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ARMENIANS OF MALATYA ASSOCIATION
by ORHAN KEMAL CENGIZ
Today's Zaman
Nov 3 2010
Turkey
There is certainly a huge difference between knowing and feeling
something. I had known for a long time that there was a huge population
of Armenians in Anatolia and that they had been scattered to every
corner of the world.
But seeing and feeling it is a completely different experience.
Watching the presentation of an Armenian friend on the 1915
commemorations in Mexico was such an interesting experience for me
when I was taking a course in Canada on genocide. I saw the pictures
of Mexican Armenians, mourning for their losses in Anatolia. It was
really hard to believe these men wearing these huge Mexican hats were
possibly my old neighbors. On the other side of the world, they were
still living with old and painful memories from my country. During such
moments words are not sufficient to describe what one feels. Only art,
a picture, a poem or a sculpture could possibly express what you feel.
I felt the same unexplainable feelings when I visited Yerevan. It was
so interesting to hear how these people were referring to their roots.
They were from Kars, from Ağrı, Van and so on. They were still
identifying themselves like this.
I remembered all these things as I was reading an interesting piece
of news in the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos. The title was "Armenians
of Malatya Association has been established." Two photos accompanied
the news coverage. In one of them an elderly woman crying, out of
happiness and nostalgia, I guess.
While I read it many other things came to mind. But first let's read
this interesting news piece together: "A new organizational model has
been adopted by Armenian society in recent years. They have begun to
establish organizations to keep alive the memory of the battle wounds
of 1915, and the cultures and traditions that were torn from their
roots in Anatolia in order to pass them on to future generations. ...
MalatyaHAYDer, the foundation of which was officially announced with
a press statement last week, organized their first ever event at the
Kumkapı Sırp Harutyun Church on Oct. 23, Saturday. About 400 Armenians
from Malatya attended the dinner to support the management board. ...
That evening after the stuffed cherry leaves of Malatya were served,
Ankine Evyapan spoke about Malatya poet Rupen Voperyan and presented
examples of his poetry."
The news story continues with an interview with Hosrot Kolevitoğlu,
one of the founders of the association. Mr. Kolevitoğlu also tells
us a lot of interesting things about Turkey and Malatya, a city
in eastern Anatolia. Let's lend an ear to his words: "In Malatya,
which was once called 'Little Armenia' along with Sivas and Erzincan,
there were 33 churches until the 1990s."
As I was reading this sentence I remembered the words of the murderers
in the Malatya massacre in 2007. The suspects claimed that there were
40 house churches in Malatya run by Christian missionaries, but the
truth was there was only one church and a tiny group of Christians. I
can't help but wonder whether the history of Malatya had anything
to do with the creation of this hysteria about Christians. Anyways,
let's continue to read this interesting interview:
"Armenians used to work as tailors, coppersmiths, tin makers,
milliners, watch producers, potters and in construction and they
used to be involved in artisanship as well as agriculture and animal
breeding. ... Still in many places, they continue living in their homes
by concealing their identities or disguising their religious beliefs.
... In our childhood, they spoke about 'sovketten' [deportation]
when we were away, but they would immediately stop speaking when
we approached."
I also learned from this interview that there are 4,000 Armenians
from Malatya living in İstanbul now. Mr. Kolevitoğlu added that they
have received positive feedback from the local press in Malatya.
Turkey needs to hear the stories of Armenians. Their stories are the
lost piece of our history. Five or 10 years ago, these associations
could not have been established in Turkey. They would have been met
with millions of legal and bureaucratic obstacles. I am glad we have
come so far. But I also hope that one day Turkey and Turkish people
will have enough self-confidence to confront our past. In this sense,
the establishment of these kinds of organizations is very important.
They encourage us to open the eyes of our hearts. I welcome the
Armenians of Malatya Association and wish them all success.
From: A. Papazian
by ORHAN KEMAL CENGIZ
Today's Zaman
Nov 3 2010
Turkey
There is certainly a huge difference between knowing and feeling
something. I had known for a long time that there was a huge population
of Armenians in Anatolia and that they had been scattered to every
corner of the world.
But seeing and feeling it is a completely different experience.
Watching the presentation of an Armenian friend on the 1915
commemorations in Mexico was such an interesting experience for me
when I was taking a course in Canada on genocide. I saw the pictures
of Mexican Armenians, mourning for their losses in Anatolia. It was
really hard to believe these men wearing these huge Mexican hats were
possibly my old neighbors. On the other side of the world, they were
still living with old and painful memories from my country. During such
moments words are not sufficient to describe what one feels. Only art,
a picture, a poem or a sculpture could possibly express what you feel.
I felt the same unexplainable feelings when I visited Yerevan. It was
so interesting to hear how these people were referring to their roots.
They were from Kars, from Ağrı, Van and so on. They were still
identifying themselves like this.
I remembered all these things as I was reading an interesting piece
of news in the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos. The title was "Armenians
of Malatya Association has been established." Two photos accompanied
the news coverage. In one of them an elderly woman crying, out of
happiness and nostalgia, I guess.
While I read it many other things came to mind. But first let's read
this interesting news piece together: "A new organizational model has
been adopted by Armenian society in recent years. They have begun to
establish organizations to keep alive the memory of the battle wounds
of 1915, and the cultures and traditions that were torn from their
roots in Anatolia in order to pass them on to future generations. ...
MalatyaHAYDer, the foundation of which was officially announced with
a press statement last week, organized their first ever event at the
Kumkapı Sırp Harutyun Church on Oct. 23, Saturday. About 400 Armenians
from Malatya attended the dinner to support the management board. ...
That evening after the stuffed cherry leaves of Malatya were served,
Ankine Evyapan spoke about Malatya poet Rupen Voperyan and presented
examples of his poetry."
The news story continues with an interview with Hosrot Kolevitoğlu,
one of the founders of the association. Mr. Kolevitoğlu also tells
us a lot of interesting things about Turkey and Malatya, a city
in eastern Anatolia. Let's lend an ear to his words: "In Malatya,
which was once called 'Little Armenia' along with Sivas and Erzincan,
there were 33 churches until the 1990s."
As I was reading this sentence I remembered the words of the murderers
in the Malatya massacre in 2007. The suspects claimed that there were
40 house churches in Malatya run by Christian missionaries, but the
truth was there was only one church and a tiny group of Christians. I
can't help but wonder whether the history of Malatya had anything
to do with the creation of this hysteria about Christians. Anyways,
let's continue to read this interesting interview:
"Armenians used to work as tailors, coppersmiths, tin makers,
milliners, watch producers, potters and in construction and they
used to be involved in artisanship as well as agriculture and animal
breeding. ... Still in many places, they continue living in their homes
by concealing their identities or disguising their religious beliefs.
... In our childhood, they spoke about 'sovketten' [deportation]
when we were away, but they would immediately stop speaking when
we approached."
I also learned from this interview that there are 4,000 Armenians
from Malatya living in İstanbul now. Mr. Kolevitoğlu added that they
have received positive feedback from the local press in Malatya.
Turkey needs to hear the stories of Armenians. Their stories are the
lost piece of our history. Five or 10 years ago, these associations
could not have been established in Turkey. They would have been met
with millions of legal and bureaucratic obstacles. I am glad we have
come so far. But I also hope that one day Turkey and Turkish people
will have enough self-confidence to confront our past. In this sense,
the establishment of these kinds of organizations is very important.
They encourage us to open the eyes of our hearts. I welcome the
Armenians of Malatya Association and wish them all success.
From: A. Papazian