Newroz as celebrated by Kurds
Newroz نەورۆز | |
---|---|
Type | National, ethnic, international |
Significance | New Year holiday |
Date | Usually on March 21; but also 19 and 20. |
2023 date | Monday 20 March 2023 at 21:24 UTC * |
2024 date | Wednesday 20 March 2024 at 03:06 UTC * |
Frequency | annual |
Newroz or Nawroz[1] (Kurdish: نەورۆز, Newroz)[2] is the Kurdish celebration of Nowruz; the arrival of spring and new year in Kurdish culture. The lighting of the fires at the beginning of the evening of March 20 is the main symbol of Newroz among the Kurds.[3][4][5][6]
In
Mythology
The arrival of spring has been celebrated in Asia Minor since
March 20 is traditionally marked as the day that Kaveh defeated Zahak. This legend is now used by the Kurds to remind themselves that they are a different, strong people, and the lighting of the fires has since become a symbol of freedom.[7] It is a tradition to jump across a fire at Newroz.
According to
In the 1930s, the Kurdish poet Taufik Abdullah, wanting to instill a new Kurdish cultural revival, used a previously known, modified version of the story of Kawa.[7] He connected the myths where people felt oppressed with Newroz, thus reviving a dying holiday and making it a symbol of the Kurdish national struggle.[7][23]
Newroz customs and celebration
Newroz is considered the most important festival in Kurdish culture, and is a time for entertainment such as games, dancing, family gathering, preparation of special foods and the reading of poetry.
Armenian scholar Mardiros Ananikian [27] emphasizes the identical nature of Newroz and the Armenian traditional New Year, Navasard, noting that it was only in the 11th century that Navasard came to be celebrated in late summer rather than in early spring. He states that the Newroz – Navasard “was an agricultural celebration connected with commemoration of the dead […] and aiming at the increase of the rain and the harvests.”1 The great center of Armenian Navasard, Ananikian points out, was Bagavan, the center of fire worship.
Political overtones
The Kurdish association with Newroz has become increasingly pronounced since the 1950s when the Kurds in the Middle East and those in the diaspora in Europe started adopting it as a tradition.[28] Following the persecution of any Kurdish expression in Turkey, the revival of the Newroz celebration has become more intense and politicized and has also become a symbol of the Kurdish resurrection.[8] By the end of the 1980s, Newroz was mainly associated "with the attempts to express and resurrect" the Kurdish identity.[28]
In 1991, the Turkish minister of Culture Namık Kemal Zeybek gave out the directive to hold the Nevruz holiday.[29] During the leadership of Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel Turkey legalized the celebration of Nevruz, spelling it "Nevruz" and claiming its origins were to be found in Central Asia.[30] The Government was attempting to counter the rising Kurdish nationalism.[30] Using the Kurdish spelling "Newroz" has been officially forbidden,[31] though it is still widely used by Kurds. Several Turkish newspapers were prosecuted for the spelling of Newroz.[32][33] In the Kurdish regions of Turkey, specifically in Eastern Anatolia but also in Istanbul and Ankara where there are large Kurdish populations, people gather and jump over bonfires.[8] Previous to it being legalized, the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, had chosen the date of the Newroz festival to stage attacks to obtain publicity for their cause;[8][34] this led to Turkish forces detaining thousands of people who were seen as supporters of the Kurdish rebel movements.[35][36][37] During the Newroz celebrations of 1992, more than 90 Kurdish participants were killed by the Turkish government.[38] In 2008, two participants were killed.[39]
In Syria, the Kurds dress up in their national dress and celebrate the new year.[40] According to Human Rights Watch, Syrian Kurds have had to struggle to celebrate Newroz, and in the past the celebration has led to violent oppression, leading to several deaths and mass arrests.[10][41] The government has stated that the Newroz celebrations will be tolerated as long as they do not become political demonstrations of the treatment of the Kurds.[10] During the Newroz celebrations in 2008, three Kurds were shot dead by Syrian security forces.[42][43]
Kurds in the diaspora also celebrate the new year: Kurds in Australia celebrate Newroz not only as the beginning of the new year but also as Kurdish National Day;[9] the Kurds in Finland celebrate the new year as a way of demonstrating their support for the Kurdish cause.[44] In London, organizers estimated that 25,000 people celebrated Newroz in March 2006.[45]
The Saitama prefectural parks and greenery association in the north of Tokyo, were denied Kurdish refugees permittion to hold Newroz celebrations in that city. They told The Asahi Shimbun that they were pressured by unknown people by phone and email to reject the request of the Kurds; for this reason, the association director withheld permission for the festival citing the possibility that protesters might show up and cause trouble at the park. But a little later the association on Jan. 23 retracted its decision, saying it was a mistake, and apologized to organizers of the Newroz festival.[46]
Newroz in Kurdish literature
Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish poets and writers as well as musicians.[47] One of the earliest records of Newroz in Kurdish literature is from Melayê Cizîrî (1570–1640):[48]
Without the light and the fire of Love,
Without the Designer and the power of Creator,
We are not able to reach Union.
(Light is for us and dark is the night)
This fire massing and washing the Heart,
My heart claim after it.
And here come Newroz and the New Year,
When a such light is rising.
The famous Kurdish writer and poet Piramerd (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:[49]
The New Year's day is today. Newroz is back.
An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.
For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden
The poppy of spring was the blood of the youth
It was that red colour on the high horizon ofKurd
Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations
It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire
That made the youth receive death with devoted love
Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of homeland
It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects
It has never happened in the history of any nation
To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets
Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland
They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.
Gallery
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Kurdish students performing Kurdish dances to celebrate Newroz at Dicle University
-
Newroz festival in Akre, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2018
-
Kurdish people celebrating Newroz 2018, Tangi Sar
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Newroz celebration by the Kurds in Istanbul, 2006
-
Newroz in Iranian Kurdistan, 2017
-
Village girl in Palangan prepares to kindle fire for Newroz, 2019
See also
References
- ^ Thomas Bois, Connaissance des Students, 164 pp., 1965. (see p. 69)
- Hejar), Henbane Borîne (Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary), Soroush Press, 1991, Tehran, p. 715
- ^ a b Ahmady, Kameel 2009: Another look at east and southeast Turkey. GABB Publication, Diyarbakır. p 248.
- ^ "Possible closure of political party dampens Nowruz for Turkey's Kurds - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com. 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "Nowruz celebrations in Turkey". Al Arabiya English. 2014-03-21. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Murphy, Dan (2004-03-24). "For Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
- ^ S2CID 143682680.
- ^ ISBN 0-521-80789-1.
- ^ ISBN 1-900175-74-6.
- ISBN 0-312-22067-7.
- ^ "Newroz – Kurdish New Year". BBC.
- ^ Frantz, Douglas (2001-03-23). "Diyarbakir Journal: Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2007-02-16. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
- ^ Macris, Gina (2002-03-25). "Kurds Ring in New Year". Providence Journal. Archived from the original on 2006-12-17. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
- ^ a b al-Dinawari, Ahmad b. Dawud. Kitab al-akhbar al-tiwal. Edited by V.Guirgass. Leiden. 1888, see p. 7
- ^ ISBN 0-7914-5993-4
- ^ Kurdish Institute of Paris (March 2001). "Newroz 2001: In Diyarbekir the celebrations brought together 500,000 people in a calm atmosphere, but there were many incidents in Istanbul". Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ^ ISBN 0-292-70607-3.
- Ahl-e Haqq (Yarsan) Kurdish tradition, Kawa rebelled against Zahak and helped Fereydun imprison Zahak inside Mount Damavand. Hajj Nematollah, Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat, Intishaaraat Jeyhun (1982).
- ^ 05001 Zahak Archived 2007-03-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Martin van Bruinessen, "Kurdistan in the 16th and 17th centuries, as reflected in Elviya Çelebi's Seyahatname", The Journal of Kurdish Studies, Vol. 3, pp. 1–11, 2000.
- Yaqoot Hamawi, Book 3, p: 425-427
- .
- ^ a b c H. Betteridge, G. Kreyenbroek, Hitchins, Anne, EIr, Philip, Keith. "FESTIVALS, KURDISH (SUNNI)". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
{{cite encyclopedia}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Ahmady, Kameel 2009: Another Look at East and Southeast Turkey. GABB Publication, Diyarbakır. p 248.
- ^ Nations, United. "International Nowruz Day". United Nations. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ISBN 9781604441727.
- ^ S2CID 143682680.
- ^ Yanik, Lerna K. (2006). pp.287–288
- ^ a b Yanik, Lerna K. (2006). p.288
- ^ Bianet :: Let Newroz and Nevruz bring Peace and Spring! Archived 2008-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-0-313-31435-3.
- ^ Korkut, Tolga. ""Newroz" and "Kawa" Reason for Imprisonment?". Bianet.
- ISSN 1773-0546.
- ^ "Turkish police arrest thousands". BBC. 1999-03-22. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- ^ Ahmady, Kameel 2009: Another look at east and southeast Turkey. GABB Publication, Diyarbakır. p 248.
- ^ "Kurdish Activists Arrested in Turkey Ahead of Nowruz Celebrations". VOA. 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "The Kurds of Turkey: Killings, Disappearance and Torture" (PDF). HRW. 1993-03-21. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
- ^ "Two demonstrators die in Turkey clashes". RTÉ News. 2008-03-23.
- ISBN 0-415-07265-4.
- ^ Amnesty International (2004-03-16). "Syria: Mass arrests of Syrian Kurds and fear of torture and other ill-treatment". Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 2006-11-19. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- ^ Three Kurds killed in Syria shooting, human rights group says – Middle East Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Police kill three Kurds in northeast Syria – group". Reuters. 2008-03-21.
- ISBN 0-312-22067-7.
- ^ "London celebrates Newroz: The Kurdish New Year". The Londoner. March 2006. Archived from the original on May 23, 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- ^ "Saitama officials apologize for refusal to allow Kurdish festival". The Asahi Shimbun. January 2024. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
- ^ van Bruinessen, Martin (2000). "Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question". Florence: Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute.
- ^ Alexie, Sandrine (2007-03-21). "Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year)". Roj Bash. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
- ^ Mirawdeli, Kamal (2005-03-21). "The old man and the fire". Kurdistan Referendum Movement. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-03-08.