Check out this Assyrian babe Linda George while I write a spot here. Yeah, some Michael Jackson schtick at first but then she gets into her groove with the local stuff.
Anyway, I just happened to get interested in the Assyrian language, and bopped around the Inter-Web as is my usual style. Assyrian pre-dates Arabic, Semitic, and Greek languages by a wide margin, thousands of years, and might just be what the "babel of Babylon" was about in the Bible, although I don't understand that rant either.
So anyway, there's the map and the dark green areas show where you might find a few Assyrians still living, at least the ones that haven't been exterminated yet. It was once a huge empire encompassing parts of Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. Their religion is similar to Greek Orthodox, which is why they're constantly being exterminated - because they're not Muslim.
Maybe a feel for the music before we get too wild here, OK?
I duly plan to take mental journeys to other places such as the Mayans in Mexico, and see if I can find some of their native music which (haha) ought to have at least one imitation of a Michael Jackson song. Oceania? Mali? The mind reels.
15 comments:
I'm Assyrian myself and there are more in Diaspora than there are in our native homeland.. so you're right about the extermination part. It isn't just religious pressures though - its a denial of Genocide (WW1), political pressure and manipulation within Iraq, and Islamic extremism.
Assyrians are the indigenous people of Northern Iraq, and with a claim (that is much supported) like that, and simultaneously being a minority in the region; the fear is that we are owed things, reparations, land, even basic rights, that will empower us more in our (now) manufactured country of origin. Iraq, being this manufactured country, is more prone to violent nationalism than religious extremism. This can be seen since its creation with extremely nationalistic governments in power, ignoring the Islamic revolution next door in Iran despite a majority Shia population residing within. We need our rights as indigenous people, everything else should then follow. Iraq's Constitution opens with the statement "we, the people of Mesopotamia" - funny that ordinary Iraqis have retained barely anything of Ancient Mespotamian culture yet accomodate a people that do (us Assyrians) and marginalise them despite a few Articles in the Constitution that champion our rights.
Anyway, just thought I would vent aimlessly like I always do when I come across anything about Assyrians.
It is complete rubbish to say, "ordinary Iraqis have retained barely anything of Ancient Mespotamian culture". First off, why is it "ordinary", are Iraqi people somehow not 'special enough' for you? Secondly, the substratum of Iraqi culture and ethnicity is Sumero-Akkadian, and, contrary to what some so-called Assyrians think, we Iraqis are also native Mesopotamians and heirs of Sumer, Akkad, Assyria and Babylonia - not just you. Assyria IS NOT the exclusive heritage of the so-called Assyrians (whom genetic testing reveals are closer clustered with Jordanians, ie. Arameans, than Iraqis, ie. Sumero-Akkadians), it is the heritage of ALL Iraqis regardless of language.
As an Iraqi, let me dispel a myth. I consider Assyrians to be my people, because I consider myself an Assyrian (not an Arab), and most Iraqis and Assyrians agree on this.
Those Assyrians who reject any affinity and association with Iraq are not real Assyrians. They put Christianity first, and Assyrianism last. Paradoxically, most 'Assyrians' despite clinging to the name 'Assyrian' like to include ALL of ancient Mesopotamia as their heritage... ahem
So they are (a) de-facto Mesopotamian nationalists, but (b) shun Iraq and Iraqi people (Mesopotamia proper), and (c) restrict themselves in name to Assyrian. Cognitive dissonance, anyone?
Iraq is Beth Nahrain. Not Nineveh.
We Iraqis are the indigenous people of Beth Nahrain. Are you Assyrian? then you belong with us. shlama lukh.
I'm Assyrian. I'm an atheist. I'm from Iraq. My family was originally from Turkey and Iran. Others, from what is now Syria. Mesopotamia - and its inhabitants - were in what is the northern part of Iraq, and the southeastern parts of turkey, northeastern parts of Syria, and northwestern parts of Iran. Most northern "Arab" Iraqis (and even some Kurdish tribes) are actually arabized or kurdified Assyrians, this is true (Tikriti women still make the sign of the cross in their dough when they need it - they don't know why, but we do - it is an Assyrian Christian tradition).
Assyrians who are from Iraq do not hate Iraq or Iraqis, so calm down. The ones from Syria, or Turkey, or Iran, have no "elaqa" with Iraq so why should they? Some get involved because they recognize Nineveh was the capital of their ancient empire and want to help their fellow Assyrians, but that's about it.
If one self-identifies as an Assyrian - they are an Assyrian. That's the beauty of nationality. If one doesn't self identify - even if their great-great-great-great grandparents were Assyrians, then they are no longer Assyrians.
You cannot force a nationality onto people, nor can anyone take a nationality away from someone. Most Arab Iraqis self-identify as "Iraqi" or "Arab" descendants of Mesopotamia. Fine. They probably are. Let them be. But we, ASSYRIANS, still use the name Assyrian. Deal with it. Iraq is less than 100 years old.
Iraq is not "less than 100 years old". That is merely the independent state. Iraq's colonial borders do not include the whole nation, either. If they did, almost all Assyrians would be included. The Urmia region in Iran is just beyond the frontier of Beth Nahrain. That many Assyrians live there is the result of migration.
Those Assyrians living outside the borders of Iraq should understand that they belong to the country of the two rivers. And that country today - restricted colonial borders notwithstanding, is Iraq. They should also understand that ancient Assyrians were not Christians or Muslims.
Please understand what we really are, we are not just "Assyrians", we are Arabized and Arameanized Sumero-Akkadians, or Assyro-Babylonians. Most "Iraqis" self identify as "Iraqi" (not Arab). "Iraqi" means an indigenous Mesopotamian - a Sumero-Akkadian, an Assyro-Babylonian, one who descends from the native people of Mesopotamia.
The Iraqi nation is the oldest nation in the world. In ancient times our nation had rival capitals in the north and south, which their names are derived from, but Assyria and Babylonia were northern and southern states of the same nation, a nation defined by geography, language, culture and religion.
Our (Mesopotamia's) greatest failure, is that historically we never unified our rival northern and southern states (Assur and Babil) except under empire. Egypt achieved this early on, and that is why Egypt as a country is considered to predate the Egyptian state, whereas people question this for Iraq. However, we have always been a country, the country of the two rivers.
It is not as simple as self-identification. "Assyrian" isn't a nationality. "Assyrian" is the ancient culture of northern Iraq. "Iraq" means Mesopotamia, because it is Geography which most defines a nation, and the Tigris-Euphrates valley is a nation.
Iraqis are Arabized Sumero-Akkadians. Assyrians are Arameanized Sumero-Akkadians. We are one people. Recognize that.
uneducated fools.Assyria has been around for thousands of years before dirty Arabs crawled their way in there bringing with them the filth that is Islam.They FORCED people there to become muslim and FORCED the arabic language on them as they mixed with them.The people who chose not to convert to arab or islam are modern day Assyrians,because of this they have been targeted for massacres by arabs,kurds and turks alike with each trying to claim Assyrians as a minority of their own culture.Arabs were given control of the land that Assyrians had been living in for thousands of years by the English,this only happened 90 years ago.They renamed this land IRAQ.In reality Iraq is a country based on lies and corruption,trying to bring three very different races(Assyrians,arabs and kurds)to live as one,and this will never happen without one of the races wiping out the other two.Assyrians are first on the to-go list,being outnumbeed 70 to 1,then its a battle between kurds and arabs.if the united nations was not corrupt why not just split the country into three,giving each land mass according to the population?Assyrians are forced to speak Arabic or Kurdish in their own land,which their ancestors lived in for thousands of years before these so called IRAQIS came.WHY?any Assyrian who aknoledges the country Iraq is a dog.They are occupying Assyrian land.And Assyrians who refer to themselves as christian iraqis should be shot,because assyrians are NOT Iraqi,Iraq is simply occupying Assyria.Why do arabs not realise this,but they get so defesive over their arab brothers from palestine.why do they want them to have a country of their own?why dont they just live as israeli muslims??No,an arab will tell you that they are palestinian no matter if the united nations and the world sees them as israeli muslims.well In the same way Assyrians are not christian Iraqis,they are ASSYRIAN.completely different.different language,diferent alphabet,different culture,different blood,different flag.so whats the only thing Assyria has in common with iraq??Iraq is occupying Assyria,and therefore want Assyrians to accept they are iraqi but simply have a different religion,christianity.well any real Assyrian will tell you this will never happen,Assyrians are Assyrians not iraqi christians.god willing we will have our own country,we are not part of iraq and dont want anything to do with it
I have come to the point where I no longer have any respect nor sympathy for so-called Assyrians. Fact is, you are not Assyrians you are Arameans, you speak Aramaic. In fact most of you don't even speak Aramaic.
In the 19th century you invented a fake Assyrian identity to steal the credit for Ancient Iraqi civilization from the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people are the indigenous Sumero-Akkadians.
If you Aramean fools knew anything about Iraqi history, you would know that Assyria always looked up to Babylonia (Šumeri u Akkadi). They recognized it as a sister-culture; a much older one, that they originated from and belonged to.
That is why when the Assyrian tyrant Sennacherib desecrated Babylon, his own sons killed him for it.
Babylonians kept the Sumero-Akkadian language, writing, and religion much longer than Assyrians did, right into the 1st century AD. A few centuries later they adopted Arabic and renamed their country; Irak, after the first Sumerian city; Uruk.
Thankfully there are fewer and fewer Arameans in Iraq, and you have no power at all.
judging by your misinformed facts you are either arab or kurd.either way you have no right to that land.you say that we are not assyrian we are aramean.that is the second stupidest thing you have said after summerian and akkadians 'adopted' arabic.what a joke.mohameds thugs came and FORCED islam and MIXED with the original inhabbitants of south mesopotamia and they FORCED their decendents to speak arabic.therefore all of these southerners have majority arab blood in them,they are arabs,no longer summerians or akkadian.the mesopotamians in the north however CHOSE to be christian and CHOSE to speak aramaic which was the main language of the whole middle east at the time.even jesus who lived in israel spoke aramaic,does this mean he was aramean also?there is no evidence that shows a mass migration (weather it be a millitary or civillian based one)moving arameans into north mesopotamia.however there IS EVIDENCE and it is a HISTORIC FACT that arabs from what is modern day saudi arabia did mass migrate to the north into the middle east destroying,killing and converting whoever came into their path.they conquered the whole middle east except for the small parts which had assyrians,armeneans and jewes.these arabs can not claim they are mesopotamian just as modern day americans can not claim they are native indian.lets say you are right and we are arameans(which is not the case)arameans were still in mesepotamia before dirty arabs ever where so id stop going with that sad claim if i were you.arabs only came after 600 ad,there are "aramean" churches in bet nahrin which go back to 200 ad,so get your facts right before you open your dirty mouth you iraqi.and by the way,iraqi history??what history??iraq was MADE in 1920 by the english..there was no such thing as iraq before then.what was your grandfather??cant be iraqi before 1920,guess he was arab.my grandfather on the other hand was assyrian,and his grandfather and his..or "aramean" as you say which would still predate "IRAQ"..you say you have no respect for assyrians??well we dont need your respect you dirty iraqi,the only respect iraqi people have is for people who they are scared of and fuck their mothers such as sadam.that is why grown iraqi men,3 star iraqi generals dance around him like belly dancers..bitches!!you have no sympathy??well i live in the west and everyday when i watch cnn and i see how many iraqis are dying i grin from ear to ear.i laugh to myself,how im happy here and dirty iraqis are going through the same things they put my grandparents through.god bless america,may she put an end to this filthy country created by evil men called iraq
Well, everybody can see how hate-filled, uneducated, and uncivilized you are.
You have an unhealthy mind.
God bless the great unbreakable Iraqi people.
Uneducated indeed,ofcourse we hate the scum occupyinng our land and stealing our history.we Assyrians were the most educated people on earth leading the world in technological advances in that time before Arabs came,funny thing is what has the middle east done since the arrival of Arabs and Islam?Absolutely nothing,infact they have taken steps backwards while the rest of the world goes forward.they haven't invented or built shit,just occupy and destroy like a cancer spreading.even the greatest mosqes in the middle east are converted Christian churches..ie Damascus,Istanbul..what the he'll has iraq done in it's young history??what have they built??NOTHING..just destroying,Assyrians,Kurds,jewes then they sucked american cock and started a war with Iran then turned to Kuwait and finally destroyed itself..that is what you call uneducated,they produce more oil than any country in the world but look at the country..shit hole!!sadam spent it all on making an army of belly dancers..what a joke.but that is exactly what these scum Iraqi people deserve anyway,think they're tough invading kuwait,massacaring Kurds and assyrians..well why are they crying now that America has picked a fight with them.iraq was never in gods plans,in revelations it says there will be a road between Assyria,israel and Egypt..not dirty Iraq,so feel free to keep blowing yourselves up you scum Iraqis,keep killing eachother,it's possibly the best thing you've done for this world in your 90 year history
You calling Assyrians uncivillized??pffft..don't make me laugh,just watch the news when they show Iraq..that is the defenition of uncivilized..lol belly dancers..funny coz it's true,bunch of man sluts
God bless the unbreakable Iraqi bellydancing men
I called 'you' uncivilized. Not Assyrians.
You are a very foul and obnoxious individual. You are an embarrassment to Assyrians.
Be gone.
Ok Ali Baba,I shall go now
Immature too.
Why are you even interested in the Middle East, you clearly are ashamed of your roots and hate everything Middle Eastern.
How dare you pretend to be Aturaye.
Greetings everyone, This webpage is great and so is how the matter was expanded. I like a number of the comments as well although I would like all of us keep it on topic so as add value to the subject. It will likely be also encouraging to the writer if all of us may share it (for some of us who use bookmarking companies similar to a digg, twitter,..).
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