Ankawa’s growing grape festival showcases Assyrian heritage
An Assyrian farmers love for grapevines and wine is put on display each year in Ankawa during the Grape Basket Festival.
What started as a small initiative three years ago has grown into a full three-day festival that is attracting more visitors and greater appreciation each year.
Held at the farm of Assyrian farmer Salwan Saka, the festival — held on 11–12 August — featured both local and international varieties of grapes, along with locally made grape products such as vinegar, wine, and raisins.
"At the beginning we had seven varieties; today I have around 60 varieties, and here at the festival we have 37," he said, speaking to the Nineveh News Network.
The 37 types of grapes on display were a mix of local Assyrian varieties as well as American, Greek, and Italian varieties, all produced by Saka’s farm in Ankawa.
Grapes and wine are deeply intertwined in Assyrian culture, both in ancient pre-Christian times and in Assyrian Christianity, where motifs of grapevines often adorn Assyrian manuscripts and church altars, and are referenced in hymns and homilies.
