Newroz is the Kurdish celebration of the Persian new year holiday “Nowruz.” Kurdish Newroz coincides with the
Spring Equinox and celebrates the beginning of spring. Over the years, Newroz has come to represent new beginnings.

The festival important in terms of Kurdish identity. Though celebrations vary across the Kurdish region,
people generally meet up with friends and family, wear colourful traditional clothes, prepare special foods,
read poetry and dance.

According to Kurdish legend, Newroz celebrates the return of Spring after the evil Assyrian king,
Zuhak, who had serpents growing from his shoulders, was killed by Kaveh, a blacksmith who lost six
sons to the king, after a thousand year reign of terror in Kurdistan. Kaveh set fire to the hillsides to
celebrate the victory. 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. It is a
tradition to jump over a fire at Newroz. Fire also symbolizes the passing of the dark season, Winter,
and the arrival of Spring, the season of light.
Kurds that have moved around the world, continue to celebrate wherever they have set up home
as a way of uniting themselves with their fellow people. In Australia, Newroz is not only celebrated
as the beginning of the new year but also as Kurdish National Day. The Kurds in Finland celebrate the new
year as a way of demonstrating their support for the Kurdish cause. In London, organisers estimated
that 25,000 people celebrated Newroz in March 2006.
March begins with spring cleaning. Families plant small pots of wheat, barley or lentils that quickly germinate
into lush green sprouts.
Sweets are often brought as gifts to Nowruz festivities, and Gaz is a popular choice. A type of nougat filled
with pistachios, it originated in the city of Isfahan. It’s usually shop-bought, packed in a decorative box,
but many people make their own.
Families often can celebrate Newroz for two or three days in various public and private settings.
On the final day of Newroz, Kurds often drive to the countryside for day-long picnics with family
and friends to enjoy the Spring air,[1]
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