kurdishrecognition:

“Newroz is intimately connected to the history of the Kurdish nation. Traditionally, celebrations start with lighting bonfires on hilltops at night. More recently, the bonfires have been lit on main gathering points in Kurdish towns or neighborhoods, and crowds dance around the fire. During the day, Kurds try to go into nature, and people often dance in traditional costumes. The significance of Newroz goes beyond celebrating the new year, it is also a celebration of freedom.”

— (x)

kurdishrecognition:

today, kurds and many others, celebrate the beginning of the new year, referred to as newroz in kurdish. though newroz is typically a joyous holiday spent with family and friends, it has not always been so. kurds have been violently attacked and killed, discriminated against, and shamed for partaking in newroz celebrations in the past. the tradition of newroz was made illegal and those who celebrated it would end up in prison. below is a list of some of the many times kurds have been attacked, killed, detained, or discriminated against for practicing their culture:

• confrontations between syrian authorities and kurds led to clashes and several deaths on both sides during newroz celebrations in 1986
• during the 1990s, newroz celebrations were considered illegal by the turkish state. in 1992, tens of thousands of kurds celebrated newroz before being attacked by turkish forces, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people, over 200 injuries, and hundreds of arrests.
• as a result, demonstrations erupted all across northern kurdistan and turkey.
• newroz was legalized in turkey and northern kurdistan in 2000, however, it was spelt as nevruz and claimed as a turkish holiday
• in 2006, syrian authorities arrested several people celebrating newroz in aleppo 
  
• authorities used teargas and batons against 3000 kurds and 100 were detained
• on numerous occasions, syrian forces have used force and violence and killed kurds during newroz celebrations, most notably in 2008, when three people were shot dead in qamişlo 
  

Participants in this year’s festivities told Human Rights Watch that about 200 people gathered around 6:30 p.m. on a road in the western part of Qamishli. They lit candles on the side of the road and a bonfire in the middle, around which some performed a Kurdish traditional dance. “This was a celebration of Nowruz, not a political demonstration,” one of the participants told Human Rights Watch. (x)

• in march of 2015, over 100 people were killed or wounded in hesîçe‎, western kurdistan, after an ISIS militant blew himself up during newroz festivities.
• a number of kurds were arrested in sinê, eastern kurdistan during newroz celebrations for wearing traditional kurdish clothing and performing dances in 2016