Nawruz is Back in an Akrawi Style

Fire Flames Beautifully Illuminating the Evening Sky of Akre

I told my family that I just have to be in Akre for March 20th. "What is so special with Akre?," you might be asking. Akre is the only town in Kurdistan that, in my opinion, portrays the rituals of Nawruz at its best. The first thing I asked my family was to please target Akre for Nawruz-eve. I was too happy to see them agree accompanying me to the bonfire there. It is rather a challenge for a young lady to attend places like Akre all alone in Kurdistan. In my mind I had the game all planned but I dared not to disclose anything with my family fearing their refusal to accompany me or refusal to attend the rituals

Every year, thousands of Kurds and non-Kurds go to Akre to watch the fire flames beautifully illuminating the evening sky of the town. Hundreds of the town’s young adults carry fire touches and begin climbing 354 steps to the top of the highest mountain in Akre, known as Kale.

My Nawruz Jewel from Akre

What I really wanted was to join these young adults. Like always, I want to be among the locals and be part of their cultural rituals, typical me!  


To my mother, my determination was blasphemous considering I would be the only girl among them. I asked my 2 students who I happened to meet there that I want to be a part of the bonfire with the town's adults. They discouraged me at the beginning considering that 354 stair steps will be cumbersome to climb and the fire flames were risky. They were also afraid that I was going to get hurt from all the gunshots. 


Nothing could stop me from wanting to do what I had planned in my mind, “I want to climb 354 stair steps with a torche to the very top of the mountain,”I said. “I will be fine and you guys need to stop worrying about me. So what if I am the only girl? Perhaps I can pave the road for other girls,” I added. They got me a red scarf or “Jamadaniya” to wrap around my shoulders and they handed me the flag and placed me at the very beginning of the line. Yes I was the only girl but to them it was an honor that a girl would be joining them. Instead of a torch, they asked that I carry a Kurdish flag for them. I was so happy to finally win their agreement.

Everyone was questioning my determination of wanting to join the climb. All of the sudden I heard my student utter with a discomfort that everyone in the neighborhood is talking about me for wanting to climb Kale. I said so what? Then they said, don’t blame them, they have never seen a girl wanting to climb kale for Nawruz :)

Where we started merging

I was told that the march is going to begin at sunset. They called me over at 6pm and wanted to double check if I still wanted to climb with the fire flame. I said yes, I am. They placed me at the very beginning of the line and there we heard the gunshots at 6:20pm as a sign that we are to begin merging.

I started climbing stairs with all the boys from the town carrying torches right behind me. I was told that I should not stop, but rather continue climbing because thousands of tourists are recording us. I was the first female and the only one to join this ritual. 

At stair #200, I was not an ease considering that I was climbing and there was no oxygen for me to breath with from all carbon dioxide coming out of the flames behind me. I had the determination in mind that I have to continue climbing. At the very same second I remembered our struggles back in the 1990s and how we had to leave everything behind and climb many mountains seeking the ultimate relieve from Sadam’s bomb. I told myself that today my struggle is different, my struggle comes with a joy, hence I wanted to continue climbing to the very top of the mountain to wave the flag of Kurdistan, to show the whole world that we have come a long way and we sure have ended every oppression possible.

Us marching 

Everyone right behind me

Where does this whole waving the Kurdish flag ordeal comes from, you might be asking plus what it is the significance of waving the flag and torches on the top of the mountain? Well this ordeal goes back to ancient history. Once upon a time in a land far far away there was a king. This King who went by the name of Zuhak, who had an unfortunate birth defect, 2 gigantic snakes growing from each shoulder because of a curse placed on Zuhak by the Gods for his evil ways. These snakes had to be fed with the brains of 2 children everyday of the year.

Now the King's doctor who was in charge of procuring the snakes meal couldn’t bring himself to kill children everyday so he would smuggle one of the children to a land beyond the mountains and feed the Basilisk's a mix of human and sheep’s brains (yummy!!).

One of the subjects of this ancient despot was Kawa a poor blacksmith who had already had many of his children sacrificed in this way. When he was told that his last remaining child, his beloved daughter was to be the next to be sacrificed, Kawa marched to the land of the smuggled children raised an army and marched on the palace of Zuhak. Where he killed the tyrant with a single blow of his mighty hammer.
The sacrificial children who had survived 'the Dragon' then set out to the mountains and let fires to tell the people of the world that the Evil King was gone and that freedom and peace would now reign in the world (sounds familiar).

An image of myself proudly carrying the flag of Kurdistan
The happiest moments of my life

Nowadays we Kurds, the descendants of the mountain children light mighty bonfires and celebrate the downfall of Zuhak every year at the vernal equinox, 21st of March which is now our New Years-Newroz.

In western culture, March 21st marks the end of winter, when the days begin to stretch out noticeably and the nights to shrink.  To us Kurds, March 21st is nothing but a rebirth! The 21st of March is a reminder of victory over the murderous tyrant Zuhak. It is a promise that release from the burden of winter, which will one day be accompanied by freedom from political oppression in all four parts of Kurdistan.