A Supplementary Contribution to Research on Iranian Kuse, Turkish Köse and Their Slavic Zoomorphic Counterparts

Abstract This article examines ritualistic performances in pre-modern Iranian, Turkish, and Slavic agrarian-pastoral communities, focusing on a fertility myth centered around a suffering, dying, and resurrecting deity. Grounded in animistic worldviews, this myth establishes intricate connections between humans and the cosmos, guiding ritual behaviors to ensure agricultural fertility and cosmic harmony. The analysis explores symbolic transformations across these folk traditions, addressing interpretative challenges through cultural and comparative studies. The study delves into various ritual aspects including names, costumes, dates, locations, audiences, troupes, scenarios, gifts, and carol-type quête-songs, highlighting common features across multiple local variants. This examination enhances understanding of the ritual’s cultural and geographical diversity. Emphasis is placed on using locally available materials to create transformative attire for zoomorphic protagonists, contributing to a carnivalesque atmosphere. Ritual timing varies across cultural realms, often tied to agricultural or cultural milestones and symbolic transitions. Typically held in liminal spaces such as a host’s courtyard or farmyard, the ritual engages peasants and local community members with young carolling troupes of varying roles and sizes. The ritual scenario blends semi-play with quête-songs and magical gestures, symbolizing life’s cyclical nature and nature’s renewal. Gift-giving during the ritual symbolizes the exchange of blessings, reinforcing mutual dependence, while quête-songs, believed to possess magical power, address communal concerns. Drawing on Bakhtin’s concept of folk carnival humor, this research illuminates the ritual’s festive and inclusive nature, drawing parallels with carnival practices. Further exploration of Bakhtin’s concepts in folk rituals and the role of carnival elements is recommended for future research.