Yuhanon Qashisho
Encyclopedia
Yuhanon Qashisho was a praised Assyrian
author
and poet
. He is known in the Assyrian community as one of the greatest Assyrian writer in the past century. His writings created a power base from which many Assyrian political and cultural movements in Syria
and Lebanon
have emerged in the late 20th century. Malfono Qashisho's literary works in Assyrian language included over 200 poems, school texts, story books, and Assyrian-Swedish and Swedish-Assyrian dictionaries.
Born in 1918 to a priest, his family immediately fled to the south after his birth during the on-going Assyrian genocide
, to the Syria
n town of Qamishli
, joining the already big Assyrian community there.
In Qamishli, Qashisho went to a Syriac language
-based school, where he was also taught Arabic and English
. After graduation, he taught as a teacher in the same school for six years. He went on to become the principal of that same Assyrian school for three years, then moving on to another Assyrian school in Aleppo
, becoming principal for another 5 years.
He wrote a series of schoolbooks in Assyrian for grade levels, which were published and printed in Qamishli and to the Assyrian villages nearby. With the help of Hanna Salman, Qashisho wrote one of the first books to teach the Assyrian language for the Junior High School students.
In 1940, Qashisho's family moved Palestine
where his father was serving as the priest of the Parish of Bethlehem
. There, he worked very actively serving Assyrian refugees. In 1948, he returned to Syria and spent most of his time teaching, writing and journalism. During his time in Syria, he wrote numerous poems published in many of the famous magazines including Assyria, The Syriac Pamphlet of Aleppo, The Assyrian Star and Huyodo. His most famous poem being "O l-Rehmat 'Idtan". He also wrote the popular Assyrian nationalistic anthem "Ho ‘Ohdinan (Dokrinan)" that was sung by the children of the Assyrian schools for many years in Qamishli.
In 1970, he emigrated to Sweden. In Sweden, he wrote a new series of books in Assyrian to teach the language to Swedish-born youths, titled Greetings Sweden. He wrote numerous versions of Swedish-Assyrian dictionaries throughout his time in Sweden. He died on 1 April 2001 in Södertälje
.
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He is known in the Assyrian community as one of the greatest Assyrian writer in the past century. His writings created a power base from which many Assyrian political and cultural movements in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
have emerged in the late 20th century. Malfono Qashisho's literary works in Assyrian language included over 200 poems, school texts, story books, and Assyrian-Swedish and Swedish-Assyrian dictionaries.
Born in 1918 to a priest, his family immediately fled to the south after his birth during the on-going Assyrian genocide
Assyrian genocide
The Assyrian Genocide refers to the mass slaughter of the Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac population of the Ottoman Empire during the 1890s, the First World War, and the period of 1922-1925...
, to the Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n town of Qamishli
Qamishli
Qamishli is a city in north eastern Syria on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District within the governorate....
, joining the already big Assyrian community there.
In Qamishli, Qashisho went to a Syriac language
Syriac language
Syriac is a dialect of Middle Aramaic that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. Having first appeared as a script in the 1st century AD after being spoken as an unwritten language for five centuries, Classical Syriac became a major literary language throughout the Middle East from...
-based school, where he was also taught Arabic and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. After graduation, he taught as a teacher in the same school for six years. He went on to become the principal of that same Assyrian school for three years, then moving on to another Assyrian school in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, becoming principal for another 5 years.
He wrote a series of schoolbooks in Assyrian for grade levels, which were published and printed in Qamishli and to the Assyrian villages nearby. With the help of Hanna Salman, Qashisho wrote one of the first books to teach the Assyrian language for the Junior High School students.
In 1940, Qashisho's family moved Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
where his father was serving as the priest of the Parish of Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
. There, he worked very actively serving Assyrian refugees. In 1948, he returned to Syria and spent most of his time teaching, writing and journalism. During his time in Syria, he wrote numerous poems published in many of the famous magazines including Assyria, The Syriac Pamphlet of Aleppo, The Assyrian Star and Huyodo. His most famous poem being "O l-Rehmat 'Idtan". He also wrote the popular Assyrian nationalistic anthem "Ho ‘Ohdinan (Dokrinan)" that was sung by the children of the Assyrian schools for many years in Qamishli.
In 1970, he emigrated to Sweden. In Sweden, he wrote a new series of books in Assyrian to teach the language to Swedish-born youths, titled Greetings Sweden. He wrote numerous versions of Swedish-Assyrian dictionaries throughout his time in Sweden. He died on 1 April 2001 in Södertälje
Södertälje
Södertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
.
Work
- Stories from the East
- Shamiram
- Dolabani
- Sargon
- Mor Afrem
- Senharib
- Hammurabi
- Shamo is for which of them
- July/Tamuz
- Ishtar
- The Tree of Raspberries