One may enter a church to attend a sermon, rearrange finally the living room to feel more ‘at home’ or step onto the podium in the auditorium to lecture a class: In all these examples the influence of ‘space’ on the emotion one senses could not be stressed enough. When I observed the taraweeh prayer, an important ritual during Ramadan, the significance but even more the flexibility of ‘space’ astonished me. The prayer should normally take place in a mosque, but due to the COVID-19-restricitions in Albania, it was not allowed to attend large gatherings. Hence, the prayer happened to be in the home of a befriended person, where all participants would meet to conduct it. Originally, my research plan was to focus on the prayer and its atmosphere, but the transition of an ordinary living room to a sacred prayer space struck me. What kind of transition has happened there? Why did I feel that there was a change, and how did the others perceive these moments?
This seminar paper serves perfectly as an overview of how ritual can be understood in the perspective of performance studies. On the one hand, it explains different understandings of ritual, on the other hand it focuses on a specific approach of performance studies: Performance theory of Richard Schechner. The present paper shows how performance theory offers a variety of possibilities to analyze ritual. The field research should lead to a better understanding of sacred space and allow an analysis of its diverse aspects due to the observed ritual and the individual perception of the interviewed participant.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Ritual and performance theory
2.1 Clarification of terms used
2.1.1 The variety of understanding ritual
2.1.2 What is performance?
2.1.3 Performance studies and its meaning
2.2. Concepts of analysis
2.2.1 Performance processes: time and space model
2.2.2 Mapping and adjusting Schechners model
3. The taraweeh prayer
3.1 The history
3.2 The script
4. Method and process: participative observation and interviews
5. Ethnographic insights and results
5.1. The importance of intentionality
5.2. The creation of sacred space
5.3. Conclusio
6. Retrospection
Objectives & Research Topics
This research investigates the Taraweeh prayer as a religious ritual, analyzing how its performance transforms an ordinary living space into a sacred one. The study explores the intersection of ritual practice and performance studies, focusing on how participant intent and environmental cues facilitate this transition within a non-traditional domestic setting.
- Performance-based analysis of the Taraweeh prayer
- The dynamics of transformation from profane to sacred space
- Influence of individual intentionality on ritual efficacy
- Adaptation of Richard Schechner’s "time and space" model to religious rituals
- Ethnographic observation within a domestic setting in Albania
Excerpt from the Book
The creation of sacred space
Besides the individual perception of the ritual, also the surroundings are influencing the atmosphere. The extraordinary about the ritual observed is its venue. The taraweeh is usually conducted in the mosque together with the Muslim community. The observed prayer though was taking place in the living room of the hosting family (M1/M3/F1/F5). In the beginning, the phase of come-alongs (1b), all participants were in the living room and the kitchen, doing ordinary things such as cooking, eating and chit-chatting. Later on, when one got in the phase of performance (2), the space started to change into somehow a sacred space, where elevated feelings such as F2 experienced (see chapt. 5.1.) developed, were happening.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the research motivation, specifically the observation of the Taraweeh prayer in a private home due to COVID-19 restrictions, and sets the goal to analyze the transition from profane to sacred space through performance studies.
2. Ritual and performance theory: This chapter defines core terms within ritual and performance studies, establishing a framework for analysis that includes definitions of ritual, performance, and the adapted "time and space" model by Richard Schechner.
3. The taraweeh prayer: This section provides a historical overview of the Taraweeh prayer, its significance in Sunni Islam, and the specific script and internal structure of the prayer cycles.
4. Method and process: participative observation and interviews: This chapter details the qualitative methodology used, primarily participative observation and qualitative interviews, conducted within a mixed community in Tirana to gather ethnographic data.
5. Ethnographic insights and results: In this main analytical section, the findings regarding the role of intentionality, the influence of participants' awareness, and the spatial transition from domestic to sacred are examined.
6. Retrospection: The final chapter reflects on the methodological limitations of the study and suggests paths for future research regarding the personal perception of ritual efficacy and the definition of sacred space.
Keywords
Taraweeh prayer, Performance Studies, Sacred Space, Ritual Theory, Participant Observation, Richard Schechner, Intentionality, Ramadan, Ethnography, Islam, Domestic Ritual, Profane-Sacred Transition, Prayer Script, Qualitative Research, Religious Practice
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The paper examines the Taraweeh prayer, a religious ritual during Ramadan, through the lens of performance studies to understand how sacred space is created in non-traditional environments.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
Key themes include the ritual's historical context, the importance of participant intention, individual awareness, and the structural application of performance theories to religious practices.
What is the central research goal?
The study aims to analyze the mechanisms by which a profane physical space (a living room) is transformed into a sacred prayer space, focusing on individual perceptions and the influence of the atmosphere.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The author employs a qualitative approach consisting of ethnographic participative observation and semi-structured interviews with participants.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body integrates theoretical frameworks with descriptive findings, covering the history and script of the prayer, the methodology of the observation, and a detailed analysis of how intentionality and surroundings affect the sacred experience.
Which words best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Performance Studies, Ritual, Sacred Space, Intentionality, and Ethno-Religious observation.
How does the author adapt the performance model?
The author modifies Richard Schechner’s "time and space" model by renaming categories like "training" to "practice and routine" to better fit the religious and domestic context of the performed ritual.
What significant conclusion does the author reach regarding ritual efficacy?
The author concludes that intentionality and individual concentration are crucial, as a ritual performed strictly by rote habit may lack the profound emotional or sacred impact experienced when the participant is fully engaged.
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- Mirjam Steiner (Autor:in), 2021, The Taraweeh Prayer. Creation of Sacred Space in the Perspective of Performance Studies, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1552957
