Every year on March 21st, Kurdish people around the world light fires and dance and eat and celebrate in a way that has no single authorized version. Newroz — the word means ‘new day’ in Kurdish — marks the spring equinox and the start of the new year in the Kurdish calendar. It is one of the oldest continuously observed celebrations in the world, with roots that predate Islam by centuries.

The central image of Newroz is fire. Traditionally, people light bonfires and jump over them — an act that symbolizes leaving the old year’s hardships behind and entering the new one clean. In cities with large Kurdish populations, Newroz celebrations can draw thousands of people to parks and community centers, with live music, traditional dance, and tables full of food.

For Kurdish Americans, Newroz carries weight that goes beyond the calendar. It is one of the few occasions where the whole community — different dialects, different backgrounds, different generations — gathers in the same place for the same reason. Children who grew up in America and have never seen Kurdistan still feel something at Newroz. That feeling is cultural memory, and it is worth protecting.