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Canadian Museum of Human Rights, Canada
Nov 15 2013
>From The Ottoman Empire To Killarney, Manitoba: The Story Of An
Armenian Genocide Survivor
POSTED BY: Jack Garabed, Son of an Armenian genocide survivor (Guest
author), , Nov 15, 2013
During and after the First World War, the leaders of the Ottoman
Empire (the forerunner of the modern-day Republic of Turkey) made a
brutal attempt to destroy the empire's entire Armenian population. The
victims were massacred or forced on death marches through the desert.
Approximately one and a half million Armenians perished between 1915
and 1923. Another half million found shelter abroad. Canada opened its
doors to some of the children orphaned in the Armenian genocide. One
of these orphans, Harry Garabed, found himself placed on a farm near
Killarney, Manitoba. Jack Garabed, Harry's son, spoke at a recent news
conference where the CMHR signed an agreement with the Armenian
Genocide Museum Institute. Here is Harry's story, in his son Jack's
words.
Someone asked me once if it means something to me to have the Canadian
Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The short answer is YES! Last
week, I had the honour of witnessing an important and historic
partnership between the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The Armenian Genocide is an important human rights story and I was
proud to share the story of my father at this event.
I am the son of an Armenian genocide orphan survivor. My father was
born `Garabed Haroutounian' about 1906. His name was later changed to
Harry Garabed, for pronunciation reasons. Unfortunately, I have very
little information about my Dad's early years, just what I remember
him telling me as a young boy, and young man.
Dad talked about how his mom made Turkish rugs. They would bring bags
of wool already weighed, and she would hook them. He helped her after
school. She was allowed to keep a small amount of the wool when the
rug was done.
I remember Dad telling me of his parents' demise, and about his
family. He was the oldest of six. He spoke of my grandfather being
taken away in the night, and murdered. They took Dad away and placed
him in a Turkish orphanage. He believed my grandmother escaped into
Egypt with some of the younger children. He was forced to change
religion against his will. God only knows what happened to my
grandmother and my Dad's five other brothers and sisters.
Dad explained how he had been encouraged to sneak out of the orphanage
one night with an older friend, and how they ran, and then escaped
into the countryside. They existed by their wits, hand to mouth.
Dad was 17 when he started his journey. We really don't know and I
don't think he knew where he was going. My Dad went to England from
Greece and he sailed from Liverpool to Montreal.
The Salvation Army arranged to have three children in the orphanage,
including my father, transported to Canada. Dad left the other two
boys in Montreal and continued on to Manitoba. He was fascinated by
the train ride, and wanted to extend it as far as he could. He had
never seen one, and was intrigued. The train brought him to Winnipeg,
and from there he was placed with farmers in the Killarney area.
He told me how wonderful the people were to him, as he spoke almost no
English. He found out later they taught him cuss words, as it was
funny to hear them with his accent! He was very happy in his early
years in Canada. He never spoke of being lonely, or about the old
country, as he made so many new friends. He told me how he had made a
comb out of nails, in the early years, as he had no money, and his
hair was long. He worked hard, and eventually bought his own land and
farmed.
He served in the Canadian Army, overseas, for six years. Afterwards,
he was a local, respected politician for 30-plus years.
Dad fathered five children, one of whom is deceased. There are
numerous grandchildren, great, and great-great grandchildren - 65 in
total. Quite a dynasty from one little Armenian orphan! Most of us
still live in Killarney and southwestern Manitoba.
As he grew older, Dad always said he was so grateful to have been
blessed with coming to a free country like Canada. To his dying day,
he thanked God for the Salvation Army, his wonderful family, and for
Canada!
http://museumforhumanrights.ca/explore/blog/ottoman-empire-killarney-manitoba-story-armenian-genocide-survivor#.UofFycTI11Z
Nov 15 2013
>From The Ottoman Empire To Killarney, Manitoba: The Story Of An
Armenian Genocide Survivor
POSTED BY: Jack Garabed, Son of an Armenian genocide survivor (Guest
author), , Nov 15, 2013
During and after the First World War, the leaders of the Ottoman
Empire (the forerunner of the modern-day Republic of Turkey) made a
brutal attempt to destroy the empire's entire Armenian population. The
victims were massacred or forced on death marches through the desert.
Approximately one and a half million Armenians perished between 1915
and 1923. Another half million found shelter abroad. Canada opened its
doors to some of the children orphaned in the Armenian genocide. One
of these orphans, Harry Garabed, found himself placed on a farm near
Killarney, Manitoba. Jack Garabed, Harry's son, spoke at a recent news
conference where the CMHR signed an agreement with the Armenian
Genocide Museum Institute. Here is Harry's story, in his son Jack's
words.
Someone asked me once if it means something to me to have the Canadian
Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The short answer is YES! Last
week, I had the honour of witnessing an important and historic
partnership between the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The Armenian Genocide is an important human rights story and I was
proud to share the story of my father at this event.
I am the son of an Armenian genocide orphan survivor. My father was
born `Garabed Haroutounian' about 1906. His name was later changed to
Harry Garabed, for pronunciation reasons. Unfortunately, I have very
little information about my Dad's early years, just what I remember
him telling me as a young boy, and young man.
Dad talked about how his mom made Turkish rugs. They would bring bags
of wool already weighed, and she would hook them. He helped her after
school. She was allowed to keep a small amount of the wool when the
rug was done.
I remember Dad telling me of his parents' demise, and about his
family. He was the oldest of six. He spoke of my grandfather being
taken away in the night, and murdered. They took Dad away and placed
him in a Turkish orphanage. He believed my grandmother escaped into
Egypt with some of the younger children. He was forced to change
religion against his will. God only knows what happened to my
grandmother and my Dad's five other brothers and sisters.
Dad explained how he had been encouraged to sneak out of the orphanage
one night with an older friend, and how they ran, and then escaped
into the countryside. They existed by their wits, hand to mouth.
Dad was 17 when he started his journey. We really don't know and I
don't think he knew where he was going. My Dad went to England from
Greece and he sailed from Liverpool to Montreal.
The Salvation Army arranged to have three children in the orphanage,
including my father, transported to Canada. Dad left the other two
boys in Montreal and continued on to Manitoba. He was fascinated by
the train ride, and wanted to extend it as far as he could. He had
never seen one, and was intrigued. The train brought him to Winnipeg,
and from there he was placed with farmers in the Killarney area.
He told me how wonderful the people were to him, as he spoke almost no
English. He found out later they taught him cuss words, as it was
funny to hear them with his accent! He was very happy in his early
years in Canada. He never spoke of being lonely, or about the old
country, as he made so many new friends. He told me how he had made a
comb out of nails, in the early years, as he had no money, and his
hair was long. He worked hard, and eventually bought his own land and
farmed.
He served in the Canadian Army, overseas, for six years. Afterwards,
he was a local, respected politician for 30-plus years.
Dad fathered five children, one of whom is deceased. There are
numerous grandchildren, great, and great-great grandchildren - 65 in
total. Quite a dynasty from one little Armenian orphan! Most of us
still live in Killarney and southwestern Manitoba.
As he grew older, Dad always said he was so grateful to have been
blessed with coming to a free country like Canada. To his dying day,
he thanked God for the Salvation Army, his wonderful family, and for
Canada!
http://museumforhumanrights.ca/explore/blog/ottoman-empire-killarney-manitoba-story-armenian-genocide-survivor#.UofFycTI11Z