Last modified on 7 August 2015, at 10:21

Tel Keppe

Tel Keppe
ܬܠ ܟܐܦܐ
Tel Keppe is located in Iraq
Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe

Coordinates: 36°29′22″N 43°7′9″E / 36.48944°N 43.11917°E / 36.48944; 43.11917Coordinates: 36°29′22″N 43°7′9″E / 36.48944°N 43.11917°E / 36.48944; 43.11917{{#coordinates:36|29|22|N|43|7|9|E|type:city(40000)_region:IQ-NI |primary |name=

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Country Iraq
Governorate Ninawa
Municipality Tel Kaif
Government
 • Mayor Basim Ballu
Population (2010)
 • Total 40,000
  Tel Kepe received a large influx of Chaldean refugees following the 2003 Iraq War

Tel Keppe (also spelled Tel Keipeh) (Classical Syriac: ܬܠ ܟܐܦܐ Tal Kepe, Arabic: تل كيف‎ Tal Kaif), is one of the largest historically Chaldean towns in northern Iraq. Its name means "Hill of Stones" in Syriac. It is located in the Ninawa Governorate, less than 8 miles north east of Mosul. [1]

History

Historically the population Tel Kepper stayed at about 12,000 residents. From 1976 to 2001, the population was 30,000.[2]

On 6 August 2014, the town was taken over by the Terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), along with nearby Chaldean towns Bakhdida, Bartella and Karemlash.[3] As of 8 March 2015, it is inhabited only by Arabs and terrorist ISIS militants.

Tel Keppnias Today

Starting in the 1980s and especially after the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Invasion of Iraq, many Chaldeans from Tel Keppe fled to many countries, but primarily the United States. They set up their lives there with new churches and business for their families. [4] By 2001 many from Tel Keppe had moved to major cities in Iraq such as Baghdad or Mosul.[5]

In The United States

As of 2004 many of the Chaldeans in Metro Detroit trace their origins to Tel Keppe. According to the estimates of a priest of Tel Keppe's Sacred Heart Chaldean Rite Catholic Church, there were 10,000 worshipers in the late 1950s and this decreased to 2,000 around 2004. He said that "Many people don’t want to go from here; they cry that they have to go… But you almost have to leave these days because your family probably already is in Detroit."[6]

Elsewhere

Tel Keppnias also fled to the neighboring countries of Syria and Iran. Many others also left to other countries including Sweden, France, other European Countries and Australia.

Culture

Tel Keppe historically was the center of the Chaldean Catholic community of Iraq. Each family residing in Tel Keppe had one or more plots of farming land located outside of Tel Keppe. The land produced barley and wheat, and animals raised there included goats and sheep. Natalie Jill Smith, author of "Ethnicity, Reciprocity, Reputation and Punishment: An Ethnoexperimental Study of Cooperation among the Chaldeans and Hmong of Detroit (Michigan)", wrote that in the reports of the village "everyone was related" and that marriage tended to occur between two people from the same village.[2]

Famous Tel Keppnias

There are and have been many famous Tel Keppnias in the United States, within Iraq, and elsewhere.

Deceased

  • Shamoun "Sam" G. Dabish - Author of The History of the Iraqi Community in America, church deacon, and community leader.
  • Chaldean Patriarch Joseph II Marouf[7] (1667–1713).
  • Author and explorer, Mary Terez Asmar, born in 1806. Published her memoir "Babylonian Princess" in English in 1844.
  • Poet Toma Taqteq, died in 1860.
  • Fr. Shemoel Jamil (1847–1917), who was in charge of all Chaldean monasteries.
  • Journalist Maryam Narmy, born in 1890. Published the first Iraqi women's issues newspaper, "Arabian Woman" in 1937.
  • Joseph Hirmis Jammo, author of "Nineveh's Ruins or History of Tal Kayf" published in 1937.
  • Journalist Alexander Marouf.
  • Rofael Babu Ishaq, born in 1893 and author of "History of Iraqi Christians". Died in 1964.
  • Mar Emannuel III Delly: Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans. (1927-2014)
  • Michael J. George,[8] (1933-2014[9]) a patriarch of metro Detroit’s large Chaldean community and a founder of Melody Farms Dairy, once one of the largest dairies in Michigan
  • Issa Hanna Dabish[10] (1919-2006[11]) Pioneer Iraqi artist (painter) Lifetime Honorary Chairman, Iraqi Artists Association.

Living

  • Mar Gabrial Kassab: Bishop of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand for the Chaldean Catholic Church.
  • Mar Ramzi Garmo: Archbishop of Tehran - Iran for the Chaldean Chaldean Church.
  • Mar Ibrahim Namo Ibrahim: Bishop Emeritus of the Chaldean Catholic Church for the Eastern United States.
  • Mar Sarhad Yawsip Jammo: Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church for Western United States.
  • Mar Thomas Meram: Archbishop of Urmya and Salmas - Iran for the Chaldean Catholic Church.
  • Mar Francis Y. Kalabat Bishop of the Chaldean Church for the Eastern United States.

See also

References

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Nineveh plains region in northern Iraq
Main settlements
Nineveh Plains Iraq.svg
Ancient Mesopotamian sites
Religious sites
  1. ↑ Welcome to Tel Keppe at ChaldeansOnline http://www.chaldeansonline.org/telkeppe/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Smith, Natalie Jill. "Ethnicity, Reciprocity, Reputation and Punishment: An Ethnoexperimental Study of Cooperation among the Chaldeans of Detroit (Michigan)" (PhD dissertation). University of California, Los Angeles, 2001. p. 61. UMI Number: 3024065.
  3. ↑ Barack Obama Approves Airstrikes on Iraq, Airdrops Aid
  4. ↑ Welcome to Tel Keppe at ChaldeansOnline http://www.chaldeansonline.org/telkeppe/
  5. ↑ Smith, Natalie Jill. "Ethnicity, Reciprocity, Reputation and Punishment: An Ethnoexperimental Study of Cooperation among the Chaldeans and Hmong of Detroit (Michigan)" (PhD dissertation). University of California, Los Angeles, 2001. p. 62. UMI Number: 3024065.
  6. ↑ "Arab, Chaldean, and Middle Eastern Children and Families in the Tri-County Area." (Archive) From a Child's Perspective: Detroit Metropolitan Census 2000 Fact Sheets Series. Wayne State University. Volume 4, Issue 2, February 2004. p. 2/32. Retrieved on November 8, 2013. Template:Deadlink
  7. ↑ Joseph II (Chaldean Patriarch)
  8. ↑ http://www.freep.com/article/20140624/NEWS05/306240154/Michael-George-Chaldean-Melody-Farms-obituary
  9. ↑ http://www.theoaklandpress.com/obituaries/20140624/chaldean-community-mourns-death-of-patriarch-melody-farms-owner-michael-george
  10. ↑ http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Issa-Dabish/1467225644
  11. ↑ https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?v=info&expand=1&nearby&id=119855844766093&refid=17