Demographics
Many have immigrated outside of the country in huge numbers since 1970s. It is estimated that at least 40,000 "Alqushnaye" immigrants and their 2nd and 3rd generations now live in the cities of Detroit, Michigan and San Diego, California.
In February 2010, The attacks against Assyrians in Mosul forced 4,300 Assyrians to flea Mosul to the Nineveh plains where there is an Assyrian majority population. A report by the United Nations stated that 504 Assyrians at once migrated to Alqosh. Many Assyrians from Mosul and Baghdad since the post-2003 Iraq war have fled to Alqosh for safety to expand Assyrian families in the Assyrian towns like Alqosh. There is no actual official census for Alqosh, many estimate the population between 2,500 - 20,180.
"Alqoshniye" speak Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by Jesus of Nazareth. The Syriac language is their first language, but Arabic is the official language of Iraq (where Alqosh is located), and some of them are fluent in Kurdish as well. There are many Alqoshnaye who speak over five languages since they have become travelers of the world. When Alkoshnaye migrate to the West, some teach their children the Alqoshi dialect rather than Arabic in order to keep the language and the dialect alive.
The popular clothing for men is identical to that of the Kurdish peoples. It is believed that the men of Alqush adopted this clothing at the end of the 19th century as they gradually abandoned their historic clothing which was long pants and "zaboon". Instead of the turban, they would throw braids. Their features and clothing brings them close to their Assyrian or even Sumerian forefathers and practices, just like the people of Sinjar who still adhere to the same dress to the present time.
As for women, their clothings originality extends to the history of Mesopotamia (Bet Nahreen). Some signs of the Hatra's kingdom clearly appear in the Poosheya that adorns the head and in the Mazer worn by the women. The Assyrian signs in the Alqushian female would appear in the long braids made of wool that extend to her ankle after connecting it to the woman's original braids. The Alqushean women exaggerated wearing golden and silver ornaments around their neck and ear and in her Poosheya that used to cover her head, that was decorated with colorful beads. The forehead was surrounded with a golden belt that skirts this Poosheya front the front side whereas black strings dangle from both sides. The skirted part of various colors and decorations would cover the woman's body from the front after it hangs from the shoulder to extend to the two knees.
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