For most of the world, it is April Fools Day, a day in which some phenomenal pranks have been pulled in private and on the news wires. For the Assyrians of Iraq, Syria as well as those dispersed around the world, it is Akitu, or Kha B’ Nissan, a holiday in which the arrival of spring is noted and celebrated. Assyrian is the language that was spoken by Jesus. It is also the language of the Talmud, which is the Jewish books of the oral law.

Rosie Malek Yonan notes as follows on her web site, which is devoted to Assyrian culture and events.

“Akitu, is the Assyrian New Year Festival. In Assyrian it is also called Kha b’Neesan which translates into “the first day of Spring.”

The Akitu Festival began with the Sumerians. The word Akitu means “barley” in Akkadian. The Sumerian calendar had two festivals one in the Autumn beginning in the month of Tashritu in celebration of the “sowing of barley,” the other in Spring, beginning in the month of Nisannu celebrating the “cutting of barley.”

The Assyrians used to observe the holiday on the first day of spring. It has in recent days been observed on April 1, which corresponds to the start of the Assyrian first month.

This year is 6760 on the Assyrian calendar. The Jewish New Year, which begins usually in September marked the beginning of the year 5770. It occurs in the 7th month of the Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew months, which begin on the day of the new moon, have Assyrian names. Those who mark time with the Jewish calendar are now in the month of Nissan.

It should be noted that September, October, November and December translate as the 7th, 8th 9th and 10th months. This would make January and February the 11th and 12th months. March 1st would then be according to that calculation the first day of the 1st month.

I wish the Assyrian people a happy, peaceful and healthy New Year of 6760.

By Rudi Stettner
www.indyposted.com