By Harry Kane

On Monday the monthly cultural celebration at the Somerville Council on Aging filled 70 people with some “wonderful music” said Lisa Heyison, the Outreach Coordinator.

The visitors were entertained with musical performances by Garo Papazian and Hagop Garabedian performing Persian, Armenian, Turkish and Klezmer music.

Mr. Papazian played on his doumbek, a kind of drum, and Mr. Garabedian played on his keyboard.

“I enjoyed the music and the food, and the conversation at the table,” said Margaret Durkin.

Durkin was sitting with a woman from Iran, a woman from Columbia and a man from Greece. “We had a league of nations at the table.”

Chef Hamid of Kolbeh Restaurant in Cambridge prepared a meal of hummus, pita bread, salad, chicken kabob and rice
with Baklava for dessert.

Chef Hamid shared with the group how his family celebrated the New Year when he was growing up in Iran.  He spoke of the beauty of his culture and the fond memories of family and friends getting together to celebrate the New Year.

Nowruz, which means New Day, is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year.  It marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar falling on the Spring Equinox.

Next month on June 11 the Brazilian culture will be celebrated.