The Powerful Role of Music and Dance in the Safeguarding of Assyrian Culture and Tradition

Music is the culmination of culture, knowledge, tradition and wisdom, existing beyond borders and prevailing over the constraints of time. As mediums of storytelling and communication, Assyrians continue to utilise dance and song to capture and preserve significant people and profound moments throughout history.

For many decades, Assyrian music and dance have effectively transmitted deep emotions so powerful, impacting not only those who have fled from their homeland but also those born in the diaspora. As an artistic expression like no other, music becomes a commonality that moves and connects people together through love and appreciation, which are essential qualities to sustain during displacement.

Traditional Assyrian music, as a form of cultural expression, has been suppressed and subject to the threat of assimilation, alongside its people. However, as Assyrians persevere through genocide and war, their music follows behind; singing the wounds of exile and oppression.

Despite enduring violence, loss and statelessness, the survival of Assyrian music prevailed through the lands of Assyria, passing the lakes of Ūrmī (modern-day north-west Iran), extending beyond the mountains of Hakkārī (modern-day south-east Turkey) and thriving transnationally today. Lolita Emmanuel, a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, further emphasises the cultural resilience of the Assyrian people as, “wherever we’ve gone, we’ve been able to pick up the tools around us - whether they’re bricks or musical instruments - and create home.”

Miss. Emmanuel, inspired by Ilona Danho’s ensemble Mesopotamian Fusion, has “[experimented] with alternative ways of performing our music that can sustain our traditions whilst being exciting and engaging for a variety of Assyrian audiences.” Miss. Emmanuel’s doctorate research explores the genre of Assyrian-Art music and has recently released her own lecture recital, which tells an artistic story of Assyrian resilience, titled Performing Assyrian-ness.

Despite the absence of cultural safety and security, Assyrians have treasured and continue to safeguard the melodic tunes of their ancestors as an ongoing tale of survival to be sustained for future generations. Rather than simply hearing the music of their ancestors, Assyrians began to listen. “Music not only provides us the sounds and stories that remind us of home, but they also reflect our experiences, histories and ways of understanding the world,” adds Miss. Emmanuel.

She also encourages Assyrians today to, “record your grandparents if they sing songs or know poetry and ask them for the backstory.” The creation of music and dance through song, rhythm, instruments, and movements are a reflection of the self and represent memories and feelings which are then understood by its listeners.

“We are living people with a living culture - as long as we continue to identify as Assyrians, our culture will continue to exist and evolve,” says Miss. Emmanuel. Irrespective of the various adaptations made over time, traditional Assyrian music has undeniably continued to connect its people to their land, culture, language and history.

For many, refugee camps became a common place where solidarity and unity were formed, whereby the infinitely powerful influence of music bonded people together. As Assyrian people would dance in a line together to the sounds of traditional Assyrian instruments, a sense of familiarity and trust was formed amongst one another regardless of age or location around the world.

Youkhana Khamis, choreographer and leader of the Sydney-based Assyrian Star Dance Group, recounted his experience of being born in a refugee camp; “...since I can remember…our parents would sing and dance in their traditional Assyrian clothes together.” He further explained that “even while being scattered around the world, we still practice these dances today to continue to pass down our traditions…until the day we reclaim our land.”

Assyrian music has become a medium, whereby a collective memory is formed, allowing Assyrians to reimagine their homeland, Assyria, in the diaspora. “In our dances, we hold each other hand in hand, as a united, unbreakable chain - we do not dance alone. By doing this, we become one powerful body that shares movements that cannot be broken or separated.”

The lyrics and rhythms of traditional Assyrian songs are embedded with deep cultural meaning and historical recounts. By engaging with songs that encourage mateship and heroic values, patriotic songs and dances would be performed before battles throughout history to promote a sense of pride towards the Assyrian nation.

“We have a variety of dances that serve various purposes and convey different meanings, including Sheiḵānī, Dim Dimmā, Shōra Shōra, Sēpā w-Matālā, Biḵzādā and Bigrāsā, as well as many others,” says Mr. Khamis. After consulting with Mr. Khamis, as well as other descendants of tribal leaders, the stories behind these dances were further explained.

Specifically, the dance Sheiḵānī (deriving from the Assyrian word Bshkhānā, meaning warming) reflects a period of time in the snowy mountainous regions of Assyria, where warriors would sing and dance to gain warmth, encouragement and strength before the battle. Additionally, Dim Dimmā is the name of the castle where the Shārā d-Tyārāyē o-Zebārī (meaning the "Battle of Tyārī and Zebārī") took place during the seventeenth century.

This later inspired the dance of Dim Dimmā, where 10 men would stand holding hands with one another while holding a khanjār "dagger". They would initially face another group of 10 men and progressively cross each other, forming a net-like shape, then standing back-to-back, resembling a battlefield.

Furthermore, the dance of Shōra Shōra (meaning "fighting"), originates from the region of Tḵūmā , as a dance that warriors would participate in to increase morale before battle while the Zorna o Dawoula (meaning horn and drum) would play. Much like Shōra Shōra, the dance of Sēpā w-Matālā (meaning "sword and shield") is also a specific and unique dance, symbolising the strength of Assyrian warriors by imitating the experience of battling face-to-face with one's opponent.

There are also many different seasonal dances including the dance of Biḵzādā (meaning "harvesting"), taking place during harvest season and would be later followed by the dance of Bigrāsā (meaning the "grinding of wheat"). For many Assyrians, song and dance have been instrumental in cultivating perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity.

The importance of Assyrian traditional dance is further solidified by Mr. Khamis who states, “we have so many powerful dances and beautiful traditional clothes that are part of our Assyrian culture. We have to teach and pass it down to our children and grandchildren.” Mr. Khamis continues to emphasise to the Assyrian people; “even if it's not your son or your cousin, as long as they are Assyrian, you hold them by their hand and encourage them to join the dancing at festivals, weddings and other events.”

Assyrian music evidently varies in forms depending on different contexts and continues to maintain relevance today despite being centuries old. Traditional music has been passed down, not only as a medium for storytelling but to promote the endurance and survival of various experiences of specific Assyrian villages.

Indigenous Assyrians now remain connected to their ancestors and a larger community of family and friends around the world, due to the safeguarding of its ancient sounds and movements. Evan Yako, a session drummer, educator, producer and creative director of Real Rhythm Studio Sydney, Australia, was recently labelled as the first Assyrian independent artist to hold a concert at the Sydney Opera House (SOH).

One of the songs performed is called ‘Lilyana,’ inspired by the wedding songs sung traditionally by female family and relatives of the groom the day before his wedding. Mr. Yako took this traditional song and added: “...a modern twist to showcase one of the most traditional Assyrian singing styles to the western world.”

“For me, the lyrics and the melodies of Assyrian songs make them very unique, especially the traditional ones like the Lilyana style. It has been going for over 6,000 years and is an original Assyrian style of singing…not influenced by any other style of music from different cultures.”

Going to school to study the Arabic language was compulsory for Mr. Yako, therefore, “Assyrian songs were one of the biggest ways that I could keep my Assyrian language and culture alive.” Inspired by the works of Ashur Bet Sargis’ modern approach to music, Mr. Yako advises young Assyrian artists to “always believe in yourself and your dreams, be proud of your culture/language and make sure you share it with the world through your art and music.”

Assyrians have used music and dance throughout history to unite with one another beyond borders, maintain a sense of belonging to their homeland, and feel liberated despite the struggles of displacement. During times of solitude and uncertainty, whilst seeking refuge in unfamiliar lands, listening and dancing to Assyrian folk music has helped many preserve and reconnect to their ancient cultural identities.

At a cultural and personal level, engaging with music through song and dance allows Assyrians to individually and collectively manage the psychological challenges of their situation. As a powerful medium that transfers feelings and emotions into rhythms and movements, music has been paramount in the portrayal of social, economic, political and cultural issues affecting Assyrians throughout history. It has also created an emotional narrative for such challenging experiences, that when words cannot effectively capture the human emotions expressed at the time, music can.