Šganda Salem Choheili (Persian: سالم چحیلی; born 1935 in Ahvaz, Iran[1]} is an Iranian Mandaean scribe, teacher, and author. He is also a shganda and yalufa (learned Mandaean layman)[1] and is one of the leaders of the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz.[2] Salem Choheili is a fully fluent speaker of Neo-Mandaic.[3]: 211
Salem Choheili | |
|---|---|
 Salem Choheili reading the Left Ginza in 2015 | |
| Born | 1935 Ahvaz, Iran |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Other names | Bayan bar Šarat |
| Occupation(s) | Scribe, teacher, author |
| Organization | Mandaean Council of Ahvaz |
| Notable work | Mandaean Book of John manuscript (1989) Ginza Rabba (2021, Persian translation) |
| Title | Shganda |
Biography
editSalem Choheili was born in Ahvaz, Iran in 1935 into the Kuhailia (Persian pronunciation: Choheili) family.[1] His Mandaean baptismal name is Bayan bar Šarat (Classical Mandaic: ࡁࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡁࡓ ࡔࡀࡓࡀࡕ, romanized: Baian br Šarat, lit. 'Bayan, son of Šarat').[3]
As a child, he learned to speak colloquial Mandaic from his parents.[2] Salem Choheili later served as Slovak linguist Rudolf Macúch's primary Neo-Mandaic linguistic informant in 1989,[4]: 37 as well as a guide for Norwegian-American scholar Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley during her 1996 field trip to Iran.[3]: 211
After serving in the Iranian military, Salem Choheili focused on transcribing Mandaic manuscripts.[2] On April 12, 1989, he finished copying a handwritten manuscript of the Mandaean Book of John. Dr. Sinan Abdullah, the son of physicist Abdul Jabbar Abdullah, brought a photocopy of the manuscript to Niskayuna, New York, United States, which was later transferred to Colonie, New York.[5]
In addition to publishing Mandaean scriptures printed in the original Mandaic alphabet, Salem Choheili has written various Persian-language books on Mandaean history, religion, and language. In 2021 (1400 S.H.), he completed a Persian translation of the Ginza Rabba.[6][7][8][2]
Although not a formally ordained Mandaean priest, Salem Choheili serves as a shganda (priestly assistant) in the Iranian Mandaean community[3] and is currently a member of the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz.[2] He has taught Mandaic to Iranian Mandaeans for decades and runs a Mandaic language school in Ahvaz.[1][9]
Family
editAs a member of the Choheili family, his relatives include Jabbar Choheili (1923–2014), Salah Choheili, and Najah Choheili.[3]
References
edit
- ^ a b c d Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2023). 1800 Years of Encounters with Mandaeans. Gorgias Mandaean Studies. Vol. 5. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-4632-4132-2. ISSN 1935-441X.
- ^ a b c d e "سالم چحیلی". اطلس اقلیتهای دینی ایران (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-02-02.
- ^ a b c d e Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
- ^ Häberl, Charles (2009). The Neo-Mandaic Dialect of Khorramshahr. Otto Harrassowitz. doi:10.7282/t3qf8r7c.
- ^ Haberl, Charles; McGrath, James (2020). The Mandaean Book of John: critical edition, translation, and commentary. Berlin: De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-048651-3. OCLC 1129155601.
- ^ Choheili, Salem (2021). گنزا ربا. Ahvaz: Tarava [ترآوا]. ISBN 9786003474161.
- ^ "برگردان فارسی کتاب مقدس منداییان منتشر شد". ایسنا (in Persian). 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ "گنزا ربا". شبکه جامع کتاب گیسوم (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Škanda Salem Choheili Salman (2002). A school for Mandaic language and literatures in Ahwaz. Lecture given on 9 July 2002 at the ARAM 17th International Conference, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford.
External links
edit- Readings of various Mandaic texts and prayers by Salem Choheili (at Sobhan Zahrooni's YouTube channel)