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Yacoub Nona By: Esha Emmanuel Tamras
Jacob Nona Thomas, better known as Yacoub Nona began singing at small
Assyrian gatherings and weddings at a young age in
Kirkuk, Iraq. Blessed with a powerful voice, Yacoub was inspired
by the example of his father Nona who had been a popular singer
in Assyrian and Kurdish.
Yacoub was born to Mr. Nona Tooma and
Shamama Lazar of
Mar Bishu in the capital city of Iraq,
Baghdad in 1934. In the mid 1940's he moved to Kirkuk
and while there he worked for IPC,
the Iraqi Petroleum Company, in 1958 he
returned to live in Baghdad again.
Although Yacoub loved singing, his family obligations took priority in his
life. He takes pride in being a faithful and loving husband to his wife
Clementina, and a responsible father to his five children.
Always the gentleman, Yacoub has expressed a great deal of respect for
other Assyrian singers which have followed him. "They are all great
Assyrian Singers", Yacoub often says.
Mr. Yacoub Nona Tooma(Thomas), arrived Chicago in December of 1982 after
over one year's stay in Italy. Yacoub, his wife Clementina, four
daughters and son, currenly reside in Chicago, Illinois.
These photographs have been authorized for publishing on this web page.
Yacoub Nona was among the first Assyrian singers to blend Eastern
melodies with Western music to achieve a unique sound. His first and
second records were both released in 1958, composed by William Nichola Dinkha. These featured the popular
songs "Weela Ishta,Weela Shawa, and
"Ain Khabooshe Boosh Khilye D'ena Go Karmane
", sold thousands throughout Iraq and reached Assyrian communities
living in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, the United States, England and Australia.
It was broadcast on Assyrian radio stations all over the Middle East.
Yacoub was foremost in his generation.
The words of the songs were not so much poetic as natural (says Jacob),
and so people really identified with them and truly understood them. They
were popular in the true sense of the word. This is why they were sold
all over the world. This was remarkable for an Assyrian vocalist at the
time, even now this is something impressive.
Use of these photographs for publishing on other web pages is permited with
one requirement that source of photograph from this web page is to be
mentioned.
Updated August 28, 2001
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