Photography by A. Afshar, A.
Habibian & R. Sedighian
Perfect Sunny Spring
weather with a mild temperature in the 50’s, enthusiastic cheering spectators,
and a spectacular procession of floats and performance, brought out the best in
Persian-Iranian Pride. By all accounts the spectacular extravaganza again
surpassed last years.
Glitzy Madison
Avenue in mid-town NYC’s Manhattan was once again
the backdrop for the fourth annual Persian (Iranian) Parade. Tens of thousands
of Iranian-Americans from all walks of life, representing every region of
Iran danced, sang, cheered, clapped,
smiled, kissed and hugged while gazing with joy at an exhilarating procession of
the Persian Parade with much pride. They saw a great number of highly colorful
and well decorated floats, numerous DJs, acclaimed singers and artists, dancing
ensembles-some from as far as the California and Washington, D.C.- and many
street, movies and theatre performers entertained the thousands of spectators
comprised of Iranian-Americans, New Yorkers and tourists from all over the
world.
The historical and cultural wonders
of Iran-formerly known as Persia-such as Persepolis and Isphahan, the modern
monuments of Tehran, the natural beauties of the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea
and Mount Damavand (~19000-ft high), Iran’s rich display of historical and
contemporary contributions to world literature, art, architecture, science and
technology were displaced on the floats rolling down Madison Avenue for almost
three hours.
The Persian Parade commemorates in
part the annual Persian New Year, Norouz, which coincides with the
vernal spring equinox. The idea of holding a parade as conceived
by a few visionary Iranian-Americans just a few years back has now grown to a
grassroots movement. Recognizing the growth of Iranian-American community of
nearly one million, they envisaged the need to organize an annual Persian Parade
to build up the spirit in the community, especially for second and third
generations of Iranian-Americans, while countering possible xenophobia. The
Parade was the most effective outlet to offset the stereotypical depiction of
historical Persians in the recent Movie 300. Huge signs
registered the community’s concerns
over the possible ramifications of the movie.
The skeptics, who stayed away in
earlier years, because they reckoned the Parade would be short-lived,
participated this year with much applause for the hundreds of organizers and
cadre of volunteers, and individual and corporate sponsors. Everyone was so
gratified that an event of such majestic magnitude will be immortalized. This
year’s parade had attracted a huge number of volunteers, dancers, and float
riders from second and third generation Iranian-Americans. The Babak Nowruz
DVD float, for instance, was a lively massive flowers bouquet with
music, dancers and nearly one hundred children from toddlers to late teens, each
with a huge smile extending from “one ear to the other” and with two
Iranian flags painted on their cheeks.
Along the Parade route, one could
not help but watch the spontaneous networking of Iranian-Americans with many
tourists. A pretty petite lady was explaining the displays of the Parade to
senior citizens, German tourists. Johanna Sterbin an Iranian Studies Scholar on
the sidewalk called the Parade, “An illustrative synopsis of Iranian [rich]
history that will be engraved in a non-Iranian mind for life. “
A Sofreh Haftsin was
showcased. It is a traditional table beautifully decorated with hyacinth and
daffodils, and seven items that begin with the Persian letter “S”. They are
Sabzeh (wheat sprouts) for rebirth, Seeb(Apple) for
health and beauty, Seer (garlic) for health and medicine,
Serkeh (vinegar) for age and patience, Samanu
(custard pudding) for affluence, Somagh (sumac) for sunrise, and
Senjed (Oleaster fruit) for love.
Those actively engaged in organizing
the Persian Parade are already planning for next year, recruiting volunteers,
seeking sponsors, and gathering ideas. The
Norouz festivities, lasting for two weeks, conclude with Sizdah
Bedar, an all day picnic festival in the countryside. There are several Sizdah Bedar
picnic scheduled in and around New York City this
year including one at Bear
Mountain State Park on April 1.
______________________________
Background on Norouz and
Iranian history.
A series of excellently written
articles as typified by Howard Cincotta, USINFO Special Correspondent of the
Department of State titled, Iranian-Americans Celebrate
Persian New Year March 20, appeared before the parade and this
year’s Norouz. David
Rahni has also provided ample articles on Norouz, the Persian Parade and
other community endeavors of Iranian-Americans over the years.
The
Norouz Festival, on which the Persian Parade is anchored, is
immortalized in the Decree of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Achaemenid
Empire, granting national, cultural and religious freedoms to the peoples of
Babylon and beyond in 542 B.C.E.:
When I entered
Babylon (on
Norouz) and other lands I conquered, I did not allow anyone to terrorize the
land or its people... I kept in view the needs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries to promote
their well-being. The citizens of Babylon... I lifted their unbecoming yoke
(slavery). Their dilapidated dwellings I restored. I put an end to
their misfortunes. ...Thus said the Lord
to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden (Isaiah,
XLV-1-3).
Norouz, the new day or the
New Year in Persian, is the cyclical celebration of the Spring Equinox.
It is the most cherished and celebrated of all Iranian festivals; it has
been observed by all peoples of the broad Iranian plateau for millennia.
Commemorating the periodic rebirth and rejuvenation of nature,
Norouz has been observed, in one form or another, since 3,000
B.C.E. by all the major cultures of ancient Mesopotamia and southwest and south
central Asia, namely, the Akaddians, the
Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Chaldeans, the Elamites, the Medes, the
Sumerians, and the Persians.
Today,
Norouz is still celebrated annually in a wide arc of territory
extending from the Lake Aral and the Indus River to the east, the Caspian Sea to the north,
the Black and Mediterranean
Seas to the west, and the Persian Gulf to the south. Iranian peoples (Persians,
Azeris, Kurds, Lurs, Tajiks, Baluchis, Bakhtiaris and Gilanis), as well as other
peoples in their proximity (e.g., Armenians, Assyrians, Afghanis, Kazakhs
and Kashmiris) all participate in the Norouz celebration. It is
interesting that the first day of spring was also observed by Europeans
throughout the middle Ages, and the American pilgrims during the early
18th century as the "common" New Year.
The roots of
Norouz can be traced to Zoroastrianism, which is believed to be
the world's first monotheistic religion. Zoroastrianism considers
Nowouz as the last day of the seven day creation epoch; thus the
ritual of the Haft Sin, or the seven life-related, mostly plant based,
symbolic heralds, all beginning with the letter "S" in the Persian
language. During the Norouz holidays, families and friends visit
each other, pay their respects to the elderly, reach out to reconcile with
adversaries, visit the resting places of the deceased, and make donations to the
impoverished and the sick. They give and receive presents during the
thirteen day period that ends on April 1st called Sizdah
Bedar when everyone spends the whole day in the countryside dancing,
singing and playing. The
commemoration of Norouz recalls the seventh day of creation, when
homage is paid to the Creator or Mother Nature, with rest, play and party
activities. An annual Sizdah Bedar in New
York area has traditionally been held at Bear Mountain State Park on or about April
1.
Norouz celebrates the
Lord of Wisdom and the holy "halo" fire in anticipation of the Spring
Equinox. The oldest archaeological evidence for Norouz
celebrations comes from the records of over 2500 years ago.
An inscription on Persepolis
Palace, the summer capital of the
Achaemenid dynasty depicts the Persian Monarch, Darius, accepting gifts from
diverse peoples who lived in a federation of territories, stretching from Asia
to Europe and North Africa. His father, Cyrus
the Great, was the world's first true supreme emperor who ruled his vast realm
with compassion and justice, a legacy acknowledged by the Greek historian
Herodotus. His declaration of Human Rights on a clay tablet is kept at the
United Nations Headquarters in New
York.
