HELEN TALIA

For the past nine years, UNESCO has observed The International Mother Language Day, with an objective to promote the “dissemination of mother tongues that will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education, but also to develop a fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.”

With languages being at the very heart of UNESCO's objectives, the International Mother Language Day has been observed every year in its member states and headquarters.  Sweden’s five-hour ceremony was held in Malmö, the city’s second year. 

On 21 February 2007, Assyrian Michael Mammoo, whose efforts have contributed to Sweden’s education system, was awarded the Instructor of The Year award for the mother languages of Assyrian and Arabic.   In Sweden, over 200 native ‘mother tongue’ languages exist.  The Assyrian (Syriac) and Arabic languages, taught officially by the Board of Education, won finals, with Michael Mammo triumphantly claiming the well-deserved award, having thirty years of service under his belt in Sweden’s education system.

The early 1970’s – In the following years, Michael Mammoo’s award winning personality, background and education contributed to the social progression of the Assyrian community in Iraq, becoming steadfastly active in the development and prosperity of countless social Assyrian organizations, making editorial headlines and weekly television and radio “Mawhawta” (Assyrian, Hobby) program appearances.

He was one of the founders of the Assyrian Union of Writers, where he served as the secretary and executive committee member, the latter since its foundation until his remaining years in Iraq.  Collectively, the union published its first book “Neesan d’ Khouyada Atouraya” (Assyrian, The Spring of Assyrian Unity), with the word Atouraya camouflaged just a tinge to allow for its publication.  Later, he published his first solo book on behalf of the union, titled, “In the Garden of Lyrics.”  

The Assyrian Culture Club (Arabic, Nadi Al Thaqafi Al Athouree) in Baghdad, held record for having the largest membership body, was founded on educational grounds, and published “Murdinna Atouraya” (Assyrian, The Educated Assyrian.  Mammoo served the organization’s executive committee and publication secretary – writing, editing, publishing, and circulating its magazine. 

Similarly, in Dora, Baghdad, Mammoo served the executive committee of “Nadee Al Mujtamai Al Athouree” (Arabic, Assyrian Society Club).  Outside of the Assyrian community, he was contributing editorial columns under Assyrian pages in “Al ta ‘akhee” (Arabic, Brotherhood) newspaper, and teaching Arabic language.

Operation Exodus ~ Iraq’s best of educators, doctors, Ph.D.s, attorneys, engineers, scholars, and others found themselves politically challenged to escape their cradle of birth, leaving behind everything, including a dream to contribute to Iraq’s prosperity.  That dream never came to realization as the Baathist regime swiftly removed the highest layer of Iraq’s educated class through calculated operations, one that calls to mind “Abu Tubar.”  Michael was not a stranger to harassments, interrogations, and sudden disappearances.  Sadly, he left Iraq.  But his past would find him in 1995 on the pages of the late Udai’s (the late Saddam Hussein’s son) most wanted list to receive death penalty if he, along with thousands of Iraqi writers and artists, did not return to Iraq.  The late Sargon Poules, a close friend of Michael Mammoo, also made the same list.

The late 1970’s – Upon his arrival to Jönköping, Sweden in 1977, where he currently resides with his family, Michael Mammoo has earned the equivalency of a Masters degree in Literature.  Since then, he has been very active teaching Assyrian and Arabic languages, organizing Assyrian language courses at the Babel Assyrian Club, where he has served as the president of the organization for twenty-six years.  He prepares textbooks in the Assyrian language and teaches Arabic to Swedes, along with bi-lingual core courses in Swedish to Assyrian and Arab refugee students at the Swedish Foreign Languages Institute. Mr. Mammo is the representative of foreign languages teachers at the Jönköping branch of the Swedish Federation of Teachers,” where in 2006 the state’s capital (Assyrian, hooparkeya) presented him with a personalized gold watch for 25 years of academic services in Sweden.

Books Written

Published Books

 What is Research and How Do You Write It? (1968, Baghdad)

• In the Garden of Lyrics (part 1): Translated poems from Assyrian to Arabic with the biographies of the poets (1975, Baghdad)
• The Village Guard:  A short story for children, [translated from Arabic to Assyrian and Swedish], (1981, Sweden)
• Salomon You Live in Our Memories [Assyrian-Arabic and Swedish; the book is about the poet Salomon Mammoo who died in Sweden in 1984 at the age of 27.]
• Sawra d'Sahde (Martyrs Hope): Articles and poems in the memory of the Assyrians martyrs [Assyrian], (1985, Sweden)
• Lishani (My language) part 1 & 2. Teaching modern Assyrian language. Published by the Board of Education in Sweden (1986, Sweden)
• Short stories from Sweden [Short stories written and translated by the author's students in Sweden. Collected and published by the writer],  (1986, Sweden).
• Dashna d`Eida (A Christmas Present): A short story for children in Assyrian and Swedish (1987, Sweden)
• Lishani (My Language:  Part 3). A teaching book in Assyrian language, (1988, Sweden)
• Ninos o Lishana d`Yemma (Ninos and the Mother Tongue): a short story for children in Assyrian and Swedish, (1989, Sweden)
• Lishani (My Language:  Part 4). A teaching book in Assyrian language, (2001, Sweden)
• Exercise book for 'My Language', part 1, 2006
• Booklet “Also You, The River,” poem by George Issa Giwargis, translated from Assyrian to Arabic.  (2007,Arabic)
• Children’s story, entitled “The clever Alfons Oberg” by Swedish author Gunilla Bergstrom from Swedish to Assyrian.  (2006,Arabic)

Unpublished Books

• Assyrians and the Two World Wars by Malik Yako Malik Ismail (translated from Assyrian to Arabic)
• In the Garden of Poems (part 2)
• Words to the Future’s Memory, articles in Arabic
• Short ideas, articles in Assyrian
• Collection of poems in Arabic
• Collection of poems in Assyrian
• Collection of poems in Swedish
• Short stories for children
• Acceptance, a drama by T. Williams translated from Arabic to Assyrian
• Seventy Thousand Assyrians, by William Saroyan, translation and analysis in Assyrian
• Can the Jönköpings residents speak with 50 languages? Yes. (An academic research in Swedish, 1995)
• Articles published in Assyrian and Arabic in Hujådå magazine.
• Arabic for Beginners (lectures written for Swedish students in the Employment Institute TBV)
• My language, part 4, a teaching book in Assyrian
• Exercise book for 'My Language', part 2
• The History of the Assyrian literature, 1998
• Arabic language between Standard and Slang, 1999
• Various educational research methodologies addressing methods in teaching difficulties. (Arabic, 2005)
• Where are We in the Assyrian Children’s Literature? (Arabic, 2007)

Michael’s first poem was “My Flowers,” written in 1963 at the age of fifteen.  His first article “Khatira” (Arabic, Dangerous), was written in 1964.  His first published poem “Hal Eiman” (Until When?), was published in 1965 in Lebanon, and his first interview with Shidrak Yousep (famous Assyrian soccer player) took place in 1965.

Credits

“Mr. Michael Mammo is fluent in Syryoyo (Western Syriac).  He has participated in several Assyrian conferences in Germany, Holland, Denmark, Poland, Russia, and United States.”  In Greece, he has been inducted into the Assyrian Society of Greece as an honorary member. 

Today, he shares his wealth of knowledge with his comrades in the fields of education, publication, and literature (saprayouta). 

In September 2007, the Union of Assyrian Writers, a branch of the Union of Iraqi Writers, held its fourth annual congress at the University of Dohuk, Iraq.  Michael Mammoo’s “Children’s Literature” was one of the five finalists, worldwide.  His status within the international community is one of honor, prominence, and professionalism, ever to deserve praise.

 In the year 2000, he won the award “FreeTeet,“ Swedish, for youth education.  He has served board membership for two years in The Union of Assyrian Teachers of Sweden, presented symposiums for Assyrian teachers in Sweden, arranged publications, served presidency for the Union of Iraqi Writers in Sweden.  In 2004, he won best writer – 1^st place Assyrian language, and 2^nd place Arabic language in Ankawa.com’s website poll.   In 2007, he was offered inclusion in an Egyptian published book about Arabic language writers living in diaspora.

Sharing in congratulating Mr. Michael Mammoo from the Chicago Assyrian community is Dr. Edward Odisho, Linguist Professor at Northeastern Illinois University, and an international icon in linguistic studies.  The Chicago Assyrian community sends its congratulations and well wishes to Mr. Mammoo.  He has graced our Assyrian nation and the Iraqi community with his dedication to academia.  May these flickering moments give us hope when all hope seems to be silenced, and teach us endurance in the darkest hours of our nation’s life.  Thank you.

Sources

• http://portal.unesco.org/education
• http://www.farsi.se/pris/pris.htm
• Zinda Magazine

Featured in Zinda Magazine March 2008 

For some time now, I have wanted to cover a story on the life of an important Assyrian figure, someone who has lived an honest life, whose life has impacted others.  Then one day the opportunity presented itself as I was attending ZOWAA's 27th annual anniversary dinner.  Someone pointed out a distinguished gentleman with a small stature, wearing a navy-blue suit, carrying a cane in his hand. Naturally, I jumped up, having found the story I had been searching for.  Little did I know that what I was about to step into would take me to places that would change my own perspective on how another person’s contributions from generations past have enabled my own generation to reap opportunities from, speaking one common dialect, to say the least.

I write this story as honestly as I can, presented to me by Mr. Shmoel Baba, one whose son is widely known and loved by the Chicago Assyrian community, Mr. Hanny Baba.  But Senior Mr. Baba does not need an entourage to draw attention to his case; his contributions to our community are many, and widely recognized by Kirkukians from Iraq.  I am humbled to have been given the opportunity to be welcomed to journey back into one man’s life whose devotion to a cause and sincerity to his community has been profound.  Let me present the story.  I hope to do justice to these accounts from this life.

Background – Raabi Shmoel Baba does not have a fairytale life story at the earlier years of his life to share, but he insists that God does not take away from a man from all directions.  1918, at the age of three, his family was set en route Hamadan to refugee camps in Baaqouba.  “My family was there.  My father, Shamasha Babo – a Catholic deacon, who had previously visited the U.S., was made head of one of the groups traveling,” says Baba.  Many Assyrians died unaccounted for and without burial sites, including his grandfather, Samuel, a heart surgeon, recalls Baba with tears welling in his eyes. 

Between Iran and the British governments the fate of Assyrians had been sealed, to bring them from Urmia into refugee camps.  He recalls how prominent and educated the Assyrians were in Urmia.  When former King Shah of Iran visited Urmia to see that the English and American missionaries had already arrived and involved in Urmian lives, he changed the name of Urmia to Rizaiiya.  In fact, when he met Shmoel’s uncle, a graduate doctor from The University of Vienna, he changed his name to Loukman; a name that his mother’s family would be legally given from that point on.

The early years - Upon arriving in Iraq, the Baba family established in Mosul, with some Assyrians domiciling in Dawasa because of their following of Mar Esha Shimun, while others Raabi Yousep Kelaita.  Determined to follow in his family’s footsteps of prominent doctors and educators, Shmoel finished secondary education in Mosul.  Interested in attending medical school like many of his family members before him, he was required an Iraqi citizenship.  When applied, he was denied, for obvious reasons; he was not an Iraqi born.  As a second choice, he opted for the education field, and in the following four years (c. 1937-1941), he taught in an Armenian school, quickly becoming a household name in every Armenian family, one that everyone adored and called to Baron Samuel.

During WW II, he left the Armenian school and went to work for the Mail Censorship for the next three years.  The shifts in personnel lead him to the right persons that would help him attain his Iraqi citizenship sometime in 1936–1937.  Then by the end of the war, the Mail Censorship closed down, which brought him to Kirkuk to work for the Engagement Office.

Kirkuk 1948 - Following the end of World War II, when Shmoel Baba arrived in Kirkuk, the Assyrian school had already been established.  It had been fully licensed since 1921 by Raabi Daoud Bazi to teach first through fourth grades in Assyrian, Arabic and English.  David Malik Esmail, the then Honorary Principal of the Assyrian school of Kirkuk, was moving post to accept employment in Shirgat – Ain Zahla.  “The school’s committeeman Atto Paris approached me about accepting the Principal’s position as the school was in dire need of a new head.  I accepted, and in the next few years the school saw changes.” 

Among Raabi Shmoel Baba’s contributions were immediately raising funds to buy a new school home, a necessity due to size and health hazards.  The new school floors would have to be paved from gravel into a flat surface.  As fate would have it, Baba was soon in touch with Mr. David Kalo, an Assyrian nationalist, who donated countless bags of cement and placed the school in touch with a volunteer contractor, Mr. Polus Oda, whose efforts helped pave a school playground for the children.  Additionally, Baba insisted on an acting stage as many of their students had acting abilities and other talents.  At the fundraiser gala, His Beatitude, the late Mar Yousep Khnanisho, the Metropolitan of Baghdad, was invited to the opening ceremony, along with his brother, Mr. Rouel Khnanisho, the Consulate Secretary of Britain, and other dignitaries.  “I still recall it was a rainy day,” says Shmoel. 

No job is too small – “One too many nights I was sleepless thinking about the students who had completed fourth grade, they were losing scholastic period when moving into the public school system because they had to repeat the fourth grade, due to their lack of Arabic language skills when tested for entrance into the public school system.  And so I wrote a letter to the Ministry of Education to acquire accreditation for fifth and sixth grades.  The year that the sixth grade was granted to our school, out of 19 students who were in sixth grade, 16 passed, while 3 were held back.  That summer I tutored all three students in every subject in my home.  Their determination along with my dedication, all three passed.  I was very pleased,” shares Baba.

Born in Urmia, Shmoel Baba was destined to become a fighter, a survivor and his determination has helped enrich a fully accredited Assyrian school in Kirkuk that has given education and prosperity to many generations.  At the age of 91, he continues to write poetry, and speak of his love for his wife Janet, whom had been with him since 1944 until the latter months.  Listening to Mr. Baba speak about life not only is interesting, but allows for one to assess the mobility of one’s own life and how well it is in accord with a purpose.

Shouma, as he is called by his friends, has been a prominent educator, poet, soccer and basketball player, an artist, who shared with us several pieces of poetry, oil paintings, and carpet mending.

The Inspiration - He smiles while sharing scripts from his life; the feelings are so tender as if they can be touched, the fresh paint inside the classrooms smelled.  Somehow the stories that have happened more than 50 years ago come to life.  You visit the neighborhoods, the students, and even hear the school bell ring.  In memory, they will live on…  Daoud Bazi, whom from the beginning had licensed the school for four grades, the illustrious Raabi Jibrael Babilla, an English and Assyrian educator, recognized for translating Shakespearean dramas.

“These are the people responsible for making it all happen,” says Baba, showing pictures of the instructors and administrators of the Assyrian school in Kirkuk.  “I did not do anything, I did not make any contributions.”  His stories uniformly taking the listener from childhood into adulthood, “I was the kid who was raised by my uncle AMI JAN, after my parents’ passing, selling cakes, running around barefoot to make the school bell.  But I was determined…and so I survived.” 

“Remember the story I told you in the beginning,” concludes Baba, “I said that God does not take away from a man from all directions.  My three children are my pillars – Hilda, Helen, and Hanny.  Along with each of my children and their families, the Lord has blessed me to become as complete as any man can be; giving me repeated opportunities and accountability for the lives of each one of my students whose lives I hope to have enriched.  He has graced me with a beautiful “Chalta” – Shameran, whom I have come to live with since my beautiful wife’s passing.” 

Remembering the stories, now in memories only, brought smiles, and tears, alike, to everyone listening.  Mr. Shmoel Baba was born on June 7th, 1915.  He still remembers his age to the date, by the way. 

Featured in Zinda Magazine (USA) and Hujada Magazine (Sweden) 2006

While driving in Skokie, Illinois, I stumbled across a familiar name, Larsa.  The name belonged to an Assyrian restaurant located at 3724 West Dempster Street.  Happily, I pulled up to the parking lot and entered the restaurant.  From the moment I set foot inside, I sensed familiarity, a feeling of belonging, like it was home.  Together, my family and I relaxed to the sounds of beautiful Assyrian melodies as we sat to take in the view and read the food menu.

On premise fresh oven baked bread was brought to the table.  A touch of dill zests up the taste of lentil, tlawkheh, soup, which sets up the stage for the extended menu.  My personal favorite cat fish and kibeh.  The yogurt based drink daweh came in very handy on an already hot and humid Chicago afternoon.  Although personally never have been to Arbil, those inclined with the taste of its yogurt would agree that daweh at Larsa’s taste authentic.

Larsa Restaurant, named after none but the important and ancient city-state of Sumer, is more than just a name.  Soup lovers can indulge in the 7^th heaven taste of home made tlawkheh soup, while music lovers can relax to Assyrian sounds, all the while being greeted by friendly staff.  The touch of self-serving samovar Chai really says that at Larsa’s you’re at home.

Featured in Zinda Magazine April 2005 

In the weeks prior to the release of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of The Christ,” the word controversial was on everyone’s lips, even those who probably had no real understanding of the word.  In an essence, the word became an oxymoron, and people everywhere became a protégé of each other.  Then in the final phase, the media pumped so much adrenalin into the public, calling it everything from violent, disruptive, anti-Semitic, to conflict hidden, that some were indeed afraid to go and see it for themselves.  But the Passion is strong, and the word of God is a stronghold.  Read on…

In an interview with an angry Jewish Rabi, the movie was criticized for being filmed in two dead languages, meaning Latin and Aramaic.  The latter one, Aramaic, was the official language that was used in the Middle Eastern region two thousand years ago, and the Jews, having been subjects of the Assyrian Empire, spoke Aramaic.  Modern day Assyrian, Arabic and Hebrew are all derivatives of the assumable dead Aramaic language.  In fact, in the Assyrian Church (The Holy Catholic and Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East) all sermons are held in the Aramaic language.  So, for all those in need of a little lesson in history, when making an inference to Semitic, it is all three languages.  Personally, I felt very connected because I understood 80% of the movie, without reading the subtitles.

Mel Gibson’s making of The Passion of The Christ was no coincidence.  In all his interviews, he openly discussed being at an all time low point in his life, including the unbearable thoughts of committing suicide.  But it is during those times of spiritual struggles that God wants us to go to him.  And the grace of God is great as he will not allow us go under.  In this particular case, I believe that God placed Mr. Gibson in a state of desperation in order to breathe a new life into him, and through that the Lord delivered his message.  A message that is much needed in an age of immorality.

The movie depicts the last twelve hours of the life of Christ on earth.  It is told, in so many words, through his endurance of atrocities and the crucifixion.  The movie sets sail in the garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus is praying ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:36-57.  From its commencement, the movie will grab you, take you to a whole new spiritual level, and will not let go until the end.  My personal favorites were the flashback scenes, especially one of Mary, mother of Jesus.  Mary had a flashback of her son as a little boy.  Young Jesus fell as he was running, and his mother ran to his rescue calling “here I am.”  As she regained herself back to reality, in front of her eyes her son had taken another fall, carrying his cross to his own crucifixion.  Bewildered, she ran to him, just as she had done when he was a little boy, and, again, with those very same words she called “here I am.”  Jesus turned to his mother and said, ‘You see, mother, this is how I make all things new.”  Needless to say, the eminence of Christianity is depicted in the crucifixion scene when Christ calls out to God saying “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  This scene is the ultimate reflection of the humility and forgiveness in the teachings of Christianity.

The Passion of The Christ is not just a film.  It is an experience, an awakening, a hope, a gift to all people of all ages for all generations.   Go see it!  Take your children.  This movie is not violent.  It is history that can not be changed, and to take anything away from it would be unorthodox.  After two thousand years, Jesus Christ remains a super star and his show is sold out.  He remains the most influential figure in all of man’s history.

Don’t be ashamed to glorify Jesus Christ.

Featured in Zinda Magazine February 2004