Nowruz is a Farsi word, with “Now-” meaning new, and “-ruz” meaning “morning light” signifying the coming of a new day. Nowruz originates from ancient Zoroastrian religious traditions and is marked as the beginning of the new year. No one knows exactly how far back Nowruz dates. The best estimates sit somewhere in the range of 2,500 to 3,000 years. There are various stories regarding Nowruz’ origins, but based on Kurdish mythology, Kawa Asinger, a blacksmith bravely ended the tyrannical reign of King Zahak aka Dehak on this day. Continue reading Kurdish Mythology of Nowroz