Ethnographic Study of the Ritual Dolls “Tap-Tapo” (Bakhtak) in the Folk Culture of Hafshejan

The ‘Tap-Tapo’ ritual dolls in the Hafshejan region are integral to folk beliefs concerning ‘Bakhtak’ and serve to ward off misfortune. These dolls manifest local knowledge, lived experience, and interpretations of the unseen, gaining meaning through their connection to daily life, family, and the community’s symbolic order. This study aims to explain the ritual functions, symbolic meanings, and sociocultural contexts of ‘Tap-Tapo’ dolls through an ethnographic approach. The central question is: What roles do these dolls serve in Hafshejan’s folk culture, and how are they produced within people’s lived experiences? Using a descriptive-analytical method based on documentary and fieldwork data, this study examines two ‘Tap-Tapo’ dolls used in rites to ward off ‘Bakhtak.’ The theoretical framework is grounded in Robert K. Merton’s middle-range theories, specifically structural-functionalism. Within this, cultural elements are analyzed as social actions with tangible consequences. Findings show that ‘Tap-Tapo’ dolls reflect the interaction between people and supernatural forces, traditional belief systems, and the role of women in transmitting indigenous knowledge, establishing a profound link between daily life and local rituals. From this perspective, these rituals manage individual and collective crises; by stabilizing social order and restoring control, they contribute to cultural cohesion and psychological well-being.