Persian New Year is Coming!
Do you feel like you haven’t had a proper ‘New Year, New Me’ moment, and now have to wait all the way until 2026? Well, what if I told you that you have a second chance? Coming up this Friday on the 21st of March, is Persian New Year!
Persian New Year, called ‘Nowruz’ (نوروز) in Farsi, means ‘new day.’ It falls on the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the first day of spring. Although it is called ‘Persian New Year’, Nowruz is celebrated by many different ethnic groups in a variety of countries including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and in Syria, Iraq and Turkey where it is celebrated by the Kurdish populations there. For the purpose of this article, I’m going to be focusing on Nowruz traditions in Iran.
The origin of Nowruz is said to be from more than 3000 years ago, and is thought to have been celebrated in Persepolis during the time of the Achaemenid Empire. It is also believed to have roots in Zoroastrianism. It remains Iran’s biggest celebration, with the weeks leading up to it full of traditions as families begin to prepare.
In order to have the house ready for guests, and also in a tidy state for entering the new year, we have what is called ‘khaneh tekani’ (خانه تکانی), which quite literally translates to ‘shaking the house.’ This ‘house shaking’ is essentially a massive, intense deep clean of one’s home. For many, this includes washing items in their home that usually don’t get washed, a popular example being the beautiful Persian rugs that people have in their homes. These rugs are usually so large that having them washed regularly is a hassle, however in time for Nowruz, they must be cleaned. After the ‘khaneh tekani’, the house is spotless just in time to welcome in the new year and start on a new, clean slate.
On the last Wednesday before Nowruz, we also have another event which is called ‘Chaharshanbe Suri’(چهارشنبهسوری). ‘Chaharshanbe’ means Wednesday, and ‘suri’ could mean either ‘festive’ or ‘scarlet.’ This celebration has Zoroastrian origins, Zoroastrianism being one of the earliest religions found in Ancient Persia. In Zoroastrianism, fire is considered to be sacred, as it represents the light of God, and is a symbol of purity. On the night of the Wednesday, bonfires are made, which we then jump over in a symbolic act signifying renewal and purification. The fire burns away any negativity or misfortunes of the old year, allowing us to start afresh in the coming year. In New Zealand, we usually settle for jumping over a candle since there are regulations on open fires (boring).
From the beginning of March, families soak wheat or barley in water and then leave it to sprout and grow into wheatgrass or barley grass. This is in preparation for one of the most important parts of Nowruz. (Note: I realized after researching this that so many things can grow into grass, and then started wondering what grass even is.)
The key tradition for Nowruz, which is also seen as a symbol of the celebration is called ‘Sofreh Haft-seen/Haft-sin’(سفره هفتسین), ‘haft’ meaning ‘seven’ in Farsi, and ‘seen/sin’ being a letter that makes an ‘s’ sound (س). ‘Sofre’ means ‘tablecloth.’ A table is set for Nowruz with seven symbolic items whose names start with the ‘s’ sound. Each item is specifically chosen to represent hopes for the upcoming year.
Firstly, we have ‘Sabzeh’ ( سبزه), which is the grass that we grew from our wheat, or barley, or whatever else can grow into grass. This symbolizes rebirth, renewal, or growth.
Next is ‘Samanu’ (سمنو), a sweet paste-like pudding made from germinated wheat, which many people enjoy eating (I do not). Samanu represents strength.
‘Senjed’ (سنجد) is also on the table, and the direct English translation for it is oleaster or Russian Olive. It’s similar to jujube fruit. Senjed’s place on the Haftsin table is to symbolize love.
We’re nearly halfway there! The next item is ‘Serkeh’ (سرکه), which is vinegar. Serkeh represents patience, which is symbolic given that if you’re patient and wait for vinegar to age, it develops a more complex and deep flavour.
Apples are also a component to Haft-sin, called ‘seeb’ (سیب), in Farsi, and no, you can’t just take one off the table and eat it. Seeb symbolizes beauty and health for the new year. You know what they say, a seeb a day keeps the doctor away.
Now take ‘Seeb’ and change the ‘b’ to an ‘r’ and we have our second to last item. ‘Seer’ (سیر), which is garlic, represents medicine and health, which is no surprise given garlic’s numerous health benefits. Plus, you’ll also have the extra protection against vampires.
Last but not least, we have ‘Somagh’ (سماق), and that word sounds exactly like the English word for it. Sumac. If you’re thinking, hold on, isn’t that what I put on my kebabs, yes it is. On top of being an amazing dash of flavour to any meal, Somagh is representative of light on the Haft-sin table due to its colour being similar to that of a sunrise.
These seven items are the most traditional, however many Iranians include more items such as sekke/coins (سکه) (the meaning on this one is self explanatory), sonbol/hyacinth flowers (سنبل), or a mirror. Families with children sometimes put painted eggs, or goldfish. Often found on the Haft-sin table is also a book of poems by the great Persian poet Hafez. A tradition for some families on Nowruz is to use the book as a fortune teller. They will open up the book to a random page and read out the poem which will set the tone for their new year.
On the day of Nowruz, families will gather together to celebrate around the Sofre Haft-sin and count down the seconds until the new year has begun. The day is spent together, and for the following week, people will visit and host their friends and loved ones. These celebrations continue for twelve days, and on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, families go out to picnic in nature for what is called ‘Sizdah Be-dar’, ‘sizdah’ being the word for ‘thirteen’. Spending time in nature among the fresh blossoms of spring marks the end of Nowruz.
It’s a time of unbridled happiness.
Happy Nowruz everyone!
نوروزتان پیروز
