The storyteller
A naqqal stands before an audience and tells a story, mixing prose and verse, singing, acting and imitating voices. A naqqal needs a prodigious memory and the talent to read a crowd and improvise.
The coffee house
From the early 17th to the early 20th century, the coffee house was the naqqal’s main stage. At a time when many people could not read, the storyteller brought the national tales to life. Some naqqals performed only the Shahnameh, the Shahnameh-khans. Others told tales of Alexander and other legendary heroes, or religious stories.
As coffee houses closed and new entertainment arrived, audiences shrank. Naqqali was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011, and young performers are working to keep it going. The tales of Ferdowsi are still its heart.
