Portrait of a Community
Preserving cultural legacy through a year-long project in partnership with the Library of Congress
By CN Staff
The Chaldean American community is making strides in preserving its cultural heritage through a project supported by the prestigious Community Collections Grant program from the Library of Congress. This initiative, awarded in 2024, is part of the Of the People: Widening the Path program and focuses on documenting and preserving the traditions of historically underrepresented communities in the U.S. and in the Library of Congress’ collections.
The Chaldean Community Foundation was selected to work on a project titled Chaldeans: Portrait of an Evolving Community, aimed to capture the rich cultural traditions of Chaldean Americans. The Chaldean community has witnessed significant changes in the past two decades, especially following the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the rise of ISIS. These events led to an influx of Chaldean refugees, many of whom settled here in Michigan.
The project’s aim is to preserve the evolving cultural practices of Chaldeans in the U.S., especially their traditional celebrations, at a pivotal moment in their history. As the Chaldean Community Foundation prepares to develop a new community center on the West Side to complement the CCF on the East Side, the project provides valuable documentation of these cultural practices through video footage, photographs, audio recordings, and written texts.
Over the past year the Chaldean News has had the opportunity to speak with pioneers and record their oral history and visit places of business to interview entrepreneurs in their workplace. Cultural events such as a Chaldean wedding and the inaugural Chaldean Catholic Convention have also been documented. A walk down 7 Mile captured reminiscences about “Chaldean Town” and early Chaldean settlers in metro Detroit.
The materials gathered will be made publicly available for future filmmakers and storytellers to access, ensuring that the experiences of the Chaldean community are preserved for generations to come.
In addition to documenting cultural celebrations, the project explored the impact of Chaldean migration on their traditions. Chaldean families, who have a long history dating back over 5,500 years in Mesopotamia, have undergone significant transformations since they began immigrating to the U.S. in the early 20th century.
Many Chaldean Americans continue to visit family members abroad, sharing and adopting traditions and food from other regions. The project delves into how these global connections influence the Chaldean community’s evolving identity.
The Chaldean Community Foundation’s new center, currently under construction, will be a vital hub for preserving and sharing these cultural resources. In addition to housing a cultural archive, museum, and library, the center will feature classrooms, a community kitchen, and a theater to facilitate educational forums and events. This center, combined with the Library of Congress’s grant support, ensures that the Chaldean community’s history and traditions will continue to thrive and be recognized on a national stage.
To round out the project, Chaldean Community Foundation is hosting an event that will introduce Chaldean culture including cuisine, music and dance to others outside the community.
Free Event Will Celebrate Chaldean Culture
The Library of Congress grant work will culminate in a cultural celebration and screening of snippets from the hours and hours of interview materials. Interspersed throughout the evening, the screenings will sample various interviews and show the diversity of the Chaldean American community. Attendees will also be able to sample homemade bread prepared on the spot, Iraqi chai brewed (and poured) as in days of old and step out to traditional Chaldean music.
The event will take place at the Chaldean Community Foundation (3601 15 Mile Road, Sterling Heights) in the Wireless Vision Gymnasium on Thursday, January 30 from 6-8PM.
Register by January 24 at chaldeannews.com/portrait.