Category: Uncategorized

Indigenous Wisdom of the Chaldeans

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

The echoes of my ancestors reside in the silence of the early mornings and nights, telling me to keep telling our stories, to bring to life what was buried from thousands of years ago, and to share what’s new and being planted for the future. I listen and oblige even when I’m uncertain whether this really matters. I simply oblige as I have surrendered myself the process, a process which every day introduces me to a new part of my history as I use my skills and talents to serve.

The journey has led to meeting friends around the world, who have shared with me a wealth of knowledge, including the history of Diodorus Siculus, a Greek Historian and Scholar who wrote about the Chaldeans.

The older I grow, the more I realize the importance of honoring and documenting our stories, which similarly like many ancient ethnic groups, have much wisdom that everyone can learn and benefit from. The stories I write are not about Chaldeans, but the human spirit, as was expressed by these reviewers for “Little Baghdad: an Endangered People in an American City.”

These are some of the reviews expressed by Chaldeans and non-Chaldeans alike.

“This beautiful and enriching book integrates Weam’s life into an arc which is worth reading as she navigates life from a youngster in Iraq, immigration to USA, family and individual growth with a diverse community that surrounds her. Weaved into the stories are journeys of various groups, such as Native Indians, and their long-forgotten life along with traditions that have changed with each generation. My favorite things about the book are the human thoughts, the written and silenced words, and the different emotions that come to life in unique situations.”   Asmaa Jamil, co-author of Kingdom of Treasures series and a screenplay writer

“Little Baghdad is a must-read! Weam takes her reader on a rare journey that embraces Namou’s historical roots that go back to the formations of the first recorded cities over 7,000 years ago to the complexities of modern day urban life. Along the way, she shares the most important aspects of society to preserve and how to do so.” Roy Gessford, Author, Preserving the Chaldean Aramaic Language and Founder, Let in the Light Publishing

Click HERE to purchase Little Baghdad!

Every month, I interview remarkable individuals on a weekly basis for the Virtual Discussion Series in partnership with Unique Voices in Films, the Chaldean Cultural Center, CMN TV and U of M [Detroit Center].

Upcoming Interviews for This Month

Check out my YouTube channel where you can watch the interviews live and subscribe. Be sure to set reminders/alerts so you can stay updated on Live and uploaded content.

You can also now find me on Tik Tok, where I’m letting loose and sharing morsels of my life.

When Women Ruled in the Middle East

by Weam Namou, posted in Consciousness, Iraqi American, Pomegranate, Uncategorized

Although we’ve been led to believe otherwise, women in ancient Mesopotamia had more rights and independence than women in those regions have today. They contributed to building the cradle of civilization and, unlike in modern eras, they were revered. As a result their lands flourished. 

The shift away from, and the attempt to destroy, feminine consciousness has caused so much pain and suffering for the people in my birth country of Iraq.  It has led to the gradual and systematic demise of my ancestors. During  my younger years, I experienced much trauma in that land where the principal hit me for skipping Saddam’s parade and  not knowing the answer to a question. We lived in constant fear. In contrast, in the United States I was coddled and supported by teachers and mentors so that I could follow my dreams, even though many of them had the “white skin” that is often criticized for having privileges that others do not.  As a result, I became an author, filmmaker, and have held many prestigious positions, which I go more in depth with in this article: https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/meet-weam-namou-of-sterling-heights/

Through a lot of healing work, I’ve gotten past the traumas but every once in a while something happens that brings the pain to surface once again. The recent tragic loss of a 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini is one such incident. On September 16, Mahsa was arrested by the morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly. She died in the hospital in Tehran, Iran, due to police brutality according to witnesses. Her death has resulted in a series of large-scale protests across the country, putting a focus on violence against women in the Islamic Republic of Iran.  On October 1st, demonstrations were held worldwide in 130 cities to show solidarity with the women and men protesting in Iran, many who have lost their lives. 

The idea that women today have to risk and lose their lives for basic human rights hurts my heart. I think about their struggles, the people we left behind in Iraq, like my childhood best friend, Niran, who I wasn’t able to say goodbye to because we fled in secrecy. I once asked my mom if she’d heard any news about Niran and her family and she said that Saddam forced them out of their home because of their Iranian roots. I often think about her and wonder where she ended up. 

From left to right: My friend Maysa in white, myself in red, and my friend, Niran, in blue

I watch the news and see women rising up, fighting for their freedom, while a broadcaster like Mehdi Hasan, host on MSNBC and NBC, says that we should stand with Iranian women protesting for their freedom, but emphasizes the hijab is a choice. He claims that “everyone wants to push their own agenda right now, their own hobby horse, while Iranian women risk their lives in the streets…”

My heart continues to weep for that land because it feels to me that the majority of its population continues to be in denial. My book event for Pomegranate was canceled last year because the Muslim community was against the storyline; a Muslim woman wanting to remove her hijab. They even refused to read the book. This happened here in the United States, 11 days before the Taliban captured Kabul. 

The Pomegranate film is led by women talent who represent the communities  in the story.  It was nurtured by well known figures in the film industry, including Scott Rosentfelt, the producer of Home Alone. The cancellation was the result of a fear to offend a highly conservative group that is not even supported by the majority of its own community.  It was the result of fearing the beauty and strength that women possess, which is a blessing, as well as their spiritual essence. 

Now more than ever, it’s important for the world to learn about the contributions and stories of women in Ancient Mesopotamia. In doing so, you will help heal old wounds and create a more harmonious way of life. You can learn about these women by reading the book Mesopotamian Goddesses. Then blast their names everywhere and teach young children about their amazing contributions to society! https://www.amazon.com/Mesopotamian-Goddesses-Unveiling-Feminine-Power/dp/1945371803/ref=sr_1_4?crid=9S4X11LV7JRJ&keywords=Weam+Namou&qid=1664815327&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiMi40MSIsInFzcCI6IjEuNTkifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=weam+namou%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-4

Artwork circulating the Internet of Mahsa Amini

Every month, I interview remarkable individuals on a weekly basis for the Virtual Discussion Series in partnership with Unique Voices in Films, the Chaldean Cultural Center, CMN TV and U of M [Detroit Center].

Check out my YouTube channel where you can watch the interviews live and subscribe. Be sure to set reminders/alerts so you can stay updated on Live and uploaded content.

You can also now find me on Tik Tok, where I’m letting loose and sharing morsels of my life.

Interview with khalil murrell, poet

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

khalil murrell grew up in Camden, NJ, wedged between a meat factory, Walt Whitman’s house and the county jail. He has an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and ran programs for the Dodge Poetry Festival & Program for many years. He now works in educational leadership, and writes poetry and essays on race, racism and masculinity. khalil currently lives in Newark, where he’s improving his Spanish and dreams of South America.

Interview with Ahmed Al Mamoori, Archaeologist & Director of Basrah Museum

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Ahmed Al Mamoori is an archaeologist and is the Director of Basrah Museum, housed in a former palace of Saddam Hussein. Ahmed is the inspector of antiquities responsible for relations and negotiations with landowners and other interested parties. He oversees the survey and inspections of sites and monuments in preparation of the new Basrah Museum.

He received his education at Babylon University with a BA in Ancient Archeology. In 2019, he became director of Basrah Cultural Museum. His publications include The Architectural Styles of the Church of Mar Gurgis, Erbil published in the Daily Newspaper in 2018. Ahmed has received additional training for the maintenance of cultural heritage during a course in Beijing, and he has participated in several archaeological fieldworks at the University of Manchester, the University of Wales, and other institutions.

Interview with Tina Ramirez, Founder and President of Hardwired Global

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Tina Ramirez is the Founder and President of Hardwired Global, a non-profit organization that specializes in human rights education and training to promote peace and pluralism worldwide. Tina brings to Hardwired more than 20 years of experience as an educator, policy advisor, and expert on international human rights and religious freedom. She has worked in more than 30 countries and travels regularly to the Middle East and Africa. She has spoken before the United Nations and the African Union and testified before the U.S. Congress.

Tina’s educational programs, which have been published in several journals, have provided significant evidence of successful methods to help children overcome hate and intolerance, build resiliency against extremist thinking, reduce violent responses toward minority groups, and improve treatment of women and girls. She is the author of Iraq: Hope in the Midst of Darkness (2017), a contributing author/editor of Human Rights in the United States: A Dictionary and Documents (2010 and 2017), and author/editor of Human Rights: Great Events From History (2019). Previously, she served as a foreign policy advisor for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the U.S. Congress, where she founded the bi-partisan International Religious Freedom Caucus. She is the former Director of Government Relations and International Programs at Becket Law. She holds a certificate from the International Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, a MA in Education from Vanguard University, and a MA in International Human Rights from the University of Essex, UK. Tina now lives in the suburbs of Richmond, VA with her daughter, Abigail. In 2020, Tina was a candidate for the U.S. Congress (VA-07).

For more information about Hardwired, visit: https://hardwiredglobal.org/​ Educational material, including books: https://hardwiredglobal.org/curriculum/

Interview with Kathleen McBroom, a Docent at the Detroit Institute of Arts

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Kathleen McBroom is a docent with the Detroit Institute of Arts. She enjoys working with all kinds of audiences to share amazing pieces of art drawn from the museum’s extensive holdings. Kathleen is also a librarian and an educator. She’s worked with pre-schoolers, graduate students, and just about every level in between. In addition to being an instructor at the University of Michigan and Wayne State, Kathleen has also worked at the Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham, Lawrence Technological University, and the Dearborn Public Schools.

Interview with members of WISDOM

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Paula Drewek, a past president of WISDOM, is a retired professor of humanities at Macomb Community College where she taught courses in the Arts and Comparative Religions for 39 years. She was a Fulbright Scholar to China in 2005, expanding her interest in Eastern Religions. Paula has been a Baha’i since her teen years and has spoken to many types of audiences about her Faith, both here and abroad.

Sameena Basha holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from U. of M. and a Juris Doctorate from the U. of Chicago. She has been involved in many outreach projects in Arizona, Illinois and Detroit. She has a keen interest in interfaith work and has served on the Interfaith-Outreach Committee of the Islamic Foundation Mosque in Illinois.

Teri Weingarden is the current President of WISDOM and the treasurer of West Bloomfield Township. She formerly has sat on the boards of her local Chamber of Commerce, her temple Sisterhood, Green Hope and for victims of war and poverty. She practices Judaism and is deeply passionate about her job and her community work.

Delores Lyons is a former Social Worker at State of Michigan Department of Human Services. Previously, she worked for WDIV Local 4 / ClickOnDetroit and WBFS-TV. She studied Sociology/Psychology at Saginaw Valley State University. Born and raised a Baptist, she started practicing Buddhism in her adult life.

Interview with Sami Rasouli, Iraqi-American Activist & Restaurateur

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Sami Rasouli is an Iraqi-American who grew up in Iraq and lived in Minnesota as an adult until 2004. He returned to Iraq after the 2003 U.S. invasion of his country, hoping to bring reconciliation between his country of origin and his country of choice. For the past 12 years Sami has worked in Iraq with the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT), a group dedicated to the principles of nonviolence. He returns to the U.S. each year to educate Americans about the situation in the Middle East and to help build people-to-people relationships.

On September 19 of 2020, a bomb placed at the entrance to The American Institute for English in Najaf, Iraq, founded by Sami Rasouli, went off at about midnight. No one was present or injured but the building and school were destroyed. His friends and colleagues are helping him rebuild the school. If you want to help, visit https://gf.me/u/za9rqb

Interview with Prof. Geoffrey Khan from University of Cambridge

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Professor Geoffrey Khan is a Semitic Language Linguist, Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Cambridge. He studied for a B.A. degree in Semitic Languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, Akkadian, Ethiopic) at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, which he completed in 1980. Thereafter he went on to graduate studies in the same institution and was awarded a Ph.D. degree in 1984 for a thesis entitled Extraposition and Pronominal Agreement in Semitic languages, which concerned form and function of various syntactic structures in Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Akkadian and Amharic (subsequently published as Studies in Semitic Syntax, 1988). In 1983 he moved to Cambridge, where he was employed as a researcher on the Cairo Genizah manuscripts in the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research group at Cambridge University Library.

In 1993, Professor Khan was appointed as Lecturer in Hebrew and Aramaic at the University of Cambridge. He has subsequently remained in Cambridge, being promoted to Reader in Semitic Philology (1999-2002) and Professor of Semitic Philology (2002-2012). In 2012 he was elected as Regius Professor of Hebrew, which is his current position. Some of his honors include election as Fellow of the British Academy (1998), election as Honorary Fellow of the Academy of the Hebrew Language (2011), election as Fellow of Academia Europea (2014), election as Honorary Member of the American Oriental Society (2015), election as Extraordinary Professor (Honorary) by the University of Stellenbosch (2016), the award of the Lidzbarski Gold Medal for Semitic philology by the Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft (2004) and the award of honorary doctorates by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2017) and the University of Uppsala (2018).

Visit this website in the near future to view the Aramaic archives nena.ames.cam.ac.uk

Interview with Dr. Jaafar Jotheri – Geoarchaeologist & Assistant Prof at University of Al-Qadissiyah

by Weam Namou, posted in Uncategorized

Dr. Jaafar Jotheri holds a PhD in Geoarchaeology from Durham University. He has over 15 years of experience in conducting archaeological excavations and surveys about the landscape of ancient Iraq and the ancient paths that rivers and canals followed in the past. He has published more than 15 articles in some of the world’s most prestigious journals.

Dr. Jaafar is currently an Assistant Professor and Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Archeology, University of Al-Qadissiyah, Iraq, where he teaches and supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He has been involved in many international archaeological and heritage projects carried out in Iraq, with partners including Manchester University, Durham University, Sapienza University of Rome, and Tokushima University. He has been awarded research funding from international organizations such as the British Institute for the Study of Iraq (London), the Academic Research Institute in Iraq (USA), and the British Academy, as well as the Nahrein Network.