Assyrian Podcast

Episode 189 - Attiya Gamri is a Dutch politician from the Labour party in the Netherlands. She was born in Arbo, Tur Abdin and has been involved in Assyrian causes from a young age. Attiya was one of the founding members of the Assyrian Federation of the Netherlands and was the first chairwoman of the Assyrian Confederation of Europe.

Episode 188 - Stephanie Khio is a published author and poet. She hosts monthly creative writing & somatic workshops. She has a Bachelor’s of Art in Creative Writing & Philosophy from Roosevelt University (2014) and is certified in MindBody Therapy from Embodied Philosophy.We are excited to have her on the Assyrian Podcast! In this week's episode of the Assyrian Podcast, we’ll be learning more about Stephanie, our bodies, and what it looks like to listen to our body.  Website: www.https://stephaniekhio.com/ Insta: @stephaniekhio You can also find Stephanie sharing Assyrian recipes @babasganoush

Episode 187 - This episode features Dr. Peter, Lily, Sharokina, Ninos, & Marganita who advocate for the usage of Assyrian names. You’ll hear about naming conventions and the historical context for the popularity of certain names among Assyrians during different time periods and how the naming tradition has evolved and continues to evolve to this day. You’ll also learn about a few resources aimed to help anyone looking for Assyrian names - for children, businesses, etc.  Assyrian Name Resources:  "One Thousand Assyrian Names" by Raman Bitshamoon (written in the Assyrian language) http://www.lulu.com/shop/raman-bit-shamoon/one-thousand-assyrian-names/paperback/product-20740111.html  www.brikha.net names.betkanu.com Assyrian Historical Names for Male and Female” by Michael Younan (written in Assyrian and English) http://assyrianapp.com/portfolio-items/assyrian-book-names/  Assyrian Historical Names for Male and Female by Michael Alexan Younan

Episode 186 - Ninos Dankha, professionally known by his stage name, Prince of Assyria, is a musical artist, songwriter, and producer living in Stockholm, Sweden. Born in Baghdad, Ninos and his family fled to Sweden when he was under a year old. He has released three studio albums starting with Missing Note in 2009, Changing Places in 2014, and 3rd Level in 2020. In all three, his music seamlessly fuses together the many layers of his identity and brings to life the stories that he has lived. In this episode, we talk about the face behind Prince of Assyria, the losses he has endured, and the car accident that shifted his focus; leading him on the path of making music. Website: https://princeofassyria.com/ Instagram: @princeofassyria Spotify: Prince of Assyria

Episode 185 - Katie Acuña is an Assyrian bodybuilder from the Bay Area, California. She began competing in the Spring of 2022 and went pro in October of 2022 after which she was featured on the cover of Inspire Magazine. In this episode, Katie talks about what it takes to become a bodybuilder and some of the difficulties versus rewards. Katie hopes to compete again; potentially in the fall of 2023. We discuss the importance of being active and having proper nutrition, but also having a balance, and the challenges in  putting your body through extreme training. Tune in to learn more about the day in the life of a pro bodybuilder!

Episode 184 - On this  episode of the Assyrian Podcast, Steve and Adessa take a walk down memory lane as they reflect on the past five years of the Assyrian podcasting journey. In this special episode, they delve into what worked, what could have been better, and share some fascinating stories that have helped shape the podcast's growth. As part of their celebration, they invite some of the hosts to join in the fun and share their favorite interview moments. Listeners will get to hear the unique perspectives and insights from the show's top contributors. As an added treat, the episode includes the top five most downloaded episodes, providing a glimpse into what topics and conversations resonated most with listeners. Join Steve and Adessa as they celebrate their journey and take you behind the scenes of the Assyrian Podcast.

Episode 183 - Andre David is a retired Major League Baseball player who played for the Minnesota Twins in the 1980’s. He played in 38 games and had 13 hits with 1 home run and a .245 batting average during his career. His sole home run was hit during his first official at bat in the Major Leagues. Andre currently serves as the assistant hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals. 

Episode 182 - Tenise Marie is an Assyrian Canadian singer-songwriter, performer, and recording artist based in Nelson, British Columbia. She grew up in the remote community of Argenta. In this episode, we discuss her and her family’s fascinating journey in putting the pieces together of their Assyrian heritage and what the journey has been like.  Her songwriting is influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Amy Winehouse, and Allison Russell. Tenise has been performing for the last ten years, touring Western Canada for the last five, playing instruments since high school, and singing for as long as she can remember.  She earned a diploma in Contemporary Music & Technology from Selkirk College, where she studied Vocal Performance. A multi-instrumentalist, but a vocalist first, Tenise primarily sings in Folk, Soul, Jazz, and Pop styles. As a young adult, she sang in two local youth choirs: Corazon and Lalin, where she first developed an affinity for vocal harmony, performed World Music, and became comfortable approaching new languages through song. More recently, Tenise joined the Assyrian Arts Institute’s vocal ensemble "Assyrian Women".  Tenise is also the Director of Human Resources at the Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival, a music festival showcasing Jazz, Folk, Blues, and Funk performances from around the world in a scenic, mountainous outdoor venue.  Note: This episode addresses adoption trauma Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenise.marie/  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZVSZBiHqVdAhXIevVL9dV?si=IJGBDxqOQpOcDbdkf73Gog  Website: www.tenisemariemusic.com  “Aghalare” Cover: https://youtu.be/J81annidbUU  December 3rd San Jose Assyrian Women concert: https://assyrianartsinstitute.ticketleap.com/joy-of-christmas-choral-concert/dates/Dec-03-2022_at_0700PM  Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival: https://kaslojazzfest.com

Episode 181 - Carmen Lazar was born in Tehran, Iran and migrated to Australia in 1971. After teaching at the Assyrian School in Sydney and serving in the Assyrian Australian Association, Carmen then became the lead for the Assyrian Resource Centre (ARC), established by the Association to serve and empower Assyrians recently arrived in Australia. Carmen has worked at the ARC for over 20 years, helping thousands of Assyrian families settle in Australia. In this interview, she discusses the many rewarding moments in her work, as well as challenging topics such as domestic abuse and how she’s created opportunities for more people to feel comfortable to speak up. Socials: FB: Assyrian Resource Centre - Assyrian Australian Association | Facebook   Assyrian Resource Centre — Assyrian Australian Association

Episode 180 - Annukina Warda is a long-time policy analyst from Sydney, Australia. She explores ancestral recollection, recovery and renewal for Indigenous Peoples facing mass displacement from their traditional homelands, and cultural and linguistic erasure.  Annukina provokes a cultural re-emergence through storytelling. She grapples with the themes of memory and loss through the famous Assyrian myth “The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld”. Annukina uses a unique combination of collective storytelling, collage, and decolonial map-making to support a redefinition of Assyrian cultural identity on her own terms.  Her passion project, the Assyrian Priestess, can be found on Instagram @the_assyrian_priestess or on Patreon: TheAssyrianPriestess Patreon: patreon.com/theassyrianpriestess/posts Instagram: @the_assyrian_priestess