Some Notes on the Ancient Roots of Assyrian New Year (Kha B-Nisan)

April 1st is the Assyrian New Year--Kha b-Nisan in Sureth (Northeastern Neo-Aramaic). In this short video, I make a few comments on some of the ancient Assyrian, Babylonian, and Sumerian traditions behind the holiday and otherwise introduce the holiday to those in the West who may have never heard about it before.
Akkadian April
#aramaic #assyrian #newyear

[@RamanMikhael]

Thank you Professor Wingert for the well wishes on Kha b-Neesan. The word Akitu is of course a resurrected name. To my knowledge our recent ancestors didn't celebrate it like we do today, with parades, parties, etc. but they did know that Neesan was the start of the annual cycle of new life on earth, which is Spring. Our grandfathers used the phrase diqna d-Neesan for Spring grass for example. As for Assyrian continuity, it's not impossible to believe that we survived in our homeland because of a unique language, Christian culture, and isolation in the farthest and most rugged reaches of Mesopotamia.
I enjoy your videos and improve my understanding of my own language. So thank you for your hard work and may Alaha barikhloukh.

[@magedayad8059]

Thanks profesor❤

[@ProfessorMichaelWingert]

You are very welcome

[@royalcreations3970]

I'm always thrilled when you come out with a video. Makes my day. 💫💜💫

[@ProfessorMichaelWingert]

That makes me happy to read! Thank you for your kindness. And get ready for Akkadian April.

[@stubronstein9932]

Hope that you had a blessed Kha BNissan. Forgive my limited frame of reference, so "one" in Aramaic is "Chad" as in Chad ghadya (one small goat) and "Kha" is "first"?

[@ProfessorMichaelWingert]

Khad is one (pronounced kha). "First" is qadhmaya (pronounced qamaya). Thank you for the blessing!

[@stubronstein9932]

@@ProfessorMichaelWingert OK, thanks...that makes sense. Is the calendar solar and fixed to the Gregorian calendar or is it a lunar/solar calendar like the Hebrew calendar?

[@assyrianuniversalalliance]

Kha B Nisan Nisanu

[@katathoombz]

Ohhh that's a good reason for it to be _á_ and not just _a._ I wondered about that. Good of me to wait a moment before posting a question :D

[@ProfessorMichaelWingert]

I wish I had time to really sit and enjoy Sumerian.

[@katathoombz]

@@ProfessorMichaelWingert likewise! Most of what I know of Sumerian is either through Akkadian or from _Digital Hammurabi._ I had to skip the class this spring term, but hopefully I'll take it in two years while writing my MA.

[@user-kr7kx2el8w]

What? No Guy Lombardo?