norooz by roya
The Persian New Year falls on the spring equinox, a celebration of the rebirth of nature. No matter whether you’re Muslim, Sufi, Bahá'í, Jewish, or Christian, if you are Persian you celebrate. Sure, each household may have their own variances, their own politics about it, but this holiday is strictly national. It takes all religious stigmas off identity; it is a restoration of indigenous culture. It is the most revered holiday to Persians.
The Haft Seen is the traditional table decorated for the new year. It literally translates as “The Seven S’s”. It consists of seven dishes—each one beginning with the Persian letter “Sinn”—placed around the table. The seven S’ represent the seven angelic heralds of life: rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.
The seven dishes are as follows: Sabzeh, or sprouts, usually from lentils, as a symbol of rebirth. Samanu, a pudding derived from wheat sprouts, bringing sweetness to life like a creamy pudding. Seeb, apple, and represents health and beauty. Senjed, a sweet dry fruit of the Lotus tree, representing love. Seer, garlic, for medicine. Somaq, sumac berries, used as a traditional Persian spice, the color of dawn, representing the appearance of the Sun conquering Evil. Serkeh, vinegar, representing age and patience. There are other dishes placed around the spread, such as gold coins, for prosperity and wealth; a flask of rose water for its cleansing power; several goldfish in a bowl to represent life and the end of the astral year.
sabzeh
below is one of my vivid memories of norooz from my childhood::
When I was five I encountered a goldfish mishap. One I like to call, the tragedy of the Norooz goldfish, 1985. It was a few days before the New Year and my mother and I had been preparing for a fun Norooz. We had gotten several goldfish to put in different bowls for the table. My mother was cleaning out one of the bowls and had poured the fish into another container while she scrubbed the bottom of their bowl. I had been standing next to her when I noticed that a fish was missing. I cried out to let my mother know one had vanished. We searched high and low for the fish in our tiny brown kitchen. My mother was dumbfounded; where did the fish go?
I went and sat underneath the kitchen table and cried for the goldfish. I sat down cross-legged and I noticed a glimmer of purple on the bottom of my red sock. I pulled my foot towards me to get a closer look. There was the goldfish, smashed on the bottom of my foot, one black eyeball attached to a purple vein. I began to scream. My mother came rushing over, I showed her my foot and she quickly pulled of my sock. I didn’t walk on that foot for several days.
kimia, sheeba the dog, roya, + the haft seen
this year at speesees we will be celebrating norooz on friday, march 20th at 4pm+. but instead of the goldfish, we will be honoring our hummingbird. (let the hum sale begin!)*
The Haft Seen is the traditional table decorated for the new year. It literally translates as “The Seven S’s”. It consists of seven dishes—each one beginning with the Persian letter “Sinn”—placed around the table. The seven S’ represent the seven angelic heralds of life: rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.
The seven dishes are as follows: Sabzeh, or sprouts, usually from lentils, as a symbol of rebirth. Samanu, a pudding derived from wheat sprouts, bringing sweetness to life like a creamy pudding. Seeb, apple, and represents health and beauty. Senjed, a sweet dry fruit of the Lotus tree, representing love. Seer, garlic, for medicine. Somaq, sumac berries, used as a traditional Persian spice, the color of dawn, representing the appearance of the Sun conquering Evil. Serkeh, vinegar, representing age and patience. There are other dishes placed around the spread, such as gold coins, for prosperity and wealth; a flask of rose water for its cleansing power; several goldfish in a bowl to represent life and the end of the astral year.
sabzeh
below is one of my vivid memories of norooz from my childhood::
When I was five I encountered a goldfish mishap. One I like to call, the tragedy of the Norooz goldfish, 1985. It was a few days before the New Year and my mother and I had been preparing for a fun Norooz. We had gotten several goldfish to put in different bowls for the table. My mother was cleaning out one of the bowls and had poured the fish into another container while she scrubbed the bottom of their bowl. I had been standing next to her when I noticed that a fish was missing. I cried out to let my mother know one had vanished. We searched high and low for the fish in our tiny brown kitchen. My mother was dumbfounded; where did the fish go?
I went and sat underneath the kitchen table and cried for the goldfish. I sat down cross-legged and I noticed a glimmer of purple on the bottom of my red sock. I pulled my foot towards me to get a closer look. There was the goldfish, smashed on the bottom of my foot, one black eyeball attached to a purple vein. I began to scream. My mother came rushing over, I showed her my foot and she quickly pulled of my sock. I didn’t walk on that foot for several days.
kimia, sheeba the dog, roya, + the haft seen
this year at speesees we will be celebrating norooz on friday, march 20th at 4pm+. but instead of the goldfish, we will be honoring our hummingbird. (let the hum sale begin!)*
posted by speesees at
3:32 PM
2 Comments:
oh my! traumatized- you poor dear, god only knows why it had to be...it is a good story yet sad memory. I am sure you have made several happy memories since that unfortunate mishap...cheers to the humming bird,also know as the medicine bird-how fitting!;)
thanks ro..
real nice.
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