Urmi, Christian: Village Life

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Transcribed by	Source	Speakers	Place
Geoffrey Khan	Khan, Geoffrey. The Neo-Aramaic Dialect of the Assyrian Christians of Urmi. 4 vols. Studies in Semitic Languages and Linguistics 86. Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2016, vol. 4	Yonan Petrus	Sydney, AU

	Transcription	Translation
0:00	⁺ṱlə́bloxun but-⁺zrùta k̭atóxun xácma məndyánə tánənˈ mən-Mušáva,ˈ ʾìnaˈ ʾáha mə́ndit ʾána ⁺báyyən tanə̀nnəˈ bədvák̭ələ mən-cúllə matvátət dìyyanˈ k̭at-ʾə́tvalan ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmi,ˈ ɟú də́štət Salàmas. ʾáxnan ɟú … də́štət ʾÚrmi Salámas ⁺ʾal-⁺ʾuydálə ʾə́tvalan ʾə́mmo tláy ⁺ṱlà matvátə,ˈ matvàtətˈ ʾáxči ṱ-⁺aturàyəva.ˈ ʾíta ʾə́tvalan xácma … ⁺xvíṱə mən-ʾarəmnày.ˈ cúllə ʾána šəmmanè ʾə́tli,ˈ hì,ˈ láxxa ʾə́tli šəmmanè.ˈ ʾìtaˈ ɟu-dánnə matvàtəˈ ⁺zrùtaˈ cúllə ʾáx ⁺ʾùydaləva.ˈ léva prə̀šta.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə̀tvalanˈ cúl bètaˈ ʾət-cùl mátaˈ ʾə́tvalə xa-⁺k̭ə́ṱṱət càrmaˈ k̭át ɟu-càrmuˈ ⁺ʾànvə,ˈ ⁺ʾánvət ⁺xàlaˈ ʾíta mən-⁺ʾànvə꞊zəˈ cəšmìšə꞊zə dok̭ívaˈ sàbza꞊zə.ˈ xayyuté mən-⁺tàmməva.ˈ sábza daríva lablívala ⁺ʾal-mdìtaˈ ci-zabnìvalaˈ ʾu-mə́ndit ⁺làzəmva k̭atéˈ ci-šàk̭livaˈ mayyìvalə.ˈ ʾìnaˈ xìnaˈ mən-carmànə,ˈ nipùxta ci-bašlíva.ˈ ⁺ʾánvə mayyívalun ɟu-čaràzəˈ ⁺mač̭č̭ìvalun,ˈ šìraˈ ʾíta ɟu-⁺tiyànə daríva.ˈ xuté mallíva nùyraˈ nipùxta bašlíva.ˈ cəšmìšə mabrəzzívaˈ ʾáy maxzúyəla k̭a-díyyi k̭at tánən cəšmìšə.ˈ ⁺ʾál varazánə daríva cəšmíšə k̭a-sə̀tva.ˈ ʾáni xurráɟət sə̀tvəva.ˈ tlùvvə,ˈ tlùvvə ci-⁺ṱarsíva.ˈ ⁺ʾánvə har-hàdaˈ tàzaˈ cambəllìvalunˈ ɟú … čuxyàtəˈ čúxta c-avívalun ɟu-xə̀šca.ˈ ci-cambəllìvalunˈ ta-sə̀tva.ˈ ci-yatvìvaˈ marzánət tanùyraˈ mən-dánnə tlúvvə ci-mayyìvaˈ ci-⁺maslìvaˈ ʾàrxə darívalun c-⁺axlíva.ˈ ⁺xàmra ⁺ṱársivaˈ ⁺rába rišáya ⁺xámra ɟu-⁺lìnə.ˈ ʾáha ɟu-cùllə matvátəva,ˈ léva ʾáxči ɟu-mátət dìyyan.ˈ ɟu-cúllə matvátət də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾa-mə̀ndi-ʾətva.ˈ ʾə́tvalan matvátə xáč̭č̭a sùrəˈ ʾə́tvalan matvátə ⁺ɟùrəˈ ʾína cúllə ʾà-məndi. ʾá-sapar ʾə̀tvalunˈ ⁺ʾarràtəˈ šúk̭ mən-carmànə.ˈ ʾína ʾá-məndi꞊da tanə̀nnə.ˈ ɟu-carmànə ci-ṱársiva ⁺čolátə bí … k̭èsəˈ ⁺ʾarp̂á ⁺háčə ʾátxa ci-mattìvaˈ čardàk̭ˈ čardàk̭əˈ ʾíta b-yùmaˈ bnàtəˈ ci-yatvíva ɟu-⁺čolàtəˈ k̭at-ɟinávə la-ʾavìvaˈ ⁺ʾal-carmánə ⁺šùlə.ˈ ⁺xadərvánan məššəlmànəvaˈ məššəlmánə꞊zə … hə́č-xa mənné lə́tvalun carmànə.ˈ lá carmànə ʾə́tvalunˈ lá baxčánət yèməš.ˈ cúllə ʾət-dìyyanˈ ⁺ʾaturáyə ʾu-ʾarəmnày꞊da.ˈ ʾə́tva xácma matvátət ʾarəmnàyəˈ ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmi.ˈ ʾíta b-yùmaˈ bnàtə ci-yatvíva.ˈ ⁺baġvànə c-avívaˈ k̭át ɟinávə ⁺šúlə là-ʾativa.ˈ ṱèrə꞊da c-atíva k̭at-⁺ʾánvə ⁺ʾaxlìvalunˈ ci-maprəxxìvalun.ˈ b-lélə꞊da ɟvànk̭ə c-azíva.ˈ ʾána ɟàni꞊zəˈ ɟú xá šíta ⁺ʾám ɟvánk̭ə m-⁺uydálə ʾá-⁺šula vìdux.ˈ ɟinávə c-atìvaˈ dok̭àxvalun ⁺šúlə.ˈ ʾíta sábza ci-lablívala ʾáx mə̀rriˈ ⁺ʾal-mdìta ci-zabníva.ˈ ⁺ràba məndyánə,ˈ šàcarˈ yànˈ xácma məndyánə k̭át ɟu-matvátə lə̀tvaˈ ci-zonìva,ˈ mayyìva k̭at-⁺lázəm c-avìva,ˈ ⁺pàrčə,ˈ jùlləˈ ʾátxa məndyànə.ˈ hár dé-⁺dana c-avívalun ⁺k̭əṱṱáṱət ⁺ʾarràtə.ˈ ɟu-⁺ʾarrátə ⁺zarríva ⁺xə̀ṱṱəˈ ⁺zarríva ⁺sàrə.ˈ ⁺xə́ṱṱə ⁺sárə b-⁺dána b-⁺k̭éṱa ci-⁺xazdìvalun.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tva jarjàrəˈ ʾánnə ci-lablívalun ɟu-⁺budràtə,ˈ b-jarjàrəˈ b-k̭ənyànəˈ yán tòrəˈ yán xmàrəˈ ʾánnə ɟaršìvaˈ xə́ṱṱə ci-⁺palṱìvalunˈ mən-ɟu-búlət ⁺xə̀ṱṱə.ˈ ci-⁺palṱìvalunˈ lablívalun ʾə̀rxə-ʾətva.ˈ ɟu-ʾə́rxə ci-taxnìvalunˈ c-odívalun k̭àmxaˈ k̭at-mayyíva ɟu-bàtəˈ làxma yapíva.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tva tanùrəˈ tanúrə ⁺rába ʾátxa ʾàmk̭uˈ ɟavé láxma ci-yapìva.ˈ ʾíta ci-mapləxxíva táxta … ⁺dorànaˈ mə́n màzrak̭ˈ ʾō꞊t làxma ci-mattívalə ⁺ʾálluˈ ʾíta b-⁺dàvun ci-maxívalə ɟu-tanùyra.ˈ ci-pā́šva xá ⁺ʾárp̂a xamšà dak̭ík̭əˈ jə́ns ci-bašə̀lva.ˈ ⁺rába šap̂íra làxmaˈ hə́č ʾáx do-láxmət matvàtə꞊daˈ ʾaslán hə̀č-ductaˈ ʾánnə láxxa b-ánnə ducánə lè-mačxət mən-do-láxmaˈ ⁺ràba šap̂íra.ˈ ⁺ràba məndyánə.ˈ hìˈ mən-k̭ənyànə,ˈ k̭ənyànə꞊zə c-avívalun.ˈ màsta ʾi-dok̭ìvaˈ ⁺càrra ʾi-dok̭ívaˈ ⁺xàlva,ˈ cùl xa-mə́ndi c-avívalun mə́n k̭ənyànə꞊zə. ʾìtaˈ ɟu-dán ⁺ʾarràtəˈ šúk̭ mən-xə̀ṱṱəˈ šəptìyyə, bašìləˈ ⁺ɟúrə ⁺ɟúrə mən-dánnə yemìšəˈ ⁺zarrìva.ˈ ci-⁺zarríva ʾànnə꞊zəˈ yán xa-sáma ʾən-⁺ràba ʾáviva ci-zabnìvaˈ xa-zúyza ⁺ʾal-ʾída ci-mayyìvaˈ ʾan-xínə c-⁺axlìvalun. ⁺rába yálə jìləˈ bnátə jìləˈ c-azíva ɟu-dánnə ⁺bustanànə ⁺šúləˈ bəzmàra,ˈ tanùvvə,ˈ bərk̭àda.ˈ ʾìtaˈ cúllə bátə꞊zə c-avìvalun,ˈ cúl bèta k̭ə́ṱṱət ⁺ʾàrra꞊da c-avívaləˈ carmànə꞊zə c-avívalə.ˈ ʾìtaˈ də́štət ʾÙrmi xínaˈ ràba šap̂ə́rtəva.ˈ ʾànaˈ xa-ctàva ʾə́tli,ˈ tré məššənnérət ʾamricàyəˈ ʾán č̭ə́m k̭amáyə məššənnérə k̭át tìlunˈ ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ xá-mənne ʾíva šə́mmu Míster Smìth,ˈ ʾo-xína ʾíva Dwìɟht,ˈ ʾánnə tré ⁺parsúpə tìlun,ˈ ʾé-⁺dān tìlun,ˈ ʾé-⁺dana ʾurxátə꞊zə ʾásfalt lèva víyyə.ˈ ʾurxátə šusèvaˈ ʾásfalt léva vìyyəˈ ʾíta lə́tva ⁺mašìnə꞊zəˈ k̭át b-⁺mašìnə nášə ʾazíva ʾatíva.ˈ b-susaváy b-cavə́dnə b-xmàrə c-azíva.ˈ ʾánnə b-susavaté ʾé-⁺dān ⁺mṱílun ⁺ʾál ⁺láp k̭ark̭ə́ptət ⁺ṱùyraˈ ʾíva xá … ⁺táma ʾə́tvalan xá pàssˈ ⁺rába ⁺ràmtaˈ ci-⁺k̭arívala k̭učìyyə.ˈ ɟadúɟɟət k̭učìyyə ci-⁺k̭arívala.ˈ ʾé-⁺dān mṱílun tàmaˈ mən-⁺táma m-⁺ál-susavaté ⁺slìlunˈ ɟušə́k̭lun ⁺ʾal-də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ mən-⁺táma də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ci-mabyənnáva ⁺rába šap̂ə̀rtaˈ ʾíta də́pnət dé də̀šta꞊daˈ ʾə́tlan xa-yàmaˈ yámtət ʾÙrmi ci-⁺k̭aríla,ˈ yámət mə̀lxa.ˈ ʾáyən xəzyàlunˈ ɟu-ctavé bəctàvənaˈ ʾo-ctávu k̭at-ctívuna k̭á bòard-ət diyyéˈ ɟu-Bòston,ˈ láxxa ɟu-ʾAmèrica,ˈ márəna ʾàxnanˈ ɟu-⁺rába ⁺ʾatravátət dúnyə ⁺xdìrəvaxˈ ⁺rába dəšyàtə xə́zyəvaxˈ ⁺rába ducànə xíšəvaxˈ ʾalbàttaˈ b-nàšə꞊zə k̭at-tpík̭əna,ˈ b-⁺parsùpəˈ ʾánnə məndyànə꞊da tanúyəna,ˈ mára də̀štaˈ b-dá ⁺šúp̂ra ʾáxnan lḕx xə́zyəˈ hə́č dúca lə́t də́šta b-dá šùp̂ra.ˈ xá ɟíboˈ cúllə ⁺ṱuyrànənaˈ ʾadíyya b-⁺arálləġət ⁺k̭èṱaˈ cúllə ⁺ṱuyrànəˈ ⁺ʾulluylé ʾé-k̭ark̭ə́ptət ⁺ṱúyra tàlɟa ⁺maxvúrələˈ ʾə̀ltəxˈ də́šta cúllə k̭ə̀ntəla.ˈ ⁺rába šap̂ə̀rtaˈ l-á-ɟiba xìtaˈ mabyúnəla xa-hə́nna … ⁺ʾàbiˈ mə̀ltaˈ ʾé yàma.ˈ ʾáxnan ⁺rába bət-xàdaxˈ ʾə́n yavvítun k̭á-dìyyanˈ pə́rsat ⁺ʾijàza yavvítunlanˈ hár péšax làxxaˈ mašxə̀ddaxˈ ɟu-dá dùcta.ˈ bərrə́xšəna ʾalbátta bətfák̭əna b-cmá ʾapəsk̭úpə k̭at-vàyan꞊ləˈ ⁺ʾárp̂a xamšá ʾapəsk̭ùpə.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ⁺šúlə ⁺bəxdàrənaˈ biyyé bətpàk̭ənaˈ ctávə ʾatìk̭ə꞊zə k̭at-víyyan꞊ləˈ bərrə́xšəna cúllə bəxzayèna.ˈ matxùrənaˈ ʾìca xíšəna,ˈ còsəˈ yán ducánə xínə k̭át tpík̭əna b-⁺már ⁺ʾAvrā̀m,ˈ ⁺már Yòsəp,ˈ ⁺mar ʾIlìya,ˈ ⁺már Yuxànnan,ˈ ⁺ʾarp̂á-danə ʾapəsk̭úpə ʾáyya ⁺dána ʾə̀tvalan.ˈ b-dánnə k̭át bətpàk̭ənaˈ muɟɟúrra b-xùbbaˈ k̭abuléna b-dó xubbè.ˈ ɟu-ctavé ctìvəna.ˈ ʾìta.ˈ də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾána bəxšávən xá mə́n … léla k̭át ʾáxnan ɟánan vìyyəvaxˈ ɟávo ɟurvə̀ssəvax,ˈ ⁺rába ⁺pšàməvax k̭át m-ída yùvvo.ˈ də́štət ʾÚrmi xá ⁺dána vìtəlaˈ cullanaʾìt vítəla ʾət-⁺ʾaturày.ˈ hə́č məššəlmánə ⁺šúlə꞊da léna vìyyəˈ ʾáxči ʾé-⁺dān Nɑ̄dər-Šɑ̄̀h,ˈ xá mən-málcət ⁺ʾÍran tìləˈ xá nášəva ⁺rába … ⁺rába fanatik̭àyaˈ ⁺rába zóda mən-⁺làzəmˈ mə́n ⁺crəsyánə xóšu le-ʾatyàvaˈ ⁺ʾaturáyət díyyan bəšk̭alèvaˈ mən-də́štət ʾÚrmi labuléva la-dó-rišət ⁺ʾàtraˈ ⁺K̭òč̭an,ˈ Màšad,ˈ la-dán ɟibànəˈ mən-⁺táma máyəva ⁺ʾafšarìyyəˈ ʾánnə ʾáxnan ⁺k̭aráxlun ʾadíyya꞊da ⁺hošàrəˈ k̭a-cúllə dánnə ⁺parsúpə k̭át ɟu-dé də́štət ʾÙrmi ci-xáyyiˈ k̭át məššəlmànənaˈ ci-⁺k̭árax ⁺hošàrə,ˈ ⁺hošárə yán ʾafšɑ̄rī̀.ˈ ⁺ʾávun Nɑ̄dər-Šɑ̄́h ʾafšɑ̄̀r ʾíva꞊da šə́mmuˈ ⁺ʾávun šak̭ə́lvalun mayyìvalun ⁺támaˈ ⁺ʾaturáyət díyyan šak̭ə́lva ⁺mabsə̀rvalun mən-⁺tàma.ˈ ʾáxnan xá-⁺dana də́štət ʾÚrmi cùllə ʾaslánˈ yáma … ʾé yàma ⁺támaˈ šə́mmo ʾílə yámət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾÚrmiyya ɟàno,ˈ ʾÙrmiyya,ˈ yánə dúctət mìyyaˈ k̭ə̀nnət míyyaˈ ⁺mabbùvvət míyyaˈ ʾá ⁺xàbraˈ ⁺xábrət ⁺ʾaturàyələˈ ʾət-dìyyan꞊lə.ˈ ʾÙrmiyya.ˈ bətvátə dàxiva?ˈ bətvàtəˈ sáma zòdaˈ … ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tvalan bátə prìšəˈ clítəva ⁺ʾal-nàšəˈ mújjurra másalan cmá ʾá-ʾiva ⁺cásəb yán dolàtman.ˈ ʾə́tvalan bátət tré ⁺ṱlá tabák̭ə꞊zə b-cárpəc smùk̭taˈ cárpəč k̭ə̀dtaˈ muk̭ə̀dtaˈ ʾə́tvalan bàtəˈ ʾína cullanaʾít sáma zódət bátət màtaˈ ci-⁺ṱarsívalun mə́n … ci-⁺palṱíva ⁺ʾal-váddar mən-màtaˈ cimànə ʾə́tvalan.ˈ ci-⁺k̭aṱṱíva cìmə,ˈ ʾáxnan ci-tanàxlun xína,ˈ ci-⁺k̭aṱṱíva cìməˈ ʾḗn címə b-⁺ṱìna ci-mayyívaˈ mattíva ⁺ʾàl ⁺ʾuydáləˈ ʾátxa mask̭ívalə ɟùydaˈ bèta ⁺ṱarsíva biyyé.ˈ ʾíta xína ⁺ʾulluylé꞊da cúllə c-avíva k̭èsə,ˈ pardùvvə,ˈ ⁺k̭aryàtə.ˈ stùyna ci-mattíva. xút dán ⁺k̭aryàtəˈ k̭át ʾən-béta ⁺ɟùra ʾavívaˈ ɟàruˈ sə́tva tálɟa ⁺ràba ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ ⁺ràba tálɟa ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ sə̀tvaˈ ʾána bətxárəvən ɟàniˈ sùrəvənvaˈ bábi꞊da sàvəvaˈ ci-yask̭áxva mən-bábi m-⁺úydalə cùt-yumˈ tàlɟaˈ ɟári ⁺rappáxvalə m-⁺ál-ɟàrə,ˈ cúl yùma,ˈ cúl yùma.ˈ ⁺ʾúxča tàlɟa ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ ʾàdiˈ xína ʾáx k̭ámta lèlaˈ ɟàrə,ˈ ʾáx mə̀rri xína,ˈ ɟárə … k̭ésa ci-mattíva ⁺xlìma ʾátxaˈ mən-dà ɟúyda ⁺ʾal-dò ɟúyda.ˈ ʾə́n béta ʾávə ⁺ɟùraˈ xá-dana stùyna꞊da xút ci-maxíva mən-⁺ʾàrraˈ hál ⁺tàmmaˈ k̭át là talə́xva.ˈ ʾíta cmá dánə mən-⁺dávun ʾátxa ci-mattìva.ˈ ⁺xàrtaˈ ʾə́tva k̭ésa súra ʾátxa ci-parmìvalunˈ ⁺k̭aṱk̭əṱṱìvalun,ˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ hèˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ ʾo-k̭ésa ⁺yaríxa ⁺k̭arívalə ⁺k̭arìta.ˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ ʾan-k̭ésə ci-mattívalun ʾátxa šàvyəˈ yán pàrallel,ˈ lišā́n ʾə̀nɟləz,ˈ ʾátxa m-⁺úydalə ʾázi ʾàtxa,ˈ ⁺ʾál dáni ci-mattíva pardùvvə,ˈ mən-dà-riša.ˈ ⁺ʾál dán pardúvvə꞊da ci-mattíva ⁺pavánət ʾilànəˈ brìzə,ˈ čarpùvvə ci-tanáxvalun ʾàxnan.ˈ ci-mattíva ⁺ʾal-dáni yán꞊zə hasìrəˈ ci-mattìva. ʾíta ⁺ʾal-dáni daríva ⁺ṱìna,ˈ ṱína lá ⁺rába miyyàna.ˈ ṱína ci-daríva dašdəššìvalə.ˈ ⁺xárta꞊zə ci-⁺mač̭rìvalə.ˈ m-⁺bár ⁺ʾáv brə̀zvalə,ˈ xá ɟúra xína ⁺ṱína ṱarə̀sva,ˈ túyna꞊da daríva ɟàvuˈ túyna꞊da daríva ɟàvu,ˈ dašdəššívalə ʾátxa jə́ns ⁺mamṱìvalə.ˈ mask̭ívalə ⁺ʾal-ɟàrəˈ ⁺mač̭rívalə ɟáru bìyyu,ˈ k̭èṱa c-odívalə ʾa-⁺šùla,ˈ k̭át barə̀zva.ˈ mən-⁺bár brə̀zvalə,ˈ xína míyya ʾé-⁺dān ⁺múṱra tálɟa ⁺šúlə ⁺rayyíva ɟu-béta lè ⁺salíva.ˈ ⁺ṱlə́bloxun but-⁺zrùta k̭atóxun xácma məndyánə tánənˈ mən-Mušáva,ˈ ʾìnaˈ ʾáha mə́ndit ʾána ⁺báyyən tanə̀nnəˈ bədvák̭ələ mən-cúllə matvátət dìyyanˈ k̭at-ʾə́tvalan ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmi,ˈ ɟú də́štət Salàmas. ʾáxnan ɟú … də́štət ʾÚrmi Salámas ⁺ʾal-⁺ʾuydálə ʾə́tvalan ʾə́mmo tláy ⁺ṱlà matvátə,ˈ matvàtətˈ ʾáxči ṱ-⁺aturàyəva.ˈ ʾíta ʾə́tvalan xácma … ⁺xvíṱə mən-ʾarəmnày.ˈ cúllə ʾána šəmmanè ʾə́tli,ˈ hì,ˈ láxxa ʾə́tli šəmmanè.ˈ ʾìtaˈ ɟu-dánnə matvàtəˈ ⁺zrùtaˈ cúllə ʾáx ⁺ʾùydaləva.ˈ léva prə̀šta.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə̀tvalanˈ cúl bètaˈ ʾət-cùl mátaˈ ʾə́tvalə xa-⁺k̭ə́ṱṱət càrmaˈ k̭át ɟu-càrmuˈ ⁺ʾànvə,ˈ ⁺ʾánvət ⁺xàlaˈ ʾíta mən-⁺ʾànvə꞊zəˈ cəšmìšə꞊zə dok̭ívaˈ sàbza꞊zə.ˈ xayyuté mən-⁺tàmməva.ˈ sábza daríva lablívala ⁺ʾal-mdìtaˈ ci-zabnìvalaˈ ʾu-mə́ndit ⁺làzəmva k̭atéˈ ci-šàk̭livaˈ mayyìvalə.ˈ ʾìnaˈ xìnaˈ mən-carmànə,ˈ nipùxta ci-bašlíva.ˈ ⁺ʾánvə mayyívalun ɟu-čaràzəˈ ⁺mač̭č̭ìvalun,ˈ šìraˈ ʾíta ɟu-⁺tiyànə daríva.ˈ xuté mallíva nùyraˈ nipùxta bašlíva.ˈ cəšmìšə mabrəzzívaˈ ʾáy maxzúyəla k̭a-díyyi k̭at tánən cəšmìšə.ˈ ⁺ʾál varazánə daríva cəšmíšə k̭a-sə̀tva.ˈ ʾáni xurráɟət sə̀tvəva.ˈ tlùvvə,ˈ tlùvvə ci-⁺ṱarsíva.ˈ ⁺ʾánvə har-hàdaˈ tàzaˈ cambəllìvalunˈ ɟú … čuxyàtəˈ čúxta c-avívalun ɟu-xə̀šca.ˈ ci-cambəllìvalunˈ ta-sə̀tva.ˈ ci-yatvìvaˈ marzánət tanùyraˈ mən-dánnə tlúvvə ci-mayyìvaˈ ci-⁺maslìvaˈ ʾàrxə darívalun c-⁺axlíva.ˈ ⁺xàmra ⁺ṱársivaˈ ⁺rába rišáya ⁺xámra ɟu-⁺lìnə.ˈ ʾáha ɟu-cùllə matvátəva,ˈ léva ʾáxči ɟu-mátət dìyyan.ˈ ɟu-cúllə matvátət də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾa-mə̀ndi-ʾətva.ˈ ʾə́tvalan matvátə xáč̭č̭a sùrəˈ ʾə́tvalan matvátə ⁺ɟùrəˈ ʾína cúllə ʾà-məndi. ʾá-sapar ʾə̀tvalunˈ ⁺ʾarràtəˈ šúk̭ mən-carmànə.ˈ ʾína ʾá-məndi꞊da tanə̀nnə.ˈ ɟu-carmànə ci-ṱársiva ⁺čolátə bí … k̭èsəˈ ⁺ʾarp̂á ⁺háčə ʾátxa ci-mattìvaˈ čardàk̭ˈ čardàk̭əˈ ʾíta b-yùmaˈ bnàtəˈ ci-yatvíva ɟu-⁺čolàtəˈ k̭at-ɟinávə la-ʾavìvaˈ ⁺ʾal-carmánə ⁺šùlə.ˈ ⁺xadərvánan məššəlmànəvaˈ məššəlmánə꞊zə … hə́č-xa mənné lə́tvalun carmànə.ˈ lá carmànə ʾə́tvalunˈ lá baxčánət yèməš.ˈ cúllə ʾət-dìyyanˈ ⁺ʾaturáyə ʾu-ʾarəmnày꞊da.ˈ ʾə́tva xácma matvátət ʾarəmnàyəˈ ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmi.ˈ ʾíta b-yùmaˈ bnàtə ci-yatvíva.ˈ ⁺baġvànə c-avívaˈ k̭át ɟinávə ⁺šúlə là-ʾativa.ˈ ṱèrə꞊da c-atíva k̭at-⁺ʾánvə ⁺ʾaxlìvalunˈ ci-maprəxxìvalun.ˈ b-lélə꞊da ɟvànk̭ə c-azíva.ˈ ʾána ɟàni꞊zəˈ ɟú xá šíta ⁺ʾám ɟvánk̭ə m-⁺uydálə ʾá-⁺šula vìdux.ˈ ɟinávə c-atìvaˈ dok̭àxvalun ⁺šúlə.ˈ ʾíta sábza ci-lablívala ʾáx mə̀rriˈ ⁺ʾal-mdìta ci-zabníva.ˈ ⁺ràba məndyánə,ˈ šàcarˈ yànˈ xácma məndyánə k̭át ɟu-matvátə lə̀tvaˈ ci-zonìva,ˈ mayyìva k̭at-⁺lázəm c-avìva,ˈ ⁺pàrčə,ˈ jùlləˈ ʾátxa məndyànə.ˈ hár dé-⁺dana c-avívalun ⁺k̭əṱṱáṱət ⁺ʾarràtə.ˈ ɟu-⁺ʾarrátə ⁺zarríva ⁺xə̀ṱṱəˈ ⁺zarríva ⁺sàrə.ˈ ⁺xə́ṱṱə ⁺sárə b-⁺dána b-⁺k̭éṱa ci-⁺xazdìvalun.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tva jarjàrəˈ ʾánnə ci-lablívalun ɟu-⁺budràtə,ˈ b-jarjàrəˈ b-k̭ənyànəˈ yán tòrəˈ yán xmàrəˈ ʾánnə ɟaršìvaˈ xə́ṱṱə ci-⁺palṱìvalunˈ mən-ɟu-búlət ⁺xə̀ṱṱə.ˈ ci-⁺palṱìvalunˈ lablívalun ʾə̀rxə-ʾətva.ˈ ɟu-ʾə́rxə ci-taxnìvalunˈ c-odívalun k̭àmxaˈ k̭at-mayyíva ɟu-bàtəˈ làxma yapíva.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tva tanùrəˈ tanúrə ⁺rába ʾátxa ʾàmk̭uˈ ɟavé láxma ci-yapìva.ˈ ʾíta ci-mapləxxíva táxta … ⁺dorànaˈ mə́n màzrak̭ˈ ʾō꞊t làxma ci-mattívalə ⁺ʾálluˈ ʾíta b-⁺dàvun ci-maxívalə ɟu-tanùyra.ˈ ci-pā́šva xá ⁺ʾárp̂a xamšà dak̭ík̭əˈ jə́ns ci-bašə̀lva.ˈ ⁺rába šap̂íra làxmaˈ hə́č ʾáx do-láxmət matvàtə꞊daˈ ʾaslán hə̀č-ductaˈ ʾánnə láxxa b-ánnə ducánə lè-mačxət mən-do-láxmaˈ ⁺ràba šap̂íra.ˈ ⁺ràba məndyánə.ˈ hìˈ mən-k̭ənyànə,ˈ k̭ənyànə꞊zə c-avívalun.ˈ màsta ʾi-dok̭ìvaˈ ⁺càrra ʾi-dok̭ívaˈ ⁺xàlva,ˈ cùl xa-mə́ndi c-avívalun mə́n k̭ənyànə꞊zə. ʾìtaˈ ɟu-dán ⁺ʾarràtəˈ šúk̭ mən-xə̀ṱṱəˈ šəptìyyə, bašìləˈ ⁺ɟúrə ⁺ɟúrə mən-dánnə yemìšəˈ ⁺zarrìva.ˈ ci-⁺zarríva ʾànnə꞊zəˈ yán xa-sáma ʾən-⁺ràba ʾáviva ci-zabnìvaˈ xa-zúyza ⁺ʾal-ʾída ci-mayyìvaˈ ʾan-xínə c-⁺axlìvalun. ⁺rába yálə jìləˈ bnátə jìləˈ c-azíva ɟu-dánnə ⁺bustanànə ⁺šúləˈ bəzmàra,ˈ tanùvvə,ˈ bərk̭àda.ˈ ʾìtaˈ cúllə bátə꞊zə c-avìvalun,ˈ cúl bèta k̭ə́ṱṱət ⁺ʾàrra꞊da c-avívaləˈ carmànə꞊zə c-avívalə.ˈ ʾìtaˈ də́štət ʾÙrmi xínaˈ ràba šap̂ə́rtəva.ˈ ʾànaˈ xa-ctàva ʾə́tli,ˈ tré məššənnérət ʾamricàyəˈ ʾán č̭ə́m k̭amáyə məššənnérə k̭át tìlunˈ ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ xá-mənne ʾíva šə́mmu Míster Smìth,ˈ ʾo-xína ʾíva Dwìɟht,ˈ ʾánnə tré ⁺parsúpə tìlun,ˈ ʾé-⁺dān tìlun,ˈ ʾé-⁺dana ʾurxátə꞊zə ʾásfalt lèva víyyə.ˈ ʾurxátə šusèvaˈ ʾásfalt léva vìyyəˈ ʾíta lə́tva ⁺mašìnə꞊zəˈ k̭át b-⁺mašìnə nášə ʾazíva ʾatíva.ˈ b-susaváy b-cavə́dnə b-xmàrə c-azíva.ˈ ʾánnə b-susavaté ʾé-⁺dān ⁺mṱílun ⁺ʾál ⁺láp k̭ark̭ə́ptət ⁺ṱùyraˈ ʾíva xá … ⁺táma ʾə́tvalan xá pàssˈ ⁺rába ⁺ràmtaˈ ci-⁺k̭arívala k̭učìyyə.ˈ ɟadúɟɟət k̭učìyyə ci-⁺k̭arívala.ˈ ʾé-⁺dān mṱílun tàmaˈ mən-⁺táma m-⁺ál-susavaté ⁺slìlunˈ ɟušə́k̭lun ⁺ʾal-də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ mən-⁺táma də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ci-mabyənnáva ⁺rába šap̂ə̀rtaˈ ʾíta də́pnət dé də̀šta꞊daˈ ʾə́tlan xa-yàmaˈ yámtət ʾÙrmi ci-⁺k̭aríla,ˈ yámət mə̀lxa.ˈ ʾáyən xəzyàlunˈ ɟu-ctavé bəctàvənaˈ ʾo-ctávu k̭at-ctívuna k̭á bòard-ət diyyéˈ ɟu-Bòston,ˈ láxxa ɟu-ʾAmèrica,ˈ márəna ʾàxnanˈ ɟu-⁺rába ⁺ʾatravátət dúnyə ⁺xdìrəvaxˈ ⁺rába dəšyàtə xə́zyəvaxˈ ⁺rába ducànə xíšəvaxˈ ʾalbàttaˈ b-nàšə꞊zə k̭at-tpík̭əna,ˈ b-⁺parsùpəˈ ʾánnə məndyànə꞊da tanúyəna,ˈ mára də̀štaˈ b-dá ⁺šúp̂ra ʾáxnan lḕx xə́zyəˈ hə́č dúca lə́t də́šta b-dá šùp̂ra.ˈ xá ɟíboˈ cúllə ⁺ṱuyrànənaˈ ʾadíyya b-⁺arálləġət ⁺k̭èṱaˈ cúllə ⁺ṱuyrànəˈ ⁺ʾulluylé ʾé-k̭ark̭ə́ptət ⁺ṱúyra tàlɟa ⁺maxvúrələˈ ʾə̀ltəxˈ də́šta cúllə k̭ə̀ntəla.ˈ ⁺rába šap̂ə̀rtaˈ l-á-ɟiba xìtaˈ mabyúnəla xa-hə́nna … ⁺ʾàbiˈ mə̀ltaˈ ʾé yàma.ˈ ʾáxnan ⁺rába bət-xàdaxˈ ʾə́n yavvítun k̭á-dìyyanˈ pə́rsat ⁺ʾijàza yavvítunlanˈ hár péšax làxxaˈ mašxə̀ddaxˈ ɟu-dá dùcta.ˈ bərrə́xšəna ʾalbátta bətfák̭əna b-cmá ʾapəsk̭úpə k̭at-vàyan꞊ləˈ ⁺ʾárp̂a xamšá ʾapəsk̭ùpə.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ⁺šúlə ⁺bəxdàrənaˈ biyyé bətpàk̭ənaˈ ctávə ʾatìk̭ə꞊zə k̭at-víyyan꞊ləˈ bərrə́xšəna cúllə bəxzayèna.ˈ matxùrənaˈ ʾìca xíšəna,ˈ còsəˈ yán ducánə xínə k̭át tpík̭əna b-⁺már ⁺ʾAvrā̀m,ˈ ⁺már Yòsəp,ˈ ⁺mar ʾIlìya,ˈ ⁺már Yuxànnan,ˈ ⁺ʾarp̂á-danə ʾapəsk̭úpə ʾáyya ⁺dána ʾə̀tvalan.ˈ b-dánnə k̭át bətpàk̭ənaˈ muɟɟúrra b-xùbbaˈ k̭abuléna b-dó xubbè.ˈ ɟu-ctavé ctìvəna.ˈ ʾìta.ˈ də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾána bəxšávən xá mə́n … léla k̭át ʾáxnan ɟánan vìyyəvaxˈ ɟávo ɟurvə̀ssəvax,ˈ ⁺rába ⁺pšàməvax k̭át m-ída yùvvo.ˈ də́štət ʾÚrmi xá ⁺dána vìtəlaˈ cullanaʾìt vítəla ʾət-⁺ʾaturày.ˈ hə́č məššəlmánə ⁺šúlə꞊da léna vìyyəˈ ʾáxči ʾé-⁺dān Nɑ̄dər-Šɑ̄̀h,ˈ xá mən-málcət ⁺ʾÍran tìləˈ xá nášəva ⁺rába … ⁺rába fanatik̭àyaˈ ⁺rába zóda mən-⁺làzəmˈ mə́n ⁺crəsyánə xóšu le-ʾatyàvaˈ ⁺ʾaturáyət díyyan bəšk̭alèvaˈ mən-də́štət ʾÚrmi labuléva la-dó-rišət ⁺ʾàtraˈ ⁺K̭òč̭an,ˈ Màšad,ˈ la-dán ɟibànəˈ mən-⁺táma máyəva ⁺ʾafšarìyyəˈ ʾánnə ʾáxnan ⁺k̭aráxlun ʾadíyya꞊da ⁺hošàrəˈ k̭a-cúllə dánnə ⁺parsúpə k̭át ɟu-dé də́štət ʾÙrmi ci-xáyyiˈ k̭át məššəlmànənaˈ ci-⁺k̭árax ⁺hošàrə,ˈ ⁺hošárə yán ʾafšɑ̄rī̀.ˈ ⁺ʾávun Nɑ̄dər-Šɑ̄́h ʾafšɑ̄̀r ʾíva꞊da šə́mmuˈ ⁺ʾávun šak̭ə́lvalun mayyìvalun ⁺támaˈ ⁺ʾaturáyət díyyan šak̭ə́lva ⁺mabsə̀rvalun mən-⁺tàma.ˈ ʾáxnan xá-⁺dana də́štət ʾÚrmi cùllə ʾaslánˈ yáma … ʾé yàma ⁺támaˈ šə́mmo ʾílə yámət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾÚrmiyya ɟàno,ˈ ʾÙrmiyya,ˈ yánə dúctət mìyyaˈ k̭ə̀nnət míyyaˈ ⁺mabbùvvət míyyaˈ ʾá ⁺xàbraˈ ⁺xábrət ⁺ʾaturàyələˈ ʾət-dìyyan꞊lə.ˈ ʾÙrmiyya.ˈ bətvátə dàxiva?ˈ bətvàtəˈ sáma zòdaˈ … ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tvalan bátə prìšəˈ clítəva ⁺ʾal-nàšəˈ mújjurra másalan cmá ʾá-ʾiva ⁺cásəb yán dolàtman.ˈ ʾə́tvalan bátət tré ⁺ṱlá tabák̭ə꞊zə b-cárpəc smùk̭taˈ cárpəč k̭ə̀dtaˈ muk̭ə̀dtaˈ ʾə́tvalan bàtəˈ ʾína cullanaʾít sáma zódət bátət màtaˈ ci-⁺ṱarsívalun mə́n … ci-⁺palṱíva ⁺ʾal-váddar mən-màtaˈ cimànə ʾə́tvalan.ˈ ci-⁺k̭aṱṱíva cìmə,ˈ ʾáxnan ci-tanàxlun xína,ˈ ci-⁺k̭aṱṱíva cìməˈ ʾḗn címə b-⁺ṱìna ci-mayyívaˈ mattíva ⁺ʾàl ⁺ʾuydáləˈ ʾátxa mask̭ívalə ɟùydaˈ bèta ⁺ṱarsíva biyyé.ˈ ʾíta xína ⁺ʾulluylé꞊da cúllə c-avíva k̭èsə,ˈ pardùvvə,ˈ ⁺k̭aryàtə.ˈ stùyna ci-mattíva. xút dán ⁺k̭aryàtəˈ k̭át ʾən-béta ⁺ɟùra ʾavívaˈ ɟàruˈ sə́tva tálɟa ⁺ràba ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ ⁺ràba tálɟa ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ sə̀tvaˈ ʾána bətxárəvən ɟàniˈ sùrəvənvaˈ bábi꞊da sàvəvaˈ ci-yask̭áxva mən-bábi m-⁺úydalə cùt-yumˈ tàlɟaˈ ɟári ⁺rappáxvalə m-⁺ál-ɟàrə,ˈ cúl yùma,ˈ cúl yùma.ˈ ⁺ʾúxča tàlɟa ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ ʾàdiˈ xína ʾáx k̭ámta lèlaˈ ɟàrə,ˈ ʾáx mə̀rri xína,ˈ ɟárə … k̭ésa ci-mattíva ⁺xlìma ʾátxaˈ mən-dà ɟúyda ⁺ʾal-dò ɟúyda.ˈ ʾə́n béta ʾávə ⁺ɟùraˈ xá-dana stùyna꞊da xút ci-maxíva mən-⁺ʾàrraˈ hál ⁺tàmmaˈ k̭át là talə́xva.ˈ ʾíta cmá dánə mən-⁺dávun ʾátxa ci-mattìva.ˈ ⁺xàrtaˈ ʾə́tva k̭ésa súra ʾátxa ci-parmìvalunˈ ⁺k̭aṱk̭əṱṱìvalun,ˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ hèˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ ʾo-k̭ésa ⁺yaríxa ⁺k̭arívalə ⁺k̭arìta.ˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ ʾan-k̭ésə ci-mattívalun ʾátxa šàvyəˈ yán pàrallel,ˈ lišā́n ʾə̀nɟləz,ˈ ʾátxa m-⁺úydalə ʾázi ʾàtxa,ˈ ⁺ʾál dáni ci-mattíva pardùvvə,ˈ mən-dà-riša.ˈ ⁺ʾál dán pardúvvə꞊da ci-mattíva ⁺pavánət ʾilànəˈ brìzə,ˈ čarpùvvə ci-tanáxvalun ʾàxnan.ˈ ci-mattíva ⁺ʾal-dáni yán꞊zə hasìrəˈ ci-mattìva. ʾíta ⁺ʾal-dáni daríva ⁺ṱìna,ˈ ṱína lá ⁺rába miyyàna.ˈ ṱína ci-daríva dašdəššìvalə.ˈ ⁺xárta꞊zə ci-⁺mač̭rìvalə.ˈ m-⁺bár ⁺ʾáv brə̀zvalə,ˈ xá ɟúra xína ⁺ṱína ṱarə̀sva,ˈ túyna꞊da daríva ɟàvuˈ túyna꞊da daríva ɟàvu,ˈ dašdəššívalə ʾátxa jə́ns ⁺mamṱìvalə.ˈ mask̭ívalə ⁺ʾal-ɟàrəˈ ⁺mač̭rívalə ɟáru bìyyu,ˈ k̭èṱa c-odívalə ʾa-⁺šùla,ˈ k̭át barə̀zva.ˈ mən-⁺bár brə̀zvalə,ˈ xína míyya ʾé-⁺dān ⁺múṱra tálɟa ⁺šúlə ⁺rayyíva ɟu-béta lè ⁺salíva.ˈ	You have asked me to tell you a few things about agriculture with regard to Muyshava, but what I want to say holds for all our villages that are in the plain of Urmi and the plain of Salamas. We, in the plain of Urmi and Salamas, we had altogether a hundred and thirty three villages, villages that were only (those) of Assyrians. We had some that were mixed with Armenians. I have all their names, yes I have their names here. Now, in these villages agriculture was all the same. It was not different. In villages that belonged to us, every house of every village had a section of a vineyard, vineyard and in his (the householder’s ) vineyard there are grapes, grapes for eating, and so from the grapes they used to produce raisins, and (there were) vegetables. Their livelihood was from there. They used to lay out the vegetables and take them to the town and sell them, then they would buy what they needed, and bring it back. Also from the (produce of) the vineyards they would cook molasses. They used to bring the grapes in water-jugs, they used to press them and then they used to pour the must into cauldrons. They used to light a fire beneath them and cook molasses. They used to dry raisins—she is pointing to me so that I mention raisins. They used to lay out raisins on the slopes (of the rooftops) for the winter. These were food for winter. They used to make preserved grape-clusters, preserved grape-clusters. They used to hang up grapes, exactly as they were fresh (from the vineyards) in cellars—they used to have a cellar—in the dark. They used to hang them up for winter. They used to sit around an oven and used to bring some of those preserved grape-clusters. They used to take them down and serve them to guests and they would eat them. They used to make wine, very good quality wine in jars. This was in all the villages, not just in our village. In all the villages of the plain of Urmi this was the custom. We had some small villages, we had large villages but they all had this custom. Now, other than vineyards they had fields, but (first) I’ll say one other thing, in the vineyards they used to make huts with wood, they used to place four supports like this, a hut, huts, so during the day girls used to sit in the huts so that there would not be any thieves (breaking) into the vineyards and so forth. Around us were Muslims. None of the Muslims had any vineyards. They had no vineyards or fruit orchards. They all belonged to us, the Assyrians and also the Armenians. There were few Armenian villages in the plain of Urmi. So during the day girls would sit (there) they used to be vineyard keepers so that thieves and so forth would not come. Birds too used to come to eat the grapes and they used to drive them away and at night the lads used to go. I myself together with the lads did this task one year. Thieves used to come and we used to catch them and so forth. Now, they used to take the vegetables, as I said, to the town and sell them. They used to buy many things, sugar or things that did not exist in the villages and bring (them) for they were necessary, textiles and clothing, such things. At the same time they used to have fields. In the fields they used to farm wheat, they used to farm barley. They used to harvest wheat and barley at (harvest) time in summer. In the villages there were threshing-machines. They used to take these to the threshing floors, and on the threshing-machines—they used to pull these with cattle, or oxen or asses—they used to extract the wheat from the ears of wheat. They used to extract it (the wheat) and take it to a water-mill, which was (in the village). In the water-mill they used to grind it and make it into flour, in order to take home and bake bread. In the villages there were ovens, ovens, very deep like this, in which they used to bake bread. So they used to use a board, a rolling pin together with a dough-cushion, on which they used to put the bread, then on this they used to place it in the oven. It stayed there for four or five minutes, and baked well. (It was) very fine bread. Nothing like the bread of the villages—nowhere in these places (here) will you find such fine bread. There are many things. Yes, with regard to cattle, they used to have also cattle. They used to produce yoghurt, they used to produce butter, milk, they used to have everything from the cattle. Now, in those fields other than wheat, they used to cultivate watermelons, muskmelons, different types of these fruits. They used to cultivate these or if a proportion (of them) were surplus, they used to sell (them) and earn a bit of money, the others they used to eat. Many young boys and young girls used to go to these orchards and so forth, singing, telling tales and dancing. So all homes used to have (these), every house used to have a piece of land, and used to have vineyards. Now the plain of Urmi was very beautiful. I have a book (of) two American missionaries, the very first missionaries that came to the plain of Urmi. The name of one of them was Mr. Smith and the other one was Dwight. These two gentlemen came. When they came, at that time the roads had not (yet) been laid with asphalt the roads were surfaced (with sand), they had not (yet) been laid with asphalt. So there were no cars, so that people could come and go in cars, they used to travel by horses, mules and donkeys. When these men arrived with their horses to the very top of the mountain, there we had a very high pass which they used to call K̭učiyyə, they used to call it the K̭učiyyə pass. When they arrived there, they dismounted from their horses and looked at the plain of Urmi. From there the plain of Urmi looked very beautiful. Next to the plain we have a sea. They call it the lake of Urmi, the sea of salt. They saw it and write in their book, the book that they wrote to their board in Boston here in America, they say ‘We have travelled to many countries of the world, we have seen many plains, we have gone to many places'—of course they speak about the people they have met, the people, such things—they say ‘We have not seen a plain of such beauty. Nowhere is there a plain of such beauty. On one side of it it is all mountains, now in the middle of summer all the mountains, upon (each one of) them the mountain peak is white with snow. Below the whole plain is green. On the other side something blue is seen, that is the sea. We would be very happy if you gave us the opportunity, if you gave us permission to stay right here, and preach in this place.’ They, of course, go to meet some bishops that we had, four or five bishops. They go around the villages and so forth and meet them. They also go and see all the old books that we had. They mention where they have gone, Kose, or other places where they have met Mar Abraham, Mar Joseph, Mar Elijah and Mar John—we had four bishops at that time. They have written in their book how they meet them, how warmly they receive them with love. So the plain of Urmi I think it is one (of the most beautiful places). This is not because we ourselves were born and grew up in it. We are very sorry that we have now lost it. The plain of Urmi was at one time completely Assyrian. There were no Muslims there. But at the time when Nadershah, one of the kings of Iran came—he was a very, very fanatic person, he hated the Christians more than was necessary—he took our Assyrians from the plain of Urmi and deported them to the far end of the country, Kochan, Mashhad, to those parts. From there he brought _afšars_, whom we now call _⁺hošarə_—we call all those people that live in the plain of Urmi who are Muslims _⁺hošarə, hošarə_ means _afšari_. The last name of Nadershah was also _Afšar._ He took them and brought them there. He took away our Assyrians and reduced (their numbers) there. At one time the whole of plain of Urmi in fact (was Assyrian). The lake there, its name is the lake of Urmi. Urmiyya itself, Urmiyya means the place of water, the nest of water, the source of water. This word Urmiyya is an Assyrian word. It belongs to our (language). The majority of the houses ... in the villages we had various houses, it depended on the people, for example, how poor he was or how rich. We had houses of two, three storeys with red brick, burnt, baked brick. We had houses—generally, the majority of the houses of a village they used to make them from ... They used to go outside the village, (where) we had sods of earth. They used to cut what we called sods, they used to cut sods. They used to bring back the sods with mud and place them on top of each other and in this way they used to build up the wall. They used to build a house with them. Now, on top of them everything was wood. They used to lay laths and beams. They used to lay pillars beneath the beams, if the roof of the house was big. In winter a lot of snow used to fall. A lot of snow used to fall in winter. I myself remember, I was young and my father was old, I used to go up together with my father and every day we had to throw off the snow from the roof, every day, every day, so much snow used to fall. Now it is not like before. The roofs —as I said, the roof, they used to place a piece of wood, thick like this, from this wall to that wall. If the house was big, they used to place also a pillar underneath (coming up) from the ground up to there, so that it would not collapse. So they used to place a few pillars thus. Then there was a small stick. They used to cut them up. They used to chop them into small pieces. They called those laths. Yes they called those laths. They called the long piece of wood a beam. They called those laths. They used to lay those sticks equal like this, so that they fitted together like this. On those they put laths, from this side. On the laths they put dry branches of trees, which we used to call twigs, or they used to place on them (the laths) straw-mats. Then on those they would pour mud, mud that was not very watery. They used to pour the mud and stamp on it. Then they used to smooth it. After it had dried, another type of mud used to be made. They used to put straw in it. They used to put straw in it, they used to stamp it very well and prepare it well. They used to take it up to the roof and smear the roof with it. They used to do this in summer so that it would dry. After it dried, when it rained or snowed and so forth, water would not come down into the house.

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⁺ṱlə́bloxun but-⁺zrùta k̭atóxun xácma məndyánə tánənˈ mən-Mušáva,ˈ ʾìnaˈ ʾáha mə́ndit ʾána ⁺báyyən tanə̀nnəˈ bədvák̭ələ mən-cúllə matvátət dìyyanˈ k̭at-ʾə́tvalan ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmi,ˈ ɟú də́štət Salàmas. ʾáxnan ɟú … də́štət ʾÚrmi Salámas ⁺ʾal-⁺ʾuydálə ʾə́tvalan ʾə́mmo tláy ⁺ṱlà matvátə,ˈ matvàtətˈ ʾáxči ṱ-⁺aturàyəva.ˈ ʾíta ʾə́tvalan xácma … ⁺xvíṱə mən-ʾarəmnày.ˈ cúllə ʾána šəmmanè ʾə́tli,ˈ hì,ˈ láxxa ʾə́tli šəmmanè.ˈ ʾìtaˈ ɟu-dánnə matvàtəˈ ⁺zrùtaˈ cúllə ʾáx ⁺ʾùydaləva.ˈ léva prə̀šta.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə̀tvalanˈ cúl bètaˈ ʾət-cùl mátaˈ ʾə́tvalə xa-⁺k̭ə́ṱṱət càrmaˈ k̭át ɟu-càrmuˈ ⁺ʾànvə,ˈ ⁺ʾánvət ⁺xàlaˈ ʾíta mən-⁺ʾànvə꞊zəˈ cəšmìšə꞊zə dok̭ívaˈ sàbza꞊zə.ˈ xayyuté mən-⁺tàmməva.ˈ sábza daríva lablívala ⁺ʾal-mdìtaˈ ci-zabnìvalaˈ ʾu-mə́ndit ⁺làzəmva k̭atéˈ ci-šàk̭livaˈ mayyìvalə.ˈ ʾìnaˈ xìnaˈ mən-carmànə,ˈ nipùxta ci-bašlíva.ˈ ⁺ʾánvə mayyívalun ɟu-čaràzəˈ ⁺mač̭č̭ìvalun,ˈ šìraˈ ʾíta ɟu-⁺tiyànə daríva.ˈ xuté mallíva nùyraˈ nipùxta bašlíva.ˈ cəšmìšə mabrəzzívaˈ ʾáy maxzúyəla k̭a-díyyi k̭at tánən cəšmìšə.ˈ ⁺ʾál varazánə daríva cəšmíšə k̭a-sə̀tva.ˈ ʾáni xurráɟət sə̀tvəva.ˈ tlùvvə,ˈ tlùvvə ci-⁺ṱarsíva.ˈ ⁺ʾánvə har-hàdaˈ tàzaˈ cambəllìvalunˈ ɟú … čuxyàtəˈ čúxta c-avívalun ɟu-xə̀šca.ˈ ci-cambəllìvalunˈ ta-sə̀tva.ˈ ci-yatvìvaˈ marzánət tanùyraˈ mən-dánnə tlúvvə ci-mayyìvaˈ ci-⁺maslìvaˈ ʾàrxə darívalun c-⁺axlíva.ˈ ⁺xàmra ⁺ṱársivaˈ ⁺rába rišáya ⁺xámra ɟu-⁺lìnə.ˈ ʾáha ɟu-cùllə matvátəva,ˈ léva ʾáxči ɟu-mátət dìyyan.ˈ ɟu-cúllə matvátət də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾa-mə̀ndi-ʾətva.ˈ ʾə́tvalan matvátə xáč̭č̭a sùrəˈ ʾə́tvalan matvátə ⁺ɟùrəˈ ʾína cúllə ʾà-məndi. ʾá-sapar ʾə̀tvalunˈ ⁺ʾarràtəˈ šúk̭ mən-carmànə.ˈ ʾína ʾá-məndi꞊da tanə̀nnə.ˈ ɟu-carmànə ci-ṱársiva ⁺čolátə bí … k̭èsəˈ ⁺ʾarp̂á ⁺háčə ʾátxa ci-mattìvaˈ čardàk̭ˈ čardàk̭əˈ ʾíta b-yùmaˈ bnàtəˈ ci-yatvíva ɟu-⁺čolàtəˈ k̭at-ɟinávə la-ʾavìvaˈ ⁺ʾal-carmánə ⁺šùlə.ˈ ⁺xadərvánan məššəlmànəvaˈ məššəlmánə꞊zə … hə́č-xa mənné lə́tvalun carmànə.ˈ lá carmànə ʾə́tvalunˈ lá baxčánət yèməš.ˈ cúllə ʾət-dìyyanˈ ⁺ʾaturáyə ʾu-ʾarəmnày꞊da.ˈ ʾə́tva xácma matvátət ʾarəmnàyəˈ ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmi.ˈ ʾíta b-yùmaˈ bnàtə ci-yatvíva.ˈ ⁺baġvànə c-avívaˈ k̭át ɟinávə ⁺šúlə là-ʾativa.ˈ ṱèrə꞊da c-atíva k̭at-⁺ʾánvə ⁺ʾaxlìvalunˈ ci-maprəxxìvalun.ˈ b-lélə꞊da ɟvànk̭ə c-azíva.ˈ ʾána ɟàni꞊zəˈ ɟú xá šíta ⁺ʾám ɟvánk̭ə m-⁺uydálə ʾá-⁺šula vìdux.ˈ ɟinávə c-atìvaˈ dok̭àxvalun ⁺šúlə.ˈ ʾíta sábza ci-lablívala ʾáx mə̀rriˈ ⁺ʾal-mdìta ci-zabníva.ˈ ⁺ràba məndyánə,ˈ šàcarˈ yànˈ xácma məndyánə k̭át ɟu-matvátə lə̀tvaˈ ci-zonìva,ˈ mayyìva k̭at-⁺lázəm c-avìva,ˈ ⁺pàrčə,ˈ jùlləˈ ʾátxa məndyànə.ˈ hár dé-⁺dana c-avívalun ⁺k̭əṱṱáṱət ⁺ʾarràtə.ˈ ɟu-⁺ʾarrátə ⁺zarríva ⁺xə̀ṱṱəˈ ⁺zarríva ⁺sàrə.ˈ ⁺xə́ṱṱə ⁺sárə b-⁺dána b-⁺k̭éṱa ci-⁺xazdìvalun.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tva jarjàrəˈ ʾánnə ci-lablívalun ɟu-⁺budràtə,ˈ b-jarjàrəˈ b-k̭ənyànəˈ yán tòrəˈ yán xmàrəˈ ʾánnə ɟaršìvaˈ xə́ṱṱə ci-⁺palṱìvalunˈ mən-ɟu-búlət ⁺xə̀ṱṱə.ˈ ci-⁺palṱìvalunˈ lablívalun ʾə̀rxə-ʾətva.ˈ ɟu-ʾə́rxə ci-taxnìvalunˈ c-odívalun k̭àmxaˈ k̭at-mayyíva ɟu-bàtəˈ làxma yapíva.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tva tanùrəˈ tanúrə ⁺rába ʾátxa ʾàmk̭uˈ ɟavé láxma ci-yapìva.ˈ ʾíta ci-mapləxxíva táxta … ⁺dorànaˈ mə́n màzrak̭ˈ ʾō꞊t làxma ci-mattívalə ⁺ʾálluˈ ʾíta b-⁺dàvun ci-maxívalə ɟu-tanùyra.ˈ ci-pā́šva xá ⁺ʾárp̂a xamšà dak̭ík̭əˈ jə́ns ci-bašə̀lva.ˈ ⁺rába šap̂íra làxmaˈ hə́č ʾáx do-láxmət matvàtə꞊daˈ ʾaslán hə̀č-ductaˈ ʾánnə láxxa b-ánnə ducánə lè-mačxət mən-do-láxmaˈ ⁺ràba šap̂íra.ˈ ⁺ràba məndyánə.ˈ hìˈ mən-k̭ənyànə,ˈ k̭ənyànə꞊zə c-avívalun.ˈ màsta ʾi-dok̭ìvaˈ ⁺càrra ʾi-dok̭ívaˈ ⁺xàlva,ˈ cùl xa-mə́ndi c-avívalun mə́n k̭ənyànə꞊zə. ʾìtaˈ ɟu-dán ⁺ʾarràtəˈ šúk̭ mən-xə̀ṱṱəˈ šəptìyyə, bašìləˈ ⁺ɟúrə ⁺ɟúrə mən-dánnə yemìšəˈ ⁺zarrìva.ˈ ci-⁺zarríva ʾànnə꞊zəˈ yán xa-sáma ʾən-⁺ràba ʾáviva ci-zabnìvaˈ xa-zúyza ⁺ʾal-ʾída ci-mayyìvaˈ ʾan-xínə c-⁺axlìvalun. ⁺rába yálə jìləˈ bnátə jìləˈ c-azíva ɟu-dánnə ⁺bustanànə ⁺šúləˈ bəzmàra,ˈ tanùvvə,ˈ bərk̭àda.ˈ ʾìtaˈ cúllə bátə꞊zə c-avìvalun,ˈ cúl bèta k̭ə́ṱṱət ⁺ʾàrra꞊da c-avívaləˈ carmànə꞊zə c-avívalə.ˈ

ʾìtaˈ də́štət ʾÙrmi xínaˈ ràba šap̂ə́rtəva.ˈ ʾànaˈ xa-ctàva ʾə́tli,ˈ tré məššənnérət ʾamricàyəˈ ʾán č̭ə́m k̭amáyə məššənnérə k̭át tìlunˈ ɟu-də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ xá-mənne ʾíva šə́mmu Míster Smìth,ˈ ʾo-xína ʾíva Dwìɟht,ˈ ʾánnə tré ⁺parsúpə tìlun,ˈ ʾé-⁺dān tìlun,ˈ ʾé-⁺dana ʾurxátə꞊zə ʾásfalt lèva víyyə.ˈ ʾurxátə šusèvaˈ ʾásfalt léva vìyyəˈ ʾíta lə́tva ⁺mašìnə꞊zəˈ k̭át b-⁺mašìnə nášə ʾazíva ʾatíva.ˈ b-susaváy b-cavə́dnə b-xmàrə c-azíva.ˈ ʾánnə b-susavaté ʾé-⁺dān ⁺mṱílun ⁺ʾál ⁺láp k̭ark̭ə́ptət ⁺ṱùyraˈ ʾíva xá … ⁺táma ʾə́tvalan xá pàssˈ ⁺rába ⁺ràmtaˈ ci-⁺k̭arívala k̭učìyyə.ˈ ɟadúɟɟət k̭učìyyə ci-⁺k̭arívala.ˈ ʾé-⁺dān mṱílun tàmaˈ mən-⁺táma m-⁺ál-susavaté ⁺slìlunˈ ɟušə́k̭lun ⁺ʾal-də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ mən-⁺táma də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ci-mabyənnáva ⁺rába šap̂ə̀rtaˈ ʾíta də́pnət dé də̀šta꞊daˈ ʾə́tlan xa-yàmaˈ yámtət ʾÙrmi ci-⁺k̭aríla,ˈ yámət mə̀lxa.ˈ ʾáyən xəzyàlunˈ ɟu-ctavé bəctàvənaˈ ʾo-ctávu k̭at-ctívuna k̭á bòard-ət diyyéˈ ɟu-Bòston,ˈ láxxa ɟu-ʾAmèrica,ˈ márəna ʾàxnanˈ ɟu-⁺rába ⁺ʾatravátət dúnyə ⁺xdìrəvaxˈ ⁺rába dəšyàtə xə́zyəvaxˈ ⁺rába ducànə xíšəvaxˈ ʾalbàttaˈ b-nàšə꞊zə k̭at-tpík̭əna,ˈ b-⁺parsùpəˈ ʾánnə məndyànə꞊da tanúyəna,ˈ mára də̀štaˈ b-dá ⁺šúp̂ra ʾáxnan lḕx xə́zyəˈ hə́č dúca lə́t də́šta b-dá šùp̂ra.ˈ xá ɟíboˈ cúllə ⁺ṱuyrànənaˈ ʾadíyya b-⁺arálləġət ⁺k̭èṱaˈ cúllə ⁺ṱuyrànəˈ ⁺ʾulluylé ʾé-k̭ark̭ə́ptət ⁺ṱúyra tàlɟa ⁺maxvúrələˈ ʾə̀ltəxˈ də́šta cúllə k̭ə̀ntəla.ˈ ⁺rába šap̂ə̀rtaˈ l-á-ɟiba xìtaˈ mabyúnəla xa-hə́nna … ⁺ʾàbiˈ mə̀ltaˈ ʾé yàma.ˈ ʾáxnan ⁺rába bət-xàdaxˈ ʾə́n yavvítun k̭á-dìyyanˈ pə́rsat ⁺ʾijàza yavvítunlanˈ hár péšax làxxaˈ mašxə̀ddaxˈ ɟu-dá dùcta.ˈ bərrə́xšəna ʾalbátta bətfák̭əna b-cmá ʾapəsk̭úpə k̭at-vàyan꞊ləˈ ⁺ʾárp̂a xamšá ʾapəsk̭ùpə.ˈ ɟu-matvátə ⁺šúlə ⁺bəxdàrənaˈ biyyé bətpàk̭ənaˈ ctávə ʾatìk̭ə꞊zə k̭at-víyyan꞊ləˈ bərrə́xšəna cúllə bəxzayèna.ˈ matxùrənaˈ ʾìca xíšəna,ˈ còsəˈ yán ducánə xínə k̭át tpík̭əna b-⁺már ⁺ʾAvrā̀m,ˈ ⁺már Yòsəp,ˈ ⁺mar ʾIlìya,ˈ ⁺már Yuxànnan,ˈ ⁺ʾarp̂á-danə ʾapəsk̭úpə ʾáyya ⁺dána ʾə̀tvalan.ˈ b-dánnə k̭át bətpàk̭ənaˈ muɟɟúrra b-xùbbaˈ k̭abuléna b-dó xubbè.ˈ ɟu-ctavé ctìvəna.ˈ ʾìta.ˈ də́štət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾána bəxšávən xá mə́n … léla k̭át ʾáxnan ɟánan vìyyəvaxˈ ɟávo ɟurvə̀ssəvax,ˈ ⁺rába ⁺pšàməvax k̭át m-ída yùvvo.ˈ də́štət ʾÚrmi xá ⁺dána vìtəlaˈ cullanaʾìt vítəla ʾət-⁺ʾaturày.ˈ hə́č məššəlmánə ⁺šúlə꞊da léna vìyyəˈ ʾáxči ʾé-⁺dān Nɑ̄dər-Šɑ̄̀h,ˈ xá mən-málcət ⁺ʾÍran tìləˈ xá nášəva ⁺rába … ⁺rába fanatik̭àyaˈ ⁺rába zóda mən-⁺làzəmˈ mə́n ⁺crəsyánə xóšu le-ʾatyàvaˈ ⁺ʾaturáyət díyyan bəšk̭alèvaˈ mən-də́štət ʾÚrmi labuléva la-dó-rišət ⁺ʾàtraˈ ⁺K̭òč̭an,ˈ Màšad,ˈ la-dán ɟibànəˈ mən-⁺táma máyəva ⁺ʾafšarìyyəˈ ʾánnə ʾáxnan ⁺k̭aráxlun ʾadíyya꞊da ⁺hošàrəˈ k̭a-cúllə dánnə ⁺parsúpə k̭át ɟu-dé də́štət ʾÙrmi ci-xáyyiˈ k̭át məššəlmànənaˈ ci-⁺k̭árax ⁺hošàrə,ˈ ⁺hošárə yán ʾafšɑ̄rī̀.ˈ ⁺ʾávun Nɑ̄dər-Šɑ̄́h ʾafšɑ̄̀r ʾíva꞊da šə́mmuˈ ⁺ʾávun šak̭ə́lvalun mayyìvalun ⁺támaˈ ⁺ʾaturáyət díyyan šak̭ə́lva ⁺mabsə̀rvalun mən-⁺tàma.ˈ ʾáxnan xá-⁺dana də́štət ʾÚrmi cùllə ʾaslánˈ yáma … ʾé yàma ⁺támaˈ šə́mmo ʾílə yámət ʾÙrmiˈ ʾÚrmiyya ɟàno,ˈ ʾÙrmiyya,ˈ yánə dúctət mìyyaˈ k̭ə̀nnət míyyaˈ ⁺mabbùvvət míyyaˈ ʾá ⁺xàbraˈ ⁺xábrət ⁺ʾaturàyələˈ ʾət-dìyyan꞊lə.ˈ ʾÙrmiyya.ˈ

bətvátə dàxiva?ˈ bətvàtəˈ sáma zòdaˈ … ɟu-matvátə ʾə́tvalan bátə prìšəˈ clítəva ⁺ʾal-nàšəˈ mújjurra másalan cmá ʾá-ʾiva ⁺cásəb yán dolàtman.ˈ ʾə́tvalan bátət tré ⁺ṱlá tabák̭ə꞊zə b-cárpəc smùk̭taˈ cárpəč k̭ə̀dtaˈ muk̭ə̀dtaˈ ʾə́tvalan bàtəˈ ʾína cullanaʾít sáma zódət bátət màtaˈ ci-⁺ṱarsívalun mə́n … ci-⁺palṱíva ⁺ʾal-váddar mən-màtaˈ cimànə ʾə́tvalan.ˈ ci-⁺k̭aṱṱíva cìmə,ˈ ʾáxnan ci-tanàxlun xína,ˈ ci-⁺k̭aṱṱíva cìməˈ ʾḗn címə b-⁺ṱìna ci-mayyívaˈ mattíva ⁺ʾàl ⁺ʾuydáləˈ ʾátxa mask̭ívalə ɟùydaˈ bèta ⁺ṱarsíva biyyé.ˈ ʾíta xína ⁺ʾulluylé꞊da cúllə c-avíva k̭èsə,ˈ pardùvvə,ˈ ⁺k̭aryàtə.ˈ stùyna ci-mattíva. xút dán ⁺k̭aryàtəˈ k̭át ʾən-béta ⁺ɟùra ʾavívaˈ ɟàruˈ sə́tva tálɟa ⁺ràba ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ ⁺ràba tálɟa ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ sə̀tvaˈ ʾána bətxárəvən ɟàniˈ sùrəvənvaˈ bábi꞊da sàvəvaˈ ci-yask̭áxva mən-bábi m-⁺úydalə cùt-yumˈ tàlɟaˈ ɟári ⁺rappáxvalə m-⁺ál-ɟàrə,ˈ cúl yùma,ˈ cúl yùma.ˈ ⁺ʾúxča tàlɟa ci-⁺rayyíva.ˈ ʾàdiˈ xína ʾáx k̭ámta lèlaˈ ɟàrə,ˈ ʾáx mə̀rri xína,ˈ ɟárə … k̭ésa ci-mattíva ⁺xlìma ʾátxaˈ mən-dà ɟúyda ⁺ʾal-dò ɟúyda.ˈ ʾə́n béta ʾávə ⁺ɟùraˈ xá-dana stùyna꞊da xút ci-maxíva mən-⁺ʾàrraˈ hál ⁺tàmmaˈ k̭át là talə́xva.ˈ ʾíta cmá dánə mən-⁺dávun ʾátxa ci-mattìva.ˈ ⁺xàrtaˈ ʾə́tva k̭ésa súra ʾátxa ci-parmìvalunˈ ⁺k̭aṱk̭əṱṱìvalun,ˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ hèˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ ʾo-k̭ésa ⁺yaríxa ⁺k̭arívalə ⁺k̭arìta.ˈ k̭a-dáni ⁺k̭aríva pardùvvə.ˈ ʾan-k̭ésə ci-mattívalun ʾátxa šàvyəˈ yán pàrallel,ˈ lišā́n ʾə̀nɟləz,ˈ ʾátxa m-⁺úydalə ʾázi ʾàtxa,ˈ ⁺ʾál dáni ci-mattíva pardùvvə,ˈ mən-dà-riša.ˈ ⁺ʾál dán pardúvvə꞊da ci-mattíva ⁺pavánət ʾilànəˈ brìzə,ˈ čarpùvvə ci-tanáxvalun ʾàxnan.ˈ ci-mattíva ⁺ʾal-dáni yán꞊zə hasìrəˈ ci-mattìva. ʾíta ⁺ʾal-dáni daríva ⁺ṱìna,ˈ ṱína lá ⁺rába miyyàna.ˈ ṱína ci-daríva dašdəššìvalə.ˈ ⁺xárta꞊zə ci-⁺mač̭rìvalə.ˈ m-⁺bár ⁺ʾáv brə̀zvalə,ˈ xá ɟúra xína ⁺ṱína ṱarə̀sva,ˈ túyna꞊da daríva ɟàvuˈ túyna꞊da daríva ɟàvu,ˈ dašdəššívalə ʾátxa jə́ns ⁺mamṱìvalə.ˈ mask̭ívalə ⁺ʾal-ɟàrəˈ ⁺mač̭rívalə ɟáru bìyyu,ˈ k̭èṱa c-odívalə ʾa-⁺šùla,ˈ k̭át barə̀zva.ˈ mən-⁺bár brə̀zvalə,ˈ xína míyya ʾé-⁺dān ⁺múṱra tálɟa ⁺šúlə ⁺rayyíva ɟu-béta lè ⁺salíva.ˈ

Translation:

You have asked me to tell you a few things about agriculture with regard to Muyshava, but what I want to say holds for all our villages that are in the plain of Urmi and the plain of Salamas. We, in the plain of Urmi and Salamas, we had altogether a hundred and thirty three villages, villages that were only (those) of Assyrians. We had some that were mixed with Armenians. I have all their names, yes I have their names here. Now, in these villages agriculture was all the same. It was not different. In villages that belonged to us, every house of every village had a section of a vineyard, vineyard and in his (the householder’s ) vineyard there are grapes, grapes for eating, and so from the grapes they used to produce raisins, and (there were) vegetables. Their livelihood was from there. They used to lay out the vegetables and take them to the town and sell them, then they would buy what they needed, and bring it back. Also from the (produce of) the vineyards they would cook molasses. They used to bring the grapes in water-jugs, they used to press them and then they used to pour the must into cauldrons. They used to light a fire beneath them and cook molasses. They used to dry raisins—she is pointing to me so that I mention raisins. They used to lay out raisins on the slopes (of the rooftops) for the winter. These were food for winter. They used to make preserved grape-clusters, preserved grape-clusters. They used to hang up grapes, exactly as they were fresh (from the vineyards) in cellars—they used to have a cellar—in the dark. They used to hang them up for winter. They used to sit around an oven and used to bring some of those preserved grape-clusters. They used to take them down and serve them to guests and they would eat them. They used to make wine, very good quality wine in jars. This was in all the villages, not just in our village. In all the villages of the plain of Urmi this was the custom. We had some small villages, we had large villages but they all had this custom. Now, other than vineyards they had fields, but (first) I’ll say one other thing, in the vineyards they used to make huts with wood, they used to place four supports like this, a hut, huts, so during the day girls used to sit in the huts so that there would not be any thieves (breaking) into the vineyards and so forth. Around us were Muslims. None of the Muslims had any vineyards. They had no vineyards or fruit orchards. They all belonged to us, the Assyrians and also the Armenians. There were few Armenian villages in the plain of Urmi. So during the day girls would sit (there) they used to be vineyard keepers so that thieves and so forth would not come. Birds too used to come to eat the grapes and they used to drive them away and at night the lads used to go. I myself together with the lads did this task one year. Thieves used to come and we used to catch them and so forth. Now, they used to take the vegetables, as I said, to the town and sell them. They used to buy many things, sugar or things that did not exist in the villages and bring (them) for they were necessary, textiles and clothing, such things. At the same time they used to have fields. In the fields they used to farm wheat, they used to farm barley. They used to harvest wheat and barley at (harvest) time in summer. In the villages there were threshing-machines. They used to take these to the threshing floors, and on the threshing-machines—they used to pull these with cattle, or oxen or asses—they used to extract the wheat from the ears of wheat. They used to extract it (the wheat) and take it to a water-mill, which was (in the village). In the water-mill they used to grind it and make it into flour, in order to take home and bake bread. In the villages there were ovens, ovens, very deep like this, in which they used to bake bread. So they used to use a board, a rolling pin together with a dough-cushion, on which they used to put the bread, then on this they used to place it in the oven. It stayed there for four or five minutes, and baked well. (It was) very fine bread. Nothing like the bread of the villages—nowhere in these places (here) will you find such fine bread. There are many things. Yes, with regard to cattle, they used to have also cattle. They used to produce yoghurt, they used to produce butter, milk, they used to have everything from the cattle. Now, in those fields other than wheat, they used to cultivate watermelons, muskmelons, different types of these fruits. They used to cultivate these or if a proportion (of them) were surplus, they used to sell (them) and earn a bit of money, the others they used to eat. Many young boys and young girls used to go to these orchards and so forth, singing, telling tales and dancing. So all homes used to have (these), every house used to have a piece of land, and used to have vineyards.

Now the plain of Urmi was very beautiful. I have a book (of) two American missionaries, the very first missionaries that came to the plain of Urmi. The name of one of them was Mr. Smith and the other one was Dwight. These two gentlemen came. When they came, at that time the roads had not (yet) been laid with asphalt the roads were surfaced (with sand), they had not (yet) been laid with asphalt. So there were no cars, so that people could come and go in cars, they used to travel by horses, mules and donkeys. When these men arrived with their horses to the very top of the mountain, there we had a very high pass which they used to call K̭učiyyə, they used to call it the K̭učiyyə pass. When they arrived there, they dismounted from their horses and looked at the plain of Urmi. From there the plain of Urmi looked very beautiful. Next to the plain we have a sea. They call it the lake of Urmi, the sea of salt. They saw it and write in their book, the book that they wrote to their board in Boston here in America, they say ‘We have travelled to many countries of the world, we have seen many plains, we have gone to many places'—of course they speak about the people they have met, the people, such things—they say ‘We have not seen a plain of such beauty. Nowhere is there a plain of such beauty. On one side of it it is all mountains, now in the middle of summer all the mountains, upon (each one of) them the mountain peak is white with snow. Below the whole plain is green. On the other side something blue is seen, that is the sea. We would be very happy if you gave us the opportunity, if you gave us permission to stay right here, and preach in this place.’ They, of course, go to meet some bishops that we had, four or five bishops. They go around the villages and so forth and meet them. They also go and see all the old books that we had. They mention where they have gone, Kose, or other places where they have met Mar Abraham, Mar Joseph, Mar Elijah and Mar John—we had four bishops at that time. They have written in their book how they meet them, how warmly they receive them with love. So the plain of Urmi I think it is one (of the most beautiful places). This is not because we ourselves were born and grew up in it. We are very sorry that we have now lost it. The plain of Urmi was at one time completely Assyrian. There were no Muslims there. But at the time when Nadershah, one of the kings of Iran came—he was a very, very fanatic person, he hated the Christians more than was necessary—he took our Assyrians from the plain of Urmi and deported them to the far end of the country, Kochan, Mashhad, to those parts. From there he brought _afšars_, whom we now call _⁺hošarə_—we call all those people that live in the plain of Urmi who are Muslims _⁺hošarə, hošarə_ means _afšari_. The last name of Nadershah was also _Afšar._ He took them and brought them there. He took away our Assyrians and reduced (their numbers) there. At one time the whole of plain of Urmi in fact (was Assyrian). The lake there, its name is the lake of Urmi. Urmiyya itself, Urmiyya means the place of water, the nest of water, the source of water. This word Urmiyya is an Assyrian word. It belongs to our (language).

The majority of the houses ... in the villages we had various houses, it depended on the people, for example, how poor he was or how rich. We had houses of two, three storeys with red brick, burnt, baked brick. We had houses—generally, the majority of the houses of a village they used to make them from ... They used to go outside the village, (where) we had sods of earth. They used to cut what we called sods, they used to cut sods. They used to bring back the sods with mud and place them on top of each other and in this way they used to build up the wall. They used to build a house with them. Now, on top of them everything was wood. They used to lay laths and beams. They used to lay pillars beneath the beams, if the roof of the house was big. In winter a lot of snow used to fall. A lot of snow used to fall in winter. I myself remember, I was young and my father was old, I used to go up together with my father and every day we had to throw off the snow from the roof, every day, every day, so much snow used to fall. Now it is not like before. The roofs —as I said, the roof, they used to place a piece of wood, thick like this, from this wall to that wall. If the house was big, they used to place also a pillar underneath (coming up) from the ground up to there, so that it would not collapse. So they used to place a few pillars thus. Then there was a small stick. They used to cut them up. They used to chop them into small pieces. They called those laths. Yes they called those laths. They called the long piece of wood a beam. They called those laths. They used to lay those sticks equal like this, so that they fitted together like this. On those they put laths, from this side. On the laths they put dry branches of trees, which we used to call twigs, or they used to place on them (the laths) straw-mats. Then on those they would pour mud, mud that was not very watery. They used to pour the mud and stamp on it. Then they used to smooth it. After it had dried, another type of mud used to be made. They used to put straw in it. They used to put straw in it, they used to stamp it very well and prepare it well. They used to take it up to the roof and smear the roof with it. They used to do this in summer so that it would dry. After it dried, when it rained or snowed and so forth, water would not come down into the house.