Members of the Iranian and Afghan communities are celebrating Nowruz, the Persian new year. [Brooke Anderson/TNA]
Nowruz, the Persian new year that ushers in the season of spring and new beginnings, has been gaining ground across the US, as Iranians, Afghans and others share their 3,000-year-old traditions.
Last week kicked off two weeks of festivities, starting with fire jumping (or Chaharshanbeh Suri) on the eve of the holiday, followed by colourful displays of food called the haft-seens or halt-mewa, art displays, picnics and dancing.
In California, with the highest population of Iranians and Afghans in the US, local municipalities held outdoor public gatherings with performances, food and craft sales. Dancers spun together in sync, wearing brightly coloured traditional clothing.
At the municipal building in Washington, DC (where the mayor’s office is located), another major gathering for Iranians and Afghans, members of the local Iranian community displayed their halt-seen for the third year in a row, as elected officials and staffers stopped by for visits, a ritual reminiscent of how the holiday is celebrated in its native lands.
In Iran and in many other neighbouring countries, friends and family spend Nowruz visiting one another and admiring different haft-seen, and bazaars display colourful decorations for the occasion.
“I feel great about it being celebrated. It has such a universal message, so why not? The more, the merrier,” Negar Mortazavi, a journalist and a member of the Washington, DC area’s Iranian community, told The New Arab. “It’s not just limited to Iran. It’s a reason to connect with other communities that celebrate Nowruz.”
The holiday, which dates back over 3,000 years, is celebrated on the spring equinox by more than 300 million people from Central Asia to Eastern Europe, and in their diasporas across the world.
With the holiday’s universal themes of nature, renewal and reconciliation that is open to all faiths, Mortazavi hopes to see more celebrations in the coming years.
“It’s about being in tune with nature, and peace and reconciliation. I think it’s a great message,” she said.
In an unusual message of goodwill, posted on the White House website of US President Donald Trump, was a statement marking Nowruz.
“Warmest wishes to all those in the United States and around the globe celebrating the ancient holiday of Nowruz,” reads the statement.
“Nowruz is a joyous occasion for the Persian people, marking the beginning of spring, and the Persian New Year. This long-standing tradition presents a time to reflect on the blessings of the previous year and prepare for the coming spring with a renewed spirit of optimism,” it continued, noting the many contributions of Persians in the arts and sciences, concluding with, “Nowruz Pirouz!”
