Every culture is bound to have their own festivities. One of the most important celebrations usually in a culture is the new year celebration � and every culture is bound to have its own. We can see that even in Malaysia, every race has its own new year that does not necessarily correspond with the solar new year. So let�s examine one more new year celebration � celebrated by the people of Persia, known as Nowruz ...
NOWRUZ � PERSIAN NEW YEAR CELEBRATION
IN HARMONY WITH THE rebirth of nature, the Iranian New Year Celebration, or NOROOZ, always begins on the first day of spring. Nowruz ceremonies are symbolic representations of two ancient concepts - the End and the Rebirth; or Good and Evil. A few weeks before the New Year, Iranians clean and rearrange their homes. They make new clothes, bake pastries and germinate seeds as signs of renewal. The ceremonial cloth is set up in each household. Troubadours, referred to as Haji Firuz, disguise themselves with makeup and wear brightly coloured outfits of satin. These Haji Firuz, singing and dancing, parade in a carnival through the streets with tambourines, kettle drums, and trumpets to spread good cheer and the news of the coming new year.
CHAHAR SHANBEH SURI
THE LAST WEDNESDAY of the year (Chahar Shanbeh Suri) : On the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, literally the eve of Red Wednesday or the eve of celebration, bonfires are lit in public places where it is hoped that they will bring enlightenment and happiness throughout the coming year. People leap over the flames, shouting:
With the help of fire and light symbols of good, we hope to see our way through this unlucky night � the end of the year � to the arrival of spring�s longer days. Traditionally, it is believed that the living were visited by the spirits of their ancestors on the last day of the year. Many people especially children, wrap themselves in shrouds symbolically re-enacting the visits. By the light of the bonfire, they run through the streets banging on pots and pans with spoons called Gashog-Zani to beat out the last unlucky Wednesday of the year, while they knock on doors to ask for treats. Indeed, Halloween is a Celtic variation of this night.
In order to make wishes come true, it is customary to prepare special foods and distribute them on this night. Noodle soup, a filled Persian delight, and a mixture of seven dried nuts and fruits, pistachios, roasted chic peas, almond, hazelnuts, figs, apricots, and raisins is the special dish.
HAFT-SINN
A CEREMONIAL TABLE called Sofreh-e Haft Sinn (cloth of seven dishes) is used, with the name of each dish beginning with the Persian letter Sinn (sound �s�). The seven items starting with the letter �seen� in the contemporary Haft-Sinn are:
Other items often included with the Haft-Sinn are apples, sugar cookies or pastries called Shirini, a mirror, candles, eggs, and a bowl with goldfish. Looking at the goldfish at the turn of the year is believed to bring good luck and fortune.
SEEZDEH BEDAR
THE TWO-WEEK LONG NoRooz celebration ends with SeezDeh Bedar. SeezDeh means Thirteen and SeezDeh Bedar is the process of getting over with or passing over the thirteenth day of the New Year.
This day is usually celebrated outdoors picnic-style. This is the last day of New Year celebration and life will return to normal the following day. Schools will open, shops will start on their regular hours and offices and Government agencies are back in normal operation. So, this is the last chance to spend some time with family and friends and enjoy the fresh smell of spring.
On this day, girls & boys tie a knot with grass and make wishes perhaps for a husband or wife. When the knot is opened it is believed that their luck will open and their wishes will come true. Newly weds also tie a grass knot making wishes for a baby, a house, or whatever is on their have-to-have list.
COUNTRIES CELEBRATING PERSIAN NEW YEAR
THE CELEBRATION OF NEW YEAR on the first day of spring had probably begun in Babylon, an old culture in Mesopothemia (which is now some part of Iraq), and Kurdish in Iran, after unification of these areas with Persia (an old culture in south of Iran) around 2600 years ago. It became the major celebration in all these areas (which is now Iran, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbeckistan, Azerbaijian, Afghanistan and some parts of Pakistan and India).
Nowadays in Iran, the official calendar is still based on this system, with the year based on the Sun, beginning on the first day of spring and each season divided into three months. After the change of Iran to Islam (600 A.D), it was changed to the Muslim calendar. In most of Iran�s neighbouring countries, people were not allowed to celebrate Nowruz till some years ago, (like Turkey) but now they have a one-day holiday on Nowruz.
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Laughing at ourselves is possible when we are able to see humanity as it is � a little
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