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Migrants in the City

NoRouz (New Day) Sizdah Bedar; The Iranian New Year Celebration

This past weekend, on the second of April, a very special celebration occurred, known as Sizdah Bedar.  Sizdah Bedar is a Persian celebration that occurs on the 13^th day of NoRouz, New Day.  NoRouz is an Iranian festival that has been going on for centuries that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.  Although there is so much that occurs during this holiday, I will just talk about the 13^th day, Sizdah Bedar, which is the festival that I attended. 

            Sizdah Bedar is an even that is held yearly in Arizona.  At this event, many Middle Easterners, mostly Iranian, come together to celebrate the 13^th day of their New Year.  The 13^th day is said to be bad luck, since it signifies the end of winter.  During the beginning of NoRouz, seed sprouts are grown, also known as sabze, and during this time, it is said that all bad luck is grown into these sprouts, and on the 13^th day everyone throws the grown sprouts into the lake where all bad luck is washed away.  This signifies the ending of a year, and the rebirth of another. 

            This year, the celebration was held at Fountain Hills Park located on 12925 North Saguaro Blvd.  I normally do not attend this event, but for the purpose of this assignment I decided to go just to spectate and see what really happened on this day that my mother always talked about.  Upon arrival I noticed that Persians, Assyrians, Americans, Arabians, and other Middle Eastern individuals crowded the park.  It was almost as if it acted like a big melting pot where all other ethnicities crowded in curiosity to see what this Iranian holiday was all about.  I felt like I was actually no longer in Arizona and surrounded by people from another country, where different languages, dances, music, and foods were present.

            Upon arrival, we joined with out large party, who were also Iranian, and participated in a picnic.  The foods that are most popular are shish kabob, salads, tortillas, soups, and rice dishes.  After eating and lying around, my best friend JJ, my sister Shawna, and I all decided to walk our dog around the park.  While walking around I saw maybe only that 10% of the people there were white, while the other 90% were Middle Eastern.  I saw people playing frisby, eating, playing football, fishing, dancing, and visiting throughout the park.  Unlike the new years celebration in the U.S., the Iranian holiday does not allow alcohol, so everyone there was having an amazingly pleasant time completely sober. We took pictures of the many events that were occurring, and the celebration lasted early in the morning until late at night. 

            Although I did not pick a place that is a shop or business, I picked an event that is held yearly in Arizona.  At this event Iranian’s celebrate their heritage and join together as if they were back home again.  I suggest for other people to check next year where the holiday is and attend, it is definitely an experience that will open up an American’s eyes and show them the life of a celebration of another country that is thousands of miles away, that occurs right in Arizonan’s back yards.