I’m delighted to share that my book, The Scent of Memories: A Shared Journey Through Time – An Oral History, is now available on Amazon.
This book is the result of many months of listening, documenting, and reflecting. More than a collection of personal memories, it is an oral history of modern Iran told through the lives of five Iranian women who later made New Zealand their home. Their stories illuminate the everyday realities behind major historical events, revealing how political and social change shaped individual lives, families, and communities across generations.
This project grew from my belief that some of the most powerful histories are those that are never written in textbooks. They live in people’s memories, family stories, and everyday experiences, waiting to be heard and preserved.
As someone with a deep attachment to and interest in the Middle East region, its people, and its history, I have always been curious to listen to the life stories of ordinary people in order to gain a deeper understanding of their cultures, societies, and lived experiences. Oral history offers a unique way of approaching the past—not only through major political events, but through the memories, emotions, and everyday experiences of those who lived through them.
This project allowed me to learn about Iran between the 1940s and the 1980s through the personal journeys of these five women. Their memories provide a window into a changing society, capturing experiences of family, education, social transformation, cultural values, and the impact of historical events on everyday lives.
I hope this project will be the beginning of a wider journey of documenting life stories of Middle Eastern migrants in New Zealand, particularly the experiences of Middle Eastern minority communities – Christians, Jews, Kurds, Bahais, Druzes, Yezidis, Mandaeans – whose voices and histories are often overlooked. Through these stories, I hope to contribute to a richer and more diverse understanding of the region and its people.
To celebrate the completion of this project, I warmly invite you to visit The Home Within exhibition, where the participants’ photographs, selected stories, and the book will be on display.
Public exhibition dates
Saturday, 5 September | 1:00–4:00 pm
Sunday, 6 September | 10:00 am–4:00 pm
Venue:
Alberton House
100 Mt Albert Road
Auckland
It would be wonderful to see you there and share this journey with you.
If you would like to support this project, you can purchase a copy on Amazon using the link below.

Order your eBook copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9BPXGC1

The paperback edition will also be available to order from 27 July.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported me throughout this journey, especially the Albert-Eden Local Board for their generous support. This project would not have been possible without the encouragement and belief of so many people along the way.