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Jiku: a New Year’s religious game
Jiku, in the local language of Iran’s southern Hormozgan Province, is a swing made out of palm tree hung from a long tree. This tradition goes back to the time when Zoroastrianism was the Persian Empire's officia religion. Pious Iranians each year moved back and forth on Jiku, believing they could get rid of their sins. Centuries later, still many people in Hormozgan province, especially the younger generations, makes Jikus to swing back and forth and maybe not much worried about their sins.
The deads’ anniversary before Nowruz
If somebody died days before Nowruz, there wouldn’t be a funeral for him as the locals believed one year has past since that person’s death.
Also, if somebody died in Nowruz holidays, seven women would go to a near river to pick up stones for that person’s tomb.
There are still some people in rural parts of Hormozgan who believe that all the funeral processions for a dead person, should’ve be held before Nowruz. They say there could be more deaths in the coming year should the processions not happen before the New Year.
House cleaning
According to age-old traditions, Iranians used to make everything “new” again, from their physique, looks, clothes and homes to their own behaviour. Cleaning houses (khane tekani, in Persian which literally means shaking the house) is the part and parcel of this tradition. The Hormozganis also are no exception.
“Gelak”: Colourful soil for decoration
One day before the New Year, people used to put some “gelak”, red-like soil, on their house walls as well as their livestock. They also sheared their domesticated animals. This tradition is still alive in some parts of this province, that lies on the Persian Gulf.
The last Tuesday: Chaharshanbeh Soori
Years ago, local people in Hormozgan, used to bathe in the Persian Gulf waters in a bid to clear themselves of filth ahead of Nowruz. Also, some others light small fires to jump on it, a very old tradition that dates back to the Zoroastrianism. However, recently, the younger generation is using fireworks and dangerous explosives to celebrate this historial and especial day.
Farvardin 13: time to enjoy the nature
Ancient Iranians believed that 13th day of the first month (Farvardin) brings bad omen and to counter it, they didn’t stay at home and took the greenery and nearby natural scenes to keep celebrating the Nowruz holidays.
Translated by: Ali Dashti
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