Multidisciplinary ethnography of the effect of virus spread on rituals and mourning ceremonies of South Zagros residents

The spread of the Covid 19 virus has affected human life on Earth to varying degrees. Some of the effects of this virus can be seen in the field of everyday and public culture. One of the areas affected by this pandemic is the mourning style. Cultural changes in mourning style due to their gradual nature are not very noticeable unless we take a process look at them. In the present study, the method of multi-sited ethnography was used. The term ethnography broadly refers to qualitative research projects that provide detailed and in-depth descriptions of everyday life. This method is the art of describing human groups, institutions, interpersonal behaviors and beliefs. In the central and southern Zagros, which is home to the Bakhtiari and Bahmaei tribes, lifestyle changes, especially in mourning ceremonies and other collective actions, have become evident in recent months. Among the people of the mentioned tribes and in the cities of Izeh, Baghmalek and Ramhormoz, affected by the spread of the virus, there is a cautious retreat in order to maintain survival in holding public rituals and ceremonies. The purpose of this article is to study the ethnographic changes that have taken place in this region from a mentioned perspective. Study data have been collected from field work in recent months in rural and urban areas of Izeh, Ramhormoz and Baghmalek. Daily observations, listening to related narratives, and attending or participating in daily life and mourning-related situations have helped to produce field notes. Based on this, analytical themes and codes were formed. The results showed that the spread of the virus, with the withdrawal of some mourning rituals, has shortened the ceremony in terms of duration.