Nowruz, Haft-Seen, and the Tired Glass Bowl

The presence or absence of goldfish on the Haft-Seen table has prompted many to join virtual campaigns to preserve the life of this creature. Campaigns that shout from one side, 'We do not buy goldfish!' and on the other hand, sometimes liken small red fish to unwanted guests. The presence of goldfish on the Haft-Seen table, with its enchanting and magical spin that gives meaning to the Iranian New Year, is not a long-standing tradition, but according to Shahin Sepanta, founder of the Isfahan Animal Protection Association, it has ancient roots: 'Goldfish are species that Iranians have known throughout history; if you look at the artifacts from the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods, you can see images of goldfish on various objects like Sassanid plates, which are actually engraved in connection with spring.' In recent years, aside from the perception of goldfish being imported, other discussions have entered the campaigns, such as the disease-causing nature of these creatures. However, the trend of buying goldfish has not diminished. Shahin Sepanta in Isfahan states: 'Whether we like it or not, it has become part of the people's culture, and many recognize Nowruz through these goldfish; it creates excitement in many children and makes them interested in Iranian culture.' The fate of the goldfish in the glass bowl is a tragic end for some environmental activists and animal lovers, which can even be searched in the song 'Tired Fish' composed by Assyrian Iranian composer William Khano, performed by Fereydoun Foroughi. Maryam Sanaei, an animal rights activist in Tehran, speaks of the success of these campaigns: 'It has definitely been very effective; many people now do not place fish on their Haft-Seen table anymore; they may place a symbol of it or many people just put a bowl of water on the table, perhaps placing a jasmine flower on it or an apple inside.' Maryam Sanaei: Most people view animals as a form of entertainment and do not think deeply about caring for them. In contrast to the boycott perspective on goldfish on the Haft-Seen table, some believe that buyers should be educated on how to care for these creatures, and if someone cannot keep these fish after Nowruz, municipalities should be obliged to take these fish back and keep them in urban fountains. Shahin Sepanta, bringing up evidence, believes these campaigns have only succeeded in creating an emotional wave: 'Statistics show that the production of goldfish farming has increased in recent years; we even have statistics that these fish have been welcomed by neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, and we have exported them to them.' But this is not the whole story; Shahin Sepanta speaks of the issue being overlooked: 'Unfortunately, environmentalists, despite all the noise they have made in recent years, have not had any plans for [controlling fish farming centers]. That is, these centers still have high mortality rates, and there is no proper oversight on them, and unfortunately, we witness widespread disorder in sales centers, meaning that someone who sells flowers or has a grocery store also sells goldfish.' As goldfish farmers awaken to the sound of spring and begin mass production of these creatures, a group of animal rights activists like Maryam Sanaei only buy them for one reason: just hours before the New Year, street vendors and shopkeepers return these fish to the gutter or on the ground, and they do not care where they are disposing of them. As a passerby, when I see that this animal is being discarded in this way, I prefer to buy it and take it home in the hope of giving it a longer life; now this life may be 10 to 15 days or it may last one or two years.' Shahin Sepanta: Unfortunately, environmentalists, despite all the noise they have made in recent years, have not had any plans for [controlling fish farming centers]. The presence of goldfish on the Haft-Seen table and its silent and calm death, if painful for some, there are activists who believe that by following principles, one can take good care of this creature and view its presence on the Haft-Seen table as a good omen. Shahin Sepanta: 'We should use this good opportunity and teach people, especially children, how to coexist with other creatures and how to properly care for them, rather than creating distance between them and scaring them unnecessarily.' Maryam Sanaei believes that society's recreational view of this creature should change: 'Most people view animals as a form of entertainment and do not think deeply about caring for them.' A wave of logical support for the life of this environmental species is something that the goldfish and the tired glass bowl of Haft-Seen shout in its silence with its soft and passionate dance.