Brandon
Zanzibar and the UK were the opposing factions in the world's shortest war (Zanzibar surrendered in less than an hour). Don't ask me how I remembered that! (The time I Googled.)
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SusieJ
God must have been listening to me. Him, or Freddie himself.
I swear to God, this is true....
On the weekend I went to the dentist to get a root canal (ouch). My dentist's name is Dr. Hendricks. I was joking with him, asking him if he was related to "Jimmy" (Hendrix). He was laughing and saying... "yeah". Anyway, we started talking about music.
My dentist, I always thought, was west Indian. He corrected me, and said that he was East Indian (which was a surprise to me). He said that he was from a small town near Bombay. I was like "you know know else is from near Bombay... Freddie Mercury".
Before I could get "Mercury" out of my mouth, he corrected me and said "you mean Farook Bulsara.... I went to school with him".
I nearly fell out of the dentists chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in total shock.... actually meeting someone who knew Freddie!!!!!
Obviously, my first question was "could Freddie speak any of the indian languages, hindi???". He replied by saying, that although it was a catholic school that they went to, British run, most of the kids could speak Hindi.... including Freddie. It wasn't their first language, but they could speak it because when they left the school, they would have to be able to speak it to communicate with the environment around them.
My dentist had some cool stories about Freddie... stuff that you would never be able to read about.
I'm still reeling. I can't believe that this happened to me this weekend. I guess my question has been answered.
Freddie's watching over me
I swear to God, this is true....
On the weekend I went to the dentist to get a root canal (ouch). My dentist's name is Dr. Hendricks. I was joking with him, asking him if he was related to "Jimmy" (Hendrix). He was laughing and saying... "yeah". Anyway, we started talking about music.
My dentist, I always thought, was west Indian. He corrected me, and said that he was East Indian (which was a surprise to me). He said that he was from a small town near Bombay. I was like "you know know else is from near Bombay... Freddie Mercury".
Before I could get "Mercury" out of my mouth, he corrected me and said "you mean Farook Bulsara.... I went to school with him".
I nearly fell out of the dentists chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in total shock.... actually meeting someone who knew Freddie!!!!!
Obviously, my first question was "could Freddie speak any of the indian languages, hindi???". He replied by saying, that although it was a catholic school that they went to, British run, most of the kids could speak Hindi.... including Freddie. It wasn't their first language, but they could speak it because when they left the school, they would have to be able to speak it to communicate with the environment around them.
My dentist had some cool stories about Freddie... stuff that you would never be able to read about.
I'm still reeling. I can't believe that this happened to me this weekend. I guess my question has been answered.
Freddie's watching over me
queenrox
you cant just leave it like that!! lol so what else did you ask your dentist??
Sonja
Yeah let the stories come!!!! Now here's finally someone so lucky to meet someone who knew Freddie, now you gotta tell us more!!!
SusieJ
He said that he didn't remember too much about him because it was so long ago, and Freddie was a couple of years older than him. He did tell me that on saturday nights, everyone in the school would come to the main auditorium, and they would sing and play instruments etc.
he said that even back then, Freddie stole the show. That everyone would want Freddie to sing. he said that he was pretty bright in school, and that he was pretty popular. he said that if you go back to the school now, if you check out the yearbooks with the students pictures etc in them, all the pages that would have had Freddie on them, they have been torn out.
he didn't keep in contact with freddie after he left school. freddie moved to the uk, and my dentist moved here, canada (toronto). he did say that in the 70's he went to see queen in concert here. he didn't realise that freddie was the lead singer of queen until he saw an article on freddie stating that his real name was Farook Bulsara... and then he made the connection.
other than that, he told me about the school teachers... and how rough they were on the students.....
he said that even back then, Freddie stole the show. That everyone would want Freddie to sing. he said that he was pretty bright in school, and that he was pretty popular. he said that if you go back to the school now, if you check out the yearbooks with the students pictures etc in them, all the pages that would have had Freddie on them, they have been torn out.
he didn't keep in contact with freddie after he left school. freddie moved to the uk, and my dentist moved here, canada (toronto). he did say that in the 70's he went to see queen in concert here. he didn't realise that freddie was the lead singer of queen until he saw an article on freddie stating that his real name was Farook Bulsara... and then he made the connection.
other than that, he told me about the school teachers... and how rough they were on the students.....
MexQueenFM
interesting, thanks
queenrox
i might be being really blonde here , but why were the pages with freddie on torn out?? harsh teachaers hay? i kno bout that!!
SusieJ
he was saying that people/fans, over the years, tore out the pages as keepsakes of freddies. it wasn't the teachers that did it, it was people who visited the school over the years and wanted a piece of freddies past i suppose.
queenrox
ooo thats such a pity though , ah for a second i thought ya meant that the teachers or whoever had taken them out for some reason ,
nazila queena
when Freddie was born ,his parents called Farokh,(cause they were Zoroastrian & persian root)but people of their side spoke English and they couldn't to pronounce FAROKH!!so Freddie's parents change his name immidatly to FREDRICH.
when Freddie went to school ,his friends called him ;FREDDIE.
little by little Freddie's family called him Freddie!
Freddie 's parents have persian root.
not indian ,not american!
It's a evident topic.
of course that the lyrics of MUSTAFA isn't persian languge.
I tell you this truth cause I'm a persian person!!
in addition I really don't know Freddie knows persian languge!!also his parents!
they just have persian root.
one of the Freddie's relationship is Kioomars Bulsara that he is a histroian and his books is in Iran .
but I think Freddie's family migrate from Iran many years ago.(before Freddie was born).
I forget to say; FAROKH is a persian name.
when Freddie went to school ,his friends called him ;FREDDIE.
little by little Freddie's family called him Freddie!
Freddie 's parents have persian root.
not indian ,not american!
It's a evident topic.
of course that the lyrics of MUSTAFA isn't persian languge.
I tell you this truth cause I'm a persian person!!
in addition I really don't know Freddie knows persian languge!!also his parents!
they just have persian root.
one of the Freddie's relationship is Kioomars Bulsara that he is a histroian and his books is in Iran .
but I think Freddie's family migrate from Iran many years ago.(before Freddie was born).
I forget to say; FAROKH is a persian name.
nazila queena
hey, ...I forget to tell ;Freddie'school was in Panchgani [distance to bambaee 50 miles].
also Freddie was favourites in his school & his teachers discovery his talent then ask from his parents to pay more money to teach piano to Freddie.{oh...this was lovely).
Freddie's parents accepted.
Freddie began to learn piano & he improve too fast!!
he has talent for music, his teachers said.
suddenly ;he got IV grade in teory and also in practical.
&,......
.....
.....
till Freddie be famuse and ......
now we love him so much for everlasting!
isn't it??
also Freddie was favourites in his school & his teachers discovery his talent then ask from his parents to pay more money to teach piano to Freddie.{oh...this was lovely).
Freddie's parents accepted.
Freddie began to learn piano & he improve too fast!!
he has talent for music, his teachers said.
suddenly ;he got IV grade in teory and also in practical.
&,......
.....
.....
till Freddie be famuse and ......
now we love him so much for everlasting!
isn't it??
SusieJ
*sigh*. I really wish people would check their facts before they post replies.
Let me first state that Freddie WAS INDIAN, and was of PERSIAN DECENT. His ancestry was, certainly, from Iran. However, he was a Parsi/Zorastrian, which meant that his ancestry escaped from Iran to India because of Mogul persecution. Parsi's have lived in India for thousands of years. They are an integral part of south india, mainly bombay. His birth certificate states what he is INDIAN (http://www.mr-mercury.co.uk/Images/Birthcertificatefreddie.jpg).
Both of Freddie's parents were born in India. After his death, his mother travelled India with artwork depicting his life.
His parents DID NOT name him FREDRICH. He never claimed that name. It was Freddie, and Freddie only. That was the name his school mates gave him... not because they couldn't pronouce "Farookh", but just as a nick name in general. Farookh is also an Islamic name... and huge portion of India is Muslim. Of course they could pronouce it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Freddie lived in India until he was 18 years old, and spent summers in Zanzibar where is father was stationed. Not uncommon for many indians of that time (not to mention today).
Freddie was Indian, of persian decent (albeit, perhaps 1000 years ago). In India, peopld generally marry thier "own kind". sikhs marry sikhs, hindus marry hindus, jains marry jains... etc. Parsis marry parsis. that his how his bloodline stayed parsi, and that is why he called himself such.
I know this because not only I am of Indian decent, but also because I've done my research. Maybe you should do yours too.
Take a look at these websites, and tell me that I am wrong:
http://www.asiasource.org/arts/sooni.cfm
http://www.mr-mercury.co.uk/Images/Birthcertificatefreddie.jpg
http://www.vepachedu.org/manasanskriti/persians.htm
http://www.parsijourney.com/chapters/four/chfour.html
http://www.parsicommunity.com/ParsiLegends/FreddieMercury.htm
Let me first state that Freddie WAS INDIAN, and was of PERSIAN DECENT. His ancestry was, certainly, from Iran. However, he was a Parsi/Zorastrian, which meant that his ancestry escaped from Iran to India because of Mogul persecution. Parsi's have lived in India for thousands of years. They are an integral part of south india, mainly bombay. His birth certificate states what he is INDIAN (http://www.mr-mercury.co.uk/Images/Birthcertificatefreddie.jpg).
Both of Freddie's parents were born in India. After his death, his mother travelled India with artwork depicting his life.
His parents DID NOT name him FREDRICH. He never claimed that name. It was Freddie, and Freddie only. That was the name his school mates gave him... not because they couldn't pronouce "Farookh", but just as a nick name in general. Farookh is also an Islamic name... and huge portion of India is Muslim. Of course they could pronouce it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Freddie lived in India until he was 18 years old, and spent summers in Zanzibar where is father was stationed. Not uncommon for many indians of that time (not to mention today).
Freddie was Indian, of persian decent (albeit, perhaps 1000 years ago). In India, peopld generally marry thier "own kind". sikhs marry sikhs, hindus marry hindus, jains marry jains... etc. Parsis marry parsis. that his how his bloodline stayed parsi, and that is why he called himself such.
I know this because not only I am of Indian decent, but also because I've done my research. Maybe you should do yours too.
Take a look at these websites, and tell me that I am wrong:
http://www.asiasource.org/arts/sooni.cfm
http://www.mr-mercury.co.uk/Images/Birthcertificatefreddie.jpg
http://www.vepachedu.org/manasanskriti/persians.htm
http://www.parsijourney.com/chapters/four/chfour.html
http://www.parsicommunity.com/ParsiLegends/FreddieMercury.htm
SusieJ
It's BOMBAY. And Bombay, my friend, is in India.
FM
Freddie was born in Zanzibar, sent to St. Peter's Boarding School in Panchgani, India at the age of 7/8 until the age of 16, after having failed out of St. Peter's (why? no one seems to have answers about this as he was always a good student up to this point). The family then returned to Zanzibar where he finished his last two years of school in a catholic school, St. Joseph's, I believe. Then the family, having to move because of the revolution, decided on England rather than going to India, at Freddie's insistence. There he spent one year at Iselworth School before enrolling in Ealing Art School. The rest is history. Yes, the parents are both Indian.
SusieJ
Further... yes, Freddie was born in Zanzibar. A lot of Indian people were/are born in the African sub continent. Half of my family is from Africa, but originally from India.
Freddie never called himself as an "indian" because at the time, to be "indian" and live in the UK was a minus... which is still the case today. He was the only "indian" of that time to be making popular music. That is why he called himself Persian (which, perhaps he thought was more "exotic")when asked where his roots were.... which isn't entirely false, but certainly wasn't the whole truth.
Remember, in the 70's, India was only free from British rule (August 1947) for 20 odd years. They were still looked at as being "less than" or "formally owned".
Freddie never called himself as an "indian" because at the time, to be "indian" and live in the UK was a minus... which is still the case today. He was the only "indian" of that time to be making popular music. That is why he called himself Persian (which, perhaps he thought was more "exotic")when asked where his roots were.... which isn't entirely false, but certainly wasn't the whole truth.
Remember, in the 70's, India was only free from British rule (August 1947) for 20 odd years. They were still looked at as being "less than" or "formally owned".