On Tuesday, March 21, 2017, three of SCU’s student clubs—The Student Iranian Chiropractic Association (SIrCA), Biomechanics of Artistic Techniques (BEAT), and Movement Therapy Dance Club (MTDC)—joined together to present a beautiful celebration honoring the Persian New Year of Nowruz. The festivities included Persian food, a traditional Persian dance by SCU student, Sam Fazel, dance performances choreographed by SCU faculty Dr. Coco Cabrel and Dr. Anna Facchinato—and many more performances.
The cultural roots of the day were apparent to all attendees. Nowruz, which literally translates to “new day,” is celebrated worldwide by the Iranians and Turkic peoples, along with some other ethnolinguistic groups, as the beginning of the New Year on the first day of spring.
In commemoration of this yearly new beginning, it is customary to display a traditional table setting called the Sofreh Haft Seen, with several items that start with “S” in Persian. Sofreh Haft Seen literally translates into “the table with 7 S’s.” Each item holds special significance and is intended to symbolize a different value that is desired in the future. For example, garlic is used to symbolize medicine and health while apples are used to symbolize beauty. Pictured you can see the authentic and mesmerizing Sofreh Haft Seen that the SIrCA students prepared for the event.