El Cajon is called “home” for most of the Chaldean community in East County San Diego. Therefore we’re not far from calling it the “New Babylon” today; this reflects our expression and appreciation to this beautiful country America, in where we are able to live in peace while preserving our authentic Chaldean heritage and traditions, in particular, in this multicultural melting pot called “El Cajon” which represents various ethnicities and cultures.
One of the many cultural events that the Chaldean people would like to preserve and celebrate in America is called AKITU, which is a celebration of the Kaldean New Year, passed on by generations from thousands of years ago (7317), and was historically held as one of the biggest festivals in Babylon, Mesopotamia – Iraq, on the First of Nissan (the month of April), every year.
In that same Chaldean genuine and authentic spirit, a small committee from among the Chaldean faithful at St. John’s Church in El Cajon (who are renting the church to celebrate their weekly mass), worked joyfully together, and were very proud to organize the AKITU FESTIVA 7317, which was held in Downtown El Cajon, on a sunny and beautiful evening, Saturday, April 02, 2017.
The Chaldean flag flew high next to the American flag, while both anthems were recited at the opening ceremony of the festival. Hundreds of Chaldeans attended this outdoor festival which they enjoyed very much; they also had a good time with the music of DJ Rony, and the nice performance of keyboard player Fadi Shebo. In addition, everyone cheered for the two young singers, Martin Goro and Mustafa Al-Kaiser who volunteered their time very thankfully to come and entertain this festival with their nice voices & performance.
The highlight of the event was a speech by His Excellency Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jammo, a retired bishop who established the Chaldean Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle in western U.S. He is known and considered to be a scholar of our church and a Chaldean Icon. He was very happy to attend the AKITU festival, an event that he described with pride in relationship to its humanitarian definition. He spoke to the community about the connection between the Babylon, (Bab-El), the New Year- Akitu- and how it is related to the Chaldean culture, civilly and spiritually, being connected to Emanuel.
As Kaldeans, we are the descendents and princes of a great civilization that require us to become a well educated nation, and keepers of the great treasures and inheritance of our Chaldean heritage.
Father Noel Gorgis, a Chaldean priest, and a very proud American citizen, gave a very significant opening speech referring to the importance of celebrating these kinds of events and the future of the new generation of Chaldeans everywhere.
As a Chaldean priest in El Cajon, CA, Fr. Noel is a community leader, and very well known among Chaldeans for organizing such events. He is also one of the most enthusiastic and genuine Chaldeans who strives to keep these cultural celebration alive among Chaldeans wherever they exist, especially after the persecutions and genocide that led hundreds of thousands of our people to flee and leave our homeland in order to find a safe haven where they can live with dignity and freedom to practice their faith, and wherever they have a community, to preserve our Chaldean identity, language and liturgy with pride.
Therefore, to call El Cajon the “New Babylon”, is like connecting a bridge between the Great civilization of Babylon – Bab-El – of Mesopotamia and the “New Babylon” of Chaldeans in El Cajon, where their sons and daughters are like princes and princesses who are the living heirs of the greatest civilization ever!
Wasan Jarbo
Member of the Festival Organizational Committee
