Talk:Nowruz

Request for Clarification on Nowruz’s Cultural Attribution

Dear Wikipedia Editors,

I would like to request a revision regarding the way Nowroz is described in the article. Initially, the article suggests that Nowroz is a Persian/Iranian new year, but this does not fully reflect its broader cultural significance.

Nowroz is celebrated by many different ethnic groups, cultures, and nations, including (but not limited to) Iranians, Afghans, Kurds, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Turkmens, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and various communities in the Caucasus, the Middle East, the Balkans, and South Asia. While Nowroz has historical roots in different countries such as Iran, it has evolved into an international festival recognized by the United Nations as a shared cultural heritage of multiple nations.

I suggest revising the wording to reflect that Nowroz is not exclusively Persian/Iranian but rather a festival observed by a diverse range of cultures. A more inclusive phrasing would help maintain neutrality and accuracy.

For reference, here are some credible sources: 1. United Nations – International Day of Nowruz 2. UNESCO – Nowruz, an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate your efforts in ensuring Wikipedia remains an accurate and inclusive resource.

Best regards, R. Fakhari 2A02:3037:260:344E:CCAD:4707:EEA4:76B5 (talk) 23:31, 19 March 2025 (UTC)

Refer to my edit request - 'Request to restore "Persian" alongside "Iranian" in lead and relevant sections' Drumdigoxin (talk) 00:05, 23 March 2025 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 22 March 2025

1.) So it says that it's the Iranian New Year so I want to request that you guys don't rename it when it's called the Persian New Year. It diminishes the Persians influence especially considering Nowruz has its origins in Persian culture with roots in Zoroastrian. Yes alot of other cultures celebrate it but it shouldn't erase the fact that it's Persian New Year. Even your own citations for "Iranian New Year" shows it as "Persian New Year. Like Haft Sin table, Chaharshanbe, Haji Firuz and others all has its origins in Persian but not the Zoroastrian book. It was the Sassanian empire who spread it to areas that's been ruled by it, even the Mughal empire.

For the second quotation, it should be saying that it has its roots and influences from Persian culture and Zoroastrian. Most of the Nowruz items and things have been of Persian creation or else it would've been mentioned on the Zoroastrian book.

I hate that you guys are downplaying and erasing what Persians gave and did for you guys to rebadge it as another name so everyone can get included. This hurts and insults the people who spread it. You should make it like how the Chinese New Year page is, it's Chinese New Year but other cultures that celebrates it is... as an example

2.) "Nowruz (Persian: نوروز, Iranian Persian: [noːˈɾuːz],[x] lit. 'New Day') is the Iranian New Year.[36][37] Historically, it has been observed by Iranian peoples,[38] but is now celebrated by many ethnicities worldwide"

"The roots of Nowruz lie in Zoroastrianism, and it has been celebrated by many peoples across West Asia,"

"Haft-sin's origins are not clear. The practice is believed to have been popularized over the past 100 years."

3.) https://cmes.fas.harvard.edu/files/NowruzCurriculumText.pdf (says it originates with the Persian people, at that time none of the ethnic groups were there at the time)

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nowruz ( Shows that Nowruz is basically Persian with most pointing to the Sassanian empire, and that the local Persian population in the Persian regions of Iran after the Islamic conquest did it mostly, that's why only Persians was called fire worshippers and not other groups)

Let me know if you need more explanation or sources. I can say the Avesta as well but it's hard to cite it.

Regards,

A Persian Persianprincess416 (talk) 18:25, 22 March 2025 (UTC)

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. 𐩣𐩫𐩧𐩨 Abo Yemen (𓃵) 19:43, 22 March 2025 (UTC)

Request to restore "Persian" alongside "Iranian" in lead and relevant sections

I am requesting a revision to the lead sentence and relevant sections of the article to restore the term "Persian" alongside "Iranian" in the description of Nowruz. This is based on reliable academic sources and reflects a more historically accurate, balanced, and neutral formulation.

Proposed Lead Sentence

> Nowruz (literally “new day” in Persian) is the Persian and Iranian New Year, rooted in ancient Iranian traditions and historically formalised by Persian empires. It is celebrated today by many communities across Western and Central Asia and beyond.

Rationale

The current lead omits the word "Persian" entirely, which diminishes the well-documented role of Persian culture, language, and imperial institutions in shaping the Nowruz tradition. While Nowruz indeed has ancient Iranian roots and is celebrated by many non-Persians today, reliable sources consistently describe it as the *Persian New Year* and trace its development through Persian dynasties and Persian-language traditions.

Key points:

• The term Nowruz is Persian, derived from Middle and New Persian (nōg rōz = “new day”).
• Persian empires (e.g., Achaemenid, Sasanian) institutionalised Nowruz as a court ritual, with public audiences, tax remissions, and ceremonial practices at the spring equinox.
• Persianate dynasties in the Islamic era (e.g., Buyids, Samanids, Safavids) preserved and expanded the festival’s cultural role.
• Persian literature (e.g., Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh) mythologises Nowruz via the legend of King Jamshid.
• Academic and encyclopedic sources routinely refer to Nowruz as the *Persian New Year*, while also acknowledging its broader Iranian and transnational observance.These include Britannica, Iranica, and peer-reviewed academic sources.

This edit would not imply exclusivity but would reflect the dual identity of Nowruz as both an Iranian and Persian festival, consistent with neutral scholarly usage.

Additional Rationale: Edit involving Uzbekistan and “Persian New Year”

In a related edit, the article removed the phrase “Persian New Year” in reference to Navro’z in Uzbekistan during the Karimov era. While it is appropriate to describe Nowruz/Navro’z as a broadly observed festival, removing the term "Persian" entirely obscures important cultural and linguistic context.

• The word Navro’z is a localized, Turkified form of the Persian Nowruz, which itself means "new day" in Persian (as supported by Britannica, Iranica, and National Geographic).
• The festival was reintroduced in Uzbekistan in the post-Soviet era as part of a national cultural revival, and its modern form retains the name and structure rooted in Persian tradition.
• Modern reliable sources — such as Al Jazeera (2025) and National Geographic (2025) — explicitly describe Nowruz as the Persian New Year, even when discussing its celebration in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan.

Therefore, referring to Navro’z as a form of the Persian New Year is linguistically and historically justified, without implying ethnic exclusivity.

Suggested revision: > “Karimov brought back the very popular Persian New Year, Navro’z (Nowruz)...”

This framing reflects the linguistic and cultural origin of the celebration, in alignment with established sources, while still recognising its regional adoption.

Supporting Reliable Sources

EDIT: I've updated these as unfortunately, I just realised that some articles have been moved/lost from the last time I googled/accessed them.

• Encyclopaedia Iranica – “Nowruz I” by Mary Boyce: https://iranicaonline.org/articles/nowruz-i
• Encyclopaedia Iranica – “Nowruz II” by Ahmad Ashraf: https://iranicaonline.org/articles/nowruz-ii
• Encyclopaedia Britannica – Nowruz entry: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Noruz
• Khodadad Rezakhani – *East Iran in Late Antiquity* (Routledge): [attempting to locate direct link]
• National Geographic – “Everything you need to know about Nowruz, Persian New Year”: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/what-is-nowruz-persian-new-year-food
• Al Jazeera – “Nowruz 2025: Traditions, Haft-sin, and celebrations of the Persian New Year”: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/20/nowruz-2025-traditions-haft-sin-and-celebrations-of-the-persian-new-year

Final Comments

Using both "Persian" and "Iranian" reflects scholarly consensus, preserves historical context, and adheres to Wikipedia’s policies on neutrality and verifiability. It accurately distinguishes between:

• The linguistic and cultural origin of Nowruz (Persian),
• The ethno-linguistic breadth of its observance (Iranian peoples),
• And its modern international scope.

I recommend reinstating "Persian" in the lead sentence and historical sections as outlined above.

Thanks! drumdigoxin Drumdigoxin (talk) 23:40, 22 March 2025 (UTC)