ANKARA - Stating that the Kurds did not give up on Newroz despite the bans, Historian Dr. Sedat Ulugana stated that Newroz found meaning with the Kurdish movement.

 

Newroz, which every people ascribes different meanings, is celebrated in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Balochistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Uzbekistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tatarstan, Gagauzia, Yakutia with the legends dating back thousands of years. March 21, Newroz day, when Demirci Kawa organized the resistance against the cruel Assyrian King Dehak in 612 BC (BC), has been celebrated as the day of rebirth and freedom for the Kurds for 51 years together with the Kurdish movement.

 

Stating that Newroz was most embraced by the Kurds, Historian Dr. Sedat Ulugana explained that they never stopped celebrating despite the bans. Making evaluations to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA), Ulugana mentioned the importance of Newroz for the Kurds.

 

Stating that Newroz is a day unique to all Aryan peoples, Ulugana said: "It has spread to Turani peoples in some way, and they celebrate Newroz as well. Likewise, we come across Newroz in Dede Korkut's work. But before that, we come across Newroz mythology in Aryan, which is Kurdish, Persian, Armenian, Pashto and Indian sources. It was with Kawa that Newroz became more known to the Kurds."

 

KAWA IN THE EXPRESSION OF ARAB HISTORIANS

 

Stating that the blacksmith Kawa was not a mythological hero, he was a people's leader who lived and took part in history, Ulugana shared the following information: "After the period when Kawa started the people's struggle against Dehak, the Persian Empire period begins with the collapse of the Med Empire. In this transformation, there is a palace coup. Aryan rule passed from the Med dynasty to the Persian dynasty. The Aryan empire after the Persians is Sassanid. Arab historians say that the blacksmith's apron of the Kawa was used as a flag in the Sassanid Empire in the 500-600 BC. It is even stated that Kawa's apron was adorned with precious stones and jewels, and that it was carried as a banner in every war to boost morale of the Sassanid soldiers. According to the report of Arab historians, when the Sassanid army was defeated in the last war, Kawa's apron was also seized, the precious stones on it were taken and the apron was burned. What we understand from this historical narrative is that Kawa is indeed a people's leader in Aryan, and he is a historical figure."

 

'KURDS DO NOT GIVE UP ON NEWROZ DESPITE THE BANS'

 

Emphasizing that the struggle against the cruel Dehak under the leadership of Kawa was the turning point of Newroz, Ulugana stated: "Throughout history, it was embraced by the Aryan peoples, but mostly by the Kurds. Newroz was once considered a "sin" and banned by Arab rulers. It was seen as a symbol of an un-Islamic teaching and was banned. Despite this, Kurds do not stop celebrating Newroz. The great Kurdish philosopher and poet Ehmedê Xanî, who lived in the 1700s, mentions that Mem û Zin also saw each other for the first time on Newroz day. Newroz was celebrated among the Turani peoples, but it was attributed as a sin together with the Ottomans.

 

‘KURDISH PUBLIC WITHOUT MAKING COMPROMISES TO THEIR FREEDOM

 

Stating that the Kurds live in a mountainous area geographically, they are closed to external factors, and they do not compromise their culture and language, Ulugana emphasized that throughout history, they did not owe allegiance to the Great Arab Empire, Seljuks, Ottomans and any of the empires coming from the west. Ulugana continued: “We see that the Kurdish public does not compromise their freedom. The official understanding of history does not see the mountain tribes. They mostly write the history of the sovereign. But we see that the Kurds have not allowed rulers to enter their geography throughout history, and they have not made any concessions in their freedom. The people, who are so strict for their freedom and rights, did not compromise their traditions. There is a Kurdish society that has not converted from Aryan peoples. The lifestyle of a Kurdish family in the millennium is still the same in the 1800s. Being attached to this culture has led to the preservation of days like Newroz. For example, Alexander's only defeat was in Zagros. In the following years, the Mongols could not touch the Zagros mountains again. We are talking about such people.”

 

'NEWROZ FOUND MEANING WITH THE MAZLUM DOĞAN’

 

Underlining that the symbolization of Newroz is with Diyarbakır Prison, Ulugan said: “The people of Kurdistan knew about Newroz, but it became even more symbolic when Mazlum Doğan set his body on fire while it was being celebrated in a picnic atmosphere. Mazlum Doğan is called the second Kawa. Newroz finds meaning after that. When we look at the following processes, other peoples have embraced it as it has become completely massive and the Kurds have embraced it more. In this sense, the Turkish state's claim to Newroz is not a natural process. It was thought of as a political move to take Newroz from the Kurds. But they couldn't.” Diyarbakir Prison served as the home of Blacksmith Kawa for the second time in Kurdish history. The iron that is beaten there and the oppressed oppressor are different. While Dehak was the tyrant during the Med empire, Dehak was replaced by the junta in the 12 September period."

 

NEWROZ AFTER 1980

 

Referring to how Newroz was celebrated together with the Kurdish movement, Ulugana gave examples from her childhood as follows: “Especially in the early days, it was celebrated in villages. I have never forgotten the Newroz feeling, enthusiasm and burning of tires in the villages. The elders knew Newroz as the arrival of spring, but they did not celebrate it, it was like a picnic. I remember the old people saying, "Yes, we know Newroz, and how do the young people know about Newroz?" Kurdishness, which was disintegrated after 1938, was tried to be destroyed in different ways until 1984. But it is a memory that resurfaced after 1984, and this memory brings not only the war movement, but also the culture buried in the ground to the surface again. However, it becomes a symbol and you see that Newroz is identified with the movement itself. For example, while it was very difficult to come across Newroz as a personal name in Kurdistan before 1980, we come across the name Newroz given to thousands of people after that. This is the manifestation of what I have described.”

 

Emphasizing that the unchanging slogan of all Newroz celebrations for Kurds is freedom, Ulugana said: “It will be the same this year. I hope Newroz will also be instrumental in this slogan.”

 

MA / Zemo Ağgöz