Spring has started … but for many of us, this year, Winter’s shadow is long. Whilst Spring in Melbourne might only mean we start to defrost a little quicker in whatever sunny perch we can find in our homes, or enjoy a little more colour out on our walks, we thought it opportune to remind you of the significance of Spring to people around the world!
So we asked our participants to share what Spring means to them.
As you enjoy your Brave Meal, explore Spring through the eyes of our participants. Have a conversation with your loved ones (what differences do you notice? Similarities?). Please share with us via the comments box below or on social media about what Spring means to you.
Enjoy your tour of Spring around the world!
MAHSHID, TAYEBEH, SHAHNAZ - SPRING IN IRAN
I can say for sure that Spring is the most important season in Iranian people’s culture since their New Year, called Nawruz, starts with the first day of Spring. The most famous saying about Spring is ‘It’s a new Spring, try your best to be happy’. This new season for Iranians means starting a new life.
Spring comes with a huge shower of rainfalls and, for a country that is mostly desert, you can see how important a season with lots of rainfalls could be! Mild gentle breezes everywhere, every street you can smell orange blossom scent which mesmerises you.
There are some fruits that are only available in the first few weeks of Spring, like plum when it’s not ripe and fresh, green almond before it’s ripe too. We have a very special aromatic dip made with wild herbs which grow in the mountains and a special kind of sweet syrup made of sugar, vinegar and mint which we eat with fresh baby lettuce leaves. Another special Springtime dish is Sabzi Polo Ba Mahi - fish with herbed rice. Like in Australia all sorts of delicious fruits, like peaches, nectarine and wild berries are in season!
Two weeks before Nawruz, we clean the whole house - we wash the carpet, walls, rugs, everywhere has to be clean. Everything is always new and fresh. Spring brings luck and happiness.
Visiting family is very important, especially the elderly, as well as going on road trips and holidays!
APSARA - SPRING IN NEPAL
Spring in Nepal is called Basanta Ritu. Pear, plum, and all sorts of berries are seasonal in Basanta Ritu in Nepal, as well as leafy vegetables, carrot, potato and cauliflower.
We celebrate Holi festival (colours festival) in which everyone on the street is drenched in vivid colours, and enjoy family cookups that bring young and elderly family members together.
Because I’m new in Melbourne, I haven’t found my community yet here to celebrate (and because of Coronavirus, I can’t this year). But next year I will otherwise my children will forget our traditional culture. In the meantime, we just try to enjoy the big park behind our house as much as possible, playing football, running, walking – Apsara (pictured).
ApSara would like to share a Spring song she used to sing with her family in Nepal:
Among the seasons, you are the verdant spring
Among the rivers, you are the holy Ganga
Those palms of yours are innocent
But your fingers are brimmed with love
Your jewelry of shyness is pure
But your lips are drenched in desire.
Among the winds, you are the cool breeze
Among the rivers, you are the holy Ganga
Nature conceived me
To put sindoor along your hair-parting.
Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge) handed me the pencil
To illustrate your beauty in works of art
Among the flowers, you are the delicate rose
Among the seasons, you are the verdant spring
Among the rivers, you are the holy Ganga.
SUNDUS, Ricard, Zina - spring in IRAQ
Spring in Iraq comes after a harsh cold winter. In Spring the sun shines bright, the flowers blossom, the day becomes longer and the breeze becomes warmer. In Spring, as Syriac Catholics, we have religious occasions, most people in my town Baghdeda wear our traditional clothes, we gather in the green fields of wheat and barley, we pray and light up candles. We also donate money to churches and the poor. We then participate in traditional dances. We take food and drinks and enjoy a BBQ, the kids play around and we all have a nice time and create lifelong memories – (Zina).
Green beans, fava beans, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant … these vegetables grow in most Iraqis own gardens. In Spring, we make big batches of food, like tomato paste, which we put in the fridge and use all year, dolma and biryani, which we love to bring to parties. Everyone goes to beautiful areas and has picnics with dancing.
Every day in Spring, there are 3 or 4 wedding parties. No one gets married in Winter, it’s too cold. Where I come from, everyone knows each other and everyone is always invited … you can't go to just 1 or 2 wedding celebrations, o no, you have to go to all of them! We enjoy dancing, pretty clothes, and always lots of food. Here in Melbourne, I enjoy the weather at home and walking. Normally I would be celebrating with all of my family and community here too, having picnics and barbeques, but now we cannot because of the Coronavirus. – Sundus (pictured).
RIYAMA, SHADI, WROUD - SPRING IN SYRIA
Spring in Syria has a special taste for the abundance of trees, flowers and wonderful mountains. In the Spring the trees bloom and the blossoms begin to open. And nature begins by wearing its nice dress :)
In some regions they celebrate the arrival of Spring by presenting roses to each other, as an expression of love and purity of hearts. The flowers blossoming is like opening up the pages of tolerance between people. One of the wonderful customs is that girls wear flowers on their heads and colourful clothes. My family and I celebrated the coming of Spring with joy, love, wonder, views and enjoying the beauty of nature and the power of the Creator…I hope for everyone wonderful Spring – Shadi.
Apricots! We make jam and tarts and vine leaves. We collect in Spring to preserve to make dolma in Winter.
It’s wedding season! And a great time to journey to see our country - mountains, beaches. Also, as a teacher, I would take students on excursions - gardens, park, big attractions. We stay awake until midnight spending time with our friends and family, everyone is always sitting outside the front of their house drinking tea or coffee. I never see this in Australia! – Riyama (pictured).
In my small city Alhassaka we celebrate the Assyrian new year on this date every year which is a very special occasion for Assyrian people. We go to a very big park with food, tents, chairs,tables, entertainment … Everyone’s family and friends are there! We do a special dance called a Dabke to a music band and singers. We enjoy Spring fruits like strawberry, watermelon, apricot, cherries and kiwi and vegetables like green peas, spinach, carrot and watercress – Wroud.