A Thematic Analysis of Metamorphosis in the Culture and Stories of the Bakhtiary and Kohkiloye-and-Boyer-Ahmad People

Abstract:

Metamorphosis is one of the key issues in myth and mythological stories in which a creature physically changes and temporally or permanently losses its formal shape, as well as its recognized and natural formation to reach perfection or suffer a deficiency; thus, gaining a new shape. Metamorphosis sometimes constructs a part of the creature, becomes eternal, young or vulnerable, or finds a synthetic structure comprised of the human and animal features, and lives contrary to its basic nature. In this study, with regards to the significance of the issue under consideration and the status of culture and folk literature, different types of metamorphosis in the popular culture and literature of the Bakhtiary and Kohkiloye-and-Boyer-Ahmad people are investigated. Going through various kinds of human metamorphosis to an animal, a tree, a bird, heavenly bodies, and vice versa, we shall be concerned with analyzing their literary representations and mythological aspects of different types of metamorphosis among the Bakhtiaries and Kohkiloye-and-Boyer-Ahmad people. This study is conducted fundamentally based on the library and field study using qualitative content analysis. Upon investigating various sources and analyzing literary and mythological representations of different kinds of metamorphosis, it may be indicated that the most important types of metamorphosis in the cultural and belief system of these people subsume the metamorphosis of human to animals such as bear, wolf, tiger, and turtle. As a result of committing sinful actions, humans are metamorphosized into a tree.

Keywords: The popular culture; the Bakhtiari tribe; Kohkiloye-and-Boyer-Ahmad; mythological themes; metamorphosis.

‌‌‌‌‌‌‌Research Background

Reviewing authenticated academic journals and websites as well as library resources, we found no reliable scholarly work on metamorphosis in the folk culture of Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people. On this basis, the present study is one of the first, if not the first, attempt that takes into account this critical issue.

Aims, questions, assumptions

In this study, we shall examine the manifestations of different types of metamorphosis in folk culture and anecdotes of Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people. On this account, the major objectives of this research includes investigating and analyzing various types of metamorphosis from human being to animal, plant, bird and vice versa. Moreover, their representation in culture, belief, and folk literature such as local poems, proverbs, and the anecdotes of Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people are investigated. The significance of this study lies in the fact that examining the representation of metamorphosis may throw light on the rituals, beliefs, values, and regulations of those who have devised such myths and stories.

Results and discussion

According to the library-based findings, the most important types of metamorphosis in the culture and beliefs of the Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people can be categorized as follows:

One of the salient stories represent the metamorphosis of a human being to a turtle in the culture and beliefs of the Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people. In this narrative, God metamorphosed a woman into a turtle because she disobeyed Him. Putting a pan one her back and a baking pan beneath her stomach, God metamorphosed her into a turtle.

A pork is also a metamorphosed human being. The story is that "he refuses to pay attention to the guest and the man asks God to change him into a ferocious animal. Then, God metamorphosed him to a pork". The story of the bear is also the same. Moreover, tiger and rabbit were also of those human beings who were metamorphosed for their committing sinful actions.

Of the most important instances of human to animal changes is the metamorphosis of a fairy into a human who defrauds other humans at the gardens, streams, and ponds at night.

Besides animals, birds are also metamorphosed in the culture and beliefs of the Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people. Cuckoo amongst the Bakhtiaris, or Gapi-Gapu amongst the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people are two examples of birds that were firstly human and then were metamorphosed into birds because they beg God in order to have relief in the life. Also, birds such as Jaze, Titek, and Gow-Gow are some other metamorphosed animals.

So far as the metamorphosis of the celestial bodies is concerned, there are stories about the moon and the sun amongst the Bakhtiaris and the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people. The moon was a boy and the sun was a girl who were metamorphosed for their sinful deeds.

The most important instances of the metamorphosis of a human into a tree amongst the Bakhtiari and the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people are a plant called Chevil and Kardah (growing from human's bloodshed), human's brain to an oak tree for committing robbery, Gesha Khashkha for drinking wine. The most important instance of metamorphosis of a tree into a human or an angle can be seen in the story about the metamorphosis of the Hawthorn tree to a pretty woman.

Conclusion

In relation to the folk culture and stories of the Bahtiari the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad people, this study aim to investigate the metamorphosis of human to animal, tree, celestial bodies, birds and vice versa. These stories help us figure out the values, beliefs and obligations embedded in these anecdotes. Most of these anecdotes are related to the metamorphosis of a human to an animal, a bird, and celestial bodies. This happens as a consequence of committing a sinful action that masks a man with the heinous features of an animal, some examples of which are: behaving badly with others (pork and bear), cannibalism (tiger), being ungrateful to God (turtle), betrayal (rabbit), drinking wine (Khashkhash), fratricide (Gogu), naughtiness (Jaze and Titek), helping someone for robbery (Kaji-pati) and robbery (oak tree). Through metamorphosis, many of human beings are changed into animal, bird, tree and celestial bodies. In these stories, the people are indirectly given heinous characteristics so as to emphasize the educational and ethical aspects of the narrative.