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Norooz: a brand new year for Persian Australians

Persian people across Australia will celebrate New Year this Sunday in the annual celebration of Norooz.

Newroz, Nooroz

A Kurdish boy with punk hair takes part in Newroz celebrations on March 23, 2014 at the Kazlicesme district in Istanbul. Source: Getty Images

This Sunday marks Persian New Year (Norooz) when 1394, the current year under the Iranian Calendar, comes to an end.

Norooz (Nuwroz, Newroz) coincides with the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere each year.

People have celebrated Norooz for millenia.

Iranian Community of Western Australia's President Morteza Tadatabaee said Norooz was a celebration of spring in Iran, despite the celebration occurring on the Autumn equinox in Australia.

He said the day signified the birth of nature after winter.

Persian Australian, Jackie Jafari, said celebrating Norooz in Autumn did not mean the day was any less special, as it was a chance to keep her culture alive in Australia.

"I've been in this country 24 years," Ms Jafari said.

Part of the tradition each year is to clean out the house and buy new clothes, she said.

"We have to get rid of all the oldies and start fresh."

As a prelude to Norooz and part of the celebrations, people around the country have jumped over fire to signify a new start to their year.

The fire jumping, and the Nooroz celebrations generally, are celebrated around the world.

The Persian Empire, at its height, spanned from Libya and Egypt in the west, Turkey in the north and India in the east.

For that reason, many people in those areas observe Norooz - including Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and other Middle Eastern nations.

Nowruz, festival of fire
A Kurdish man jumps over a bonfire in Istanbul during celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, Sunday 21 March 2004 Source: AAP

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