wrestling.
But I want to say to them, I just did it. Like I
don't know which actor was that,but she got those car and say look
(30:44):
at me now. I want tosay that, Yeah, look at me
now. I think you'll be ableto say that once you pull away all
those gold medals that you're going towin. So yeah, yeah, but
you know anyways you you are nowyou can't say that now, yes,
right, like you are an advantageof almost all women I know from like
(31:07):
free countries, you know, whowere born encounters like Scotland, like Brazil,
like United States. So you won'talready. Yeah, you're right.
Actually, sometimes I say to myselfwhen I got disappointed and facing lots of
challenge in front of me, ActuallyOlympics is not a gift for me.
(31:30):
I should fight for it. ButI feel like even though now, even
wearing the single leads, I representIranian women who like to wrestle but they
cannot. So I'm fighting for eachone of them, but mostly for myself.
Yeah, because I have lots ofdream that has died, but I
(31:52):
try to reborn each one of them. Oh that's that's very beautiful. Absolutely,
thank you. And what lesson hasexperienced try you that you would be
willing to share with our audience thisevening. Yeah, just I would like
(32:20):
to say, just be with aflow and let the wind, oh you
know, move you to the placethat you want to go. Yeah,
and don't fight with the destiny.Yeah. I didn't live to the destiny,
but nowadays I believe that there isa destiny, and I feel like
(32:43):
if we become uh, you know, loose with the flow, it will
be more enjoyable. That's a greatI like that like that a lot,
right, couldn't said It's better myselfnot just joke. Right, we're learning.
(33:07):
We are learning so much this evening, m h. And we are
going to learn even more about youwith your pictures. And I need to
say, that's my favorite part ofthe show. I was waiting for that.
(33:28):
I love it, I said,because of you, because you are
waiting and I don't want to disappointto you. It's like show and tell.
It's cool. I always say,you know, this is this is
the little extra bonus part we doon our show here right right, So
who on do you have the pictures? Here? We go? Yeah,
(33:51):
what are we looking at her?Is she with us? Stay with us?
We're having some internet issues here.It looks like this is female car.
There you go. Yeah, soI think here is the first place
that I'm displayed that I'm showing thispainting. Yes, very very cool.
(34:15):
Oh interesting, there's a lot wow. Oh his crowls Uh try tie this
tree which represents the equality for women, and they trying to cut the tree.
(34:36):
They don't like women have that,you know, they're their own rights.
Yeah. Interesting. Now, okay, now I'm seeing this a little
different way, like, oh mygosh, that's that's so heavy, like
such a heavy ceiling. Yeah,because because I know, like even even
though here in Brazil that we havethe same right Strava, it's it not
(35:00):
happens, and the society tried toshut us down every time. So every
time I feel like that tree forsure, that's wild how these things represent.
And you look at this picture andyou know, I think it really
does a lot for to have alittle bit of an explanation on these things,
(35:21):
because I'm, oh, wow,now really understanding this a lot better.
I think these painting was from Iran, but I didn't like them so
so much because the technical are verybasic, so there isn't so much lighting
in it. But when I seethat you like them, so I become
(35:44):
more proud of them more so,you know, I're just too hamble because
it is an amazing feature and thetechnique, and I think how it is
dark is how it should be becauseit is a dark ceiling, being in
the dead position and the feeling youwant to put on that and you make
(36:05):
me feel that so more than wellthen thank you, Yeah, very very
nice. There's a lot of detailin that picture. Yeah. So this
one is a mother that you know, even though she dried, her child
is a you know, fresh butI mean a fresh you know green,
(36:30):
a new tree that is going togrow, which means a mother try to
you know, help their kids togrow up or they you know, do
anything for their kids to grow up. But definitely that kid is a boy.
Yeah. Now let me ask youa question, do you I mean,
(36:53):
I've seen two trees. Now,do you have a thing where like
trees are are something that you paintfrequently or how does that work for you?
Or maybe no, just a coincident. So my father is a farmer,
so I grew up in a farmin a you know world of trees
in a jungle. So I feellike I bond with the trees. So
(37:21):
this is a subject that I alwayslike to paint. Even though when I
design a poster for my husband movie, I use trees. Most of the
subject that I use is trees.Yeah that's cool. But in the same
hand, I feel like represent alife if you want to represent a woman
(37:43):
in the tree like that one,the next the last one. I think
tree and naturally represent can represent lifeand how to create life. It's a
good association. Yeah, next one. There you go. These are Scottish
(38:06):
painting. Yeah. So when Istarted doing judo, Uh, there there
was a light coming in my painting. So I have pro judo to tank
in the city center of Glasgow wherethe community is full of joy, and
(38:29):
they brought you know, lots oflight in my painting. So these are
the most the first paintings that Istart to paint for Scotland. I like
that chisels, look to the tothis woman's face that you painted here,
that's that's very cool. Yeah,thank you. And this one is my
(38:52):
first my no, not the first. The first painting that I did,
I gifted to the University of Ediebro and this is the second one.
Uh, this is naturalist today.Uh. And she she is a lawyer
and she's speak up for the youknow, the woman and for the equality
(39:15):
and the government imprisoned her only becauseshe speak up and you know, defend
the right of woman, the rightsof a woman. And as you see,
the crawl is a bad you know, very dark side and the candle
represent the right. Everything means something. I love that and you know something,
(39:38):
that's a beautiful, beautiful painting.That extremely beautiful. And you see
the you know, blue lights onthe back represent the you know, uh,
the prison which they imprison her.Yeah. Ooh, that's heavy.
There's a lot going on in yourpaintings. I love this your spirit.
(39:59):
This one is my first painting everpainted. Are you are making up seriously?
This is your first one? Ohyeah, this is miss painting.
You are natural, are you?Well? We're born with those tolerances.
That's crazy. Yeah. Yeah.Did you how much like art lessons did
(40:22):
you have? I mean before youdid this painting? So I studied art.
I didn't study a sports so Istudy animation and filmmaking and also in
the university I study theater literature.Wow, yes, because you are now
(40:42):
okay, you're in your profession againis tell us again? So now you
cut out there, Malica. We'rehaving some minternet issues. Try that again,
you cut start over there please,so recently because I represent Scotland only,
(41:06):
not going for any international matches.I don't earn money from wrestling that
much, just from my teaching.But for my paintings, I sell paintings
and sometimes painting people portrait. Butthese paintings that are for women are for
(41:29):
showing in the exhibition and speaking forthe woman's rights, which I don't intend
to sell mostly, but yes,and I have planned to publish my book.
So, yeah, my poetry book, which contained lots of poem that
I write after I immigrate, andI see it in a way that I,
(41:52):
you know, self trapping myself withthe poetry. Yeah. So this
one is Mardi Brahimi and she attackedby a seed in her face and she
is speaking up for her right andas you see her face is you know,
(42:15):
cover and bandage. But there arevery green bots that grew up from
the wounds and mm hmmm yeah,very yeah. There's there's a lot going
on in this one here too.Well. Yeah, the background I painted
with my finger. Yeah, Ididn't have so much material like brushes or
(42:40):
something, but I had some oilpaint and I start painting at first the
background with my finger. You fingerpainted this background? Yes, you should
have seen my finger paintings in schoolonly smokes. Actually it's very good feeling,
(43:01):
but you need you need to makesure that was your fingers. Very
good. Yeah, it's you know, but never look. Yeah, I
don't want to see my climber fingerspainting. It's not going to look like
(43:22):
so goodly you Yeah, okay,wait, let's go. I'm going to
ask you what what what what arewe looking at? Let's go back to
the other one. I'm sorry,one what what tell us what's going on
here? Tell us what this represents. So this is a woman who is
young and her body is young,but her hair is you know, white,
(43:45):
which means she becomes old inside.And she's you know, burning in
fire. And she also covered herhair with a hey job, and but
still she's dancing on fire. Thismeans even though woman of you run a
struggling you see a face of aheaven that they are you know, happy,
(44:08):
but they are not. They arein a fire and they are dancing
with a fire. And this firemight you know, cause their life or
there might die or something, butthey still keep growing. And as you
see, there is a tree thatis going up with a blood color,
(44:32):
which means they are fighting. Butthere is a tree that's going down and
burning, which means a three mightburn and die, a three might go
up and grow up, even thoughwith a blood collar that's very very deep.
(44:57):
So this one is a womb,but it's painted as a tree.
It's kind of like a walk lossas well. But you know, a
woman like a child, but youknow, a grown woman's body is inside
of it in a blood water,and it's going to die in the womb,
(45:24):
which means when when a woman growup in Iran, they died even
hm because they are a woman.So when they go to sonography, they
first ask if it's a boy ora girl. If it's a boy,
(45:46):
they are happy, they're celebrating.But if it's a girl, they start
saying, oh, that's a girl, that's a shame. Yeah, they
start saying this. So they thatchild in the in the womb of a
mother start you know, feeling this, you know, negativity, and this
(46:08):
negativity will you know, kill her, like executing her in the womb of
a mother. That it's so heavyand can represent so many people and so
many future culturism parents. So heavy. Thank you very much for sharing your
(46:31):
paintings with us. That's so nice. Thank you so much for having me.
I really enjoy talking about this paintingand I haven't shown them. I
just share them on Instagram, butI never talk in detail about this painting.
(46:53):
Yeah, I do the opportunity todo that, right, The world
need to see a to listen tothat. So I'm very glad that you
had the time and talking about it. Where can people find you a wine?
So I'm very active on Instagram.I have two pages. One of
(47:14):
them is for my art, oneof them is dedicated to my you know,
activism and sports. And yes,you can find me on Facebook with
if you search medical Bilali and yes, and thank you so much. Well,
but Leaka, hey, we wantto thank you. Thank you for
(47:36):
being our guest here. It wasan absolute pleasure having you on the show.
And thank you again to Clarissa Jacobsonfor making all this possible. We
really appreciate that, Clarissa. Yeah, thanks to Clarissa. She is very
great help. Actually she's the firstwas a friend of my husband and after
(47:57):
that a good friend of me.Yeah. Yeah, yes, it is
impossible not to be friends with herif you know her, it is impossible.
She's such a good person. Andthen why she became friends and know
people like you because yeah, heis very good writer as well. Yeah,
(48:19):
yeah, Well, we want tothank our audience for tuning in to
tonight's show. Be sure to tunein for next week's episode, Survival and
Ocean Race with our guest Liz Gallowayalong with Maya Marzaki. This is cw
GET saying thanks for tuning in toOutdoors people see you next week. Choo
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