Haft Sinn, the heart of the Persian New Year
Every tradition has a material element that symbolizes that holiday to its followers. The Christmas Tree, Easter Basket, Shamrock... you might even call them the very best marketing icons around.
Well, for Persian people the world over, the Haft Sinn (or "Haft Seen"), an "altar" of seven (haft) things starting with the Farsi letter sinn, is the immutable, immediately recognizable symbol of Nowrooz. And this, my dear readers, is what ours looks like:
The Haft Sinn dates back to Zoroastrian times, and the story goes that it was actually originally a Haft Sheen. But, as Islam became the more prevalent religion amongst the Persian peoples, Sheen was replaced with Sinn because of one single item - Sharab, or wine. Of course, alcohol is verboten in Islam, and thus, the new altar was born.
The seven items set on the Haft Sinn each symbolizes some aspect of rebirth and rejuvenation. They are:
- Sabz-eh (wheat sprouts grown to represent new growth)
- Samanu (a thick brown paste made of wheat, representing the bounty of spring growth)
- Seeb (apple, representing health & beauty)
- Senjed (the sweet, dried fruit of the wild olive plant - also known as a jujube, representing love)
- Sier (garlic, representing health)
- Sumaq (crushed sumac berries, representing sunrise, the time when Good conquers Evil)
- Serkeh (vinegar, representing age & patience)
In addition to these seven items, a few other items are traditionally placed at the Haft Sinn as well. Each family has its own traditions with regard to some of these items.
- Coins, to represent proseperity
- Painted eggs, to represent fertility
- Goldfish, to represent life and the end of the astral year
- Hyacinth (which happens to start with sinn in farsi) or narcissus, representing beauty and the fragrance of spring
- Rosewater, representing healing
- Mirror, representing the image of Creation, which ancient Persians believed took place on the first day of Spring
- Candles, representing enlightenment and Good
- A Qoran or a book of the poems of Hafez
This year is the first that we have done a full Haft Sinn in our home, and it's strangely bittersweet, because while it's really the first year we won't be with my family, it's also a chance for us to start our own traditions.
So, here's a small homage to my mom, and her gorgeous Haft Sinn which I will forever know as "home".
That is so beautiful, I almost cried.
And, what, I get a friggin Shamrock?? When I grow up, I want to be Persian.
Posted by: molly | March 17, 2005 at 01:51 PM
Yeah, well I married an Irishman, so what does that tell you?
Seriously, though, I look forward to this all year... painting eggs is my most favorite part. This year, I wrote all four of our names on one egg and the year (1384) on another in Farsi and English.
Posted by: Fatemeh | March 17, 2005 at 02:06 PM
What a beautiful tradition and a beautiful post! Thank you for sharing something so special. Your posts about the new year holiday have been eye-opening for me. Most of my Persian friends are Jewish and so I never knew about Nowrooz. Here's wishing you a very happy new year!
Posted by: Amy | March 17, 2005 at 10:02 PM
Hi. I just found your site through Moira(Who Wants Seconds). Thank you for sharing you beautiful tradition with us. It's truly inspiring.
Posted by: Dawn | March 19, 2005 at 12:54 AM
that is a beautiful and meaningful tradition to carry on. as a chinese far removed from home, i feel what you feel. what i would give to share the tradition with my mum once more. maybe next year i can travel home for chinese new year.
i hope you have a very good and fruitful new year.
Posted by: stef | March 20, 2005 at 12:19 PM
My friend Stef (points to above) sent me here :) Thanks for this nice post - chely ghashange! Norouz mobarak!
Posted by: mademoiselle a. | March 21, 2005 at 06:06 AM
Mademoiselle -
Kheylee Mamnoon!
Stef - I hope that you can get home for Chinese new year next year... I know I would love nothing more than to be in Iran at Nowrooz; alas, that not likely to happen ANY time soon.
Amy - I'm surprised... there are so many Persian Jews who do celebrate Nowrooz... it's much more of a cultural than secular holiday. Regardless, I'm glad you're enjoying the posts.
Dawn - thank you for stopping in; I'm glad you're enjoying the blog!
Posted by: Fatemeh | March 22, 2005 at 03:14 PM
Fatemeh Joonam -the light of my eyes,
Thank you so much. I am so proud of you.
Ghorbanat and fadayat.
Maman,
Posted by: Jaleh | March 22, 2005 at 03:58 PM
Mom!
You're here! I'm so glad... and thank you for the comment... you're adorable!
xoxo
F
Posted by: Fatemeh | March 23, 2005 at 01:31 PM