Newroz ---Tawfeq Mahmoud Hamza
The New Year's day is today. Newroz is back.
An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.
For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden
The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth
It was that red colour on the high horizon of Kurd
Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations
It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire
That made the youth receive death with devoted love
Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of homeland
It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects
It has never happened in the history of any nation
To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets
Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland
They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pkk-chief-ocalans-historic-call-to-be-released-on-nevruz.aspx?pageID=238&nID=43162&NewsCatID=338
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=503039106419117&set=a.235769213146109.59043.212020558854308&type=1&theater
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Sumalak_being_made_in_a_Kazan.jpg
Newroz or Nûroj[1] (Kurdish: نهورۆز/Newroz/Nûroj, also: Gulus[2] Kurdish: گوڵوس) refers to the celebration of the traditional Iranian new year holiday ofNewroz in Kurdish society. The festival of Newroz is celebrated throughout the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia such as in Iran, Azerbaijanand Afghanistan. Newroz is also celebrated by some communities in Pakistan and Turkey. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the Kurds from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.[3][4][5][6][7][8] The celebration coincides with theNorthward equinox which falls mainly on 21st March [9] and the festival is held usually between 18 and 24 March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in Turkey and Syria.[3][4][5][7] Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and dance together.[10][11]
Bas-relief in Persepolis - a symbolIranian/Persian Nowruz - on the day of an equinox, the power of an eternally fighting bull (personifying the Earth) and that of a lion (personifying the Sun) are equal.
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name "equinox" is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day have approximately equal length.
The March equinox marks the first day of various calendars including the Iranian calendar. The ancient Iranian new year's festival of Nowruz can be celebrated March 20 or March 21. According to the ancient Persian mythology Jamshid, the mythological king of Persia, ascended to the throne on this day and each year this is commemorated with festivities for two weeks. These festivities recall the story of creation and the ancient cosmology of Iranian and Persian people. It is also a holiday celebrated in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Zanzibar, Albania, and various countries of Central Asia, as well as among the Kurds. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday, it is also a holy day for adherents of the Bahá'í Faith and the Nizari Ismaili Muslims. The Bahá'í Naw-rúz is stationary; the new year always starts at sunset March 20
Chehel Sotoun's Wall painting, that dates back to the Safavid era, depicts a Chahārshanbe Suri celebration Photo by Reza Nazarbeygi
Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz, Nevruz
The term Nowruz is a Persian compound-word and consists of:
now (Old Persian nava) means "new" and rōz (also with various pronuciations, such as rūz,rose.rooz rozh, or roj) means "day" in Middle- and Modern Persian. The original meaning of the word, however, was "light".
Haft-Seen (Persian: هفتسین) or the seven 'S's is a traditional table setting of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian spring celebration. Today the haft seen table includes seven specific items, all starting with the letterseen (س) in the Persian alphabet. Haft-Seen was originally called Haftchin (Haftĉin) derived from the words Chin (چین) and Haft (هفت) meaning "to place" seven (items). The table is set by placing the following items which symbolize Zoroastrian yazatas or divinities such as ātar and asmān.
The "Haft Chin" items are:
1. Mirror - symbolizing Sky
2. Apple - symbolizing Earth
3. Candles - symbolizing Fire
4. Golab - rose water symbolizing Water
5. Sabzeh - wheat, or barley sprouts symbolizing Plants
6. Goldfish - symbolizing Animals
7. Painted Eggs - symbolizing Humans and Fertility
The Haft Seen items are:
1. Sabzeh - wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolising rebirth
2. Samanu - sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolising affluence
3. Senjed - dried oleaster fruit - symbolising love
4. Sir - (Persian: سیر)- garlic - symbolising medicine
5. Sib - (Persian: سیب)- apples - symbolising beauty and health
6. Somāq - sumac fruit - symbolising (the color of) sunrise
7. Serkeh - (Persian: سرکه) - vinegar - symbolising old-age and patience
A slightly less traditional Haft Seen may also include:
Sonbol - the fragrant hyacinth flower - symbolising the coming of spring
Sekkeh - coins - symbolising prosperity
Iranian pastries such as Baqlava ,
Tut - white berries, Nān-Noxodchi )
Ājil - dried nuts, berries and raisins
lit candles symbolising enlightenment and happiness
a mirror symbolising Truth, the reflection of the Real World
sekanjabin - a sweet mint syrup
decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family symbolising fertility
a bowl with goldfish symbolising life, and the constellation of Pisces which the Sun is leaving
water with a bitter orange in it symbolising Earth "floating" in space
rose water, used to cleanse in Islam before prayer, also heavily prevalent in Iranian cuisine
the flag of Iran
A poetry book, such as the Shahnameh or the Divan of Hafiz, or a religious text such as the holy Quran or Avesta
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/files/NowruzCurriculumText.pdf