Newroz
Newroz is an ancient Kurdish festival, celebrated annually upon the beginning of the Spring season in the Northern Hemisphere, which falls around the 21st March.
Newroz is the Kurdish New Year.
It is the Kurdish national holiday that marks the beginning of the year.
The origin and principle of Newroz are scientific.
It is not based on religion.
Meanwhile, the celebration of Spring as the New Year (Newroz) has been incorporated in ancient Kurdish religion, such as Ezidism, Yarsanism and Zoroastrianism.
This celebration has had different names over thousands of years.
In the Sumerian civilization (around 6th Millennium BCE – 2nd Millennium BCE), the beginning of the Spring season marked the beginning of the New Year.
The New Year celebration was called 𒍠𒈬 “Zagmu”, commonly known as Zagmuk.
This was celebrated around March-April.
This is why the New Year in Ezidism falls at the beginning of April – The New Year in Ezidism is the Kurdish New Year, the Newroz/ Zagmu celebration.
𒍠𒈬 “Zagmu” literally means “beginning of the year”.
𒍠 “zag” means “beginning”.
𒈬 “mu” means “year”.
(Text shown in Sumerian Cuneiform)
Meaning of Newroz
Newroz literally means “new-day” in the Kurdish language.
New – New
Roz – Day
“New” and “Roz” are Kurdish words. Their etymology can be traced back thousands of years.
New
Kurmancî: Nû
Zazakî: Newe
Soranî: Nwê
Kełhuřî: Nü
Hewramî: No
Luřî: Nu
Old Atropatene: Nu
(3rd Century AD – 7th Century AD) Sassanian Pahlawani: Nog
(3rd Century BC – 3rd Century AD) Arsacid Pahlawani: Nawāg
(1nd Millennium BCE) Median: 𐎴𐎺 “nava” (text shown in Median Cuneiform)
(2nd Millennium BCE) Avestan: Nava
(2nd Millennium BCE) Luwian: Nawa
(2nd Millennium BCE) Hittite: Newa
Roz
Kurmancî: Roj
Zazakî: Roj
Soranî: Řoj
Kełhuřî: Řûj
Hewramî: Řoj
Luřî: Řûj
Old Atropatene: Roj
(3rd Century AD – 7th Century AD) Sassanian Pahlawani: Roz
(3rd Century BC – 3rd Century AD) Arsacid Pahlawani: Rož
(1nd Millennium BCE) Median: 𐎼𐎢𐎨𐏃 ”Raucah” (text shown in Median Cuneiform)
(2nd Millennium BCE) Avestan: Raocah – Meaning: light/ daylight/ luminous/ shining
A historical passage on Newroz
A name for the Newroz festival, in 3rd-7th Century Kurdish (Sassanian Pahlawani), was Nog-roz. This can be found in various texts, such as the following:
“Ohrmezdebzûd nog-roz î sal 35 ray ez kodegan hamist jud ez an î o galîg î ped Nemêwer teg fremûd kerden peymaneg did xwurdeg penîr 2 ud nêm men goz 500 mey 10 doleg o peristar î pêş mader î Yezdanpenah dad çek Ostandar awişt.”
Translation to English:
“Ohrmezdebzûd” ordered, on behalf of New Year’s Day of the year 35, from the young, all except those who belong to the household of “Nemêwer”, to organize a running, the quota again is 2 and a half “men” of cottage cheese, 500 nuts, 10 “doleg” of wine to the maidservant of the mother of “Yezdanpenah” to be given personally. The “Ostandar” sealed the “çek”.
Transliteration in the Kurdish Latin Alphabet – Text gathered from multiple sources.
Update coming soon – Newroz and Kurdish Calendars.
Happy Newroz!
Kurdish Writing 