MARDİN, Turkey (AA): Turkey’s Midyat, a district with an archaic history in the southeastern province of Mardin, has always been a meeting point for local and foreign visitors. However, the district hosts Assyrian expats, especially during the summer holiday, who left their homeland many years ago
In its long history, the district of Midyat has been ruled by various different leaders and nations. In a past period, the population of Midyat was made up mainly of Assyrians who are practicing Christians with roots that started in early Mesopotamia. Before World War I, Midyat was the only town in the Ottoman Empire with an Assyrian/Syriac majority. Thus, the historical district is a melting pot of different cultures and languages – Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic and Syriac.
Midyat, which is almost an open-air museum with its history and culture, offers a magical atmosphere to its visitors with stone houses, inns, mosques, churches and monasteries that are thousands of years old. Tourists from different parts of the world breathe new life into Midyat during the summer season. Assyrian expats living in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and other European countries, as well as Lebanon, travel many kilometers to spend their summer holidays in Midyat, their hometown. Therefore, the population of Assyrians in Midyat increases manifold with the arrival of the expats in the summers.
Assyrian expats stay in detached houses built from famous Midyat stones. They enjoy being able to converse in their native language, Syriac. The community has seen its numbers rise again in recent years with those who emigrated to other countries returning.
Revisiting our roots
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Nebil Çelik, 57, who is settled in Giessen, Germany, said: “Although we live in Germany, we are so excited to come here every year. Do people ever forget where they were born? Our roots are here, we grew up here.”
Çelik went on to say, “Syriac is our mother tongue, we speak Syriac with our friends here in Midyat.”
Zeki Arsan, who is also visiting from Germany, said his family completed the house they were building in the rural neighborhood of Elbegendi this year.
Syriac expat Ercan Methe said he visits his hometown every three years to catch up with his loved ones.
Expressing his admiration for the culture, Methe said: “Here, Muslims and Christians live together. That is why Midyat is so beautiful.
“I miss everything about Midyat. When I come here, I remember the old days. We forget everything when we come here. We visit churches and monasteries. People don’t want to leave here, but we have to do so,” he explained.
Nuri Ergin, an artisan in Midyat, said Assyrian expats buy and build houses in the district and also repair their old houses.
Deputy Mayor Abdurrahim Çelik said: “Assyrians living abroad spend their summer holidays in the district in peace. The historical district, which is at the crossroads of religions, languages, cultures and tolerance among Midyat residents, has never faltered.”
