Update Date: May 26, 2024
What is Naqqali? Who is Naqqal? What are the main features of Naqqali? Where was this ancient art performed? Who are the famous Naqqals in Iran? Do other countries have story-telling like Naqqali?
In the heart of Iran’s cultural heritage lies a mesmerizing tradition that has been enchanting audiences for centuries—Naqqali. This ancient art of storytelling, woven with the rich threads of Persian history, literature, and folklore, transcends mere narration. Naqqali is a captivating blend of drama, music, and visual artistry that brings to life the epic tales of Iran’s past, from the legendary battles of heroes to the poetic musings of mystics.
This art form is not merely a relic of the past but a living, breathing testament to Iran’s enduring love for storytelling. Naqqali has survived through the ages, adapting to contemporary tastes while preserving its essence. It remains a cornerstone of Persian culture, celebrated for its ability to connect generations and impart wisdom through engaging and entertaining means.
In this post, we delve into the fascinating world of Naqqali, exploring its origins, techniques, and significance in Iranian society. We’ll uncover how this storytelling tradition has evolved, the role of the Naqqal, and the impact of Naqqali on modern storytelling forms. Join us on this journey through time as we celebrate an art form that continues to enchant and educate, keeping the spirit of ancient Iran alive in every tale told. Keep reading to immerse yourself in the magic of Naqqali and discover the timeless power of storytelling.
What is Naqqali?
Naqqali, story-telling or narration, is an ancient art that illustrates Iran’s legends. Although it is on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, some Iranian Naqqals try to revive this forgotten art.
All in all, this performing art describes stories by a curtain designed with beautiful pictures. However, sometimes the narrator doesn’t take advantage of it and prefers to perform Persian poetry with the aid of musical instruments such as tombak and daf.
Truly, Naqqali was flourished during the Safavid Empire because Kings were highly interested in this dramatic art. Although this traditional art is about to be forgotten, Irannian try to keep it alive. Some Naqqals gather in Ferdowsi’s tomb and perform his epic poetry, including sensitive scenes like The Death of Sohrab (one of the characters in Shahnameh).
Who Is Naqqal?
Naqqal is in charge of narrating poetry, prose, epics, and describing paintings artistically and enjoys his unique power of reciting poetry and texts. Naqqal is a multi-character figure who plays several roles and employs a specific tone of speech to create the roles of a hero, a king, a fighter, etc.
This influential figure, Naqqal, wears simple ancient clothing, a hat, and a coat to display war scenes. In other words, he is the guardian of Iran’s popular culture, epic stories, folklore music, and ethnic stories.
The past decades were the flourishing time of Naqqali when the common people gathered in coffeehouses or historical places like caravansaries and listened to this ancient story-telling.
Since the 11th century to the 14th, coffeehouses were active places to transfer Iran’s ancient art and culture. In fact, it played a critical role in teaching the past generation’s morality.
Naqqals possessed a specific way of narrating the story; indeed, they had to engage the audience in the process of story-telling to avoid making them bored. Actually, Naqqals were divided into three groups:
- The first group was expertise in narrating the epic stories of Shahnameh (a glorious and honorable poetry book by Ferdowsi, Iran’s great poet and the father of the Persian language);
- The second group was engaged in narrating historical and legendary stories such as Eskandarnameh (a prose book by Nezami Ganjavi, a great Iranian storyteller);
- The third group was interested in narrating religious stories like Hamzenameh (an epic book by Kashefi Khansari, an Iranian writer).
Over time, people lost interest in gathering in caravansaries; as a result, this dramatic art of Iran became less known to the present generations. Some of the eminent Naqqals are:
- Morshed Valiollah Torabi;
- Morshed Abolfazl Varmazyar;
- Morshed Khoshhalpour;
- Morshed Mehdi Chayani.
The History of Naqqali
The exact origins of Naqqali, the art of Persian storytelling, remain somewhat obscure, with no definitive date marking its inception. However, it is referenced in various historical texts and prominently in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, suggesting its ancient roots. Some scholars argue that Naqqali emerged more prominently after the advent of Islam.
Thr popularity of Naqqali surged with the arrival of the Aryans in the Iranian plateau, indicating a deep-seated cultural tradition. This is evidenced by stories such as those of Mithra, Anahita, and Siavash, which reflect the art’s antiquity. Over the centuries, Naqqali has evolved, incorporating not only tales from the Shahnameh but also moral stories by Rumi and the romantic tales of Khosrow and Shirin. This evolution highlights its adaptive nature and enduring appeal.
Naqqali Before Islam
In pre-Islamic Iran, itinerant musicians known as khonyagaran traveled the lands, sharing stories through their music and songs. During the Parthian era, these performers specialized in epic and martial narratives, captivating audiences with tales of heroism and battle.
The Sassanian period saw these musicians continue to sing of national and ethnic epics, preserving and promoting cultural stories. They traveled to distant lands, narrating the heroic and epic tales of the Iranians, thus spreading Persian cultural heritage far and wide. These early forms of Naqqali laid the groundwork for the rich storytelling traditions that would follow, emphasizing the significance of oral narratives in preserving history and culture.
Naqqali After Islam
After Islam, the role of storytellers became even more pronounced. These individuals preserved and recounted ancient heroic tales, many drawn from the Shahnameh. They combined musical elements with storytelling, enriching the narrative experience. The Safavid era marked the pinnacle of Naqqali’s popularity, with storytellers narrating semi-historical national and religious stories, myths, and epics.
Public spaces like squares, street corners, bazaars, inns, and caravansaries became hubs for these performances. Additionally, mosques hosted storytellers who shared tales of prophets and ancient kings. The rise of coffeehouses provided a new venue for Naqqali, transforming them into centers of cultural transmission.
In these settings, even those with limited literacy could engage with the rich traditions of Persian chivalry and heritage. Coffeehouses became pivotal in maintaining and passing down Iran’s national and religious stories, serving as vibrant cultural institutions that bridged the past with the present.
What Are The Features of Naqqali?
Naqqali or Iran’s dramatic performance should possess two significant characteristics so that Naqqal can take advantage of it and narrate a story:
- The story should have a consequence and a positive effect on the audience;
- It must be exciting to attract the audience.
As a result, Naqqal can enjoy many stories, including the stories of Kalila wa Dimna (by Ibn al-Muqaffa, the Persian author and thinker) or Gulistan and Bustan (by Sa’adi, the well-known Iranian poet).
This coffeehouse art navigated Naqqals toward employing colors and painted curtains, so they pointed to each picture with a piece of wood which is called منتشا (mantasha) in the Persian language.
Naqqal uses this piece of wood with specific body movements to show the war equipment, like a sword or dagger. Naqqal employs a chair to show actions like climbing high spots; for instance, he sits on it to display a king’s throne. Naqqal wears specific clothing which is unique in design; in other words, it is made of Iranian fabric and beautified by traditional patterns.
Costume and Tools of Naqqali
The attire of a Naqqal is typically simple, yet versatile. They often don plain clothing, but during performances, especially when depicting battle scenes, this simplicity is enhanced with additional elements like a hat or chainmail coat to add authenticity and dramatic effect. Some Naqqals opt for traditional Iranian costumes that reflect the diverse ethnic heritage of the region, choosing their outfits to complement the story they are narrating.
This careful selection helps immerse the audience in the tale’s cultural and historical context. On the other hand, some performers prefer to keep it casual and perform in their everyday clothes, focusing more on the storytelling than on elaborate attire.
A distinctive tool of the Naqqal is the educational staff, which serves multiple purposes throughout the performance. This versatile prop transforms based on the needs of the narrative, becoming a sword, whip, mace, or spear to vividly depict various scenes and actions. The staff’s adaptability adds a dynamic visual element to the storytelling, helping the audience visualize the unfolding events.
Additionally, when engaged in Pardeh-khani (storytelling with illustrated curtains) or Pardeh-gardani (manipulating these curtains), the Naqqal uses the staff to point out and emphasize specific images and subjects on the curtain. This technique not only enriches the narrative but also keeps the audience engaged by providing visual cues that enhance the oral storytelling tradition.
The Role of Women In Naqqali
As a matter of fact, women are the best storytellers due to their lovely roles as a mother and telling stories for kids. Without a doubt, we have heard our first stories from our mothers and slept many nights with their heavenly voices.
Women were the forerunners of this dramatic art; however, they were deprived of playing role in Naqqali because it was performed in coffeehouses which was inappropriate for them.
The first storyteller women emerged during the Sasanian Empire who told stories without musical instruments. Ferdowsi refers to Azadeh Rumi as the first woman who was occupied with Naqqali in the Sasanian court.
It is worth mentioning that Ferdowsi’s wife was among the great Naqqals, and this great Persian poet refers to her art at the beginning of the Bijan and Manijeh story (a love story in Shahnameh).
Nowadays, women join cultural groups to perform the famous stories of ancient Iran. Men and women, hand in hand, try to revive the valuable treasure of performing arts. Some of the well-known Naqqal women are:
- Shirin Emami;
- Fahimeh Barootchi;
- Parisa Siminmehr;
- Fatemeh Heidarifar;
- Sara Abbaspour;
- Saghi Aghili.
Is Naqqali Performing In Other Countries?
Generally speaking, Naqqali, called recitation art, is a unique art of Iran; however, other countries, such as Japan, enjoy similar music performances. Opera and Naqqali share similarities and both use musical language to express poetry and prose.
Naqqali The Spiritual Legacy of Iran
Naqqali is a traditional art of Iran and the honorable identity of Iranians, which is the legacy of the Safavid Empire. Iran’s dramatic art was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List on 27 November 2011 as a historical way of telling stories of Shahnameh and other significant books.
It is closely related to Iran’s culture and sometimes accompanies music. Naqqal transfers instructive stories from one generation to the next to familiarize people with moral lessons.
This cultural movement is performed differently than in the past decades because of a profound decline in the number of Naqqals. However, the rise of various social media platforms is undeniable in decentralizing this dramatic art of Iran.