Cultural Tea Bar - Presents “Nowruz”: The Start Of A New Spring

“There's a sense of bittersweetness in leaving home. But the sweetness comes from the realization of how much you love it; the bitterness comes from the realization of how much you'll miss it.” Susan Cain's eloquence captures the essence of this complex emotion, a yearning that cannot be expressed in mere words. For immigrants who have felt its pull, it lingers like a bittersweet melody, a longing for a place to call their own. Amidst the loss and longing, Nowruz (Persian New Year or the start of a new Spring) remains a cultural anchor for Iranians. It's a time for deep joy and to say, "Nowruz Mobarak!”

Nowruz commences at the exact moment of the vernal equinox, which is 6:00 p.m. on March 19th this year, according to the Gregorian calendar. Nowruz is celebrated worldwide, including on the North Shore, where there is a growing number of Iranians. Traditionally, the festivities involve Spring cleaning, visiting friends and family, and featuring a Nowruz blessing table inside the home with seven symbolic items: Sabzeh (lentil/wheat sprouts), Samanu (pudding of wheat sprouts: new life with sweetness), Seeb (apple), Senjed (dry fruit of lotus: represents love), Seer (garlic), Somaq (sumac berries: colour of sunrise), and Serkeh (vinegar: patience).

The Cultural Tea Bar left an indelible impression on the 100 - 160 attendees at its launch last Sunday to celebrate Nowruz. The palpable cross-cultural curiosity and exchange in the room was heartening. The organic aromatic Assam black tea was presented in Persian style. (100 attendees received hand-packed unbleached tea sachets with dried rose petals to recreate the Persian tea experience at home.) The Nan-e nokhodchi, cookies made from chickpeas originating in Qazvin, Iran, were a delightful accompaniment to the tea. The homemade Sholeh Zard, a subtly sweet rice pudding slowly infused with rose water, saffron, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, crushed almonds, and garnished with dried rose petals, was absolutely “khosh-maze” (delicious)! The preparations were made with cultural attentiveness and food ethics in mind.

Heartfelt gratitude for your friendly presence, cultural curiosity, and eager participation at the launch of the Cultural Tea Bar last Sunday. You helped make it a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. On behalf of Navid, Shadi, Shehnaz, Terrence, Tony, and the Dean's Council of Diversity and Multiculturalism, I want to say thank you. We look forward to the next Cultural Tea Bar event in April and hope you will join us again! It would be wonderful to have you experience another culture with us together.

"I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
(Revelation 7:9)