The Phenomenology of Kotal Ritual in Bakhtiari Tribe

Rituals are an integral part of any society's culture. In today's modern world, human beings are still dominated by religions and beliefs that have their roots in the distant past, and according to Karl Jaspers, human beings today are still indebted to a pivotal period in history; A period in which the ancient religions of the world emerged from the corners of the world in almost a single period and have affected our lives to this day (Jasper, 1998, p. 55). In our society, Rituals, especially mourning Rituals, are formed from pieces of ancient Iran, Islamic culture, and modern world ideas, which have a certain breadth and dynamism and affect a large part of our behavior (Moradkhani and Ghobadi, 2011, p.94). In Dezful city, every year we see rituals that carry a special meaning for the people of each nation. One of these rituals is the Kotal ritual, which is common among the Bakhtiari Tribe living in this city. The present study seeks to answer the questions in a phenomenological way: when does the historical and mythological background of this religion date back to? How is it implemented? What is the experience of people participating in this ritual? How do they understand its meaning and understanding?

The present research has utilized a qualitative approach and phenomenological method. The studied population includes 17 people who participated in this ritual between 2015 and 2019. Data were collected using the in-depth interview and purposive sampling methods. For the data analysis, the participants' statements were first recorded and implemented, then carefully listened to and studied several times by the researcher.

Findings showed that social identity is the product of interactions between different groups. Through rituals, people interact with each other and provide themselves with a fixed identity and point of reliance amid inconsistencies and beliefs, thereby obtaining a sense of identity through getting to know themselves. In this regard, the actions and rites that people perform in this ritual cause their thoughts and beliefs to be connected and aligned. It also creates a kind of social contract in which individuals, through voluntary cooperation, express their efforts to flourish their capabilities for the benefit of the organization or community. Finally, participants believe that in addition to joy and happiness, life also has sufferings and difficulties. Participation in this religion causes the formation of faith in human beings and by interpreting bitterness correctly, it sweetens it, and by leading humans to believe in the resurrection, any pain and suffering inflicted by nature or others, the Almighty God will make up for it in a different way.

The findings show that this ritual goes back to the mourning of Siavash, which is especially evident in the ritual of burying the dead. Participants experience a sense of peace of mind by standing together and guarding their social identity; accordingly, society will seek to maintain identity patterns by expanding the social space and removing social barriers and restrictions for different social strata. Despite valuing sorrow, grief, and suffering, the Kotal ritual has institutionalized social and cultural relations and connects generations, passing beliefs, rituals, and oral literature from the past to the present. Participants' behaviors, practices, and etiquettes during the ritual play a meaningful role in the participants' lives. Overally, the participation of the goal community in the Kotal ritual has a mythological-historical background. With voluntary and spontaneous participation in these rituals, participants seek to give meaning to life while seeking and identifying with their peers.  This group of people also strengthens their resilience and tolerance in the face of life's difficulties. In addition, creating unity and strengthening the spirit of solidarity is one of the social functions of individuals' participation in collective rituals and ceremonies; the continuity of Kotal ritual is the proof of this claim.