The Assyrian Language

• Assyrian Neo-Aramaic is a modern version of the ancient Aramaic language, which was once widely spoken across the Near East.
• It is primarily spoken by the Assyrian people, an ethnic minority originating from regions now part of Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria.
• Assyrian uses the Syriac script, a derivative of the Aramaic alphabet, and faces challenges of diminishing fluency among younger generations.

About Tarragindi

Tarragindi is a suburb on the southern side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is represented through the Holland Park and Moorooka Ward councillors on the Brisbane City Council. The suburb appears to have been named after a native from the Loyalty Islands (near modern-day New Caledonia) who was transported in the late nineteenth century to Queensland. Such people, called Kanakas, were a cheap source of labour for sugarcane production. Apparently he escaped and was subsequently employed by Alfred Foote of Ipswich. Later, he cleared land for William Grimes (related to Alfred Foote) on a hill near Sandy Creek and the property was named after him.

Tarragindi remained with the Foote family in Ipswich until just before he died, aged 63. The grave of Tarra Gindi Tasserone is located in the Ipswich Cemetery. Prior to European occupation beginning in the early 19th century the area covered by the suburb was inhabited by Aboriginal people. According to Kidd (2000) the Coorparoo sub-group of the wider Jagera group occupied land south of the Brisbane River clustered around Oxley, Norman and Bulimba creeks. It is also possible that the Yerongpan sub-group lived in the area (BRISbites, n.d.). The Coorparoo group had cultural links to other neighboring communities including territorially-neutral pathways, river crossings and ceremonies.

A bora ring was known to have been maintained in Tarragindi, possibly between present-day Barnehurst and Isabella Streets (BRISBites, n.d.). One trace of this early occupation persists in the locality and creek name, "Ekibin". According to Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2003) the modern name is derived from the aboriginal "Yekkabin" which referred to aquatic plants (possibly Typha angustifolia or Blechnum indicum) with edible roots which grew in the creek. According to Potter (n.d.) the edible roots were common in the diet of Aboriginals of the Moreton Bay area. A sharp stick was used to dig out the stem, which was then dried, roasted, and pounded with a stone.

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