Celebrating the Persian New Year at NCF

Spring—the season of nature’s awakening after a long hibernation in winter, with colorful flowers in bloom, bare trees once again in bright green and dancing butterflies among the branches—is the most beautiful time of the year. But, for some cultures—like mine—there is so much more to it.

I am Iranian, and I have spent my life celebrating the Persian New Year, also known as Nowruz (or “New Day”) every spring equinox. I moved to the United States from Tehran, Iran (former Persia) four years ago, in March 2017, and I came to New College in Fall 2020.

In March, with the encouragement of New College Director of Writing Jennifer Wells, Ph.D., I was able to introduce everyone in my “Writing for Communities and Nonprofits” class to the wonder of Nowruz.

The 13-day, 3,000-year-old holiday—established by Cyrus the Great in 538 B.C., and celebrated from March 20 to April 1 this year—symbolizes renewal, rebirth and fresh starts. I told Professor Wells how now, more than ever, I believe we need to celebrate life and hope for better things to come. She agreed.

“Considering all the things that happened last year, and that it has been a year since the pandemic outbreak, there is even more reason for us to celebrate Persian New Year and spring at New College,” she said.

So, on March 20, I led a celebration ceremony in my New College classroom, explaining the history of Nowruz to my peers and introducing them to something called the Haft-seen table. This is an arrangement of seven special items representing rejuvenation, health, wealth, fertility, love, purity and wisdom. We arrange these items, which symbolize seven major wishes for our New Year, on a wonderfully decorated table (something I was able to recreate for the classroom).

And I explained to my peers that, to make room for more good fortune, we honor Nowruz in my country nearly a month before it begins by engaging in huge spring cleaning activities. These are not routine cleanings but deep cleanings! Everything comes out of the wardrobes, closets, kitchen cabinets, bathrooms and bedrooms, and is washed, cleaned, shined and put back again in its place. The reason behind this is the idea that we should not bring even the smallest impurity into the New Year. Whatever has passed is passed and should be washed away. After spring cleaning is over, spring shopping starts—for new clothes, gifts, and special treats and sweets.

I was raised in a big family (four sisters and two brothers), and minutes before every spring equinox, we would sit around our table in our clean new clothes, waiting for one magical moment. We would look at the clock and TV showing the countdown, and listen for a firing canon signifying that Mother Earth gave birth to another beautiful spring. We would hug and give each other kisses. It was the moment when those who had hard feelings towards each other would make peace because they wanted to have a new start, and a clean heart and mind. Then family members would exchange gifts—mostly brand-new bills that Iranian banks printed specifically for the New Year.

One of the most precious items on the Haft-seen table is a poetry book by a famous Persian Sufi poet Hafez. After we all make a mental wish for the New Year, one of the family members (usually a grandparent or parent) reads a Hafez poem aloud. This poem is the answer to all of our wishes and, since it is mystical, anyone can interpret it based on his or her own wish (so it always makes sense).

On Day 13 of Nowruz, we go into nature—usually out of town or to a national park that has rivers or creeks—throw the greens grown for the Haft-seen table into the water, and let them join the purity of water and the fertility of nature in hopes that our wishes come true.

I have loved telling these stories of the Persian New Year to my new friends in Sarasota. They are all people with different beliefs, backgrounds and cultures, and I am so grateful to have found them. During our Persian New Year ceremony on campus, one of my classmates even said, “This can only happen at a place like New College.”

That made me happy. I love that this is a campus that allows students to embrace diversity and different cultures in an effort to broaden their worldviews. I hope to make this Nowruz celebration a campus-wide event next spring.

Sadly, had to cancel my Persian New Year celebration in March 2020 due to the pandemic. Being able to share it with my new friends this year meant the world to me, especially since my entire family is still in Iran.

With Nowruz, there is always a chance to have a fresh start, to fix things that should be fixed and to celebrate life—the only thing that matters, and all we have.

Yasi Bahmanabadi is an intern in the Office of Communications & Marketing.