National identity is measured by graves and palaces

By Ablahad Hanna Saka | Member of the Bethnahrin National Council in Iraq National identity is not a word we repeat on occasions, nor is it a slogan we raise when we need to prove our belonging. True identity runs much deeper than that; it is a person’s memory, geography, history, language, heritage, and connection to the land where their ancestors lived and left their traces. One can say that national identity is measured by graves and palaces. Graves preserve the names of ancestors and bear witness to their presence and continuity across generations, while palaces, monasteries, churches, temples, mosques, monumental homes, old markets and other landmarks preserve the story of the communities that built them and in and lived around them. Graves are not merely places where the dead are buried; they are pages of history. Through their tombstones, names, and dates, we can trace the history of entire families, communities, and cities. Architectural heritage and landmarks, meanwhile, are living witnesses to the level of civilization left behind by people in a particular place and to the nature of the society that established and preserved them. Defending identity does not mean erasing the identities of others or denying their existence. Rather, it means protecting a shared memory and recognizing the historical diversity that shaped the homeland. A true homeland is not built on a single narrative, but on the accumulation of the stories of all its people. The greatest threat to national identity is not diversity, but the erasure of memory, the distortion of facts, the neglect of heritage, and the destruction of graves and historical landmarks. When the names of ancestors are erased, monumental homes are demolished, cemeteries are neglected, and historical sites are destroyed, a part of the homeland’s memory disappears with them. Preserving graves, heritage and historical landmarks, therefore, is not merely about caring for the past; it is about defending future generations’ right to know their true history. National identity does not need shouting or countless slogans. Sometimes, it is enough to ask: Where are the graves of our ancestors? Where are their traces? What did they leave behind? And who preserved that memory? There, in the graves, palaces and heritage sites, the land speaks in a language more truthful than slogans, and the tombstones remain stronger than claims. Those who do not preserve the memory of their homeland may lose part of their identity and those who respect the graves of their ancestors and their heritage respect the history of their homeland and the future of their children. The views expressed in this op-ed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of SyriacPress.