SCR 22: Assyrian New Year: Kha b’Nissan.

WHEREAS, The first of April marks Akitu, commonly referred to as Kha b’Nissan, the Assyrian New Year and the most important Assyrian national holiday, the celebration of which is one of the many links between ancient and modern Assyrians; and

WHEREAS, In ancient Assyria, Kha b’Nissan marked the start of the new year and also the start of spring; as trees and flowers began to bloom, the holiday served as a symbol of revival, a major theme in ancient Assyrian mythology, and many Assyrians viewed it as the start of a new life; and

WHEREAS, Prior to the adoption of Christianity and the Gregorian calendar, in ancient times, Akitu was celebrated for 12 days, and the first of April coincided with the spring equinox; and

WHEREAS, A myth central to the Akitu celebration tells of the marriage between the goddess of love and the god of agriculture on the spring equinox and how, through their union, they ensured the renewal of life, blessing the earth with fertility; and

WHEREAS, Ancient tablets excavated from the Assyrian homeland detail celebrations of the Akitu holiday, the most important event in Assyria each year, from thousands of years ago when tens of housands of people from all over the Assyrian Empire would travel to its capital city, Nineveh, to partake in the magnificent event led by the Assyrian kingship; and

WHEREAS, Mass marriages, where large numbers of marriage ceremonies took place on the same day with couples marrying in groups at a time, were another common custom, with the brides subsequently visiting every household in their city for blessings and gifts that were distributed amongst themselves; and

WHEREAS, Elaborate processions, fortune-telling, gambling, poetry, and storytelling played prominent roles in Akitu celebrations; and

WHEREAS, Many of the ancient traditions have been retired, but the tradition of Diqna d’Nissan, meaning “the beard of spring,” survives and is honored annually by the gathering of flowers and herbs by Assyrian women and girls that are then strung from the roofs of their homes; and

WHEREAS, Assyrians worldwide celebrate Kha b’Nissan by way of festivals, parades, and parties, including in Australia, where a festival is held annually, drawing in tens of thousands of Assyrians and non-Assyrians alike, or in the City of Chicago and Iraq, where parades are held in tribute to the processions of Assyria, drawing crowds of up to 30,000 people in years past; and

WHEREAS, April 1, 2025, marks Assyrian year 6,775; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature joins the Assyrian community throughout the state, nation, and world in recognizing April 1, 2025, as the Assyrian New Year, Kha b’Nissan; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.