My Syrian memories

The majority of the people of Skelbieh were of the Greek Orthodox Christian faith. The local father of the church was a very learned man and could speak and write in many languages. He taught my childrens' grandfather to read and write. He is located far left in my drawing. One of the local musicians is on his right and a map of my homeland Australia is again to the right of him. On the far right is a drawing of a (soo-pea-er), in other words, a heater that uses kerosene fuel. The local wheat fields are represented bottom left. I loved the spring months when the wind would blow the wheat stalks in rhythmic unison and I felt I was looking over a green ocean. I had to pinch myself to remember they were wheat fields.Christmas time was always fun and the children would dress up and wear masks on New Years Eve. They would knock on doors and were given lollies and other goodies. Not a word was spoken and one never knew who had knocked on their door. We celebrated all the religious festivals, both Moslem and Christian. The mud house drawing on the bottom left was the one room and kitchen that my childrens' father and his twelve siblings grew up in.


This wonderful musician was a family friend of my childrens' grandparents. He would play his array of pipes and flutes at all the towns' celebrations. He would often visit and take out his hand made pipe and play a tune. I remember his long nimble fingers and tall stature.