Migration and its Impact on Ritual Performance: The Shughnani Ismaili Diaspora of Montréal and the Ceremony of <i>Chirāgh-i Rawshan</i>

This article investigates how the Shughnani Ismaili diaspora from Afghanistan observes a funeral ceremony called chirāgh-i rawshan (“the luminous lamp”) in Montréal, Canada. Using qualitative research and an interdisciplinary approach, it investigates the intersection of migration and ritual to analyse changes in the performance of this ceremony and its effect on ritual experiences. Situating the Shughnani Ismailis within the global Ismaili community, it sheds light on the communal dynamics of the Ismaili community in Montréal, Canada. The findings demonstrate that migration disrupts ritual performances, prompting the Shughnani Ismailis to continually adapt and (re)interpret the ritual’s symbolic meanings, gender roles, and ritual spaces to make sense of their belonging among their Ismaili co-religionists and within the broader Canadian society.