Teffo
06-30-2005, 11:18 PM
Sargon B Yalda
Chicago
My oldest son Mark walked in the house one day asking “what is my Assyrian heritage?”, I gave him the same answer my father, Ben Yalda, gave me a few decades ago “Attoraya”. When he persisted that he knew he was Attoraya but from which tribe, I told him “if anyone insists on your origin tell them you are ‘Chicognaya’ because you were born and raised in Chicago”. After all that is where we all inherited our ancestral labels, which reflect the names of villages that most of us have not even heard of, let alone seen.
For years I only knew myself as Attoraya, it wasn’t until I came to Chicago when I learned what my heritage is and that was not from my parents. But that did not change my views or how I felt about other Assyrians as it often does with many of my other Assyrians who are possessed with finding out what millat is this or that and they pass judgement immediately based on their findings. If we are to get anywhere this must stop today, otherwise the new generation will never forgive us for hanging on such inconsequential traditions.
As the greatest Assyrian singer Ashur Bet Sargis says in one of his most beautiful songs;
In hawit Tiaraya, [if you are of Tiari]
Hawit Marboshnaya, [of Marbosh]
Maqwikh B’qala rama khoni [declare loudly, my brother]
Anin Attoraya [that I am Assyrian.]
La shokit Dijmin Jalada [Don't let the cruel enemy]
Hawe B’Khadooto birqada [dance happily]
Kat Akhnan B’noora B’Qyada [while we burn in his fire].
And indeed, our enemies thrive on this divide among us as a nation, as they know what we are capable of if we ever became one.
Let’s rid ourselves from these meaningless labels that serve no purpose whatsoever, except divide us. Let us live as one entity, one force, and one nation.
Long live Ator!
Chicago
My oldest son Mark walked in the house one day asking “what is my Assyrian heritage?”, I gave him the same answer my father, Ben Yalda, gave me a few decades ago “Attoraya”. When he persisted that he knew he was Attoraya but from which tribe, I told him “if anyone insists on your origin tell them you are ‘Chicognaya’ because you were born and raised in Chicago”. After all that is where we all inherited our ancestral labels, which reflect the names of villages that most of us have not even heard of, let alone seen.
For years I only knew myself as Attoraya, it wasn’t until I came to Chicago when I learned what my heritage is and that was not from my parents. But that did not change my views or how I felt about other Assyrians as it often does with many of my other Assyrians who are possessed with finding out what millat is this or that and they pass judgement immediately based on their findings. If we are to get anywhere this must stop today, otherwise the new generation will never forgive us for hanging on such inconsequential traditions.
As the greatest Assyrian singer Ashur Bet Sargis says in one of his most beautiful songs;
In hawit Tiaraya, [if you are of Tiari]
Hawit Marboshnaya, [of Marbosh]
Maqwikh B’qala rama khoni [declare loudly, my brother]
Anin Attoraya [that I am Assyrian.]
La shokit Dijmin Jalada [Don't let the cruel enemy]
Hawe B’Khadooto birqada [dance happily]
Kat Akhnan B’noora B’Qyada [while we burn in his fire].
And indeed, our enemies thrive on this divide among us as a nation, as they know what we are capable of if we ever became one.
Let’s rid ourselves from these meaningless labels that serve no purpose whatsoever, except divide us. Let us live as one entity, one force, and one nation.
Long live Ator!