Flag of Arizona
Ishtartv.com
- 12news.com
Allison Rodriguez, June 13, 2023
An ancient culture that speaks an
even older language is finding a home here in Arizona.
PHOENIX — There are more than an
estimated 400,000 Assyrians living in the U.S. today and a growing number live
in or are moving to Arizona.
It's an ancient culture speaking
an ancient language, and the local Assyrian community is making sure their
ancient traditions are kept alive.
Ninorta Kasso is part of the Assyrian
community in Arizona. She said, "If you don't know an Assyrian, you really
don't know about the history of the people or their culture."
Assyrian roots date back thousands
of years to, "Biblical times, Mesopotamia, Babylon-that region. So those
are the Assyrians," Kasso explains.
The Assyrians are the indigenous
people of certain regions of what is now modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey and
Syria. There is no current country named Assyria, but Kasso says they hold
tight their connections to the land, and she’s even done a birthright trip.
Today more than 25,000 Assyrians
all Arizona home and they work to keep their customs and traditions alive.
Kasso said, "the biggest one is the Assyrian New Year."
Recently Kasso headed up an effort
to get the Assyrian New Year recognized in Arizona on April 1st thought the
celebration typically lasts for 12 days. She and others recruited Arizona State
Representative Judy Schwiebert to help.
"Frankly I've lived in the Valley my whole life,
but I never knew about the Assyrian American culture," Rep. Schwiebert
said.
Schwiebert sponsored the
resolution and was able to get both state Democrats and Republicans to sign
off. She said, “This is a non-partisan thing. To really help celebrate our
constituents."
On March 20th the House passed the
resolution and ten days later the Senate. The community celebrated Assyrian New
Year 6773 on April 1st, 2023. It's a moment Kasso and fellow Assyrians won't
forget.
"The feeling that recognition of who the
Assyrians are and the celebration of the Assyrian New Year, it was just
amazing," she explained.
Kasso hopes this resolution will
help other Assyrians living in Arizona feel seen and know this is a state that
celebrates who they are. She said, "We are extremely resilient. We are a
resilient group of people."
In the future Kasso would like the
state to recognize the Assyrian Genocide by the Ottomans in the Middle
East. That took place from 1914 to 1923
when more than 300,000 Assyrians were killed.
For now, she’s hoping the
community will continue to grow in the state she now calls her home.
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