The Iranian traditional storytelling of Firdausis Shahnameh (The Epic of Kings) was inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
The anniversary of the inscription was commemorated by Iranian 'naqq?ls' (story-tellers) and celebrities attending.
UNESCOwrites that Naqq?li is the oldest form of dramatic performance in Iran and had long played an important role in society, from the courts to the villages. The performer the naqq?l recounts stories in verse or prose accompanied by gestures and movements, and sometimes instrumental music and painted scrolls.
Naqq?ls function both as entertainers and as bearers of Persian literature and culture, and need to be acquainted with local cultural expressions, languages and dialects, and traditional music.
Naqq?li requires considerable talent, a retentive memory and the ability to improvise with skill to captivate an audience. The naqq?ls wear simple costumes, but may also don ancient helmets or armoured jackets during performances to help recreate battle scenes. Female naqq?ls perform before mixed audiences. Until recently, naqq?ls were deemed the most important guardians of folk-tales, ethnic epics and Iranian folk music.
Naqq?li was formerly performed in coffeehouses, tents of nomads, houses, and historical venues such as ancient caravansary. However, a decline in the popularity of coffeehouses, combined with new forms of entertainment, has resulted in diminishing interest in naqq?li performance.
The aging of master performers (morsheds) and the decreasing popularity among younger generations have caused a steep drop in the number of skilled naqq?ls, threatening the survival of this dramatic art.
By Mehr News Agency
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