Haji Firouz is the most famous traditional folk entertainer who appears in the streets in the days preceding Norouz (Iranian New Year starting on March 21, 2013) .

Entertaining passersby by singing traditional songs, dancing and playing his tambourine for a few coins, Haji Firouz rarely knocks on a door, but begins his performance as soon as the door is opened, Cais-Soas reported.

Haji Firouz blackens his face, wears very colorful clothes, which are usually but not always red, and always a hat that is sometimes long and cone-shaped.

Songs

His songs, traditional in wording and melody, are very short repetitive ditties. Typical of these songs is: (It’s Haji Firouz/Only one day a year. Everyone knows /I know as well. It is Norouz /It’s only one day a year.)

The following song is usually sung with a traditional “funny accent” or a mimicking of a speech impediment:

Greetings my very own lord,

Raise your head my lord.

Look at me, my lord. Do me a favor, my lord.

My very own lord, it’s your billy goat.

Why don’t you smile, my lord?

Occasionally, Haji Firouz, whose income depends on his ability and talent to entertain, manages to work other traditional songs into his routine.

Classical Persian as well as Arabic sources that mention many folk entertainers do not refer to Haji Firouz at all, nor is he mentioned in casual reference in poetry or prose of the classical period. There can be little doubt, however, that Haji Firouz has virtually replaced all the other New Year entertainers of the past such as Mir Norouzi, Ghoul-e Biabani, Atash-afrouz, etc.

Importance of Haji Firouz

The sound of his songs and the sight of his dance are often analogous to knowing that Norouz is in the air.

Although the blackness of his skin has been the source of some racial controversy in Iranian intellectual circles, Haji Firouz’s intentions and spirit have always been well received and loved by the people.

As these entertainers usually blacken their faces, people consider the blackness as face paint without any racial implication.

Others believe that the appearance of Haji Firouz is related to creating happiness among families. The New Year Day must begin with joy, happiness and laughter so that throughout the year, families will continue to be happy.

Fire holds an important role for Zoroastrians. It appears that Haji Firouz represents the red-dressed Zoroastrian fire-keepers who on the last Tuesday of the year were sent by the white-dressed Moghs (Zoroastrian priests) to spread the news about the arrival of Norouz.

The fire-keeper’s second duty was to call on the people to burn their old items and to restart their life and regain health by obtaining the energy released by the fire.

The dark color of the fire-keeper’s face is allegedly caused by the heat of the holy fire.

Fire-keepers use unfamiliar expressions combined with their humorous actions to make people laugh.

Historical Evidence

In a paper published in 1983, Mehrdad Bahar, a famous Iranian writer and researcher, noted that the figure of Haji Firouz is derived from ceremonies and legends connected with the epic of Prince Siavash, which are in turn associated with the Mesopotamian deities of agriculture and cattle, Tammuz.

Bahar argued that Tammuz returns from the world of the dead every spring and his performance commemorates the yearly death and rebirth of vegetation.

In some of these ceremonies during which people sang and danced in the streets, many blackened their faces.

From this evidence, Bahar traced the Iranian Haji Firouz to the Mesopotamian rite of darkening one’s face while participating in the festival of Tammuz.

Ten years later in an interview, Bahar stated his original supposition more emphatically and claimed that Haji Firouz’s blackened face symbolizes his return from the world of the dead. Also, his red clothing is the sign of Siavash’s red blood and the coming to life of the sacrificed deity, while his joviality is the jubilation of rebirth, typical of those who bring rejuvenation and blessing.

Another scholar considers Haji Firouz as a continuation of the New Year tradition of Sassanian period, during which black slaves, wearing colorful clothing and heavy makeup, would entertain the public with song and dance.

Archeologists consider Haji Firouz to be a more recent personality not to some ancient religious ceremonies, but to black slaves working in troupes of entertainers.

They suggest that the red color of Haji Firouz’s clothes may represent happiness and the name Firouz must have been given to them as a good omen.

A few weeks before the New Year, Iranians spring-clean their homes. They stitch new clothes, bake pastries and germinate seeds as signs of renewal.

The ceremonial table (Sofreh Haft-Sin) is set up in each household. Troubadours, referred to as Haji Firouz, disguise themselves with makeup and wear bright outfits.

At times, a number of entertainers dressed as Haji Firouz, singing and dancing, lead a carnival of people with tambourines, kettle drums and trumpets to spread good cheer and the news of the coming New Year.

Source: Iran Radio Culture