After my father’s passing, I received an email from someone I didn’t know. She told me that even though she had never had the chance to meet my dad, she had written a poem about him, and that she would send it to me if I liked. It was called “Zel ba-Shlomo” (Go in Peace).

I thanked her and asked her to please send it to me so I could share it with my family, and if it was ok with her, on Facebook (with an English translation for those who don’t read Suryoyo). I loved her touching poem but her response to my question really made me respect her; “I wrote the poem in Assyrian letters. It is important for me that it is written in Assyrian in order to promote [our] language. So if you share it on Facebook, please [do so] with the Assyrian letters and you can post also the English translation. In Assyrian there is a rhyme, in the English translation there is no rhyme.”

Here was a young Assyrian woman who was living in the Western world but still had such deep respect for our language. Later when I asked her where she lived so I could include it in the post, she told me it doesn’t matter where she lives now; “I am from Tur Abdin, Beth-Nahrin, and I want to be known as someone from there.”

What an inspiration to us all, especially our younger generations. Living in diaspora does not mean we can’t have great pride in our nation and language!

Basna, thank you for your nationalistic pride, for your lovely poem about a man who many have told me was a nationalistic father to all our people, and for carrying on a tradition that celebrates our beautiful language.

 

 

Zel ba-Shlomo

Zel ba-shlomo Ninos Aho

Gab foruqan Yeshu” Mshiho

Lebo d-kulan ko foyesh Tliho

Ema d-mefrash menan aho

Kenor zabno lo Tre le d-sholat

w-oflo napshokh balHuD d-Hozat

Lo, “amokh kule ko Hozat

w lu athro daru ko qorat

K-zorat b-qanyokh di Hirutho

l-BethNahrin mothan lhiqutho

Akh Habtho d-HeTo b-leb “laymutho

d-mHarro Ashur mi mshabdutho

Lo k-Tofe bahro d-suryoyutho

Kitla umthan kawkbo Hatho

Bi malkutho shmayonitho

Ho k-Hayri alan abohotho

Go In Peace

Go in peace Ninos Aho

To our saviour Jesus Christ

Our hearts are torn apart

When a brother leaves us

The harp of time did not silence you

And did not let you see only yourself

No, you see all your people

And you call, “Return to the homeland!”

You sow with your pen of freedom

Longing for our homeland Beth-Nahrin

Like a wheat of grain in the heart of the youth

To liberate Assyria from bondage

The light of the Assyrian people won’t go out

Our nation has a new star

In the heavenly kingdom

Behold, the forefathers are watching over us

 

-Zalgai Aho

Posted by Zalgai Aho on Monday, January 6th, 2014 @ 2:04AM
Categories: Culture, Ninos Aho - Life, Poetry, Society, Youth