SURETH continued from page 28 language further contribute to this effect. Some action, however, has been taken to preserve the rich history and function of Sureth. In 1972, the Ba’athist government in Iraq granted cultural rights to Sureth speakers and other Christians and more autonomy in their own communities. This allowed us to use our own language in schools and pass it down officially. When Saddam Hussein came to power, however, these rights were revoked. Many community schools ditched teaching the native language in favor of Arabic, leading to a substantial decline in fluency. This reality was furthered by the ongoing wars and terroristic campaigns that have destroyed our communities in Iraq. In 2004 and 2005, respectively, the Constitution of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region stated that Sureth will be the language of education and culture for those who speak it, and the Constitution of Iraq gave it the status of an official language, “in the administrative units in which they constitute density of population.” FACEBOOK involved in this historic realization, including the parents that comprise D219 Suraye. In 2019, Atour Sargon, who is vice chair of the Assyrian Policy Institute (API), was elected to the Lincolnwood Board of Trustees as the first ethnic Assyrian in the city’s government. Lincolnwood is part of the Niles school district that implemented the language changes. “The D219 team hit a roadblock last year when it was made clear that in order for the proposed course to proceed at the local level, it required state-level approval,” Sargon said. That’s when API stepped in. At the same time as this issue came up, API was forming the Illinois Assyrian Caucus in the the longer term. Assyrian children who learn their language, she said, are able to maintain critical ties to their culture, affirm their identity, and preserve important connections with their elders and their homeland. “If Assyrian children can be exposed to their language early enough, thoroughly enough, and long enough, it can be hoped that the community’s shift away from the language can be reversed.” Ramina Samuel is an Assyrian school counselor in the Niles High School District 219 as well as the Vice President of an organization called BET KANU, which produces digital content in Sureth that is geared toward language-learning. a serious interest in learning the language. “We already have non-Assyrians who have elected to take the course next year,” Samuel said. “We need to remind ourselves that we do and can have a positive impact in the larger American community. Those students grew up in the area with Assyrian friends and would love to learn the language.” Naema Abraham was the President of the School Board when the course was approved. She originally immigrated to the U.S. in 1974 and settled in Niles in 1979. Abraham said when she first arrived in the town, there were very few Assyrians who lived there. In her own words, she became Americanized. While she doesn’t see this as a bad An Ancient Language in Modern Times Many Chaldeans in diaspora communities have launched programs locally to teach Sureth to Chaldeans who don’t speak it fluently, like the newest program at St. Thomas Church, or the Aramaic classes offered through the Chaldean Cultural Center. Others make it a point to teach their children. Yet more start programs online, like the comprehensive course created by the Chaldean Community Foundation and hosted by Mango Languages. In Detroit, the University of Detroit Mercy offers an official Aramaic course, and these credits transfer to several other universities in the area. Some organizations try to impart the language’s treasures into the public school system. In the world of school board elections and grassroots organizing, these campaigns can take years to bear fruit. But that only makes the accomplishment all the sweeter once it passes. Chaldean communities around the world can use the example from Niles for inspiration. Many people were The first D219 Suraye meeting for the school year. state legislature. Her political relationships helped get a meeting with the Illinois State Board of Education, which eventually accepted the curriculum and added it to the state catalog. In addition to its behind-thescenes work, API also organized a grassroots letter-writing campaign that saw more than 800 local residents write to the D219 school board to show their support for the course, according to Sargon. “This effort serves a growing interest and need among Assyrian-American students,” Sargon said. “Schools are major venues for language-learning. Assyrian language courses at the high school level can provide a natural context for language-learning and help establish Assyrian locally as a language spoken on a daily basis.” Sargon thinks this new course will help address the language problem in “My biggest concern is our approach as a community regarding our beloved language,” she said. “We need to get past discussions, disagreements, and focus on taking action. We have to see our language for its value and the richness that it brings to the world while shifting our mindset away from the idea that it is a dying language.” Samuel’s organization is designing the curriculum for the course. “The curriculum is being built following U.S. World Language Standards with the guidance and collaboration of experts in the field,” she said, adding that the course will be taught in a nontraditional way. “There is a great focus on attaining language skills needed for everyday function.” Another interesting factor has sprung up since the school district announced the addition of the course. Many regular Americans have shown thing, she also thinks it’s important to maintain a strong connection with her ancestral language and culture. Once more Assyrians moved to the Niles area, Abraham began to use her native language again and reengaged with the culture she grew up with. Despite this great progress, she is still concerned for the next generations. Her daughter, for example, speaks broken Sureth. Many parents in the diaspora try to avoid speaking Sureth in their own household so that their children will become fluent in English. On the other hand, this way of thinking contributes to the decline of the language overall. Abraham said she is beyond excited that the course was approved and will be initiated this school year. She also wants the accomplishments of Assyrian community in Niles to provide a model for others around the world. 30 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>OCTOBER</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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