Chaldeans in Iraq

Telkeppe, originally a fortress, meaning 'hill of stones' in Chaldean, or Telkaif, meaning 'hill of the good life' in Arabic, was a simple farming village, as were the other Chaldean villages. Each family had a plot of land outside of the village to grow its crops. Extended family members lived together under their father's roof as one household. Youngsters grew up in a multi-generational family surrounded by grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. It was a patriarchal in which the father was the head of the family. The women followed the traditional roles as wives and mothers. They were the heart and nurturers of the family. Children were given a sense of responsibility toward each other and taught to show much respect and honor to their elders. Traditionally, Chaldean parents emphasize the values of morality, integrity, a hard work ethic and strong family ties. Marriages were often arranged by the families and were life-long commitments. Sons helped their fathers in the fields and daughters helped with the household chores and care of younger siblings.

In the past few decades, many Chaldeans left the villages for better economic opportunities either in the U.S. or moved to the capital of Baghdad and other cities of Mosul or Basrah. In Baghdad and other cities, the Chaldeans furthered their educations and many became successful businessmen and professionals even before coming to the United States. Currently, the population of Iraq numbers 18 million. While 70% are Arab, there are several other minorities: 18% Kurds, 4% Chaldean, 3% Assyrians, and the remaining 5% are Turkomans and various other ethnic groups.

A Traditional Chaldean family in Telkeppe (Telkaif) in the 1930's.

A map of Iraq showing the locations of Telkaif and other Chaldean villages.