Joy as Resistance in Iranian Lament Performances

Abstract Why should pleasure and rhythm invade a practice of ritual mourning? To the anger of leading clerics, young Iranian musicians have, for the past 20 years, incorporated elements of pop music into the traditional laments of Muharram, the central religious festival of Shia Islam. I argue that this joyful reclamation of laments for the martyr Hussein constitutes a vernacular mode of resistance. It hits at the heart of the Islamic Republic's attempt to extend the mournful spirit of Muharram across Iranian public culture, in a regime of mourning that turns joy into crime. This article explores the mixed affect of joy and mourning that circulates through Muharram performances and beyond as performers and audiences seek freedom of expression within the limits of state sanctions.