A Comparative view of Similar Musical Ceremonies of Shushi, Arous-e Goli and Kosé Ceremony

Author

Associate Professor, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The three ceremonies of Shushi, Arous-e goli and Kosé in different parts of Iran have fairly similar logic, structure and form. A simple story is narrated in a drama-like and episodic performance. The main character of these narratives symbolically visualizes negativity, removed from a region or village through the joy and presence of locals and audiences. After introducing the ceremonies, we will present the mythical characters and show the similar structure of these performances, based on the Greimas and Propp's Analysis Model. They are defined similarly, though in different forms, as a kind of conflict between the duality of good and evil, or fertility and infertility - which are directly related to the pre-Islamic Izad (gods). The similarity and connection of the three ceremonies confirm the dynamicity of the ancient Iranian ceremonies, connection among the Iranian ethnic groups, the fluid movement of culture in history, and the changes occurring due to the need for adaptation to different conditions in different eras. Another important feature of this study is its providing an example of the semantic transformation of mythical ceremonies -the praises of the Iranian goddess Anahita- through rain-seeking rituals and occasional performances in accordance with their contemporary periods.

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