Dawodiya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dawodiya is a Kurdish and Assyrian village in the Iraqi province of Dohuk, close to the Sapna valley. Gara Mount bounds this valley from south and Matean Mount from north. It stretches 25 km. in length and from 5 to 10 km in width.
Dawodiya is often mentioned in history books about the region. Some references indicate of its existence in pre-Christianity while others refer that it was built in the Middle Ages. The residents of Dawodiya, however, do not exactly know their ancestor’s first arrival in the village, but they assume it was several centuries ago, when some Assyrian Christian families escaped the persecution of Ottoman authorities in their original inhabitance of Botan in southern parts of Turkey.
British scholar Austen Henry Layard mentions in his book “Road to Nineveh” that he spent a night in the village of Dawodiya in the middle of 1840’s. He mentions that there were 200 families living in the village, a police station and a church. Mr. Layard adds in his book that Catholicism replaced the original faith of those people who were the followers of the Eastern Church (Nestorians).
There is an old site in the village of what used to be a police station of old Ottoman authorities. The residents believe the site was a fortified castle of a commanding officer of the Ottoman army in the region.
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[edit] St. John, the Baptist Catholic Church in Dawodiya
Before its destruction along with the rest of the village’s houses and farms by Saddam Hussein’s regime in 1988 Anfal campaign, this Church was one of the oldest churches in the area. The churches in this part of the region were unique in their design and antiquity.
A typical church in the area consisted of a large structural building, mainly the church itself and separated by a thick wall (not less than one meter) from another smaller structure named after another saint.
The entrance to the main church would goes through the smaller part, which always would be located to the south of the church. The altar was located in the east part and was slightly built at a higher altitude and separated by a thick wall. The top arced door was in the middle of altar’s walls. To the southern part of the altar room there was the baptism room.
The walls and ceiling of the church were built from stones and white powdered mortar. The stones, which Saint John the Baptist was built from, were brought from near Mount Matean. The ceiling was built in arcs but roof surface was elevated because the outside walls were built to same level of the topmost of the arced ceiling so that walls and roof meet at same level from outside.
The church’s roof was destroyed after 1961 when the residents of Dawodiya were forced to flee from their homes during the civil war. But in early 1970’s the bishop of the diocese of Amadiya decided to rebuild the ceiling. Thus new roofing of reinforced cement was placed and new and larger windows were built as well as a dome, bell, fences and reception hall were added to the church.
In 1988, the church and its old building and additions, did not stand the destructive powers of dynamite, bulldozers and military might of the Saddam Hussein's regime. The church was flatted to earth.
Among the residents of the village who were ordained to priesthood are: Lazar from Safar family, Hanna from Somo family and Fillip from Isaac family. The village has now another student preparing in Baghdad to be ordained to priest. The village produced also many deacons who did excellence in Syriac language. Late Metropolitan Hanna Markho served in the village before his death. Currently the clergy who serves in the village is priest Ayyad who is a visitor clergy from Mangesh.
[edit] Source of income of the village
The plain lands of the village and plentiful of water where Sapna river runs by helped the residents to grow crops through irrigation channels during dry seasons. Most common crops were apple, grape, tobacco, seasonal vegetables and grains. The grassy plains were available for the villagers to grow domesticated animals such as sheep and cattle.
[edit] The destruction of the village
[edit] First destruction
With the arrival of 1961 a systematic aggression, deportation and attacks started against most of the Assyrian Christians and their villages in the district of Duhok. These deeds were committed by the warring parties especially the Peshmerga associated with the central government against the Kurdish fighters. As a result many Assyrian villages were destroyed and their people forced to flee for their own safety. In 1962 the village of Dawodiya was attacked by the Peshmerga and its 82 houses were destroyed and forced one thousand families to flee and took refuge in other towns and cities. Several families of kinship used to live in a single house, as it was then the customs of the eastern societies that married brothers would stay along with their families living together. The 1961 war set the first step toward immigration to other parts of Iraq as well as abroad.
After situation became relatively normal and stable, many families returned to their homes in Dawodiya and rebuilt their houses and the village school using their own resources. Water supplies were restored to the village and the church was rebuilt and renovated.
[edit] Second Destruction
Not so long and merely when Iran-Iraq war came to an end, the regime of Saddam Hussein began his campaign (Alanfal) to destroy all aspects of life in North Iraq.
In September 1988 Dawodiya was totally demolished including its entire 33 houses, the church and the priest residence, school and the police station. Its residents were deported to other Iraqi cities and towns and were prevented from coming back soon for rebuilding or farming.
[edit] The current situation
A golden opportunity loomed again in 1991 (First gulf war, Liberation of Kuwait). In the aftermath of war the north Iraq was declared by the collation forces a safe haven and was placed under their protection. The people of the North capitalized this long waited opportunity and began overhauling their villages and houses. But that long and hard process was not an easy task because of economic hardship and dryness in resources caused by endless years of wars and the economic embargo imposed on Iraq in addition the regime dictated its own blockade on north. From here the international humanitarian organization opened the door of mercy for help and reconstruction.
Dawodiya became a major shelter for the returnees of the great exodus across the Turkish borders for reason of its convenient location near the highway. Once these refugees returned back to their prospective homes and villages, residents of Dawodiya began reconstructing their homes and village. Seventeen primitive houses were initially built by Kurdistan Reconstruction Organization (KRO). Drinking water was restored and a generator was installed for generating electricity. Construction of the church was to be funded by the Danish Church Aid Organization through the Council of the Middle Eastern Churches but work was not completed due to lack of funds.
