Happy New Year 1396: Norouz in Iran

Well, we experienced our first New Year in Iran! It's a big deal here, and it's completely different than the celebrations of the New Year in America. Here it is called Norouz, which means New Day, and it occurs on the first day of the Spring equinox, so usually around March 21st. It's a holiday season that lasts about 2 weeks.

We had been warned beforehand that most stores close down for almost two weeks, so we stressfully stocked up on our groceries. Turns out that the stores were closed for just 1 week,  and since we have a car, it was easier to drive around to look for any small stores still open. 

On the eve of the the last Wednesday before Nowrouz, the fire festival called Chaharshanbe Soori (Red Wednesday) occurred. There were fireworks blasting all evening and night in our small little town. Not big productions as seen on the 4th of July in America, but mainly individuals shooting them up in the air. There's also a tradition of building a small bonfire and jumping over it. We did not participate in this tradition just because we hadn't heard of it, and it doesn't seem too fun (personally speaking). There's a lot of symbolism in the tradition, so here's a video that explains a bit more: 

Fire festival, called Chaharshanbe Soori. 

There is also the annual Spring cleaning that many Iranians begin at this time, cleaning the house from top to bottom. Professional artists, and city workers also take to the streets to beautify and clean up. It's called Khaneh-Tekani (shaking the house). We didn't really participate in this tradition either (haha!) Here's a video: 

Spring cleaning, Khaneh-Tekani: Shaking the house.

Artists in Tehran. 

In depth traditions here: 

Part 2:

The best and fun part of the Nowrouz traditions (I think) is the setting up of the Haft-Seen table! It has traditional elements, but you can be very creative when designing it.

Haft-Seen also spelled as Haft Sin (Persian: هفت‌سین‎‎, the seven seen's) is a tabletop (sofreh) or (Haft Mewa,هفت میوه, the seven fruit's) arrangement of seven symbolic items traditionally displayed at Nowruz, the Iranian new year. The haft-seen table includes seven items all starting with the letter Seen (letter) (fa) (س) in the Persian alphabet. 

The primary Haft-Seen items are:

1. Sabzeh (سبزه) – wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
2. Samanu (سمنو) – sweet pudding made from wheat germ – symbolizing affluence
3. Senjed (سنجد) – dried Persian olive – symbolizing love
4. Seer (سیر) – garlic – symbolizing medicine and health
5. Seeb (سیب) – apple – symbolizing beauty
6. Somāq (سماق) – sumac fruit – symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
7. Serkeh (سرکه) – vinegar – symbolizing old-age and patience

Part of the extended table is the use of goldfish! I didn't want that part because we have owned a fish back in America, and I did not enjoy it. It's expensive and time consuming. However, my husband misunderstood my request to "get the Haft-Seen stuff," and he brought home a little goldfish for the table. I made him take it back to the store. Apparently, it's becoming a thing to NOT include the goldfish anymore, although many still do. If you have a large tank and ability to help these things survive for a long time, then go for it! Click here to learn more about the use of Goldfish during Nowrouz.

Anyhow, here's a photo of my humble attempt. I left several items in their original packaging because I didn't understand how things such as the pudding and dates can stay fresh for 13 days just out in the open (and didn't have room in our over-stocked fridge to keep them overnight): 

I did another one because I just wanted to try a different look: 

My 7 year old son even created his own table. It turned into a funny face by chance! 😀 

We got ourselves a cake to celebrate, haha!

Made a festive meal: 

The television had many programs celebrating Nowrouz, especially the day before! Every regular talk show had set up their own haft-seen table. It felt nice to participate in a holiday tradition that the entire country also did---a feeling that I rarely had while living in America. 

This show was decorated with vibrant colors and other fun stuff!

INSTAGRAM had many users sharing images of their haft-seen tables. 

I really enjoy looking at them all, take a look! 

Now, I'll briefly mention the figure of Haji Firuz, which is a character often depicted on Iranian haft seen tables. You'll know it when you see it. And if you're an American like me, you will be confused and curious. Here's the information that best explained it to me, from an article titled "The Afro Iranian Community, Beyond Haji Firuz Blackface, Slavery, and Bandari Music": 

"Many Iranians know and love Haji Firuz, the jovial singing icon that pops up for every Persian New Year, wishing everyone good and happy tidings for the upcoming year. While many regard Haji Firuz as a sort of Santa Claus figure, there is one marked difference between the two: Haji Firuz is black...A quick Google image search shows that Haji Firuz is still primarily depicted with blackface. Despite this blatant racism, the festive costume is devoid of its problematic implications for many Iranians. In Iran, historians like Mehrdad Bahar have tried to explain away the blackface with references to ancient Iranian symbols, but his theories have little basis in history and are met with much skepticism by academics. Instead, another scholar, Jafar Shahri presented Haji Firuz as a more contemporary addition to the Norooz cheer, an African slave who serves an Iranian master...Although many Iranians do not consider Haji Firuz beyond his brief jingle every New Year, his character represents one aspect of Iran’s long history of slavery. Haji Firuz, in fact, hails from the Afro-Iranian community in southern Iran..."

Please take the time to read the entire article by clicking HERE.

And finally, there was the last day of celebration:

Sizdah-Bedar, an ancient Iranian nature festival, is held on the 13th of Farvardin (first month in Iranian calendar) and marks the end of the Persian New Year (#Nowruz) holidays.

The occasion has deep roots in the Iranian history. The festivities include picnicking outdoors, in the parks or the countryside.

Although picnicking outdoors is the main event, there are other symbolic purposes for the celebrations such as appreciating nature, cleaning the mind from evil thoughts and spending the day outdoors to stay away from the unluckiness of the number thirteen.

We didn't really do anything on Sizdah-Bedar. Our neighbors, however, returned from their 2 week vacations the next day. All three of our neighbor families were gone, and it was so quiet! Now they're back and the daily routine has returned. My husband had the holidays off from his school as well. Hopefully, inshaaAllah (God Willing) next year we'll be able to go out onto the streets and be a part of other festivities surrounding the New Year. 

By the way, HAPPY 1396 !!! Live long and prosper :-)

Until next time, thanks for reading!