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Poetry Evening at Mor Malke Church, Sydney
On Friday December 12 a poetry evening was held by the Babylon Cultural Association at the Mor Malke Syrian Orthodox church Hall in Greenacre. It was attended by more than 75 people, mostly members of the western Assyrian community.
The program lasted two hours (from 8:30pm to 10:30pm), and began with poetry, mostly in Classical Syriac (kthobonoyo) read by young boys and girls from the Saturday language school run by the association. Malfono Tammuz Tammuz also read a humorous poem in the colorful Turoyo dialect.
The highlight of the evening were poems recited by Malfono Ninos Aho, songs sung by Rabi Yosip Bet-Yosip, as well as speeches by the two concerning their recent participation in the World Congress of Poets in Taiwan.
Presentations of engraved pens were made to the poets by former association presidents. Also many CDs were sold as mementos of the occasion. Everyone left the warm gathering content and full of love and respect for the poets.
Special thanks to everyone from the Babylon Cultural Association for their hard efforts in making the evening a success.
“Assyrian Poetic Vision” at the Assyrian Sports and Cultural Club, Sydney
On Saturday December 13 a poetry night and party called “Assyrian Poetic Vision” was held by a group of Assyrian Associations in Sydney at the Assyrian Sports and Cultural Club in Fairfield Heights.
Among the organizers of the night were the Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA-Australia Chapter), the Assyrian National Organization (ANO), the Assyrian Liberation Party (GFA), and the Gilgamesh Cultural Centre. The event was attended by more than 300 people.
The poetry program began at 8pm and lasted until 10:30 pm, and was followed by a party that finished at 2:30am. The poetry program showcased two guest poets, Malfono Ninos Aho and Rabi Yosip Bet-Yosip who not only spoke of their experiences at the World Congress of Poets in Tawian, but also read some of their best poems. Rabi Yosip also sang a song by William Daniel. Background music was supplied by Ninos Toma (tamboura).
There were two performances by the Assyrian Folkloric Dance Group, under the management of Joseph Dadisho. Prolific Iraqi writer Ghaylan also participated by reading work by prominent Iraqi-Assyrian poet Sargon Paulus. The Masters of Ceremonies were Nicholas Al-Jeloo and Margo Hawel.
Presentations of certificates to the two guest poets were made by former mayor Anwar Khoshaba and Assyrian Sports and Cultural Club president Diryawish Shlemon. After the end of the official program, the party began with performances by Sargon Gabriel and local singer Ninos Toma.
House of Iraqi Poets at the Assyrian Sports and Cultural Club, Sydney
On Sunday December 14 a poetry afternoon was held by the House of Iraqi Poets, in conjunction with the Gilgamesh Cultural Centre at the Assyrian Sports and Cultural Club in Fairfield Heights. It was attended by more than 150 people from the Iraqi community, many of them Assyrians.
The program lasted four hours (from 2pm to 6pm), and showcased local Iraqi and Assyrian poets, as well as Malfono Ninos Aho and Rabi Yosip Bet-Yosip. Most of them showed their love for their Mesopotamian ancestors, and emphasized the safeguarding of Iraq’s antiquities and reviving our past glory. A play about Iraq was also staged.
Malfono Ninos read one poem in Arabic, as well as one the eastern dialect “Aturaya Khata” (the New Assyrian), and one in the western dialect “Habtho d-Heto” (Grain of Wheat), and Rabi Yosip also read a poem in the eastern dialect “Ganta d-Alaha, Atri Bet-Nahrain” (The Garden of God, my Land Mesopotamia). An Arabic translation was read by Dr. William Eshaya Warda. Among the other Assyrian participants was local poet Margo Hawel, and among the more prolific Iraqi writers that participated was Ghaylan.
The event was followed by an information night by the Assyrian Aid Society of Australia, detailing the present developments in Iraq and our people after the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian General Conference. This was held from 6pm-9pm and included exclusive video footage of the conference.
Political Rally at the Assyrian Charity and Educational Community, Sydney
On Monday December 15 a Political Rally was hosted by Poets Ninos Aho and Yosip Bet-Yosip at the Ashur Club in Horsley Park. It was attended by about 70 people from all the different political parties and local associations.
The program lasted from 8pm to 11pm and in it the two poets presented a short history of the Assyrian nationalist movement and their perspectives on its future. Their conclusion dwelt on the formation of a network of pure nationalists that would achieve Assyrian national rights by 2050. The other alternative to this being either assimilated in the west or pushed out of the Middle East.
After a prolonged question time, with heated discussion on different current issues, Malfono Ninos concluded the evening with a reading of “Aturaya Khata” (the New Assyrian). This was their final event together in Australia.
Many CDs were sold as mementos of the occasion. Special thanks to Lenny Paul for his hard efforts in making more copies of the CDs for sale on such short notice. Special thanks also to everyone from the Assyrian associations and political organizations in Sydney for their hard efforts in making the tour of Malfono Ninos and Rabi Yosip a success. |
