Part I Few members of the Chaldean community in Detroit still survive and remember what the village was like in the early 1900s, when our pioneers made the brave and challenging journey to America. What drove them to accomplish such a feat? To understand the enormity of such a journey, it’s necessary to recall the reality of village life and its simplicity.
Read MoreThe culinary traditions of the Chaldean community are as rich and diverse as our ancient history. Originating from the cradle of civilization, Chaldean cuisine boasts a plethora of flavors that narrate our cultural heritage. As the Chaldeans found a new home in Detroit, Michigan, we brought along our cherished recipes, crafting a unique food narrative that melds ancient traditions with the modern-day food landscape of the Motor City.
Read MoreIn Iraq, Christmas is a unique occasion for Christians; the celebrations, customs, and traditions are very religious in nature. Persecuted for their faith, the people in Iraq associate the festival of Christmas with two things — the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrations of the mid-winter holidays. With great devotion, the Christians celebrate the festival of Christmas by carrying out religious services and reciting prayers. The celebrations are historically serene and peaceful.
Read MoreDetroit is home to a unique Middle Eastern community who call themselves Chaldeans. This article attempts to illuminate the Chaldean heritage and religion, tracing its journey from the grand civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia to the culturally rich villages of Northern Iraq. We will explore the profound legacy of the Chaldeans and examine the integral role of the Church of the East in their identity.
Read MoreFrom November 3 through November 5, pieces from select artists were displayed at the Chaldean Community Foundation for the 2nd Annual Beth Nahrain Art Show. Featured artists included Reni Stephan, Sabah Wazi, Azhr Matti, Wilson Sarkis, Mark Georgies, Cassidy Azzow, Fr. Patrick Setto, Emad Tammo, Habib Hannona and Savannah Meyer. Proceeds from the event benefited the victims of the Bakhdida wedding fire through a fundraising effort supported by Nineveh Rising.
Read MoreNearly 700 attendees had the opportunity to experience the land between two rivers through paintings, woodwork and sculptures at the 2nd Annual Beth Nahrain Art Show held at the Chaldean Community Foundation November 3-5.
Featured artists included Reni Stephan, Sabah Wazi, Azhr Matti, Wilson Sarkis, Mark Georgies, Cassidy Azzow, Fr. Patrick Setto, Emad Tammo, Habib Hannona and Savannah Meyer. Proceeds from the event benefited the victims of the Bakhdida wedding fire through a fundraising effort supported by Nineveh Rising.
Read MoreIn the world of culinary delights, few things can match the mouthwatering tang and flavor offered by a good old-fashioned Iraqi mango pickle (amba). To tell the story of amba, or as it is popularly known in India, Aam ka Achar, we must begin with the story of Indian Ocean trade and the long-standing historical network of merchants who traversed this massive body of water for millennia bringing spices, people, and ideas to Basra-Iraq from all directions.
Read MoreMesopotamia, located in what is now Iraq, is considered the birthplace of writing and with it, recorded history. Its people also built the world’s first cities and developed the oldest known political and administrative systems and drafted the first known letter. The very idea of philosophy was introduced in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Read MoreThe Chaldean Cultural Center (CCC) celebrated its 20th Anniversary Founders Gala on Friday, October 20 at Shenandoah Country Club. It was a night reminiscent of an ethnic bazaar, with a Chaldean bread lady, music, and other entertainment along with a stroll through the museum, a short documentary and commemoration.
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In the rich tapestry of American diversity, the Chaldean community stands out as a vibrant example of immigrants who have not only embraced the American dream but have also contributed significantly to the country’s defense. With a deep sense of patriotism and a commitment to safeguarding the freedoms they’ve come to know, Chaldean Americans in every generation have a proud tradition of serving in the United States military. Hundreds of men and women have joined the effort to protect and serve.
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The Aramaic language, known today in its many names and dialects like Chaldean, Assyrian, Syriac, or Sureth, was once the lingua franca of vast swathes of the Middle East and served as the voice of culture and thought for many people in the region. This language, although it experienced a significant decline since that time, has become a defining feature of the Chaldean identity, especially as waves of Chaldeans migrated to new lands in search of opportunity and safety.
Read MoreMartin Luther is credited with saying, “Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven. Thus, let us drink beer!” Beer is one of the oldest drinks known to man. Before Adolphus Busch, Arthur Amstel, and Samuel Adams – before Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors, Michelob, the English Newcastle Brown Ale, the Irish Guinness, the Dutch Heineken, the Mexican Corona, the Belgian Stella Artois, and the Australian Fosters, there was Mesopotamian beer from Sumer.
Read MoreOnce upon a time, Iraq had a well-functioning British-style education system, consisting of primary and secondary schools and eight tertiary institutions, including a well-regarded medical school in Baghdad and one of the oldest Islamic universities on Earth, Mustansiriya University, dating from the year 1233. Seriously damaged during military occupations and by rioting students in 2007, the university suffered trauma from which it is still recovering.
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The Chaldean News sponsored a trip to Kalamazoo last month for a father-son duo, Nick and Randy Najjar, to share their story with a program called StoryCorps, which aims to “illuminate the humanity and possibility in us all – one story at a time.”
Read MoreA group from the Jewish community and West Bloomfield leadership visited the Chaldean Cultural Center inside Shenandoah Country Club on Saturday, August 5. This was the first of a series of events for the year-long Chaldean Story project, made possible with support from Michigan Humanities Grants.
Read MoreAmong the many inventions credited to Mesopotamian cultures, most notably the Sumerians, are the first written language, first code of law, first urbanization in the form of city-states, first astronomical calendar, and first numerical system based on 60 (seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour). They also invented the idea of a 24-hour day and the concept of zero!
Read MoreIt began with the Seyfo Genocide between 1914 – 1925 and peaked with the Semele [Simele] Massacre in 1933, exactly 90 years ago. If you ever wondered what our community was doing during World War I and the Great Depression, this was it.
Read MoreIn many ways, the Detroit Riots of 1967 represent a turning point for the city. At the time, few could see into Detroit’s future. Distorted memories of life before the summer of ‘67 offer a nostalgic glimpse into what the city was and a painful image of what it could have been. Recollections of the riots offer a chance to see the moments that tore Detroit apart, a city pushed to the brink by economic stagnation in a changing world, a hostile police force, and a downtrodden minority population.
Read MoreThe Aramaic language reached South India long before the Christian era. According to Rev. Dr. George Kurukkoor, a philologist and professor of Sanskrit and Malayalam languages, it arrived as far back as the 7th century BC when Sumerians, Babylonians, Jews, and others from the Middle East came to India in pursuit of commercial trade. In later centuries, its importance was replaced by other languages.
Read MoreChaldeans from Iraq began coming to Detroit a century ago. In the 1960s, they began pouring in, some to join their families, some to escape the persecution that this Christian minority faced over the years in their ancestral homeland. Metro Detroit now is home to an estimated 200,000 Chaldeans. Tens of thousands of them started their lives in Chaldean Town; at one point, a quarter of the area’s Chaldeans lived there.
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