The Chaldean Community

As soon as I walk through the doorway, I am greeted with the sound of laughter, voices of the young and old, and the appetizing smell of freshly made food. I say hello by kissing my Grandmother, Uncles, Aunts, and cousins on both cheeks, and we spend the rest of the night sharing stories, laughing, eating, and enjoying each other’s company. This occurs once a week when my mother’s family, who she is incredibly close with, gets together at one of our houses. We gather each week to spend time with one another, and dinner is made for the family, including traditional Chaldean food. As a Chaldean, and therefore, a member of the Chaldean community, family is one of the most valuable parts of our lives. Chaldeans are a small group of Catholics from the country of Iraq. We share the Chaldean culture and language, the same religion which is Catholicism, and we also share the belief that family comes first no matter what. We are a community held together by our religion, the love for our families, and by the rich cultural traditions that come with being Chaldean.

There are several traditions, and practices that are significant to the Chaldean community. For instance, attending mass at Church each week, and on major holidays, is a practice that most Chaldeans follow. Having a strong relationship with God, and learning and understanding as much as we can about our religion is incredibly important to us. Moreover, our culture is kept alive as well in the Chaldean Catholic Church. At the Church that I go to with my family, both the English language and Chaldean language are spoken. Our Priest and Deacons say prayers, and tell Bible stories in both languages, and the people that are attending mass pray in Chaldean and English as well. This is a great way for young children who are at Church to learn how to speak and understand Chaldean. This will also keep the Chaldean culture operating which is important to our community.

Another important tradition that the Chaldean community follows is that during the holidays, families spend time together, and follow Chaldean traditions. For example, every Christmas morning since before I was born, my family eats a traditional Chaldean dish called “Pocha”. It is cow’s stomach, and intestines, filled with rice, meat, and spices. My family and other Chaldean families only eat “Pocha” on Christmas, but some eat it on other special occasions. It takes about two days to prepare, so my mother only makes it for Christmas. After we eat, we attend Church, and later we spend part of the day with my father’s side of the family at one of our relative’s houses. After that, my family and I will celebrate the holiday with my mother’s side of the family. Occasionally, my family will have several parties during the Christmas season at different relative’s homes. This is due to the fact that each family has quite a few relatives to visit on the actual day of Christmas, and this makes it easier to spend time with everyone. Furthermore, at each holiday celebration, there is a copious amount of traditional Chaldean food made mostly by our mothers, and grandmothers. Imagine a long table that is filled up once with appetizers, again with entrees, and then finally with dessert! Even though Chaldeans have large families, there is still plenty of food left over. Besides eating on holidays, we play card games, reminisce about the past, catch up on life with relatives, and this can go on for hours! I love spending time with all of my relatives, and the holidays make that happen for me.

Besides our holiday traditions, my favorite Chaldean custom is engaging in our big, beautiful weddings. As I previously noted, Chaldeans have numerous relatives, and as a result, there can be around five hundred or more guests at a wedding! Before the actual wedding day, there are a few events that take place. The first event is called the “Tenatha” which is when the couple’s families meet each other. Once the relatives have learned more about one another, the spotlight is on the groom-to-be. He has to ask the parents of the bride-to-be for permission to ask for her hand in marriage. Usually, the bride-to-be and her family already know that he intends to propose marriage, but it is still tradition to ask for their approval, and blessing.

After the “Tenatha,” the couple can decide whether or not they would like to have an engagement party. Chaldean engagement parties can range from being a small gathering with immediate family, or a large celebration that is similar to a wedding reception. When my sister got engaged a couple of months ago, we had a celebration at our house with all of our Uncles, Aunts, and cousins. A beautiful part of the engagement was when a Chaldean Catholic Priest came to our house to bless the couple’s future marriage, and their rings. The Priest said special prayers in Chaldean and English that sanctify their marriage, and their future children. Along with blessing the wedding rings, the Priest blessed the Cross that my sister gave to her fiancé. We were told by the Priest that once the couple has their first son, he will inherit this Cross. Following the ceremony, all of our relatives congratulated my sister and her fiancé on their engagement. We invited the Priest to stay for dinner, but he had another engagement to bless. A number of Chaldean dishes were served for dinner, and we then danced to Chaldean and Arabic music to celebrate the engagement.

The next step in the wedding process is an optional event called the “Henna.” The “Henna” takes place days before the wedding ceremony and reception. “Hennas” were originally done in Iraq to welcome the girl’s family into the guy’s family. Today, many Chaldeans have “Hennas” in place of bridal showers, but there are Chaldean brides that do have bridal showers. Furthermore, the guy’s family prepares trays of Arabic sweets and candy, and brings these to the “Henna.” The women get “Henna” tattoos on their hands that are not permanent, and most of the time is spent dancing to Chaldean and Arabic music. After these festivities, the wedding day is finally here. The ceremony is usually held in the late afternoon at a Chaldean Catholic Church, and there are particular prayers and readings said about marriage. A couple of hours after the ceremony, the reception starts. The couple chooses the location of their reception, but the wedding reception is typically held at a banquet hall, or a country club. Chaldean weddings are decorated with what seems to be thousands of beautiful flowers, an elegant area for the bride and groom to sit, and there is a large dance floor with a band that plays music all night long. Wedding receptions often end a few hours after midnight since we have a great time celebrating together.

One Chaldean custom that is not one of my favorites is the funeral process. When one passes away, family members and friends show their love and respect by going to the house of the family of the person that passed away. Within a couple of days, there is a special mass at Church followed by the burial at the cemetery. After the burial, relatives go to the house of the family of the person that passed away. In addition to this, there is another mass held at Church one week after the death, and a chance for individuals to show their respect to the family of the deceased once again. The same is done twenty-eight days later, but there is a change one year later. A somewhat celebration of the deceased person’s life goes on one year after the death. Relatives and friends join the mourning family to recall the good times, and share meaningful stories about the person that passed away.

All in all, the Chaldean community engages in these practices to get closer to God, our families, and ourselves, and to create a lasting bond between us all. Additionally, the customs of the Chaldean community serve the purpose of keeping our culture and faith alive while we adapt to American culture as well. I am proud to be part of the Chaldean community where God, family, respect, love, and traditions are what truly matter most in life.