Nowruz or New Day is the first day of spring, a common holiday and the beginning of the year for a number of Middle Eastern nations, such as the Kurds, Persians, Baluchis, Tajiks, Afghans and Azeris.
These nations celebrate the end of winter and the rebirth of nature.
But it is different for the Kurds. It is a celebration but a symbol of the struggle against oppression.
Nowruz, fire and dance have become a symbol for the continuation of the Kurdish struggle.
According to the legends, the beginning of Nowruz goes back to the uprising of Kaveh Ahangar against Zahak, the tyrant king.
This cruel king, who had two snakes on his shoulders, had to be brain and fed by two young men at every meal to feed the snakes.
For a while, Zahak’s chef rescued one of the young men and mixed the sheep’s brain with another young man’s brain instead.
He sent the abandoned young man to the mountains.
These liberated youth gradually increased in number, and they, led by Kaveh Ahangar, revolted against Zahak and put an end to his oppressive monarchy.
An event that dates back to 2700.


Since then, the day of Kaveh’s victory over Zahak, which coincides with the first day of spring, has been celebrated as Nowruz.
Nearly forty years ago in Turkish prisons – where lighting the Nowruz fire was banned in that country – a number of prisoners set themselves on fire and kept it burning until the Nowruz fire.
For many years, Nowruz has been involved in the Kurdish struggle for freedom.
In Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Syria, the Kurds enthusiastically celebrate Nowruz as a national holiday.
On this day, they light a fire, wear national costumes and dance around the fire.