By Sahar Foladi
This year’s Nawroz festival will be bigger and better according to Victorian Afghan Association Network (VAAN).
The festival is set for Sunday 19 March from 2pm to 8pm in Dandenong Park with more than 8,000 people estimated to attend the famous event.
President of VAAN Nazir Yousafi said the event attracts groups from across Australia and he looks forward to celebrate the day with thousands of new arrivals.
“We are expecting singers and performers from Sydney, Geelong, Shepparton and other parts of Victoria.
“This year’s festival we are expecting more audience because thousands of new arrivals entered the country especially in the south-east.
“We have live performances, singers from different ethnic backgrounds who will perform. We have drama, some shows like karate, physical activity and fashion show.
This year’s festival will be the first after a pledge of $30,000 grant for the festival over the next three years was announced last year.
Mr Yousafi said the $10,000 every year for the next three years will be used for increased security and cleaning staff.
Bruce MP Julian Hill made the announcement on 27 March during last year’s Nawroz festival in front of the 8,000 people crowd.
Mr Hill said, “I’m proud to represent more people born in Afghanistan than any other MP in Australia, plus many people from Iran.
“I’m really looking forward to celebrating Nowruz again with the community, this year back at Dandenong Park in the heart of Dandenong.
“Of course while Nowruz is a celebration, we must also remember that many people are worried about the safety of family and friends in Afghanistan and Iran and miss them even more at this time of the year.”
As Taliban have taken over the country, there will be no sign of celebrations of Nawroz in Afghanistan.
“We are looking for a very good exciting time for everyone with issues back home. This festival will be an opportunity for those to celebrate it in Melbourne,” Mr Yousafi said.
Nawroz literally translates to ‘New Day’ a widely celebrated event as the New Year and to mark the first day of spring.
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and much more Central Asia celebrate Nawroz. Different ethnicities and religions therefore have slightly different traditions, spelling and pronunciation of Nawroz.
However, the haft-seen (seven S’s) in Persian is common to have on the table to celebrate Nawroz even though it has evolved with people adding mirror for self-reflection.
The following haft-seen are the basics found in almost every household for Nawroz.
• Sabza- Sprout of seeds, lentils or oats grown at home in the lead up to Nawroz. It symbolises rebirth.
• Senjed- Jujube fruit symbolises love.
• Sib- Apple for beauty and health.
• Seer- Garlic symbolises taking care of one’s health.
• Samanu- sweet pudding for wealth and fertility.
• Sirkah- Vinegar for patience and wisdom that comes with ageing.
• Sumac- Persian spice made from crushed sour red berries and symbolises the sunrise of a new day.
Dressing up in cultural dresses, having a feast with family and giving out gifts are also among common practices.
The abolishment of temporary protection visas announced by the Albanese Government on 13 February will make for another reason to celebrate hard while prayers are with everyone back home in Afghanistan.
