the mourning ceremony

In the mourning ceremony of Bushehr, a port city in the south of Iran, a celebration is held for the young souls who have passed away. A celebration that, instead of joy, awakens sorrow in your heart. They clap, chant, stomp their feet, and dance in honor of the deceased young person. But they also play the damam. The damam is only played during mourning rituals. This blend of sadness and joy in the grief of a lost young life stirs a sorrow within you that goes beyond imagination...

This image is part of the One Thousand and One Nights theater production, produced by Idris Abdi Poor and directed by Ehsan Abdi Poor. It is a performance that narrates the authentic stories of Bushehr.