Chaldean New Year

THOUSANDS CELEBRATE AKITU, CHALDEAN NEW YEAR TRADITION, IN EL CAJON

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 8, 2013 (El Cajon ) – In Babylon 7,313 years ago, Chaldea became the first nation to celebrate Akitu, a New Year Festival heralding the arrival of spring and the renewal of life.   Yesterday the tradition continued in El Cajon’s Prescott Promenade Park, where thousands of local Chaldeans turned out to celebrate the ancient tradition.   View a video: http://youtu.be/YfeKE22-wXw

“We are doing it to celebrate and have some fun with other, and to keep remembering,” Wissam Gello, a local Iraqi Chaldean told ECM.  “Our children will keep doing this every year, to remember and tell the truth.”


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

AKITU: CHALDEAN NEW YEAR CELEBRATION APRIL 7 IN EL CAJON TRACES ROOTS BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS

 

April 5, 2013 (El Cajon) – The ancient Babylonians celebrated the New Year during the spring equinox with an 11-day festival.  On Sunday, April 7, Iraqi Chaldeans—descendants of the Babylonians-- will host Akitu, a Chaldean New Year celebration.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 3-8 p.m. in Prescott Premenade Park. Chaldean live music and folkloric dance will be featured; food and beverages will also be available.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.