In a concerted effort to preserve their endangered language, which has echoed through the corridors of history for over two millennia, Iraq’s diminutive and conflict-affected Christian community is initiating a novel television channel.
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Syriac, an antiquated dialect of Aramaic, has customarily served as the lingua franca for Christian communities in Iraq and neighbouring Syria. It is primarily employed in domestic conversations, some educational settings, and during religious services. However, Syriac-speaking populations in these nations have been on a steady decline over recent decades, largely attributed to persistent conflicts that have compelled many to seek refuge in more peaceful countries. In Iraq, for instance, the Christian demographic is estimated to have dwindled by over two-thirds within a span of just over 20 years.
Mariam Albert, a news presenter for the Syriac-language Al-Syriania television channel, expresses a solemn sentiment, “We may continue to converse in Syriac within our homes, yet, the sad truth is, our cherished language seems to be gradually slipping into oblivion.” In a bid to rescue this dwindling language, the Iraqi government established Al-Syriania in April. With a team of about 40 personnel, the channel produces a diverse array of programs that span cinema, art, and history.
Albert, a 35-year-old mother, expresses the importance of the channel, asserting, “It’s crucial to have a media platform that resonates with us.” While many programs are presented in dialect forms of Syriac, Albert notes that the channel’s news segments are exclusively broadcasted in classical Syriac, a version that might not be comprehended by all.
Station director, Jack Anwia, articulates the objective of Al-Syriania as “the preservation of the Syriac language” through the medium of “entertainment.” He nostalgically recollects a time when Syriac was extensively spoken across the Middle East and urges that Baghdad bears the responsibility to prevent it from falling into extinction. Emphasizing Iraq’s rich cultural and religious diversity, he asserts, “The beauty of Iraq lies in its multiculturalism and religious pluralism.”
As one of the cradles of civilization, Iraq is home to various ancient civilizations, including the Sumerians and Babylonians, responsible for the earliest known written legal code. Furthermore, it is the birthplace of Abraham, as referenced in the Bible. Presently, Iraq’s population predominantly comprises Shiite Muslims, with Sunni Muslims, Kurds, Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities also inhabiting the region. Arabic and Kurdish are recognized as the official languages.
Prior to the 2003 United States-led invasion, Iraq housed approximately 1.5 million Christians. This figure has since significantly reduced to around 400,000, primarily residing in the north, as a result of the horrifying reign of the Islamic State group (IS) that engulfed the country in 2014.
Kawthar Askar, who heads the Syriac language department at Salahaddin University in Arbil, in the autonomous Kurdistan region, opines that Syriac has been “marginalized.” He cautiously states, “We can’t outrightly declare it a dead language… (but) its existence certainly hangs in the balance.” He attributes this threat to migration, stating that while emigrant families may initially continue using Syriac, it is often abandoned by subsequent generations. Salahaddin University currently imparts Syriac language education to approximately 40 students, with additional learners pursuing it in Baghdad.
“There was a time when Syriac was a predominant language across the Middle East,” Anwia reminisces, reinforcing the belief that Baghdad bears a compelling responsibility to prevent its extinction. He takes pride in the remarkable cultural and religious diversity of Iraq, underscoring its rich historical tapestry.
Being one of the birthplaces of civilization, Iraq’s contributions are immense, from housing ancient civilizations like the Sumerians and Babylonians who crafted the earliest known written legal code, to being home to the biblical city of Ur, renowned as Abraham’s birthplace. In contemporary times, however, the country’s demographic composition is predominantly Shiite Muslim, with the presence of Sunni Muslims, Kurds, Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities. Arabic and Kurdish hold the status of official languages.
Syriac education is also provided in approximately 265 schools across Iraq, informs Imad Salem Jajjo, the official overseeing Syriac instruction within the Ministry of Education. The earliest written evidence of Syriac can be traced back to the first or second century BC, and its zenith was reached between the fifth and seventh centuries AD, according to Askar. During its prime, Syriac pervaded daily discourse, literature, scientific discourse, and public administration. However, with the onset of the Islamic conquests in the seventh century, Arabic began to dominate, leading to a marked decline of Syriac by the 11th century.
Despite enduring decades of conflict that have left deep scars on Iraq, a considerable number of Syriac books and manuscripts have survived the turmoil. In 2014, in the face of imminent seizure of parts of northern Iraq by IS fighters, the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul managed to safeguard a significant collection of age-old Syriac manuscripts from the advancing jihadists.
An impressive repository of approximately 1,700 manuscripts and 1,400 books — some dating back to the 11th century – is now maintained at Arbil’s Digital Centre for Eastern Manuscripts, a project supported by the United Nations cultural agency Unesco, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Dominican Order. Archbishop Michaeel Najeeb, affirmed that such conservation efforts are crucial to “preserve the heritage and guarantee its sustainability”.
“Syriac signifies our history; it is our mother tongue,” declares Salah Bakos, an educator from Qaraqosh, a town near Mosul, which integrated Syriac into its curriculum 18 years ago. He emphasizes the importance of teaching Syriac, not just to children but all strata of their society, asserting that, “Even if parents dismiss it as a dead language of no utility, teaching Syriac holds immense importance.”
With AFP
