Agrin HOSSEINI

Divandarreh- Newroz has been celebrated in four parts of Kurdistan. Wearing their traditional clothes, women, children and men light a fire and dance around the fire to celebrate Newroz.  The Newroz fire was lit in Bash Qeshlaq, village in the Divandarreh County Iran’s Kurdistan province, yesterday evening. NuJINHA spoke to several women celebrating Newroz in the village.

 “Newroz is the rebirth of nature and the start of a new year,” said Jale.M., a women's activist and one of the women celebrating Newroz in the village. “Every season has its own meaning. Autumn brings sadness to people's hearts while spring makes everyone happy. This Newroz celebration shows the vitality and dynamism of the Kurdish people. In any situation, we say that resistance is life.”

Jhaleh, another woman in the village, talked about the massive security presence during the Newroz celebrations. “There are many security forces as if they are afraid of everything. So far, many Newroz celebrations have been cancelled in many villages. Despite that, women still celebrate Newroz by chanting the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi slogan. We will keep celebrating Newroz and resisting until our demands are met. I hope women and men will dance around the Newroz fire together one day.”

 In her speech, she wished a happy Newroz to everyone. “People know what the truth is and whenever they have the opportunity, they say, ‘little by little, we can grow and become more and destroy the tyranny’.”