Hâjji Fîrûz or Hajji Piruz, (Persian: حاجی فیروز) is the traditional herald of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. He oversees celebrations for the new year perhaps as a remnant of the ancient Zoroastrian fire-keeper. His face is covered in soot and he is clad in bright red clothes and a felt hat. While ushering in Nowruz, Hajji Firuz plays a tambourine and sings "Haji Firuz eh, sali ye ruz eh" (It is Haji Firuz time, It happens one day in a year). People of all ages gather around him and his troupe of musicians and listen to them play the drum, saz or kamancheh, and dance through the streets with tambourines and trumpets spreading good cheer and the news of the coming New Year.
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Haji Firuz is believed to be based in a tradition called "Mir-Norowzi". Mir-Norowz was a comical figure chosen to rule the municipality for the last five days of the year (also called Panjeh). The temporary five-day king (Hakem Panj Roozeh) would often parade the city with a group of singers and dancers for the Norowz Celebrations.[1]
The sound of his songs and the sight of his dance is often analogous to hearing Christmas music in a shopping mall, telling all that Nowruz is in the air. Although the blackness of his skin has been the source of some racial controversy in Iranian intellectual circles, Haji Firuz's intentions and spirit have always been well-received and loved by the people. People consider it only as a face paint and there is no racial implication.[2]
Others believe that the appearance of Haji Firuz is related to creating a happy atmosphere in the families. The New Year's Day must begin with joy, happiness and laughter so that during the rest of the year the families will continue to be happy. If the families are not happy, the Fravahrs who are guests of the families will leave the households which may result in the loss of abundance and blessings from the household. It is for this reason that during these days there are people with funny makeup and joyful songs who will bring laughter and joy to families and with their comical jests and songs bring laughter to houses, streets and market places.
Fire holds an important role for Zoroastrians. It appears that Haji Firouz represents the red-dressed fire keepers of the Zoroastrians, who at the last Tuesday of the year, was sent by the white-dressed Moghs (Zoroastrian priests) to spread the news about the arrival of the Nowruz. The fire-keeper's second duty was to call on the people to burn their old items in the fire, and to renew their life and regain health by obtaining the solved energy of the fire. The dark colour of the fire-keeper's face is allegedly caused by the heat of the holy fire. Fire-keepers use of rather unfamiliar expressions combined with their humorous nature, brought laughter to people's faces.
Mehrdad Bahar opined that the figure of the Haji firouz is derived from ceremonies and legends connected to the epic of prince Siavash, which are in turn derived from those associated with the Mesopotamian deities of agriculture and flocks, Tammuz (Sumerian:Dumuzi). Later, he claimed that Haji firouz’s blackened face symbolizes his returning from the world of the dead, his red clothing is the sign of Siavash’s red blood and the coming to life of the sacrificed deity, while his joviality is the jubilation of rebirth, typical of those who bring rejuvenation and blessing along with themselves .He speculates that the name Siyāwaxš might mean "black man" or "dark-faced man" and suggests that the black part of the name may be a reference either to the blackening of the faces of the participants in the afore-mentioned Mesopotamian ceremonies, or to the black masks that they wore for the festivities.[2]
Haji Firuz is also called Khawja Piruz, Khawja means master and Piruz/Firuz means successful. "Haji" in here is just a form of address and has nothing to do with the Islamic (Haajhi) hajj, like using 'sir' to address a gentleman in English without the person being a knight in the technical sense.
Haji firouz-e /Sal-i ye ruz-e sal-i ye ruz-e....It’s Ḥāji Firuz/[He’s] only one day a year.
Hame midunan /Man-am midunam....Everyone knows /I know as well.
ʿEyd-e nowruz-e /Sāl-i ye ruz-e....It is Nowruz /It’s only one day a year.
The following song is usually sung with a traditional "funny accent" or a mimicking of a speech impediment:
Arbab-e khod-am salāmo ʿaleykom....Greetings my very own lord
Arbab-e khod-am sar-eto bala kon!....Raise your head my lord!
Arbab-e khod-am be man niga kon,....Look at me, my lord!
Arbab-e khod-am lotf-i be ma kon....Do me a favor, my lord!
Arbab-e khod-am boz-boz-e qandi....My very own lord, the billy goat,
Arbab-e khod-am chera nemikhandi?....Why don’t you smile, my lord?[2]
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