Barwar: The Village of Dure (1)

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Transcribed by	Source	Speakers
Geoffrey Khan	Khan, Geoffrey. The Neo-Aramaic Dialect of Barwar. 3 vols. Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2008, vol. 3	Yuwəl Yuḥanna

	Transcription	Translation
0:00	ʾána ʾíwən bɛrwərnàya.ˈ xíyən gu-Dùre.ˈ Dúre ʾíla màṯi.ˈ Dúre ʾíla xá mən-ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xamšà maṯwáṯət Bɛ́rwər.ˈ ʾánna ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xámša ʾíla ʾáxči maṯwáṯət mšixàye,ˈ ʾaturáye krəstyàne.ˈ ʾu-ʾíṯgən qúrbət tmàni xéne maṯwáṯət qurḏáye bálki biz-zàwda.ˈ qàmṯa,ˈ maṯwáṯət krəstyáne biš-ràbewa m-an-t-qurḏàye.ˈ ʾína ʾíman-t záwna mšuxlə̀ple,ˈ mšixáye mšuréla bṣàra,ˈ ʾu-mušəlmanúṯa zyàda.ˈ rába mən-d-ánna maṯwàṯaˈ píšla prìmeˈ ʾu-xákma píšla rìqe-uˈ píšla qṭìle.ˈ ʾu-píšla mšuxə́lpe maṯwáṯət qurḏáye mušəlmàne.ˈ hadìya,ˈ ʾan-maṯwáṯa ṱ-íla hàl-diya pyáša,ˈ qúrbət ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xámša maṯwàṯa,ˈ ḏá mən-diyéy Dùrela.ˈ ʾu-ʾìtlənˈ ʾəštá-maṯwaṯa qúrba l-ġḏàḏela:ˈ ʾƐ̄n-Nùne,ˈ ʾu-ʾÌyyət,ˈ ʾu-Bəšmiyàyye,ˈ ʾu-Dɛrə̀ške,ˈ ʾu-Màye.ˈ ʾánna ʾíla maṯwáṯa gu-ʾàṯṛət Bɛ́rwər.ˈ y-amrə̀xle,ˈ ʾáṯṛa dìyən,ˈ šə́mma dìyaˈ ʾáṯṛət Bɛ̀rwər.ˈ txúme díye ʾìlaˈ mən-madə̀nxaˈ Zàwa,ˈ ʾu-mən-màrwaˈ ʾìlaˈ Xawòra.ˈ y-ámri mən-Záwa hál Xawóra Bɛ̀rwɛr-ila.ˈ ʾu-txúme dìyeˈ ʾíla mən-ṭuránət Šaránuš ʾán t-rešăwàṯa,ˈ y-amrə̀xla,ˈ prášɛla Ṭyáre xtɛ́ṯa mən-Bɛ̀rwər.ˈ ʾu-mən-tayə́mna ʾíle rešət-ʾAmedìya.ˈ ʾáy-gotət míya Bɛ̀rwɛr-ilaˈ ʾa-páṯa xéta ʾíla Sàpna.ˈ ʾánna txúma dìyɛlɛ.ˈ ʾu-Bɛ́rwər ʾíla xa-ʾàṯṛaˈ šamìnɛle,ˈ ʾu-tašʿiṯanàyɛle.ˈ ʾiṯ-gáwe ʾumráne ʾatìqe.ˈ har-gu-Dúre ʾíṯgena ʾarpà ʾumráne.ˈ tré-mənna tlíxela nìxela.ˈ lá-yăḏəxxa tašʿíṯa diyèy.ˈ ʾína ʾan-tre-xéne píšela hál-danət ṱ-íxwa ʾáxni tàma,ˈ hál-šēt ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma-w šáwwi tmànya,ˈ ʾíman t-moqìma Dúre.ˈ Már Qayyóma ʾíwa gu-gallìyaˈ ʾu-Már Gwírgis gu-Dùre.ˈ gu-d-ánna tre-ʾumràneˈ xə́lmət ʾetanɛ́ṯa y-oḏə́xwala gáwe dìye.ˈ tašʿíṯət Már-Gwirgis maxzóyəlla qa-t-xamšà-mma,ˈ ʾarbà-mmaˈ hátxa šə́nne bàr-Mšixa,ˈ píšɛle bə̀nya.ˈ dárət xámša Már-Gwirgis píšɛle bə̀nya.ˈ ʾálpa-w xamšà-mma,ˈ ʾálpa-w ʾəštà-mma šə́nne hàtxaˈ ʾŭ́mur dìyela-wˈ har-hádəx ʾŭ́mur Már Qayyòma.ˈ ʾina tarī́x píša kṯíwa lìṯgena,ˈ ʾáxči ʾáx-ṱ-ix šmìyəlla.ˈ ʾu-mən-msapyanuyáṯət nàše.ˈ ʾáxči gu-Már-Gwirgis Dúre ʾíṯwa xa-kèpaˈ ʾáwwa kṯíwta tašʿíṯa ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ xa-képa rába ʾatìqa.ˈ ʾáwwa maxzóyəlla qá-t ḥăwáli ʾálpa-w ʾarbà-mmaˈ šə̀nneˈ ṱ-íle píša bə̀nya.ˈ yáʿni xamšá-mma ʾəštá-mma šə́nne bar-Mšìxa.ˈ ʾánna tré ʾumráne ʾàp-ʾaniˈ hál šēt-ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma šáwwi-w tmànya,ˈ xə́lmət y-oḏíwa gàwa.ˈ b-ɛ́-šeta píšla Dúre muqyàmta-wˈ kúlla máṯwaṯət Bɛ̀rwər,ˈ sáma zóda t-maṯwàṯa,ˈ píšla moqìme,ˈ ʾu-tlìxe,ˈ ʾumráne tlìxe,ˈ ʾu-bustanáne mùqḏe,ˈ ʾu-máṯa šwíqta xăràba-wˈ náše ṭrìḏeˈ kút-xa xíša l-xà-gēb.ˈ b-ɛ̀-danaˈ kúl anna-maṯwáṯa qəm-maqimìla,ˈ ʾáxči máṯət ʾƐ̄́n-Nune Dɛríške ʾay-píšla mən-sằbabˈ ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ʾíwa márkaz nàḥiyaˈ qəm-šoqìla.ˈ šēt-ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma tmáni-w tmánya qəm-maqimilɛ̀-ži,ˈ ṭḷáṯi b-yárxət xà.ˈ mə́ra ṭḷá yománe gắrəg mrazgítu ganɛ́xu pɛšítu ṭrìḏe.ˈ ʾə́ṯyela ṭrìḏəllaˈ kúlla nášət màṯa,ˈ máṯa mùqḏəlla,ˈ ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ʾu-Dɛrə̀ške,ˈ ʾup-ày.ˈ yáʿni Bárwər píštɛla kúlla m-Záwa l-Xawóra t-là-maṯwaṯa.ˈ kúlla tlìxe,ˈ maṯwáṯət qurḏàye ʾu-suràye.ˈ ʾána ʾó-yomət moqíma Dúre màṯən prišáyiṯ,ˈ tàmənwa.ˈ ʾána hár gu-máṯət Dùrənwa.ˈ qédamta jàlde,ˈ ʾə́šta b-yárxət Tàmuz,ˈ ʾálpa-w č̣č̣á-mma šáwwi-w tmànya,ˈ kə́lyənwa gu-tắrət bɛ̀ṯa.ˈ ʾíwa sáʾət tmánya qédamta xzéli xákma náše ṯàyaˈ mən-ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ta-Dùre.ˈ ʾə́ṯyela wìreˈ mə́ṭye kə̀sli.ˈ ʾína lújna ṯáya mən-ʾƐ̄̀n-Nune,ˈ ʾáyya lújnət maqyámtət nàše,ˈ tarḥī̀l.ˈ boqə́rra mə̀nniˈ mə́ra ʾɛ́kɛle bɛ́ṯət mùxtər?ˈ mə́ri múxtər hóle gu-ʾùmra.ˈ ʾó-yoma wáḏa qurbàna.ˈ ʾíṯwa xa-bráta díyən mìṯta-wawa.ˈ wáḏəlla qurbàna.ˈ ʾáy wela-ʾá-brata xarɛ́ṯət mṭúmra gu-Dùre,ˈ qam-maqimìlən.ˈ mə́ri hóle b-xšàwən gu-ʾùmra.ˈ xíšli boqə́rri mənnéy gu-dártət ʾùmraˈ ʾu-wírra qréla qa-mùxtər.ˈ plìṭle múxtər.ˈ bar-plíṭle kəslèy,ˈ mə́ra ʾáxni lújnət tarḥī̀l-iwəx,ˈ ʾu-ʾə́ṯyəx ta-t-măḏə̀xlɛxuˈ ta-t-m-díya ʾarpà-saʾəteˈ gắrəg kúlla nášət máṯa pàlṭi m-gu-máṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾazítu palṭítu l-wằdər.ˈ bár ʾarpa-sáʾəte Dúre maqḏə̀xla.ˈ wéle xa-xábra maxjəlàna.ˈ ʾítli gáni šéra hon-wìḏəlle,ˈ rába basìmɛle,ˈ maqḥərànɛle.ˈ yáʿni maqyámta d-áyya màṯa.ˈ ʾən-hawə́twa mìrəlliˈ ṱ-awənwá-ʾəṯya ṱ-amrə́nwala ʾan-šère.ˈ mára: xa-xamšušéba t-Támuz xəmmànaˈ gu-Dúre mxéle bə́rqa-w rawḏànaˈ píšla mxurdéṯa m-kúlla gewànaˈ bíyət ʾaskárət ḥúkma ẓalmànaˈ xéna xášən b-šère,ˈ ʾə́šti-w xàmša šére.ˈ xàrṯa,ˈ m-bár ṱ-ile yáwa xábra múxtər gu-kùlla máṯa,ˈ náše kú-mdi ṱ-iwa-mṣàyaˈ kút-xa mə́ndi ʾíwa mpalóṭəlle wằdər,ˈ pláṭa l-wắdər mən-màṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾáyya lújna sáqɛla l-gallìya,ˈ m-táma kṯàwɛlaˈ mšaróyela kṯàwaˈ bɛṯwáṯət nàšeˈ ʾu-mo-ṱ-itlèy.ˈ ʾu-ṯéla gu-màṯa.ˈ gu-máṯa ṯéla mṭéla l-be-ʾabònɛwa.ˈ qáša Sɛ́rgun tàmɛwa.ˈ ʾáni ʾu-qáša Sɛ́rgun wírra b-judàla.ˈ mjuwə̀dlun.ˈ xáčča pyáša plìšlun,ˈ ʾáni ʾu-qàša.ˈ krìblun mən-qášaˈ ʾu-plìṭlun.ˈ zíllun bɛ́ṯət mùxtər.ˈ gu-bɛ́ṯət mùxtər,ˈ tíwla lùjna,ˈ mgubéla ṭḷà-naše xéneˈ ʾáp-ʾani ṱ-áwa mən-lùjnaˈ qa-t-yáwi sahḏùṯaˈ mó-ṱ-itla nàše,ˈ mò-t-litlaˈ qa-t-kaṯwìley.ˈ tìwla,ˈ xabúše kúlla msujlìleyˈ ʾu-an-məndiyánət ʾìṯwaley,ˈ b-sahḏúṯət múxtər ʾu-d-àn-tre-yale,ˈ Zàyyɛwa,ˈ šamáša Zàyya,ˈ ʾu-Yuḥànnaˈ ʾáwwa ʾustā́ḏ Kènno.ˈ ʾánna ʾíwa mən-Dɛrə̀gne.ˈ bàrˈ ʾarbá-saʾəte grìšla,ˈ kúlla máṯa kṯiwàlaˈ ʾu-mo-ṱ-ìṯwalaˈ ʾu-mo-t-liṯwalèy.ˈ ʾína lɛ́wa ʾax-ṱ-íwa náše kṯìwe.ˈ ʾána gắrəg hawə́nwa spày zúze šqíla,ˈ taqríban ʾo-bíš-baṣora ʾànənwa šqíla.ˈ kúlla-mdi ṱ-ínwa kṯíwa šìpəlla-wˈ šwíqəlla ʾáxči xabùše,ˈ ʾu-ʾaxči ʾanjaṣe.ˈ ʾan-məndiyáne xène,ˈ kùlla šípəlla.ˈ ʾu-har-hádəx ẓlìməlla kúlla nášət màṯa.ˈ bàteˈ ʾáxni qáṣra díyən mubnélən šétət xámši-w ṭḷàṯa,ˈ ʾu-xámši-w ʾàrpa.ˈ tré-šənne bnáyəx ʾò-qaṣra,ˈ b-ɛ́-dana d-ɛ́-ga ṱ-íwa pála ʾə̀mma,ˈ ʾə́mma-w xamšì-fəlse.ˈ kulífɛle ʾə́llən šawwà-ʾalpe dinā́r,ˈ ʾə́šta šáwwa ʾàlpe.ˈ yáʿni b-ɛ́-danət qəm-maqimìlən,ˈ lɛ́ maṣə́twa banə́twale ʾo-bɛ́ṯa biš-baṣóra mən-ʾə́mma-w xámši ʾàlpe dinā́r.ˈ qəm-madqəríle kùlleˈ ṭḷáṯa ʾàlpe dinàre.ˈ mə́ri ṭla-d-ó rayəs-əllùjnaˈ mə́ri ʾáti ṭḷáṯa ʾálpe dinàreˈ máṣət šáqlət ḏá dəkkána gu-Bàġdad?ˈ ʾáxči t-yáwət sarqaflìya díya?ˈ mə́re hàḏa-huwaˈ bắyət bằyət.ˈ là-băyət,ˈ hóle Ṣaddā́m si-škì.ˈ hàtxa mə́re.ˈ xulàṣaˈ kṯíwela ʾo-mdi-ṱ-íla kṯìweˈ ʾu-náše plíṭela tíwe kúlla wắdər mən-màṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾə́ṯyela ʾatnabèleˈ kúlla mən-d-ánnət ʾàskarˈ píše gu-dášta tàma.ˈ ʾu-šwíqəlla ṭḷà yománe táma,ˈ t-là-xala,ˈ t-là-štaya,ˈ ʾu-t-la-mìya.ˈ yómət ṭḷàṯaˈ tíwla gu-ʾatnabèle,ˈ qəm-nablə́lla ṭla-Batùfe.ˈ ʾu-píšla gu-d-ɛ́ Batùfe.ˈ ʾu-hadíya mburə̀bzelaˈ Batúfe-ži šwìqəllaˈ kút-xa hóle zíla b-xá-gərrət yə̀mme.ˈ ʾána ʾíwən bɛrwərnàya.ˈ xíyən gu-Dùre.ˈ Dúre ʾíla màṯi.ˈ Dúre ʾíla xá mən-ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xamšà maṯwáṯət Bɛ́rwər.ˈ ʾánna ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xámša ʾíla ʾáxči maṯwáṯət mšixàye,ˈ ʾaturáye krəstyàne.ˈ ʾu-ʾíṯgən qúrbət tmàni xéne maṯwáṯət qurḏáye bálki biz-zàwda.ˈ qàmṯa,ˈ maṯwáṯət krəstyáne biš-ràbewa m-an-t-qurḏàye.ˈ ʾína ʾíman-t záwna mšuxlə̀ple,ˈ mšixáye mšuréla bṣàra,ˈ ʾu-mušəlmanúṯa zyàda.ˈ rába mən-d-ánna maṯwàṯaˈ píšla prìmeˈ ʾu-xákma píšla rìqe-uˈ píšla qṭìle.ˈ ʾu-píšla mšuxə́lpe maṯwáṯət qurḏáye mušəlmàne.ˈ hadìya,ˈ ʾan-maṯwáṯa ṱ-íla hàl-diya pyáša,ˈ qúrbət ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xámša maṯwàṯa,ˈ ḏá mən-diyéy Dùrela.ˈ ʾu-ʾìtlənˈ ʾəštá-maṯwaṯa qúrba l-ġḏàḏela:ˈ ʾƐ̄n-Nùne,ˈ ʾu-ʾÌyyət,ˈ ʾu-Bəšmiyàyye,ˈ ʾu-Dɛrə̀ške,ˈ ʾu-Màye.ˈ ʾánna ʾíla maṯwáṯa gu-ʾàṯṛət Bɛ́rwər.ˈ y-amrə̀xle,ˈ ʾáṯṛa dìyən,ˈ šə́mma dìyaˈ ʾáṯṛət Bɛ̀rwər.ˈ txúme díye ʾìlaˈ mən-madə̀nxaˈ Zàwa,ˈ ʾu-mən-màrwaˈ ʾìlaˈ Xawòra.ˈ y-ámri mən-Záwa hál Xawóra Bɛ̀rwɛr-ila.ˈ ʾu-txúme dìyeˈ ʾíla mən-ṭuránət Šaránuš ʾán t-rešăwàṯa,ˈ y-amrə̀xla,ˈ prášɛla Ṭyáre xtɛ́ṯa mən-Bɛ̀rwər.ˈ ʾu-mən-tayə́mna ʾíle rešət-ʾAmedìya.ˈ ʾáy-gotət míya Bɛ̀rwɛr-ilaˈ ʾa-páṯa xéta ʾíla Sàpna.ˈ ʾánna txúma dìyɛlɛ.ˈ ʾu-Bɛ́rwər ʾíla xa-ʾàṯṛaˈ šamìnɛle,ˈ ʾu-tašʿiṯanàyɛle.ˈ ʾiṯ-gáwe ʾumráne ʾatìqe.ˈ har-gu-Dúre ʾíṯgena ʾarpà ʾumráne.ˈ tré-mənna tlíxela nìxela.ˈ lá-yăḏəxxa tašʿíṯa diyèy.ˈ ʾína ʾan-tre-xéne píšela hál-danət ṱ-íxwa ʾáxni tàma,ˈ hál-šēt ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma-w šáwwi tmànya,ˈ ʾíman t-moqìma Dúre.ˈ Már Qayyóma ʾíwa gu-gallìyaˈ ʾu-Már Gwírgis gu-Dùre.ˈ gu-d-ánna tre-ʾumràneˈ xə́lmət ʾetanɛ́ṯa y-oḏə́xwala gáwe dìye.ˈ tašʿíṯət Már-Gwirgis maxzóyəlla qa-t-xamšà-mma,ˈ ʾarbà-mmaˈ hátxa šə́nne bàr-Mšixa,ˈ píšɛle bə̀nya.ˈ dárət xámša Már-Gwirgis píšɛle bə̀nya.ˈ ʾálpa-w xamšà-mma,ˈ ʾálpa-w ʾəštà-mma šə́nne hàtxaˈ ʾŭ́mur dìyela-wˈ har-hádəx ʾŭ́mur Már Qayyòma.ˈ ʾina tarī́x píša kṯíwa lìṯgena,ˈ ʾáxči ʾáx-ṱ-ix šmìyəlla.ˈ ʾu-mən-msapyanuyáṯət nàše.ˈ ʾáxči gu-Már-Gwirgis Dúre ʾíṯwa xa-kèpaˈ ʾáwwa kṯíwta tašʿíṯa ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ xa-képa rába ʾatìqa.ˈ ʾáwwa maxzóyəlla qá-t ḥăwáli ʾálpa-w ʾarbà-mmaˈ šə̀nneˈ ṱ-íle píša bə̀nya.ˈ yáʿni xamšá-mma ʾəštá-mma šə́nne bar-Mšìxa.ˈ ʾánna tré ʾumráne ʾàp-ʾaniˈ hál šēt-ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma šáwwi-w tmànya,ˈ xə́lmət y-oḏíwa gàwa.ˈ b-ɛ́-šeta píšla Dúre muqyàmta-wˈ kúlla máṯwaṯət Bɛ̀rwər,ˈ sáma zóda t-maṯwàṯa,ˈ píšla moqìme,ˈ ʾu-tlìxe,ˈ ʾumráne tlìxe,ˈ ʾu-bustanáne mùqḏe,ˈ ʾu-máṯa šwíqta xăràba-wˈ náše ṭrìḏeˈ kút-xa xíša l-xà-gēb.ˈ b-ɛ̀-danaˈ kúl anna-maṯwáṯa qəm-maqimìla,ˈ ʾáxči máṯət ʾƐ̄́n-Nune Dɛríške ʾay-píšla mən-sằbabˈ ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ʾíwa márkaz nàḥiyaˈ qəm-šoqìla.ˈ šēt-ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma tmáni-w tmánya qəm-maqimilɛ̀-ži,ˈ ṭḷáṯi b-yárxət xà.ˈ mə́ra ṭḷá yománe gắrəg mrazgítu ganɛ́xu pɛšítu ṭrìḏe.ˈ ʾə́ṯyela ṭrìḏəllaˈ kúlla nášət màṯa,ˈ máṯa mùqḏəlla,ˈ ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ʾu-Dɛrə̀ške,ˈ ʾup-ày.ˈ yáʿni Bárwər píštɛla kúlla m-Záwa l-Xawóra t-là-maṯwaṯa.ˈ kúlla tlìxe,ˈ maṯwáṯət qurḏàye ʾu-suràye.ˈ ʾána ʾó-yomət moqíma Dúre màṯən prišáyiṯ,ˈ tàmənwa.ˈ ʾána hár gu-máṯət Dùrənwa.ˈ qédamta jàlde,ˈ ʾə́šta b-yárxət Tàmuz,ˈ ʾálpa-w č̣č̣á-mma šáwwi-w tmànya,ˈ kə́lyənwa gu-tắrət bɛ̀ṯa.ˈ ʾíwa sáʾət tmánya qédamta xzéli xákma náše ṯàyaˈ mən-ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ta-Dùre.ˈ ʾə́ṯyela wìreˈ mə́ṭye kə̀sli.ˈ ʾína lújna ṯáya mən-ʾƐ̄̀n-Nune,ˈ ʾáyya lújnət maqyámtət nàše,ˈ tarḥī̀l.ˈ boqə́rra mə̀nniˈ mə́ra ʾɛ́kɛle bɛ́ṯət mùxtər?ˈ mə́ri múxtər hóle gu-ʾùmra.ˈ ʾó-yoma wáḏa qurbàna.ˈ ʾíṯwa xa-bráta díyən mìṯta-wawa.ˈ wáḏəlla qurbàna.ˈ ʾáy wela-ʾá-brata xarɛ́ṯət mṭúmra gu-Dùre,ˈ qam-maqimìlən.ˈ mə́ri hóle b-xšàwən gu-ʾùmra.ˈ xíšli boqə́rri mənnéy gu-dártət ʾùmraˈ ʾu-wírra qréla qa-mùxtər.ˈ plìṭle múxtər.ˈ bar-plíṭle kəslèy,ˈ mə́ra ʾáxni lújnət tarḥī̀l-iwəx,ˈ ʾu-ʾə́ṯyəx ta-t-măḏə̀xlɛxuˈ ta-t-m-díya ʾarpà-saʾəteˈ gắrəg kúlla nášət máṯa pàlṭi m-gu-máṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾazítu palṭítu l-wằdər.ˈ bár ʾarpa-sáʾəte Dúre maqḏə̀xla.ˈ wéle xa-xábra maxjəlàna.ˈ ʾítli gáni šéra hon-wìḏəlle,ˈ rába basìmɛle,ˈ maqḥərànɛle.ˈ yáʿni maqyámta d-áyya màṯa.ˈ ʾən-hawə́twa mìrəlliˈ ṱ-awənwá-ʾəṯya ṱ-amrə́nwala ʾan-šère.ˈ mára: xa-xamšušéba t-Támuz xəmmànaˈ gu-Dúre mxéle bə́rqa-w rawḏànaˈ píšla mxurdéṯa m-kúlla gewànaˈ bíyət ʾaskárət ḥúkma ẓalmànaˈ xéna xášən b-šère,ˈ ʾə́šti-w xàmša šére.ˈ xàrṯa,ˈ m-bár ṱ-ile yáwa xábra múxtər gu-kùlla máṯa,ˈ náše kú-mdi ṱ-iwa-mṣàyaˈ kút-xa mə́ndi ʾíwa mpalóṭəlle wằdər,ˈ pláṭa l-wắdər mən-màṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾáyya lújna sáqɛla l-gallìya,ˈ m-táma kṯàwɛlaˈ mšaróyela kṯàwaˈ bɛṯwáṯət nàšeˈ ʾu-mo-ṱ-itlèy.ˈ ʾu-ṯéla gu-màṯa.ˈ gu-máṯa ṯéla mṭéla l-be-ʾabònɛwa.ˈ qáša Sɛ́rgun tàmɛwa.ˈ ʾáni ʾu-qáša Sɛ́rgun wírra b-judàla.ˈ mjuwə̀dlun.ˈ xáčča pyáša plìšlun,ˈ ʾáni ʾu-qàša.ˈ krìblun mən-qášaˈ ʾu-plìṭlun.ˈ zíllun bɛ́ṯət mùxtər.ˈ gu-bɛ́ṯət mùxtər,ˈ tíwla lùjna,ˈ mgubéla ṭḷà-naše xéneˈ ʾáp-ʾani ṱ-áwa mən-lùjnaˈ qa-t-yáwi sahḏùṯaˈ mó-ṱ-itla nàše,ˈ mò-t-litlaˈ qa-t-kaṯwìley.ˈ tìwla,ˈ xabúše kúlla msujlìleyˈ ʾu-an-məndiyánət ʾìṯwaley,ˈ b-sahḏúṯət múxtər ʾu-d-àn-tre-yale,ˈ Zàyyɛwa,ˈ šamáša Zàyya,ˈ ʾu-Yuḥànnaˈ ʾáwwa ʾustā́ḏ Kènno.ˈ ʾánna ʾíwa mən-Dɛrə̀gne.ˈ bàrˈ ʾarbá-saʾəte grìšla,ˈ kúlla máṯa kṯiwàlaˈ ʾu-mo-ṱ-ìṯwalaˈ ʾu-mo-t-liṯwalèy.ˈ ʾína lɛ́wa ʾax-ṱ-íwa náše kṯìwe.ˈ ʾána gắrəg hawə́nwa spày zúze šqíla,ˈ taqríban ʾo-bíš-baṣora ʾànənwa šqíla.ˈ kúlla-mdi ṱ-ínwa kṯíwa šìpəlla-wˈ šwíqəlla ʾáxči xabùše,ˈ ʾu-ʾaxči ʾanjaṣe.ˈ ʾan-məndiyáne xène,ˈ kùlla šípəlla.ˈ ʾu-har-hádəx ẓlìməlla kúlla nášət màṯa.ˈ bàteˈ ʾáxni qáṣra díyən mubnélən šétət xámši-w ṭḷàṯa,ˈ ʾu-xámši-w ʾàrpa.ˈ tré-šənne bnáyəx ʾò-qaṣra,ˈ b-ɛ́-dana d-ɛ́-ga ṱ-íwa pála ʾə̀mma,ˈ ʾə́mma-w xamšì-fəlse.ˈ kulífɛle ʾə́llən šawwà-ʾalpe dinā́r,ˈ ʾə́šta šáwwa ʾàlpe.ˈ yáʿni b-ɛ́-danət qəm-maqimìlən,ˈ lɛ́ maṣə́twa banə́twale ʾo-bɛ́ṯa biš-baṣóra mən-ʾə́mma-w xámši ʾàlpe dinā́r.ˈ qəm-madqəríle kùlleˈ ṭḷáṯa ʾàlpe dinàre.ˈ mə́ri ṭla-d-ó rayəs-əllùjnaˈ mə́ri ʾáti ṭḷáṯa ʾálpe dinàreˈ máṣət šáqlət ḏá dəkkána gu-Bàġdad?ˈ ʾáxči t-yáwət sarqaflìya díya?ˈ mə́re hàḏa-huwaˈ bắyət bằyət.ˈ là-băyət,ˈ hóle Ṣaddā́m si-škì.ˈ hàtxa mə́re.ˈ xulàṣaˈ kṯíwela ʾo-mdi-ṱ-íla kṯìweˈ ʾu-náše plíṭela tíwe kúlla wắdər mən-màṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾə́ṯyela ʾatnabèleˈ kúlla mən-d-ánnət ʾàskarˈ píše gu-dášta tàma.ˈ ʾu-šwíqəlla ṭḷà yománe táma,ˈ t-là-xala,ˈ t-là-štaya,ˈ ʾu-t-la-mìya.ˈ yómət ṭḷàṯaˈ tíwla gu-ʾatnabèle,ˈ qəm-nablə́lla ṭla-Batùfe.ˈ ʾu-píšla gu-d-ɛ́ Batùfe.ˈ ʾu-hadíya mburə̀bzelaˈ Batúfe-ži šwìqəllaˈ kút-xa hóle zíla b-xá-gərrət yə̀mme.ˈ	I am from Barwar. I lived in Dure. Dure is my village. Dure is one of thirty-five villages of Barwar. These thirty-five villages are only Christian villages, Assyrian Christian. There are approximately eighty other Kurdish villages, perhaps more. Once the villages of the Christians were more numerous than those of the Kurds. But as times changed, the Christians began to diminish (in number) and Islam began to increase. (The inhabitants of ) many of these villages were slaughtered. Some fled and were (subsequently) killed. They were then changed into Muslim Kurdish villages. Now, those villages that remain until now, about thirty-five villages,—one of them is Dure. We have six villages that are near to one another: ʾƐn-Nune, ʾIyyət, Bəšmiyaye, Dɛrəške and Maye. These are the villages in the land of Barwar. We call it ‘our land’, its name is the land of Barwar. Its borders are on the East the Zab and on the West the Khabur. They say from the Zab to the Khabur is Barwar. Its borders (in the North) are the Šaranuš mountains, ‘those of the peaks’, as we call them, which divide lower Ṭyare from Barwar. In the South it is the summit of Amedia. One side of it is Barwar and the other side is Ṣapna. These are its borders. Barwar is a land which is fertile and historical. It has ancient churches. In Dure alone there are four churches. Two of them were destroyed and obliterated. We do not know their history. But the other two remained until the time that we were there, until the year 1978, when Dure was evacuated. (The church) of Saint Qayyoma was in the village and Saint George was in Dure. In these two churches we used to hold church services. The history of Saint George shows that it was built five hundred or four hundred years or so after Christ. Saint George was built in the fifth century. It is one thousand five hundred or one thousand six hundred years old. The age of Saint Qayyoma is the same. But there is no written history, only what we have heard and traditions of the people. In Saint George of Dure there was only a stone, on which its history was written, a very ancient stone. This shows that it was built about one thousand four hundred years ago. That is five-hundred or six-hundred years after Christ. Services were held in these very two churches until the year 1978. In that year Dure was evacuated. All the villages of Barwar, or most of the villages, were evacuated and destroyed. The churches were destroyed, the orchards were burnt, the village was left a ruin and the people were driven away, each going a different direction. At that time they evaculated all those villages. Only ʾƐn-Nune and Dɛríške remained since ʾƐn-Nune was the capital of the district, they left it. In the year 1988 they evacuated also them, on the 30th January. They said ‘You must prepare yourself in three days to be deported.’ They came and deported all the people of the village and burnt the village, ʾƐn-Nune and also Dɛrəške. That is all of Barwar, from the Zab to the Khabur became (a land) without villages. All were destroyed, both the Kurdish and the Christian villages. On the day that specifically Dure, our village, was evacuated, I was there, I was in the village of Dure. Early in the morning, on the 6th of Tamuz ( July), 1978, I was standing at the door of the house. At eight o’clock in the morning I saw some people coming from ʾƐn-Nune to Dure. They came and entered (the village) and arrived at my home. This was a committee coming from ʾƐn-Nune, it was the committee for the evacuation of the people, evacuation. They asked me saying ‘Where is the house of the village head?’ I said ‘The village head is in the church’. That day he was at mass. There was a girl of ours who had died. They were holding a mass for her. That was the last girl who was buried in Dure before they evacuated us. I said ‘I think he is in the church.’ I went and asked them in the courtyard of the church and they went in and called for the village head. The village head came out. After he came out to them, they said ‘We are the evacuation committee and we have come to let you know that in four hours from now all the people of the village must leave the village. You should go outside. After four hours we shall burn Dure.’ It was a terrifying piece of news. I have myself a poem that I composed. It is very beautiful, but is sad. That is, (it is about) the evacuation of the village. If you had told me, I would have come to recite these poems. It goes: One Thursday in hot July In Dure lightning and an earthquake struck It was surrounded on every boundary By the army of the tyrannical government I am continuing with the poems, sixty-five poems. Then, after the village head gives the news to all the village, the people took out everything they could and went outside the village. The committee goes up the valley and from there they write, they begin to register the houses of the people and what they possess. They then came to the village. They came to the village and went to what was the house of the bishop. The priest Sargun was there. These people and the priest Sargun entered into an argument. They argued. They and the priest almost had a fight. They were angry with the priest and went out. They went to the house of the village head. The committee sat in the house of the village head and elected three other people to be members of the committee in order to give evidence regarding the possessions of the people and to register them. They sat down and registered all the apple trees, and their possessions, with the testimony of the village head and the two youngsters, that is Zayya, the deacon Zayya, and Yuḥanna, the one (known as) the teacher Kenno. These were from Dɛrəgne. After four hours had gone by, they had registered the whole village and all their possessions. But it was not as those people wrote. I should have got a good sum of money, but it was I who received almost the least. They deleted everything that I had written. They left (in the register) only apple trees and only wild plum trees. They deleted all the other things. They treated unjustly all the people of the village in the same way. As for houses, we had our villa built in the year fifty-three and fifty-four. We were building the villa for two years, in those days when a workman cost a hundred or a hundred and fifty fils. It cost us seven thousand dinars or six thousand. At the time when they evacuated us, you could not build that house for less than one hundred and fifty thousand dinars. They valued it all as three thousand dinars. I said to the head of the committee, I said ‘Can you buy a shop in Baghdad with three thousand dinars? Could you pay even its deposit?’ He said ‘That’s it (no more negotiations). If you want it, fine. If you do not want it, there is Saddam, go and complain (to him)’. That is what he said. In brief, they registered the property and the people left and all sat outside of the village. Cars came, all of the military type, but they remained there in the fields. They left them for three days there, without food, without drink and without water. On the third day they got into the cars and they took them to Batufe. They stayed in Batufe. Now they are scattered. They left Batufe and every one went off empty handed.

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Transcription:

ʾána ʾíwən bɛrwərnàya.ˈ xíyən gu-Dùre.ˈ Dúre ʾíla màṯi.ˈ Dúre ʾíla xá mən-ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xamšà maṯwáṯət Bɛ́rwər.ˈ ʾánna ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xámša ʾíla ʾáxči maṯwáṯət mšixàye,ˈ ʾaturáye krəstyàne.ˈ ʾu-ʾíṯgən qúrbət tmàni xéne maṯwáṯət qurḏáye bálki biz-zàwda.ˈ qàmṯa,ˈ maṯwáṯət krəstyáne biš-ràbewa m-an-t-qurḏàye.ˈ ʾína ʾíman-t záwna mšuxlə̀ple,ˈ mšixáye mšuréla bṣàra,ˈ ʾu-mušəlmanúṯa zyàda.ˈ rába mən-d-ánna maṯwàṯaˈ píšla prìmeˈ ʾu-xákma píšla rìqe-uˈ píšla qṭìle.ˈ ʾu-píšla mšuxə́lpe maṯwáṯət qurḏáye mušəlmàne.ˈ hadìya,ˈ ʾan-maṯwáṯa ṱ-íla hàl-diya pyáša,ˈ qúrbət ṭḷáṯi ʾu-xámša maṯwàṯa,ˈ ḏá mən-diyéy Dùrela.ˈ ʾu-ʾìtlənˈ ʾəštá-maṯwaṯa qúrba l-ġḏàḏela:ˈ ʾƐ̄n-Nùne,ˈ ʾu-ʾÌyyət,ˈ ʾu-Bəšmiyàyye,ˈ ʾu-Dɛrə̀ške,ˈ ʾu-Màye.ˈ ʾánna ʾíla maṯwáṯa gu-ʾàṯṛət Bɛ́rwər.ˈ y-amrə̀xle,ˈ ʾáṯṛa dìyən,ˈ šə́mma dìyaˈ ʾáṯṛət Bɛ̀rwər.ˈ txúme díye ʾìlaˈ mən-madə̀nxaˈ Zàwa,ˈ ʾu-mən-màrwaˈ ʾìlaˈ Xawòra.ˈ y-ámri mən-Záwa hál Xawóra Bɛ̀rwɛr-ila.ˈ ʾu-txúme dìyeˈ ʾíla mən-ṭuránət Šaránuš ʾán t-rešăwàṯa,ˈ y-amrə̀xla,ˈ prášɛla Ṭyáre xtɛ́ṯa mən-Bɛ̀rwər.ˈ ʾu-mən-tayə́mna ʾíle rešət-ʾAmedìya.ˈ ʾáy-gotət míya Bɛ̀rwɛr-ilaˈ ʾa-páṯa xéta ʾíla Sàpna.ˈ ʾánna txúma dìyɛlɛ.ˈ

ʾu-Bɛ́rwər ʾíla xa-ʾàṯṛaˈ šamìnɛle,ˈ ʾu-tašʿiṯanàyɛle.ˈ ʾiṯ-gáwe ʾumráne ʾatìqe.ˈ har-gu-Dúre ʾíṯgena ʾarpà ʾumráne.ˈ tré-mənna tlíxela nìxela.ˈ lá-yăḏəxxa tašʿíṯa diyèy.ˈ ʾína ʾan-tre-xéne píšela hál-danət ṱ-íxwa ʾáxni tàma,ˈ hál-šēt ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma-w šáwwi tmànya,ˈ ʾíman t-moqìma Dúre.ˈ Már Qayyóma ʾíwa gu-gallìyaˈ ʾu-Már Gwírgis gu-Dùre.ˈ gu-d-ánna tre-ʾumràneˈ xə́lmət ʾetanɛ́ṯa y-oḏə́xwala gáwe dìye.ˈ tašʿíṯət Már-Gwirgis maxzóyəlla qa-t-xamšà-mma,ˈ ʾarbà-mmaˈ hátxa šə́nne bàr-Mšixa,ˈ píšɛle bə̀nya.ˈ dárət xámša Már-Gwirgis píšɛle bə̀nya.ˈ ʾálpa-w xamšà-mma,ˈ ʾálpa-w ʾəštà-mma šə́nne hàtxaˈ ʾŭ́mur dìyela-wˈ har-hádəx ʾŭ́mur Már Qayyòma.ˈ ʾina tarī́x píša kṯíwa lìṯgena,ˈ ʾáxči ʾáx-ṱ-ix šmìyəlla.ˈ ʾu-mən-msapyanuyáṯət nàše.ˈ ʾáxči gu-Már-Gwirgis Dúre ʾíṯwa xa-kèpaˈ ʾáwwa kṯíwta tašʿíṯa ʾə́lle dìye,ˈ xa-képa rába ʾatìqa.ˈ ʾáwwa maxzóyəlla qá-t ḥăwáli ʾálpa-w ʾarbà-mmaˈ šə̀nneˈ ṱ-íle píša bə̀nya.ˈ yáʿni xamšá-mma ʾəštá-mma šə́nne bar-Mšìxa.ˈ ʾánna tré ʾumráne ʾàp-ʾaniˈ hál šēt-ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma šáwwi-w tmànya,ˈ xə́lmət y-oḏíwa gàwa.ˈ b-ɛ́-šeta píšla Dúre muqyàmta-wˈ kúlla máṯwaṯət Bɛ̀rwər,ˈ sáma zóda t-maṯwàṯa,ˈ píšla moqìme,ˈ ʾu-tlìxe,ˈ ʾumráne tlìxe,ˈ ʾu-bustanáne mùqḏe,ˈ ʾu-máṯa šwíqta xăràba-wˈ náše ṭrìḏeˈ kút-xa xíša l-xà-gēb.ˈ b-ɛ̀-danaˈ kúl anna-maṯwáṯa qəm-maqimìla,ˈ ʾáxči máṯət ʾƐ̄́n-Nune Dɛríške ʾay-píšla mən-sằbabˈ ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ʾíwa márkaz nàḥiyaˈ qəm-šoqìla.ˈ šēt-ʾálpa ʾəč̣č̣á-mma tmáni-w tmánya qəm-maqimilɛ̀-ži,ˈ ṭḷáṯi b-yárxət xà.ˈ mə́ra ṭḷá yománe gắrəg mrazgítu ganɛ́xu pɛšítu ṭrìḏe.ˈ ʾə́ṯyela ṭrìḏəllaˈ kúlla nášət màṯa,ˈ máṯa mùqḏəlla,ˈ ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ʾu-Dɛrə̀ške,ˈ ʾup-ày.ˈ

yáʿni Bárwər píštɛla kúlla m-Záwa l-Xawóra t-là-maṯwaṯa.ˈ kúlla tlìxe,ˈ maṯwáṯət qurḏàye ʾu-suràye.ˈ ʾána ʾó-yomət moqíma Dúre màṯən prišáyiṯ,ˈ tàmənwa.ˈ ʾána hár gu-máṯət Dùrənwa.ˈ qédamta jàlde,ˈ ʾə́šta b-yárxət Tàmuz,ˈ ʾálpa-w č̣č̣á-mma šáwwi-w tmànya,ˈ kə́lyənwa gu-tắrət bɛ̀ṯa.ˈ ʾíwa sáʾət tmánya qédamta xzéli xákma náše ṯàyaˈ mən-ʾƐ̄́n-Nune ta-Dùre.ˈ ʾə́ṯyela wìreˈ mə́ṭye kə̀sli.ˈ ʾína lújna ṯáya mən-ʾƐ̄̀n-Nune,ˈ ʾáyya lújnət maqyámtət nàše,ˈ tarḥī̀l.ˈ boqə́rra mə̀nniˈ mə́ra ʾɛ́kɛle bɛ́ṯət mùxtər?ˈ mə́ri múxtər hóle gu-ʾùmra.ˈ ʾó-yoma wáḏa qurbàna.ˈ ʾíṯwa xa-bráta díyən mìṯta-wawa.ˈ wáḏəlla qurbàna.ˈ ʾáy wela-ʾá-brata xarɛ́ṯət mṭúmra gu-Dùre,ˈ qam-maqimìlən.ˈ mə́ri hóle b-xšàwən gu-ʾùmra.ˈ xíšli boqə́rri mənnéy gu-dártət ʾùmraˈ ʾu-wírra qréla qa-mùxtər.ˈ plìṭle múxtər.ˈ bar-plíṭle kəslèy,ˈ mə́ra ʾáxni lújnət tarḥī̀l-iwəx,ˈ ʾu-ʾə́ṯyəx ta-t-măḏə̀xlɛxuˈ ta-t-m-díya ʾarpà-saʾəteˈ gắrəg kúlla nášət máṯa pàlṭi m-gu-máṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾazítu palṭítu l-wằdər.ˈ bár ʾarpa-sáʾəte Dúre maqḏə̀xla.ˈ wéle xa-xábra maxjəlàna.ˈ ʾítli gáni šéra hon-wìḏəlle,ˈ rába basìmɛle,ˈ maqḥərànɛle.ˈ yáʿni maqyámta d-áyya màṯa.ˈ ʾən-hawə́twa mìrəlliˈ ṱ-awənwá-ʾəṯya ṱ-amrə́nwala ʾan-šère.ˈ mára:

xa-xamšušéba t-Támuz xəmmànaˈ
gu-Dúre mxéle bə́rqa-w rawḏànaˈ
píšla mxurdéṯa m-kúlla gewànaˈ
bíyət ʾaskárət ḥúkma ẓalmànaˈ
xéna xášən b-šère,ˈ ʾə́šti-w xàmša šére.ˈ

xàrṯa,ˈ m-bár ṱ-ile yáwa xábra múxtər gu-kùlla máṯa,ˈ náše kú-mdi ṱ-iwa-mṣàyaˈ kút-xa mə́ndi ʾíwa mpalóṭəlle wằdər,ˈ pláṭa l-wắdər mən-màṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾáyya lújna sáqɛla l-gallìya,ˈ m-táma kṯàwɛlaˈ mšaróyela kṯàwaˈ bɛṯwáṯət nàšeˈ ʾu-mo-ṱ-itlèy.ˈ ʾu-ṯéla gu-màṯa.ˈ gu-máṯa ṯéla mṭéla l-be-ʾabònɛwa.ˈ qáša Sɛ́rgun tàmɛwa.ˈ ʾáni ʾu-qáša Sɛ́rgun wírra b-judàla.ˈ mjuwə̀dlun.ˈ xáčča pyáša plìšlun,ˈ ʾáni ʾu-qàša.ˈ krìblun mən-qášaˈ ʾu-plìṭlun.ˈ zíllun bɛ́ṯət mùxtər.ˈ gu-bɛ́ṯət mùxtər,ˈ tíwla lùjna,ˈ mgubéla ṭḷà-naše xéneˈ ʾáp-ʾani ṱ-áwa mən-lùjnaˈ qa-t-yáwi sahḏùṯaˈ mó-ṱ-itla nàše,ˈ mò-t-litlaˈ qa-t-kaṯwìley.ˈ tìwla,ˈ xabúše kúlla msujlìleyˈ ʾu-an-məndiyánət ʾìṯwaley,ˈ b-sahḏúṯət múxtər ʾu-d-àn-tre-yale,ˈ Zàyyɛwa,ˈ šamáša Zàyya,ˈ ʾu-Yuḥànnaˈ ʾáwwa ʾustā́ḏ Kènno.ˈ ʾánna ʾíwa mən-Dɛrə̀gne.ˈ bàrˈ ʾarbá-saʾəte grìšla,ˈ kúlla máṯa kṯiwàlaˈ ʾu-mo-ṱ-ìṯwalaˈ ʾu-mo-t-liṯwalèy.ˈ ʾína lɛ́wa ʾax-ṱ-íwa náše kṯìwe.ˈ ʾána gắrəg hawə́nwa spày zúze šqíla,ˈ taqríban ʾo-bíš-baṣora ʾànənwa šqíla.ˈ kúlla-mdi ṱ-ínwa kṯíwa šìpəlla-wˈ šwíqəlla ʾáxči xabùše,ˈ ʾu-ʾaxči ʾanjaṣe.ˈ ʾan-məndiyáne xène,ˈ kùlla šípəlla.ˈ ʾu-har-hádəx ẓlìməlla kúlla nášət màṯa.ˈ bàteˈ ʾáxni qáṣra díyən mubnélən šétət xámši-w ṭḷàṯa,ˈ ʾu-xámši-w ʾàrpa.ˈ tré-šənne bnáyəx ʾò-qaṣra,ˈ b-ɛ́-dana d-ɛ́-ga ṱ-íwa pála ʾə̀mma,ˈ ʾə́mma-w xamšì-fəlse.ˈ kulífɛle ʾə́llən šawwà-ʾalpe dinā́r,ˈ ʾə́šta šáwwa ʾàlpe.ˈ yáʿni b-ɛ́-danət qəm-maqimìlən,ˈ lɛ́ maṣə́twa banə́twale ʾo-bɛ́ṯa biš-baṣóra mən-ʾə́mma-w xámši ʾàlpe dinā́r.ˈ qəm-madqəríle kùlleˈ ṭḷáṯa ʾàlpe dinàre.ˈ mə́ri ṭla-d-ó rayəs-əllùjnaˈ mə́ri ʾáti ṭḷáṯa ʾálpe dinàreˈ máṣət šáqlət ḏá dəkkána gu-Bàġdad?ˈ ʾáxči t-yáwət sarqaflìya díya?ˈ mə́re hàḏa-huwaˈ bắyət bằyət.ˈ là-băyət,ˈ hóle Ṣaddā́m si-škì.ˈ hàtxa mə́re.ˈ xulàṣaˈ kṯíwela ʾo-mdi-ṱ-íla kṯìweˈ ʾu-náše plíṭela tíwe kúlla wắdər mən-màṯa.ˈ ʾu-ʾə́ṯyela ʾatnabèleˈ kúlla mən-d-ánnət ʾàskarˈ píše gu-dášta tàma.ˈ ʾu-šwíqəlla ṭḷà yománe táma,ˈ t-là-xala,ˈ t-là-štaya,ˈ ʾu-t-la-mìya.ˈ yómət ṭḷàṯaˈ tíwla gu-ʾatnabèle,ˈ qəm-nablə́lla ṭla-Batùfe.ˈ ʾu-píšla gu-d-ɛ́ Batùfe.ˈ ʾu-hadíya mburə̀bzelaˈ Batúfe-ži šwìqəllaˈ kút-xa hóle zíla b-xá-gərrət yə̀mme.ˈ

Translation:

I am from Barwar. I lived in Dure. Dure is my village. Dure is one of thirty-five villages of Barwar. These thirty-five villages are only Christian villages, Assyrian Christian. There are approximately eighty other Kurdish villages, perhaps more. Once the villages of the Christians were more numerous than those of the Kurds. But as times changed, the Christians began to diminish (in number) and Islam began to increase. (The inhabitants of ) many of these villages were slaughtered. Some fled and were (subsequently) killed. They were then changed into Muslim Kurdish villages. Now, those villages that remain until now, about thirty-five villages,—one of them is Dure. We have six villages that are near to one another: ʾƐn-Nune, ʾIyyət, Bəšmiyaye, Dɛrəške and Maye. These are the villages in the land of Barwar. We call it ‘our land’, its name is the land of Barwar. Its borders are on the East the Zab and on the West the Khabur. They say from the Zab to the Khabur is Barwar. Its borders (in the North) are the Šaranuš mountains, ‘those of the peaks’, as we call them, which divide lower Ṭyare from Barwar. In the South it is the summit of Amedia. One side of it is Barwar and the other side is Ṣapna. These are its borders.

Barwar is a land which is fertile and historical. It has ancient churches. In Dure alone there are four churches. Two of them were destroyed and obliterated. We do not know their history. But the other two remained until the time that we were there, until the year 1978, when Dure was evacuated. (The church) of Saint Qayyoma was in the village and Saint George was in Dure. In these two churches we used to hold church services. The history of Saint George shows that it was built five hundred or four hundred years or so after Christ. Saint George was built in the fifth century. It is one thousand five hundred or one thousand six hundred years old. The age of Saint Qayyoma is the same. But there is no written history, only what we have heard and traditions of the people. In Saint George of Dure there was only a stone, on which its history was written, a very ancient stone. This shows that it was built about one thousand four hundred years ago. That is five-hundred or six-hundred years after Christ. Services were held in these very two churches until the year 1978. In that year Dure was evacuated. All the villages of Barwar, or most of the villages, were evacuated and destroyed. The churches were destroyed, the orchards were burnt, the village was left a ruin and the people were driven away, each going a different direction. At that time they evaculated all those villages. Only ʾƐn-Nune and Dɛríške remained since ʾƐn-Nune was the capital of the district, they left it. In the year 1988 they evacuated also them, on the 30th January. They said ‘You must prepare yourself in three days to be deported.’ They came and deported all the people of the village and burnt the village, ʾƐn-Nune and also Dɛrəške.

That is all of Barwar, from the Zab to the Khabur became (a land) without villages. All were destroyed, both the Kurdish and the Christian villages. On the day that specifically Dure, our village, was evacuated, I was there, I was in the village of Dure. Early in the morning, on the 6th of Tamuz ( July), 1978, I was standing at the door of the house. At eight o’clock in the morning I saw some people coming from ʾƐn-Nune to Dure. They came and entered (the village) and arrived at my home. This was a committee coming from ʾƐn-Nune, it was the committee for the evacuation of the people, evacuation. They asked me saying ‘Where is the house of the village head?’ I said ‘The village head is in the church’. That day he was at mass. There was a girl of ours who had died. They were holding a mass for her. That was the last girl who was buried in Dure before they evacuated us. I said ‘I think he is in the church.’ I went and asked them in the courtyard of the church and they went in and called for the village head. The village head came out. After he came out to them, they said ‘We are the evacuation committee and we have come to let you know that in four hours from now all the people of the village must leave the village. You should go outside. After four hours we shall burn Dure.’ It was a terrifying piece of news. I have myself a poem that I composed. It is very beautiful, but is sad. That is, (it is about) the evacuation of the village. If you had told me, I would have come to recite these poems. It goes:

One Thursday in hot July
In Dure lightning and an earthquake struck
It was surrounded on every boundary
By the army of the tyrannical government
I am continuing with the poems, sixty-five poems.

Then, after the village head gives the news to all the village, the people took out everything they could and went outside the village. The committee goes up the valley and from there they write, they begin to register the houses of the people and what they possess. They then came to the village. They came to the village and went to what was the house of the bishop. The priest Sargun was there. These people and the priest Sargun entered into an argument. They argued. They and the priest almost had a fight. They were angry with the priest and went out. They went to the house of the village head. The committee sat in the house of the village head and elected three other people to be members of the committee in order to give evidence regarding the possessions of the people and to register them. They sat down and registered all the apple trees, and their possessions, with the testimony of the village head and the two youngsters, that is Zayya, the deacon Zayya, and Yuḥanna, the one (known as) the teacher Kenno. These were from Dɛrəgne. After four hours had gone by, they had registered the whole village and all their possessions. But it was not as those people wrote. I should have got a good sum of money, but it was I who received almost the least. They deleted everything that I had written. They left (in the register) only apple trees and only wild plum trees. They deleted all the other things. They treated unjustly all the people of the village in the same way. As for houses, we had our villa built in the year fifty-three and fifty-four. We were building the villa for two years, in those days when a workman cost a hundred or a hundred and fifty fils. It cost us seven thousand dinars or six thousand. At the time when they evacuated us, you could not build that house for less than one hundred and fifty thousand dinars. They valued it all as three thousand dinars. I said to the head of the committee, I said ‘Can you buy a shop in Baghdad with three thousand dinars? Could you pay even its deposit?’ He said ‘That’s it (no more negotiations). If you want it, fine. If you do not want it, there is Saddam, go and complain (to him)’. That is what he said. In brief, they registered the property and the people left and all sat outside of the village. Cars came, all of the military type, but they remained there in the fields. They left them for three days there, without food, without drink and without water. On the third day they got into the cars and they took them to Batufe. They stayed in Batufe. Now they are scattered. They left Batufe and every one went off empty handed.