A.G
Member
The Assyrian National Anthem
(Proposal)
(Proposal)
Ashur Giwargis
Beirut ? 16-11-2012
English Translation : Mary Challita
Some might not have the artistic experience to evaluate art and artistic work, but in general we understand that the first and last judge of these and other works are their ?consumers?, that is the viewers or listeners. How would the case then be if the user was interested and familiar with the history, as well as the present of the Assyrian Nation, and looking towards a bright Assyrian future, despite the hypothesis of a hostile medium and mental illnesses within the Assyrian community: People, Churches, and political parties? In this context, we mention ?some? works which became popular to use in our national occasions, we criticize or refute their details not in a derogatory manner since their greatness imposed them on the Assyrian community, and despite our appreciation, we shall put them aside when we talk about a "national anthem".
We often attend national occasions which are preceded with a ?national song? and we call it ?anthem? without taking into consideration the meaning of the word, for failing to adopt a unified national anthem for the Assyrian nation, noting that Assyrian organizations had already decided to adopt several nationalistic symbols such as the flag, and national occasions (the Assyrian New Year and the Assyrian Martyrs Day) but it has yet to adopt a national Assyrian anthem that summarizes the Assyrian Cause.
That is why national ?songs? dominated events and activities because they emerged from the suffering of the Assyrian people; some are wonderful and expressive, with a flowing form and tunes despite their revolutionary meanings and greatness. One evident example of national "songs" used as "anthems" during national occasions, the famous song of the Assyrian artist Ashur Bet Sargis with his angelic voice : "Beth Nahrain Atrewat" (The Land Between Rivers, You?re My Homeland), whereby the title is so close to the hearts of the people who never knew how harmful it was to their Cause, but it is undermining for those familiar with the history of Assyrian nationalism and reformists with aspirations towards a future that rejects shabby imported ideas, such as the designation "Beth Nahrain" (Land Between Rivers - Mesopotamia as it was called by the Greek traveler Xenophon in his book : Anabasis). This name does not represent the Assyrian identity, and we do not blame the Assyrian artists who sing it for being honest nationalists, but their only mistake is that they were dragged - like many Assyrians - behind the "fashion" but in good faith, even though our forefathers who founded what some call ?Bet Nahrain? never used this phrase, but proudly used "Matt Ashur" that is "Land of Ashur; Assyria". Hence, who are we to impose on them an extraneous designation on what they have established for us and our future generations?
Another song which precedes national occasions was written by the martyr Fraidon Oraha (nicknamed Fraidon Atouraya ? Ashuri) titled ?Ya Akhouni Qatukh Baydakh? (O Brother the Flag is Yours) sung by the Assyrian artist David Esha. It only speaks of the Assyrian flag and its specifications. Thus, it would be more convenient as a ?flag anthem?, especially that it was written by one of the most important symbols of the Assyrian national movement in modern era.
s there are other expressive nationalistic songs such as "Khsadeh" (Reapers) by Evin Agassi, and "O believer, do not stand silent like a rock" (Sargon Gabriel) ... And others
As for the "national anthem", we should select the best text suited to the aspirations of every Assyrian, but more importantly, since we are a scattered nation, lamenting does not serve the purpose of advancing a bright Assyrian future, while songs, poems and lamentations which we got accustomed to, do not meet the Assyrian Nation's aspirations. The Assyrian anthem must be promising, and here we limit the choice and take as an example, the ?Flutter O Assyrian Flag? anthem, which we knew through the voice of the artist artist Ogen Bet Samo (Bet Shmuel), the lyrics and music composition by Assyriology Professor Zack Cherry. The text reads as follows:
Flutter as in earlier times, O flag of the Assyrians
Flutter O highly respected and accept your sons? greeting
Your sons have taken an oath to attain your freedom
From one hand to the other even to martyrdom under your mast
Flutter O highly respected and accept your sons? greeting
Your sons have taken an oath to attain your freedom
From one hand to the other even to martyrdom under your mast
I fly you over in the sky above the ancestral homeland
Every inch of soil and water will return to its owners
Your star shall flare up and shine as it rises
With your children's zeal, contentment and divine support
Every inch of soil and water will return to its owners
Your star shall flare up and shine as it rises
With your children's zeal, contentment and divine support
We have taken the oath and with our blood wrote a pledge
To strive until we get our freedom and no power will stop us
Until a new day rises when every town and village would be liberated
So we may live freely on our land under our Assyrian flag.
To strive until we get our freedom and no power will stop us
Until a new day rises when every town and village would be liberated
So we may live freely on our land under our Assyrian flag.
What we listen to in this call to the flag, is the pledge and oath taken by the Assyrians to sacrifice until martyrdom in order to liberate the usurped Assyrian homeland, and a hope for a bright future when the Assyrian Nation's star shall brightly rise with the determination and zeal of the Assyrian youth, and divine support under the Assyrian flag.
If the listener compares the three pieces, he finds out that the latter speaks of the Assyrian Nation's aspirations in four minutes. It is a revolutionary liberation anthem; its lyrics enter the brain before the heart, whereby its melody smashes the walls of defeatism built by the failing Assyrian political movement, in the hopes that the Assyrians shall recite it solely on every occasion, and that they would teach it to their children, insuring in the process a faithful Assyrian generation which does not master the pretext of ?fact? like our lazy generation.
