I asked my mom to help me to make some peg dolls for Norouz. She did a nice job. Kayla was exited ;-) and I made a new version about this famous story. Amoo Norouz & Naneh Sarma is a love story but I really wanted to make the kids involved too. Since I believe Norouz's traditions are mainly for kids because Amoo Norouz brings gifts just for kids.
This is what I did with Kayla.
Naneh sarma (grandma winter) & Amoo Norouz (Uncle Norouz)
It was march. Everywhere was covered with snow. The weather was still cold. Naneh Sarma was looking at the kids who were laughing in the snow and were making a snowman.
She knew that it was almost time for her to leave.
Couple days later, while the kids were playing, they heard the sound of tambourine. When they paid more attention they realized that someone was singing a very happy song:
Arbabe khodam salamo aleykom
arbabe khodam sareto bala kon
arbabe khodam akhmato va kon
arbabe khodam chera nemikhandi
translation:
Hello mi sire,
look up my sire
don't frown my sire
why don't you laugh my sire?
They turned back and saw Haji Firooz was coming in a red robe and a red hat (symbol of celebration)with a face was painted black (symbol of coldness of winter). He was dancing, playing tambourine & singing.
Haji Firooz brought lots of joy to the town. Kids were dancing & singing with him. Everybody knew that Haji Firooz was the messenger of the spring. They knew that Norouz was really coming soon.
Still was a little windy & cold that Naneh Sarma called the kids. She said,"hey kids, it is time to clean up everywhere & everything. We call it khooneh tekooni. We need to get rid of everything we don't need. It can be in our heart or in our home. We need to get ready for Amoo Norouz."
The kids started to clean up everywhere. They also helped others to clean up the town. If they were sad with anyone, they just forgot about it because Norouz (new day) was coming.
After cleaning up, Naneh Sarma called the kids again,"Now it's time to prepare the Haftseen (seven S)."
The wheat sprout was already ready for haftseen. It took them almost 10 days. They put a very nice table clothes and started to bring the items:
1- Sabzeh or wheat sprout symbol of rebith of nature.
2- Seer or garlic symbol of medicine.
3- Serke or vinegar symbol of patience.
4- Samanoo or sprout pudding symbol of abundance.
5- Seeb or apple symbol of beauty.
6- Somagh or sumac symbol of colors of sunrise.
7- Senjed or dried fruit from Oleaster tree symbol of love.
They also light up a candle because light & fire have been always sacred in Persian tradition. They liked to put also a red fish in a bowl of water which was a tradition of their own town.
The Haftseen was ready. They were all tired but happy. They knew what was going to happen that night.
They knew that Amoo Norouz would come when they were sleeping. They've always heard that nobody could see him, but they knew he was real because of his signs. Nobody knew that Naneh Sarma always had hope to meet Amoo Norouz. So, that night like the other night, she decided not to go to sleep. She sat down next to her Haftseen. But this was the rule of nature. She couldn't meet him.
Yes! He came....
Everywhere he stepped on a flower was growing and a bird was singing. He was in a blue robe, with a long blue hat. Blue like the spring sky. He had a long white beard (which was the sign of his wisdom) with glowing black eyes (because he was always laughing). He looked at the beautiful Haftseen. He ate a little bit of everything. He looked at Naneh Sarma who was in a deep sleep. Like every year his tea was ready in the tea pot. He drank just a sip. He left the gifts for Naneh Sarma. He went to see all the kids and put their gifts by their beds and left.
Naneh Sarma woke up. The gift was there but not him.
She knew it was time to leave. Spring was there. She took all the winter and snow with herself.
Very early in the morning children woke up with the smell of flowers and the sound of birds. They found their gifts next to their beds. They ran outside to play. Even they didn't see Him, but they knew he was there.
