Old Traditions, New Beginnings
As night falls, a fire is lit. A crowd begins to gather around the flames. Suddenly, a man jumps over the fire as the group chants, “Sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to.”
“Let your redness be mine, my paleness yours.” The phrase signifies a symbolic exchange——the paleness, sickness and bad luck, is traded for redness, blessing and vitality. Jumping over the fire brings about this exchange, purifying the one who takes the leap. This is Chaharshanbe Suri, or Scarlet Wednesday, the inaugural celebration that kicks off two weeks of festivities leading up to Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Dari, heralds a season of new beginnings. Typically thought to be an exclusively Iranian holiday, many countries along the ancient Silk Road practice their own variations including Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and beyond. Today, more than 300 million people celebrate the festival worldwide.
An ancient festival rooted in Zoroastrian tradition, Nowruz takes place on the vernal equinox, marking the first day of the Persian New Year and the arrival of spring. The Solar Hijiri calendar, a system which, similar to the Gregorian calendar, tracks the the number of earth’s rotations around the sun, was adopted by the Afghan government in 1957. But this particular calendar begins with Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. This year, Nowruz falls on March 20th, the first day of 1401.
As bitter winter yields to spring, family and friends gather together to celebrate rebirth and renewal. Many Kabul residents venture outside the city to surrounding green spaces for picnics and kite flying, a favorite Afghan pastime. Like turkey on Thanksgiving, no celebration is complete without a signature dish or, in the case of Nowruz, signature drink. Festivities include consuming Haft Mewa, a concoction of seven different types of fruits and nuts, steeped in water for two days. The result is a refreshing, sugary treat, the sweetness symbolizing the anticipation of an auspicious new year.
Kiana Hayeri
Samanak is another recipe central to Afghan celebrations of Nowruz. Made entirely from germinated wheat, this sweet, pudding-like dessert is a labor of love. The women of Afghan households typically gather in the days leading up to Nowruz, staying up all night singing and stirring the mixture until it is rendered into a thick, sweetened paste. Although less common in Afghanistan, Haft Sin is another element of Nowruz that can be practiced in addition to Haft Mewa. Seven items beginning with the letter “s” are arranged in a designated area of a home. A collection of various items may be featured but the core elements include sabzeh (wheatgrass), samanu (germinated wheat pudding), senjed (dried lotus fruit), seeb (apples), seer (garlic), serkeh (vinegar), and somaq (sumac). Each object symbolizes a virtue or concept the household hopes to embody in the new year.
In the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the Guli Sorkh festival, or red flower festival, is the principal event of Nowruz. During the first forty days of the new year, fields surrounding the city bloom with red tulips, creating a striking swath of color that attracts visitors from far and wide. Mazar, largely considered the center of gravity for buzkashi, Afghanistan’s national sport, hosts a series of tournaments throughout the festival.
This year, the Taliban’s reputation for prohibiting non-religious holidays has seen Nowruz nominally banned. Even so, Nowruz is deeply enmeshed in Afghanistan’s cultural fabric and many families will still gather——a welcome, if muted, diversion from the troubles that continue to pervade daily life. For many Afghans, Nowruz presents an opportunity to reflect on the past year and set intentions for the new one. To better understand its personal significance, I spoke with Ramzia, a friend of Artijaan whose mother is our lead embroidery partner,
“Norwuz for me is the starting of a new year filled with blessing. With warmth of the sky and growth of flowers, I feel positive knowing and thinking that there is always a bright day after each dark night. We clear the boredom of winter and give our homes and surroundings a fresh and new look as well as our hearts a new feeling.”
To all our friends celebrating, sal e naw mubarak. Many blessings to you and your family this new year.
Haft Mewa recipe — https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023022-haft-mewa-seven-fruits
