Wares Fazelyar: Elder Brother, Scholar, Political Scientist, Citizen of Canuckistan, Aspiring Rubab Player

Wares Fazelyar, photo: Tristen West

What is the name you were born with?

It’s the same name I go by today- Wares Fazelyar. My first name is of Arabic origin- it’s one of the 99 names of God in the Islamic tradition. It means “heir”- one who inherits. The last name is a mix of two names- it’s a compound. Because in Afghanistan they didn’t really go by last names. At one point my Dad and his oldest sister decided to make a name and they went through some names. And they settled on Fazelyar- yar meaning friend and friend of Fazel, and Fazel was the name of my great grandfather.

Are you fluent in Farsi?

Yes I am, on a conversational basis. I’ve been learning to read and write Farsi for about half a year now. It’s something I’ve wanted to do so I can access more information in the world that are in that language, and to improve my understanding of it- the poetry, literature, things like that. I also took Arabic classes for a year at the University of Toronto. It’s something I hope to continue in the future.

You were born here but your parents weren’t. Tell me a bit about your family and how they came to Canada.

My father’s name is Abdul Wahid Fazelyar and my mother’s name is Fawzia Fazelyar. My parents knew each other from when they were very young. Their families lived in the same area in Kabul Afghanistan and the families were acquainted - my mother’s family lived in a property

that was owned by my father’s family. Through a series of events that took place in Afghanistan - everyone fleeing the country - my mother’s family went to India, my Dad was conscripted into the Army for a while, and he was captured by the other forces, and he escaped and went to Pakistan and then from there he went to India and came here in 1989 and sponsored his family to come here to Canada. Two of his sisters went to Australia. My mother came here I think in 1993 - her side of the family that came all live in Ottawa. In between all of that my parents got engaged and they got married here and I was born here shortly after that, in 1994. I’m the oldest and I’ve got two younger brothers- Haris and Ramez and my little sister - her name is Narges.

Wares at 2013 Limitless Heights Scholarship Dinner

Where did your family live at that time?

At that time, they lived in North York, the Jane and Finch neighbourhood at 15 Tobermory Drive. I still remember the address and the phone number we had. I lived there for the first half of my life so far- until I was about 10 years old. It was great. It was life. It was what I grew up with. Sometimes I might be asked “how was that growing up there’? I mean, relative to what? That was what I grew up with- it was everyday life. It was great. That was what I knew.

When did your family move to Lawrence Heights?

We moved here in June 2004 to 1 Bagot Court.

Where did you attend school?

The first school I went to was Driftwood Public School, and then when we moved here, I started a new school at Flemington Public School in Grade 5.

How was the adjustment to a new school environment?

I was a really shy kid and it was difficult at the time. I walked in on the first day wearing my Digimon shirt - that was a cartoon on TV at the time. Everyone was staring at my shirt because there was a school uniform but I didn’t know about that. The school uniform was khaki pants, or navy or black and a navy collared shirt with the school crest on it, or a navy or white polo with the school crest on it. But I got away with the Digimon shirt for two weeks (laughs) Then I went to Lawrence Heights Middle School for Grade 6, to 8 after completing a very successful Grade 5 year at Flemington- I think perhaps, maybe even the pinnacle of my academic career, you might say (laughs)

Why was that?

I was the valedictorian for my class for that year - there was 2 valedictorians - one from each class. For that I had to write a speech - it was my first time really writing and giving a speech to an auditorium full of people. Luckily, people didn’t have very high expectations from a person in Grade 5. (laughs) Over the years, I learned to get better at public speaking!! I remember going back to Flemingdon to visit sometime later and my name was engraved on the plaque for the 2004/2005 school year valedictorian - and they spelled my last name wrong. It says Sazelyar, not Fazelyar. Lawrence Heights Middle School was great! I remember that Middle School was the time that I started to make a lot more friends, and a lot more closer friends. And we’d hang out at recess and after school, play soccer and things like that. 60 My best subject was probably science. At that time in my life I thought I would probably go into the sciences. Miss Leonard was my drama teacher- drama class was probably more difficult for me- to step outside the comfort zone of regular traditional classroom settings. Being a shyer person, I wasn’t ecstatic about having to perform in front of my peers. At the end of Middle School I was starting to hatch out of my shell.

Do you ever listen to CBC radio in the morning?

I have.

Has anyone ever told you that your voice sounds just like Matt Galloway, the host of Metro Morning?

(Laughs) Well, no one has told me that before, but one of the show producers got in touch with me because they were looking for an Afghanistan cricket fan because they got into the Cricket World Cup. I referred them to one of my friends and I got up at 7:30 am to listen to the show. I didn’t realize I sounded like him though. I guess that’s a good thing though (laughs)

OK now, back to your academic career…

After Middle School, I successfully applied for George Harvey and York Memorial CI. I wanted to take the Advanced Placement Program- at the time when I applied, they were the 2 top ranking in both private and public schools in Ontario for the program.

What do you attribute your strong interest in Academics to?

I would say my commitment and motivation to succeed in my academic career comes mostly from my parents - their guidance and expectations. My parents always supported me and I took their advice very seriously and studied very diligently.

What do you like about school, studying?

I like learning because it allows me to broaden my perspectives I think, in terms of how I view people. Currently I’m studying political science and Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, which is history and a bit of languages. It gives me a lens through which I can view the world which is more open. I can see the way we interact with the social and political institutions that we live amongst and sort of not jump to conclusions about people, and that’s helped me a lot. I also just really like knowing things- having knowledge about the world. If I can sit down and tell people stories and things about the world and its history, that’s cool. And I like making people question their preconceived notions about others, about themselves and their worlds. I enjoy research as well- it would be an honour if I could at some point, contribute to broadening certain fields of study beyond where they are now.

Outside of school, what kinds of social activities were you involved in as you were growing up in Lawrence Heights?

I wasn’t very involved in the neighbourhood growing up. I did get involved in the community in more recent years, but while I was growing up here, I spent most of my time either indoors or riding my bike right in front of my house, or playing soccer with my brothers. That was really it. I didn’t get involved in any organized sports or activities.

Were your parents worried about safety issues?

Absolutely.

Did you talk about it openly?

I think we were always on the same page. We both thought it was best to spend my time by going to school and staying at home with my family.

You went to secondary school at York Memorial?

Yes, I got accepted there and went there from Grade 9 to 12. I graduated from there with really good marks, I think I also graduated as an Ontario Advanced Placement Scholar. I went directly to University of Toronto from there- I applied for the Ethics, Law and Society program and got accepted, but by the end of my first year, I ended up in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies.

What took you in that direction?

I sort of knew I would end up studying Political Science. In my senior year of high school, I shifted my focus from the natural sciences to the social sciences and that was something I enjoyed studying more and felt that was something I could excel at studying. So I always knew I would study political science but the Near and Middle Eastern studies - I sort of fell into that by accident. I was taking some geography and astronomy and psychology courses- I was sort of all

over the place. I was scanning through course options and I noticed the Middle Eastern civilizations, and I thought that I would really prefer that to the other courses I was taking. So I switched and I decided to take a major in it.

What motivates you to study the history of your culture?

It’s a question of knowing yourself. I mean, identity politics is a pretty important thing for many people, and I’d say I am one of those people. Being Canadian but also Afghan Canadian, the question occurred to me - “am I Canadian”? or “am I Afgan”? Am I more one or another? I guess these questions don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, but they are questions that come up in my mind. I started researching and studying and exploring the history and culture of my ancestry. It’s a very historically rich region- there is a lot to study. I get to learn about myself and the people around me and history itself is such a fascinating thing!

Wares at 2013 Limitless Heights Scholarship Dinner

What’s ahead for you in your academic career?

At this point, it’s tough to say. I hope to go to law school for corporate law- but I don’t know if that’s necessarily the path I want to take. I’m starting to consider other options as well. I need to balance everything with being financially stable. There’s a Farsi song that came out by one of my favourite artists- he plays the rubab. There’s a line that’s repeated that says “The one who seeks will find”.

Tell me about the rubab.

My father has always been musically inclined. He founded what I think was the first Afghan band here in Toronto. He was mostly a vocalist and his band sang and played at weddings. I took tabla lessons for a couple of years- they are a set of two drums. The tabla a very difficult instrument to play- you have to be very consistent and I didn’t have the drive to be consistent. After a couple of years I let it go. I also studied classical piano as well for a couple of years. One of my uncles has a rubab, and seeing him play I decided I wanted to learn to play. One of my

parent’s friends went to Afghanistan, and they selected a 30 year old rubab and brought it home for me. It’s probably one of my most prized possessions.

On your social media, you have a nickname for yourself.

It’s not my personal nickname, it’s more of a descriptor- Citizen of Canuckistan. I wanted to put something that merges my two identities, so I wrote Toronto, Canuckistan as where I’m from. I thought that was pretty funny. Canuckistan- the istan suffix means “land of”. I was walking past a protest once, and I saw a man who was obviously not that fond of people from the middle east- he had a sign that said “This is Canada, not Canicukstan” And I thought that was pretty xenophobic and I decided I wanted to reclaim the term.

When you first came to live in Lawrence Heights, how would you describe the community as a ten year old boy?

It was exciting. Moving into a new area - it felt like a new start. We were moving into the house from an apartment on the 23rd floor, where we had lived for 10 years. I remember the first time when we drove here, and my parents showed us the house and said “this is where we’ll be living”. I can’t remember too much of how I felt but I remember looking into the mail slot and seeing the white walls and the refrigerator. It all looked so new. It was exciting - we looked around - there was green space. I remember our neighbours - they are still our neighbours now - awesome folks.

What places in Lawrence Heights stand out most in your mind?

It’s always pretty nostalgic walking through Flemington Public School. I look at the kids there and I think back to when I went there. I went sledding on the hill behind the school. There’s also Lawrence Heights Middle School, which is always nice for me. The bridges - overbridge by the Health Centre and underbridge-at the subway on Ranee - they really stand out for me. I would always want to take photos of those bridges.

Do you think the community has changed in the 10 years since you’ve lived here?

I think the community has changed. I don’t know how much I can speak to that, given that I wasn’t too involved in the community until recent times. I do feel that through my lens, things have changed.

Do you feel a sense of attachment to the community?

Yes. I started to feel attached to the community once I started not being here as often, once I started University- mingling with people from different backgrounds, ethnically and socio-politically. I started to miss the place I grew up in- I’m definitely attached to that. And the landscape and the physical beauty of the neighbourhood. If you ever wake up early and go for a walk or a jog, it’s pretty serene. There’s lots of green space.

What would you say is the biggest strength of the community?

The sense of community - the unity. There’s definitely a strong sense of togetherness here. I think community is a good word for it.

What has been your biggest life challenge or struggle so far?

I think it’s out of good fortune that I haven’t really had one huge challenge. I can’t point out one thing that has been catastrophic. I’ve been blessed to have parents who have worked hard to make sure I don’t have to struggle and I can focus on my education.

What kind of an older brother are you?

(Laughs) I like to think I’m a good older brother. I definitely try to be. It’s something that this year became very important to me. I realized I need to be there physically and emotionally for them.

Are you interested in travel?

I am.

If you could travel anywhere with no limitations, where would you go?

That’s a good question. For me, a lot of the places I’d like to travel are not politically stable. One place I’d really like to go is Turkey - Istanbul and the surrounding cities. I really want to go to Turkey because it’s culture and history - and food is always a bonus. I really enjoy Turkish food. I’m hoping to teach English there to school age kids. I should know within a couple of weeks if I’ll be going.

Wares, I first met you when you and your family came to meetings about the Lawrence Heights revitalization - your family had a lot of questions and feedback. What are some things that you would like to see as part of the change in the community?

I really would like to see a healthy community, where people feel safe, where people are happy and comfortable. And enjoy living here and being part of the community. When it comes to introducing big change - I guess gentrification is a word that can be applied here - there’s always challenges. I worry about the social cohesiveness in the future Lawrence Heights - there might be a we vs. them dynamic.

What advice would you have for the decision makers in the planning and revitalization process?

Keeping the voices of the community close- taking their input into consideration. Referring to the people who live there and the people who are going to live here and listening to them.

You were one of the winners in the first year of the Limitless Heights Scholarship Program.

I was.

At the dinner, you spoke as a scholarship recipient, and in your speech you thanked your parents. I saw a lot of hope in you. When you spoke to your parents in your language, it was one of the most moving moments I have had working in the Lawrence Heights Community, and I wanted to thank you for that and I wish you all the best in your academic career.

Thank you. I give credit first to God, then to my parents, and my siblings.