Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Fariba Seddighi

Assistant Professor

Abstract

Minority groups are trying to define their group boundaries to maintain their identity. Time and calendar are the main means for building the identity of groups. Iranian Zoroastrians, who are the heirs of ancient Iranian religion and culture, construct their identity. Therefore, I want to understand the reconstruction of Zoroastrians' identity in contemporary Iran with an emphasis on the calendar. For this purpose, I focused on multi-sited ethnographic methods and documentary studies. Going back and forth between the findings of the field and the theories of anthropology determined that the reconstruction of identity boundaries accompanied the redefinition of their cultural elements such as ethical values and customs. According to the findings, Zoroastrians try to maintain their group boundaries by focusing on chronology and highlighting religious occasions. Also, by focusing on the Mehrgan, Sede, and Tirgan festivals, they link their identity to Iran and thus establish their link with Iranian national identity.

Keywords

• Zoroastrians
• Redefine identity
• Group identity
• National identity
• Calendar

Main Subjects

• Anthropology