Iranian rituals that you shouldn’t miss: Qeshm Island

On an old Iranian tradition

Annually on July 19 in Selakh rural district of Qeshm Island, fishermen celebrate Nowruz-e Sayyad day, meaning the Fisher’s New Year, which is one of the oldest Iranian traditions.

On this day, locals believe that fishing should be stopped to offer peace upon the fishes in order to respect the Mother Nature.

They do not eat or fish sea creatures during the day which marks the coming of the new fishing season. They wear new clothes, play traditional instruments and dance all day.

Baking cookies, painting doors and palms, and playing group games are all parts of the traditional ritual to raise the younger generations’ awareness on protecting the sea life.
Every part of Iran you go, there are many rituals that you can attend and enjoy but it matters when to go where. So if you are willing to assimilate into Iranian culture and traditions, do a research before start traveling as all the wise travelers do.

About Qeshm Island

Qeshm Island, with 135 kilometers long, is located below the Iranian southern coasts where the Persian Gulf meets the Oman Gulf, resulting in to be a strategic geopolitical point.

For centuries, the island, encircled by the azure waters of the Strait of Hormuz, has been a trading hub for merchant ships coming from Africa, India, and China. The fisher inhabitants of Qeshm gradually assimilated chunks of the foreigners’ cultures and beliefs.

The most populated and modern metropolitan area, Qeshm city, is at the easternmost part of the island. Spending time in the city on one hand narrows down to visiting malls or having spicy traditional dishes in seafood restaurants, and on the other hand it is limited to two or three historical sites such as the Portuguese Castle.