The role of poetry and music in the permanence of Nowruz rituals Based on Halbwachs’s the collective memory theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Art Researces, Faculty of Art & Architecture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

2 Department of Music, Faculty of Art & Architecture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22059/jsal.2023.92667

Abstract

The Extended Abstract
Nowruz is one of the oldest rituals left from ancient Iran, which has always been a suitable platform for the growth and preservation of cultural and artistic elements. The role of poetry and music in the permanence of Nowruz rituals is going to be examined in this research, and it attempts to establish a mutual view of the interaction between poetry and music in Nowruz rituals. This process is measured with the theoretical foundations of social memory and the factors of life and transfer of culture and identity, in order to identify the effects of poetry and music on the life of Nowruz rituals. It will try to answer these questions in this way: What factors are involved in the survival of Nowruz rituals? What role does the association of poetry and music play in the life of rituals of a culture?
 
The purpose of research
The purpose of this research is to emphasize the role of poetry and music as two important and effective foundations in the permanence of Nowruz rituals from ancient times up to today.
 
The method of research
The current research has investigated the subject in a descriptive-analytical way and collected information in the form of library and field interviews.
 
Discussion
The main discussion has been about the two foundations of Nowruz and social memory. The first basis of Nowruz is an oral tradition that has its own special performance rituals, while these rituals, that are the basis of Nowruz, have influenced on Persian literature that made unique works related to Nowruz, and has been influenced by literature. It caused that the welcoming spring rituals, which are known as Nowruz rituals, to be divided into two parts:  The verbal rituals, and non-verbal rituals. The second basis is related to Maurice Halbwachs’s social memory theory discussion, in which he talks about two important parts, these two parts are: 1) the factors that create social memory; 2) the tools for transferring social memory.
 
 
 
Findings
In Halbachs’s theory, things such as ritual, language and commemorative practices are listed among the factors of creating social memory, which have many similarities with Nowruz rituals. Nowruz can be proven that is a ritual, from the fact that it has both timeliness and a relationship with myths and unique practices; These ceremonies are held at a specific time, which is between the end of winter and the beginning of spring, and the spring couriers of various tribes, each of which is somehow related to mythological features, such as Haji Firouz, is a proof of the connection with mythology. Finally, the unique ceremonies and practices of Nowruz are the same rituals that are in Persian culture is specific to Nowruz, such as setting Haft Sin Table, Fireworks Wednesday, etc. The second factor is the language, which the role of language in Nowruz rituals has been clearly examined in the verbal rituals of Nowruz. The third factor is the commemorative ceremonies and practices that can be seen in ceremonies like pilgrimage of the dead people on their graves, cleaning the house, etc. on the last days of the year. After it was determined that Nowruz contains all the factors of creating social memory, in the next part, the memory formed among the members of the society must be transferred from each generation to the next generation through transferring tools, which includes music, pictures, narratives, and some practices which are familiar for the society.  The music which is used in Nowruz chants and by spring couriers, can be cited and interpreted in the musical section in this regard. Anyway, the images and performances that spring couriers have and are only related to them, can be cited and interpreted in the picture section, while the poems of Nowruz chants and the poems used by Nowruz couriers, which are often like stories and tell about the passing of winter and the coming of spring, can be cited and interpreted in the narrative section.  The familiar practices of the community, such as festival shopping, also has many examples in Nowruz.
 
Result
According to the obtained results, poetry and music are effective tools in transferring social memory, and they caused Nowruz to be survived in the minds of society. Also, poetry and music cause penetration in the social memory of people to be accompanied by each other, and it is possible that the presence of each of the two elements of poetry and music alone shows a result other than the result of their association.

Keywords

References

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Sociology of Art and Literature
Volume 14, Issue 2
March 2023
Pages 79-97

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