Testimonials
Nowruz in Afghanistan and Iran: keep your spirits up despite everything
Iranians are trying somehow to prepare for Nowruz.
AFP - BEHROUZ MEHRI
Text by: Sara Saidi Follow
5 mins
For Afghans and Iranians alike, this year's Nowruz festivities – the New Year on the Persian calendar – are marred by financial, social and political concerns.
A few days before the start of spring, the economic crisis in Iran is indeed forcing the population to be resilient, while the Afghans still do not know if the Taliban will authorize the celebrations.
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“
People are very keen to celebrate Nowruz.
[…].
It is a tradition of our people, especially in Herat.
People do all the preparations, the spring cleaning, the Haft Sin
[table topped with seven symbolic elements that begin with the letter S, editor's note]
, the Haft Miwa
[dried fruit salad],
we cook the Samanak
[sweet dough with base of germinated seeds]
, we boil the eggs to color them…
”, enumerates Mehrara*, 43 years old, who lives in Herat, in the west of Afghanistan.
"
The bazaars are full of people, people are buying clothes...
", adds Omeira* in Kabul, the capital.
However, the Afghans do not really know if they will really be able to celebrate Nowruz like every year, because they are still waiting for the official announcement from the Taliban.
According to Afghan television
Sahar TV
, one of the spokespersons for the Afghan government said that there are only "
two holidays in Islam: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
[…] There is no celebration called Nowruz in Islam.
He also reportedly clarified that the government saw no need to celebrate Nowruz.
When they were in power more than twenty years ago, the Taliban had already banned
New Year celebrations.
tradition during the Tchaharchanbé-Souri
", laments Mehrara, referring to the fire festival, which normally takes place on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year.
According to
a DW article
on March 15, the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, in the province of Balkh, known for these New Year celebrations and in particular for its festival of red flowers, has already prepared everything for the festivities, but is waiting yet the authorization of the regime.
No finances, no morale
For Mehrara and Omeira, however, the Taliban will not be able to ban everything.
Indeed, part of the preparations are done behind closed doors.
“
We can also go shopping without them knowing why we are buying.
If they understand that we are shopping for Nowruz, they could surely ban
it,” Mehrara thinks.
To avoid getting into trouble, families organize themselves differently.
“
Normally, after Nowruz, we also celebrate Sizdah bedar
[13th day of New Year, editor’s note]
: we will connect to nature.
Usually we go out of town.
But this year, we will not go very far, in case it is prohibited, so as not to risk finding ourselves facing the Taliban
, ”regrets the mother of the family.
“
We really want to celebrate, but maybe we're doing less this year, because economically we've taken a hit.
The women are at home, so the income is halved, we cannot afford to do as before.
We are five at home and only two of us work.
Financially, it's
difficult
,” laments Omeira, 51.
This year, the former Afghan national television journalist is not really in the mood: "
I studied for twenty years, I have seven diplomas, but I am at home... it has upset me psychologically and physically “
, she acknowledges.
In Iran: rising prices and resignation
The financial aspect is also what is holding back the Iranians a few days before the celebrations.
“
This year is worse than last year and the year before.
The situation has been getting worse and worse for more than forty years
,” indignant Vali*, a 41-year-old woman from Tehran.
“
I live alone.
I have an apartment of my own and I have no family to support.
So, I manage to get out of it.
But I see around me people who can't make ends meet.
The price of certain products has sometimes been multiplied by four or five.
[…] I was at the butcher's, he told me that he had put his meats in the fridge.
Many can no longer buy and the meat stays there
,” he says.
In the streets of the capital, it's time to celebrate.
In the Tajrish district, north of Tehran, residents improvise street dances with
Haji Firouz,
a character from Iranian folklore.
For some Iranians, even if the prices have increased, we have to deal with it and keep our spirits up.
Ali, for example, did the shopping for Nowruz.
“
I bought 10 kg of meat for around 70 euros, 10 kg of rice for 34 euros and 2 kg of nuts for the same price.
It's expensive, but I have no choice!
he says, resigned.
The average monthly salary of an Iranian is 270 euros.
The shadow of the coronavirus
Niloufar*, a French teacher in Tehran, notes a general increase in prices which nevertheless allows some to maintain their standard of living.
“
With inflation, the price of my private lessons has increased a little, the prices in real estate have also increased… There are certain professions and certain people who get by by raising their prices, so they maintain their power buying
," she says.
It also observes a return to local production, due to the fall of the rial, the country's currency.
“
Those who are not looking for brands can find
rather good quality Made in Iran clothes
at a reasonable price
“, she explains.
The coronavirus also weighs on the spirits.
The mask remains compulsory in the streets and families seem to be very careful.
However, Niloufar has the impression that despite the deterioration of the economy, the situation is still better than two years ago.
“
Maybe we have become so resilient that we no longer feel anything?
she wonders.
►
To (re) see: Nowruz, one of the oldest festivals of humanity!
*names have been changed.
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