Persian vs Islamic
While the Islamic strains of Iranian culture seem dominant at the moment, they are not the only cultural forces in existence. This report offers a minor, but telling example.Shun Persian fire festival: Ayatollah Khamenei
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that Iranians should shun next week's Persian fire festival as it is un-Islamic and creates "a lot of harm."
Chaharshanbe Soori, an ancient Pagan festival, is held on the eve of the last Wednesday of the Persian calendar year. This year the ritual falls on the night of March 16…
The festival is a prelude to Nowrouz, the Persian New Year which starts on March 21 and marks the arrival of spring…
Iranians celebrate the fire festival by lighting bonfires in public places on the night before the last Wednesday and leaping over the flames shouting "Sorkhiye to az man, Zardiye man az to (Give me your redness and I will give you my paleness)."
Leaping over the flames symbolizes the wish for happiness in the new year and an end to the sufferings of the past year.
Several casualties are reported from the event every year and many participants suffer burn wounds, including from accidents with firecrackers linked to the event.
Some clerics see the ritual as heretical fire worshipping, although it has been marked in Iran for centuries and, like the Persian New Year itself and some other ancient rituals, has survived the advent of Islam...
Iranian police arrest 50 people at traditional festival
Iranian police say they have arrested 50 people during clashes between opposition supporters and police in Tehran during a new year festival.
The Feast of Fire comes on the eve of the Persian new year, but religious leaders had told Iranians celebrating it was "un-Islamic".
There were a number of clashes between young people and the police across the capital, a Tehran police chief said...
The BBC's correspondent Jon Leyne says there is no sign these clashes will widen into a bigger political protest.
The clashes were more a show of defiance against demands from religious authorities that Iranians refuse to celebrate the festival, our correspondent says…
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Labels: Iran, political culture
posted by Ken Wedding @ 5:06 AM
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