Strategic Studies of Art

Strategic Studies of Art

A Critical Analysis of the Zar Ritual and its Representation in Contemporary Iranian Cinema through the Lens of Mary Douglas’s Theory of the Ritual Body (Case Study: Nasser Taghvai’s Documentary, The Wind of Jinn)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fateme Mousavi 1
Ali Asghar fahimifar 2
1 MSc. Student in Art Research, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran.
2 Associate Professor of Art Research, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran.
10.22083/ssa.2025.531667.1079
Abstract
Extended Abstract
The Zar ritual, one of the most enduring healing traditions in southern Iran, is deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural heritage of Afro-Iranian communities along the Persian Gulf. Practiced as a response to psychological distress, trauma, and embodied imbalance, Zar relies on rhythmic music, trance-inducing dance, and communal participation to expel afflictive spirits and restore harmony. Beyond its therapeutic dimension, the ritual provides a culturally grounded space for negotiating marginalization, identity, and embodied expression—particularly for women, who frequently occupy central roles. In contemporary Iranian documentary cinema, Zar has been represented through different interpretive lenses, with Nasser Taghvai’s The Wind of Jinn (1969) standing as the earliest and most influential cinematic exploration of this ritual.
This study applies Mary Douglas’s theory of the ritual body to analyze how The Wind of Jinn represents Zar as a mechanism for confronting disorder, redefining symbolic boundaries, and reintegrating the afflicted individual into society. Douglas conceptualizes the body as a microcosm of the social order, where states of pollution signify disruptions in collective norms. Rituals, in her view, serve to realign bodily and social boundaries, re-establish equilibrium, and restore the “polluted” or “marginal” body to communal acceptance. In the context of Zar, possession is interpreted as a symbolic disturbance that unsettles both bodily integrity and social cohesion, while the ritual process functions as an instrument of purification and reintegration.
Methodologically, this research follows a descriptive-analytical approach, relying on documentary sources, anthropological studies, and a close reading of Taghvai’s film. The analysis focuses on three interrelated dimensions: the structural logic of the Zar ritual, the cinematic strategies through which The Wind of Jinn constructs ritual meaning, and the sociocultural implications of representing a marginalized Afro-Iranian practice within the context of Iranian modernity. This integrated framework offers insight into how Taghvai’s documentary transcends simple ethnographic recording and participates in the interpretive reconstruction of embodiment, community, and identity.
The findings suggest that The Wind of Jinn frames Zar as a dynamic cultural system in which disorder is externalized as a possessing spirit—an intrusive “Other” whose presence destabilizes bodily and social order. Taghvai reinforces this symbolism through close-up shots of trembling bodies, rhythmic editing that mirrors trance states, and spatial compositions that evoke isolation and displacement. As the ritual unfolds, disorganized bodily movements gradually shift toward synchronized collective actions, visually embodying the transition from fragmentation to restored harmony. This progression aligns with Douglas’s understanding of ritual as a mechanism that transforms the “out-of-place” body into a reintegrated social presence.
A central component of the study concerns the gendered dimensions of Zar. Women, often constrained within patriarchal social structures, assume prominent roles as spiritual mediators, healers, musicians, and expressive subjects. Through trance, vocalization, and dance, they articulate suppressed emotions and reclaim agency within a cultural space that legitimizes their embodied expression. Taghvai’s emphasis on women’s gestures, ritual authority, and relational dynamics underscores the extent to which Zar functions as both an emotional outlet and a site of social empowerment.
The film also highlights Zar’s diasporic and racial origins. By foregrounding African-derived musical rhythms, linguistic traces, and ritual gestures, The Wind of Jinn situates Zar within a broader history of Afro-Iranian cultural continuity. This attention disrupts dominant narratives in Iranian cultural representation, drawing visibility to marginalized communities whose identities have been shaped by historical displacement and cultural blending. In this sense, the documentary not only records ritual practice but also affirms the plural and multiethnic fabric of Iranian society.
Ultimately, the study argues that Taghvai’s documentary exemplifies how traditional rituals can be both preserved and reframed through cinematic representation. By employing Douglas’s theoretical framework, the film reveals Zar as a site of cultural resistance, emotional catharsis, and communal reintegration. The documentary bridges tradition and modernity, showing that Zar remains a meaningful mechanism for processing trauma, negotiating identity, and sustaining cultural continuity in contemporary Iranian society. Through its immersive aesthetic strategies and anthropological sensitivity, The Wind of Jinn demonstrates how documentary cinema can illuminate the embodied and symbolic dimensions of rituals that continue to shape collective memory and social belonging.
Keywords
Contemporary Iranian Cinema
Mary Douglas
The Wind of Jinn
Zar Ritual
Nasser Taghvai
Marginalization

Subjects

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