| The ritual dramatic art of Ta'zīye | |
|---|---|
 Tazia carrying procession by Shia Muslims on Ashura in the Indian subcontinent (c. 1790-1800). The Tazia were immersed into the river or ocean. | |
| Country | [[Iran, Iraq and Lebanon[1]]] |
| Region | Near East, Asia, Australasia |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2010 |
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Ta'zieh[a] (Arabic: تعزية; Persian: تعزیه; Urdu: تعزیہ) means comfort, condolence, or expression of grief. It comes from the roots aza (عزو and عزى) which mean mourning. It commonly refers to passion plays about the Battle of Karbala and its prior and subsequent events. Sir Lewis Pelly began the preface of his book about Ta'ziyeh maintaining that "If the success of a drama is to be measured by the effects which it produces upon the people for whom it is composed, or upon the audiences before whom it is represented, no play has ever surpassed the tragedy known in the Mussulman world as that of Hasan and Husain."[2] Years later Peter Chelkowski, professor of Iranian and Islamic studies at New York University, chose the same words for the beginning of his book Ta`ziyeh, Ritual and Drama in Iran.[3]
Depending on the region, time, occasion, religion, etc. the word can signify different cultural meanings and practices:
- In Iranian cultural reference it is categorized as Condolence Theater or Passion Play inspired by a historical and religious event, the tragic death of Hussein, symbolizing epic spirit and resistance.
- In South Asia and in the Caribbean it refers specifically to the Miniature Mausoleums (imitations of the mausoleums of Karbala, generally made of colored paper and bamboo) used in ritual processions held in the month of Muharram.
Ta'zieh, primarily known from the Iranian tradition, is a Shia Islam ritual that reenacts the death of Hussein (the Islamic prophet Muhammad's grandson) and his male children and companions in a brutal massacre on the plains of Karbala, Iraq in the year 680 AD. His death was the result of a power struggle in the decision of control of the Muslim community (called the caliph) after the death of Muhammad.[4]
Today, we know of 250 ta'zieh pieces. They were collected by an Italian ambassador to Iran, Cherulli, and added to a collection that can be found in the Vatican Library. Ta'zieh play texts were translated from Persian into French, by Aleksander Chodźko, the Polish orientalist, into Ukrainian by Ahatanhel Krymsky, Ukrainian orientalist, and into German by Davud Monshizadeh, Iranian Orientalist. Various other scripts can be found scattered throughout Iran.[5]
- ^ "UNESCO - Intangible Heritage Home".
- ^ Pelly, Lewis (1879). The Miracle Play of Hasan and Husain. W. H. Allen and Co. p. III. ISBN 978-1-0152-8641-2.
- ^ Chelkowski, Peter J. (1979). Ta'ziyeh: Ritual and Drama in Iran. New York University. p. XV. ISBN 0-8147-1375-0.
- ^ Chelkowski, Peter (2003). "Time Out of Memory: Ta'ziyeh, the Total Drama". Asia Society. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ Beeman, William O. "Theatre History #27: Learning about Ta'Ziyeh with Dr. William O. Beeman." Audio Blog Post. Theatre History. HowlRound. 27 Mar 2017.
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