Newroz as celebrated by Kurds
newroz nawruz kurdish نەورۆز newroz kurdish celebration nowruz arrival spring new year kurdish culture lighting fire beginning evening march main symbol newroz among kurd zoroastrianism fire symbol light goodness purification angra mainyu demonic antithesis ahura mazda defied zoroastrian big fire every year symbolized defiance hatred evil archdemon kurdish legend holiday celebrates deliverance kurd tyrant seen another way demonstrating support kurdish cause celebration coincides march equinox usually fall march usually held march festival important place term kurdish identity majority kurd though celebration vary people generally gather together welcome coming spring wear traditional coloured kurdish clothes dance together light fire dance around jump bonfire play kurdish game word newroz combination kurdish word نوێ naw meaning new ڕۆژ roz day arrival spring celebrated asia minor since neolithic time root story go back ancient iranian legend retold general history scientist dinawari meadow gold muslim historian masudi shahnameh poetic opus written persian poet ferdowsi around ad sharafnameh medieval kurdish historian sherefxan bidlisi zahak named zuhak kurd evil assyrian king conquered iran serpent growing shoulder zahaks rule lasted one thousand year evil reign caused spring longer come kurdistan time two young men sacrificed daily brain offered zahaks serpent order alleviate pain however man charge sacrificing two young men every day would instead kill one man day mix brain sheep order save man discontent grew zahaks rule nobleman fereydun planned revolt revolt led kaveh also known kawa ossetian language kurdalægon blacksmith lost six son zahak young men saved fate sacrificed according legend ancestor kurd trained kaveh army marched zahaks castle kaveh killed king hammer kaveh said set fire hillside celebrate victory summon supporter spring returned kurdistan next day march traditionally marked day kaveh defeated zahak legend used kurd remind different strong people lighting fire since become symbol freedom tradition jump across fire newroz according evliya çelebi district sancak merkawe shahrazur southeastern part iraqi kurdistan named kaveh th century geographer yaqoot hamawi mention zor zur son zahhak aji dahak founder famous city sharazor kurdish poet taufik abdullah wanting instill new kurdish cultural revival used previously known modified version story kawa connected myth people felt oppressed newroz thus reviving dying holiday making symbol kurdish national struggle newroz considered important festival kurdish culture time entertainment game dancing family gathering preparation special food reading poetry celebration newroz local peculiarity different region kurdistan eve newroz southern eastern kurdistan bonfire lit fire symbolize passing dark season winter arrival spring season light th century kurdish poet ahmad khani mention one poem people youth elderly leave house gather countryside celebrate newroz armenian scholar mardiros ananikian emphasizes identical nature newroz armenian traditional new year navasard noting th century navasard came celebrated late summer rather early spring state newroz – navasard “was agricultural celebration connected commemoration dead … aiming increase rain harvests” great center armenian navasard ananikian point bagavan center fire worship kurdish association newroz become increasingly pronounced since kurd middle east diaspora europe started adopting tradition following persecution kurdish expression turkey revival newroz celebration become intense politicized also become symbol kurdish resurrection end newroz mainly associated attempt express resurrect kurdish identity turkish minister culture namık kemal zeybek gave directive hold nevruz holiday leadership prime minister suleyman demirel turkey legalized celebration nevruz spelling nevruz claiming origin found central asia government attempting counter rising kurdish nationalism using kurdish spelling newroz officially forbidden though still widely used kurd several turkish newspaper prosecuted spelling newroz kurdish region turkey specifically eastern anatolia also istanbul ankara large kurdish population people gather jump bonfire previous legalized pkk kurdistan workers’ party chosen date newroz festival stage attack obtain publicity cause led turkish force detaining thousand people seen supporter kurdish rebel movement newroz celebration kurdish participant killed turkish government two participant killed syria kurd dress national dress celebrate new year according human right watch syrian kurd struggle celebrate newroz past celebration led violent oppression leading several death mass arrest government stated newroz celebration tolerated long become political demonstration treatment kurd newroz celebration three kurd shot dead syrian security force kurd diaspora also celebrate new year kurd australia celebrate newroz beginning new year also kurdish national day kurd finland celebrate new year way demonstrating support kurdish cause london organizer estimated people celebrated newroz march saitama prefectural park greenery association north tokyo denied kurdish refugee permittion hold newroz celebration city told asahi shimbun pressured unknown people phone email reject request kurd reason association director withheld permission festival citing possibility protester might show cause trouble park little later association jan retracted decision saying mistake apologized organizer newroz festival newroz mentioned work many kurdish poet writer well musician one earliest record newroz kurdish literature melayê cizîrî – famous kurdish writer poet piramerd – writes poem newroz yazidi new year yaldā night bayram diyarbakir another look east southeast turkey