As Black as Coal: The Roots of the Black Character in Traditional Puppetry of Iran
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37130/pt415h61Keywords:
black character, Mobarak, siah, kheimeh shab bazi, siah bazi, Haji Firouz, otherness, racism, colonialismAbstract
The black character has an important and influential presence in traditional Iranian theatre. Siah (the black), with various names, plays a major role in both traditional Iranian plays such as Siah Bazi (Takht-e-Howzi) and traditional puppetry such as Kheimeh shab bazi (traditional string puppetry). There is much debate about when siah first appeared in Iranian theatre. Some trace its origins to prehistoric myths and pre-theatrical rituals. Some attribute the presence of the black character to the slave trade and colonization of southern Iran by the Portuguese (1507) and the arrival of African slaves in Iran, which also historically occurs during the Safavid period. There is no doubt that black people played a role in the creation of this character, but it seems that this character is not a symbol of racism. The black is not being ridiculed, but he is mocking power and domination. And, of course, there is no hiding the fact that the historical origins of the black character are rooted in colonialism and, consequently, slavery. The aim of this article is to examine the origin of the black character in traditional Iranian puppetry in terms of form and content, with a historical/analytical approach and based on postcolonial and intercultural theories, as well as current issues and challenges.
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