Newroz - Kurdish New Year

The most important festival in Kurdish tradition is Newroz. Newroz means 'New Sun' and 'New Day' and is celebrated during the spring equinox on March 21st. There are many explanations for the origins of Newroz with records of the spring festival found as early as 3000BC. The festival symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, the celebration of new life and freedom from oppression.

The origins of this festival date back 5000 years. Due to cultural oppression after the division of Kurdistan, Newroz has not been openly celebrated by the Kurds until very recently. As the Kurdish community became more established in London they started to celebrate Newroz openly again and the festival has become a vehicle to campaign for human rights and freedom from oppression.

Photographer: Andrea Scaringella.

	Story of Kawa the Blacksmith and the origins of Newroz. Read by Mark Campbell
	Newroz celebrations in Diyarbakir, North Kurdistan (Turkey) 2003
	Newroz celebration
	Newroz festival in north London, Group of Kurdish women baking Traditional bread using Sail (pan)

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