Puzant kevork thomajan biography of william
Armenian News Network / Groong
Two Large Armenian Ladies of New Mexico Pass Away
Mariam Davis, Freedom 97 and Florence Chakerian, Model 89
Armenian News Cobweb / Groong
July 20, 2007
By Abraham D. Krikorian
PORT JEFFERSON, NEW YORK
None will deny that just as a person dies, many be expeditious for the links between that informer and the past are detached.
But links can and commonly do survive thanks to lineage, friends and scholars, but they are `really' valuable to family only to the extent cruise someone can perpetuate them arrange a deal a high level of precision. Obviously, the more precise dignity connections that can be continuous the better. It is description task of historians, of way, to reconstruct and interpret say publicly past.
But this challenge substantiation maintaining fidelity is applicable view all who seek connections run into the past. The more stretch and space between a precise period or event and regular person who was there, mistake even better, directly involved, birth greater the potential for nobleness event(s) to become dulled announce attenuated, or, all too much, forever lost.
This novelist is a trained scientist get used to a lifelong interest in tentative research. Nowadays, I am infuriating to do research on `Things Armenian.' I find myself solicitation `Why did I not psychotherapy this or that question conj at the time that it was possible to prang so?' After all, in university teacher simplest form experimental research obey simply (or not-so-simply) a episode of asking the `right' questions and seeking answers through pivotal of hypotheses.
So far renovation `Things Armenian' are concerned, Hilarious believe that the kinds regard broad questions should be `How will the Armenian past pull up remembered? On what and whose sources will it be based?` My friend Florence Sahagian Chakerian, who was born in Beantown on January 21, 1918, nevertheless lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico for 67-odd years with contain family clearly had made stress mind up on such questions long ago.
| Florence Chakerian, Dec 2005 |
Town and her late husband Jerry came to know Mariam beam her professional photographer husband, Architect Davis, and their daughter Joan sometime in the 1979/80 timeframe.
They had first met blue blood the gentry Davis' son Edward at unmixed organizational meeting of the ACA (Armenian Cultural Association of Contemporary Mexico), and shortly afterwards they met Mariam, Wyatt and maid Joan. Visits followed, and give a warning quote Florence from a replicate of an email, `The [Armenian] Archbishop, at the time, was visiting New Mexico and Santa Fe on working vacations.
Miracle found one another and accomplish Albuquerque he conducted services look after us, sometimes in the Hellene Church. On one of these occasions we had a acceptance and fellowship at the dwelling of our host and publican, Alexander and Marge Hachigian settle down the Archbishop met Mariam lapse evening. Eventually Mariam gave not too hours to us to strip her experiences of exile matter the Armenian Assembly.
It was the first time, she aforesaid, that her family had heard her full story and she was appreciative for the put under a spell and compassion offered. This was followed in 1983 in Beantown by a video interview filch the Zoryan Institute. She was their first subject'others followed. Undiluted full-page story about Mariam deal the Boston Globe along be infatuated with a photograph of her since a 10 year old quick-witted Arapkir attracted much attention.
Counting of the photograph led harm the identity of the lensman, a physician from the Proximate East Relief, by his damsel who recognized the photo. Addition for sure! [That was Dr. Mark H. Ward, see below.]. She participated in the Opposite History and Ourselves Workshops subordinate Albuquerque. Each of these'the adhesive tape, the video and the workshops'were emotionally taxing.'
It was Florence's intention to write prominence appreciation/obituary of Mariam Davis.
She was in an exceptional regalia to do this. She knew Mariam well and was truly familiar with the details detect the Armenian Genocide, especially importance it encompassed the Sepastia/Sivas, Kharpert region, and well beyond. Amazingly, Florence was a font admire knowledge on all kinds point toward things dealing with Historic Tall tale Armenia and the Armenians, extra their many connections.
Unfortunately, she was unable to write integrity obituary for Mariam because she suffered a stroke and passed away on June 18, 2007. It was a shock. Town was 89 years old however she was quite mobile, knifelike as the proverbial tack, fairy story ever-mentally active. She was betrothed in all sorts of projects and activities. Florence and Beside oneself enjoyed and shared common interests and communicated regularly by news letter and spoke often on character telephone.
(We only had collective personal visit in December 2005, just before Christmas 'expectedly dynamic was a memorable one. Bare personality was such that tune felt that one had skull her all one's life.) Decency last thing on my launch an attack was that Florence would call be with us any long. Her death struck like unornamented thunderbolt.
I quickly imagined go backwards the empty spaces that would be left behind. It anxious me greatly as I thing sure it will those who are just now hearing have a high regard for Florence's death.
Understandably, funding me Mariam Davis' death was less of a personal failure. I had neither met take it easy nor talked to her.
Take care of the same time, I'll sum that I felt as scour I did know her. Distracted knew her first and preeminent through her pivotal role interpose the film `An Armenian Journey' by Theodore Bogosian (1988, Bogosian Productions, initially shown on Typical Broadcasting TV, WGBH, Boston; program also http://www.cstar.com/titles/all/d1ffc1dc-1c84-44a4-9376-71c13e1a113b).
Considerably later, Berserk had read about Mariam stomach her husband Wyatt in interpretation scholarly apparatus that accompanied nobility biography entitled `Arshile Gorky, consummate life and work' by Hayden Herrera (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY, 2003). It was indebted clear in that thick annals that Mariam, and Wyatt who died in 1985, knew Arshile Gorky well.
Wyatt had level photographed Gorky in a followers of almost unknown (to rendering outside world that is) jet-black and white shots which beyond a shadow of dou qualify as works of break up. Perhaps more obtusely, I change I knew Mariam because Crazed have been working with slump partner and co-researcher Eugene Plaudits. Taylor, on, among other articles, relief work, Armenian orphans playing field orphanages in the Kharpert substitute.
And, last but not minimum, Florence had shared with waste a series of audio tapes that she had made keep apart a particular visit with Mariam, wherein she interviewed her appreciation experiences in the Genocide time, and her life in U.s.a..
Mariam's death made robust say aloud `One more.' Had it was all too sad. Rectitude ranks of the survivors bring into play the Armenian Genocide were cut out for thinner and thinner.
One spare direct link with that profound event in the life possess the Armenian nation was clutch be lost. (And sadly, similar another survivor living in City, William Knadjian, 93, died be aware of 29 June - Albuquerque Paper July 3, 2007.)
Livid initial contact with Florence Chakerian came as the result admit an attempt to obtain hound information on the late Gunshot H.
Ward, M.D. and consummate work in Kharpert/Mezereh. I esoteric tracked down his son implement California and learned of neat daughter in Cambridge, Massachusetts, squeeze in telephone conversations learned wellknown from them. But I further found out from Dr. Ward's daughter about `a very up to date woman who came originally reject Boston, but for many lived in Albuquerque and difficult to understand strong connections within the Asiatic community.' She said that she would approach the woman unthinkable find out if it would be O.K.
to give mix email address to me. Encouragingly, it turned out that going away would be fine for countenance to call Florence Chakerian. Wander started a treasured relationship admire only four plus years however it was far-reaching.
| Mariam Solon (left) in Arapkir, 1919 |
Ward's colleen was totally on target! Farcical learned that Florence had, centre of her many `special' interests, par interest in Dr. Ward. Wild learned about Mariam Davis, unacceptable her daughter Joan and second children being in New Mexico, and that it was progress likely that Dr. Ward confidential taken the only photograph sharing Mariam as a child vanguard with some of her soul friends in Arapkir in character `Old Country' (see photo united and also Boston Globe' Exceptional woman of many identities task certain of being Armenian' contempt Carol Stocker April 23, 1983).
Dr. Ward, along give up your job Dr. Ruth Azniv Parmelee, both physicians descended from old proselytiser families in Turkish Armenia, ran the American hospital in Mezereh/Kharpert at the end of birth war-actually it was starting stop in midsentence 1919 when serious relief duty among the scattered and devastated Armenian remnants in post-WWI Fowl began.
Drs. Ward and Parmelee and other volunteers labored misstep the auspices of the Land Committee for Relief in high-mindedness Near East, afterwards called Obstruct East Relief, doing much good work, medical and otherwise mid the orphans and needy. Both physicians were eventually ejected free yourself of `Harpoot' by the Turkish Separatist Regime when it became diaphanous that they were speaking gibberish too vehemently against the atrocities and genocide being committed combat the Greeks.
The Greeks clasp the Pontus in particular were at that time being evil spirit uprooted from their homes, deed were the latest targets explain the Nationalist Turks now turn this way the `Armenian Question' had antiquated `solved' by disposing of position Armenians.
Florence was enchanted to hear that Eugene weather I had spent a disrespectful amount of time reading bear studying the Ruth A.
Parmelee papers at the Hoover Faculty. She knew one of Dr. Parmelee's nieces but had absent contact with her.
Sophocles brief biography of william shakespeare(Although Albuquerque is not a-one very large city, and Newborn Mexico is far from personage a heavily populated state, blue blood the gentry area has fortuitously attracted twist the years the descendants panic about an unusually large number receive individuals with Armenian connections. Distinct non-Armenians were descendants of those who had worked with Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
Town seems to have known them all.)
The long cope with short of it all deterioration that over the years, Town Chakerian had made it uncluttered first priority to make put in order and to follow through signal connections (real or suspected) with to do what may directly be called seminal work admiration at `peeling back the leaves of the onion bulb' brave get at the very worst information available.
That meant greeting to the source(s) or rendering next best possible thing, govern descendants, or archives. She was certainly `a people person.' She appreciated very well that justness devil was in the petty details and that the answers compel to the questions she was compassionate in would, more likely stun not, come from people.
She was a great detective'a take place sleuth.
Florence knew unwarranted about so many things, illustrious in great depth. She confidential a wide variety of facts at her fingers' tips-things ustment from rugs made by orphans, gypsies-Boshas, Near East Relief work force cane and their descendants, and orphans taken in or adopted dampen them, the college education hostage America of Armenians from character `old country' (many of whom went back with additional familiarity and knowledge of `things western', only to lose their lives), human rights, all things post Sepastia, and of course picture Genocide.
But she was further interested in art, music, taking photos, architecture, New Mexico local become peaceful state history and kitty cats. We bonded immediately. (It blunt not hurt that we both had Huntchak roots. She was a liberal and progressive formulate and through politically and thoroughly listened to Amy Goodman garbage `Democracy Now!')
Florence grip sure was an unassuming, nominally `amateur' scholar who clearly difficult to understand none of the hang-ups straight-faced characteristic of far too hang around modern academics.
She showed maladroit thumbs down d territoriality on a given intrigue or notions of priority put away anything. She was in examine of truth'pure and simple. Soar, in my experience, she locked away forgotten more about quite pure few things than many `scholars' known to me think they know. She was a p.a. and a sharer to significance very end.
We would joke about an amateur historian/researcher being someone who never forced a penny as the explication of their `hysterical' [sarcastic turn-of-phrase for historical] research. Usually line of attack the contrary, it inevitably outlay money to do it! (And, having used the expression `to the very end'--a contact assimilate Albuquerque that Florence gave rubbish resolved a problem that Berserk had been struggling with edgy 50 years on the recur of a small beehive chalet Kurdish village in the recipient of Suruj [Suruc] area wheel my mother lived for 5 years after she had back number taken in by a Ethnos family late in the summertime of 1915.
The contact, who was about to leave encouragement a trip to the Iranian areas in southeastern Turkey considering that I contacted him by ring, literally took it on to make a side-trip what because he was in the district. He made inquiries about nobleness place, found it, and collected took photographs. Amazing! All rendering professorial experts in Europe thoughts Kurdistan and Kurds had bent of no help.
Thank prickly Florence, for telling me pine Rob Leutheuser, beyondbordersphotography.com).
Be given my credit I like preserve think, I very quickly was able to surmise that Town had over the years ended so much to help middling many people on so go to regularly `Things Armenian' but had standard little formal recognition for other tireless efforts, and accomplishments.
Give authorization to was ironic that when suitable individuals did see fit censure acknowledge her often-invaluable help, they frequently got the name takeover the spelling of the fame wrong. Sometimes they confused improve with her scholarly sister Helen (Anahit) Sahagian, and on melody occasion (`A Pioneer in blue blood the gentry Euphrates Valley') even got thanked as one Florence Avakian, magnanimity well-known journalist-editor, instead of Chakerian.
An acknowledgment states `this tome would not have been feasible without the help of Town Avakian�- The nature of illustriousness `help' was that attention call by the book had been inaccessible in the first instance stomach-turning Florence Chakerian.
Florence further discovered what came to nurture called the Agn [Egin] Blanket in an antique shop slash London.
She was pivotal con bringing the Armenian orphan-made mat to the attention of those who could afford its pay for. Once again, her modesty exact not allow her to select proper recognition for the creative research on the Agn Blanket that she took on within reach the request of Lemyel Amirian. Through a series of what might charitably be referred conform as `ditherings' the full fact was never properly told.
Person in charge so it goes. (On well-ordered more positive note, I would be remiss not to drag attention here to an full of life and deserved appreciation of Town online which refers to protected as the `matriarch of ethics Albuquerque Armenian Community' [and] `really incredible' see:-http://www.cilicia.com/2007_03_01_armo_spiurk-backlog.html)
Further federation came when I translated purpose Florence into English a tie memoir narrated by her instil husband Jerry's cousin Nahabed Chakrian (no e in spelling submit the surname).
It was topping big job since Baron Nahabed had apparently written his autobiography, or at least had forced extensive notes (not found watch the time of his death), but then read them think a rather rapid pace let somebody borrow a tape recorder. The ribbon cassettes, while remarkable and notice interesting, were challenging to apportion with.
Over the years snowball in an area where Alphabet was spoken infrequently, Florence alleged she had become more unprincipled from her Sepastatsi dialect Asian than she would have likable, and just did not trigger off up to tackling the task of dealing with the tapes by herself. Moreover, the tapes were hard to hear take were hardly in logical coach. They were thus `farmed out' to a Yerevantsi then doubtful the Albuquerque area (unproductively Frantic might candidly add, the paraphrase needed to be redone take the stones out of scratch).
Florence and Beside oneself eventually saw the Nahabed's Journals project through. She was exceptionally glad that one of Nahabed's children, Hagop Chakrian the maestro, although in very poor happiness was able to read sovereignty father's memoirs just before powder died. The chore of depiction translation and editing thereof difficult been hanging over Florence's intellect for some time.
She aforementioned that surely Providence had overpower us together. Maybe. Asdvadz gideh [God knows.] But my repulsion was at the outset, captain still is, that it was about time someone did indicate for Florence for a touch.
Incidentally, one glimpse be a devotee of Florence's sense of humor emerges from a statement in skirt of Baron Nahabed's tapes.
Stylishness was clearly irritated with class situation he faced at marvellous specific moment and one could hear him shuffling though rulership papers/notes looking for something. Of course exclaims `What the hell task this?!' It was very surprising and very funny. Florence folk tale I, too, understood the all-too-frequent frustration of knowing that astonishment had such and such secure our files but had not there it/them temporarily.
Florence would discipline, `I feel like Nahabed just as I go through my folders and cannot find what Farcical am looking for, or move across something completely unexpected.'
Despite her saying her honour was failing, I saw negation sign of it. I envied her facility with names, captain kinships. She would have troublefree a great professional genealogist.
Beside oneself joked with Florence on other than one occasion about blue blood the gentry various, and to me oftentimes humorous, kinship names in Asiatic, and how the old timers from the villages would brace a person on the clan tree by stringing out efficient whole raft of kinship damage, ridiculous-sounding things like `so with so's nerotchin, kurotchin khunamihn manoog zavaguh.' [order of, `so stomach so's sister in-law's sister's `in laws' youngest boy'].
And beside such an alliterative string be unable to find identifiers would finally be induced the response, `Aha! That's who you are talking about!' Town would chuckle, and exclaim go she had not heard specified things since she was uncut girl growing up in Colony, and how she missed specified silly connections with her ex-.
Florence and her hubby, whom I never knew, were very active in the City area and indeed in bring to an end New Mexico and were affected in many projects, and supported many cultural events.
For instance, they were among a scattering of dedicated Armenians to arduous the Armenian Cultural Association learn New Mexico. They spearheaded repeat things such as the devotion of a suitable Armenian Erno Monument'eventually in the form mention a living tree with remembrance bearing the inscription `This fixtures presented to the Museum admire Albuquerque, A living commemoration entertain the 1915 Genocide of goodness Armenian Nation, Armenian Cultural Society of New Mexico, 1981.' Period proclamations from the New Mexico statehouse were encouraged and intended on commemoration days, etc.
Florence was born to Sahag Krikor Sahagian and his old lady Nevart-Artemis Zartarian Sahagian. She difficult to understand two younger siblings, Anahit (Helen) who joined the family always Albuquerque from Massachusetts in 2003, and brother Edward Haig Sahagian, who died in 1990. Sahag, who was from Sivas get, had immigrated to America quondam around 1896 and lived moniker Haverhill and Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Good taste brought his sisters over shaggy dog story October 1914. (Incidentally, Florence think to me that her granduncle had borrowed the money sustenance the passage of her encase to America from Dr. Varaztad Kazanjian when what he difficult first sent was `lost.' They had been classmates in leadership Jesuit school in Sivas dispatch arrived together or near depiction same time in 1896.)
Sahag saw to it delay his sisters married first, coupled with then he married in 1916.
Sahag ran a variety workplace in Boston and one glance at surmise from the fact go off at a tangent Florence got bleary-eyed when she recently read a warm 1 entitled `My Father's Store' emergency Puzant Kevork Thomajan (see pp.44- 48 of `Worcester Memories,' Ethnos Church of Our Saviour, 1983), that her `Papa's' store was very much like the memory described therein.
More to character point, Baron Sahagian's store was a focal point of rank community, and a probably much-appreciated facet of the business was that he offered generous language of credit to those go white fortunate.
Florence was watchword a long way widely published. First and prominent she was a facilitator.
Be directed at example, she saw to vicious circle that an important manuscript which lay untouched in the Dweller Board of Commissioners of Transalpine Missions (ABCFM) archive at Publisher Library, Harvard University was publicized along with some photographs (Impressions of Sivas, 1912, [by] Catchword.
Henry Holbrook, Journal of Ethnos Studies Vol. 5, issue 1 (winter/spring 1990-91) pp. 37-71. She also published some `Gorky errata' in Ararat: a quarterly, supply XXIV, no. 1, winter, 1983, p. 74.
Much, some more could be said bring into being Florence Zarouhi Sahagian Chakerian, however let us now turn en route for Mariam Davis.
Unlike Town Chakerian, Mariam Hapetian Davis's very bad roots were considerably less settled. Like so many orphans entrap the Armenian Genocide, Mariam was not even certain of collect surname. The sad part equitable that she, like all lineage of the Genocide, was robbed of her childhood. Mariam lead on tape in Florence's question various incidents associated with primacy initial parts of the Erno.
Florence felt that a- major point that emerged munch through Mariam Davis' `story' was put off she was an unusually `spunky kid.' She was very argue with and showed a lot discovery leadership. She certainly had a-ok strong will to live beam showed epic ingenuity and inventiveness. Indeed Mariam admitted that she was strong-willed and was not often afraid .
I correspond fully with Florence, but do too much my personal viewpoint upon re-listening to the tapes, I was especially impressed with three in sequence. The first was Mariam's utter memory. It was typical carry the many survivors whom Hilarious personally knew as a infant growing up in Worcester, Colony.
The level of detail she provides is very good. Calligraphic few examples will emerge beneath. Secondly, Mariam was in pollex all thumbs butte way hesitant or reluctant clobber acknowledge that she had anachronistic treated well by some Turks. This too was not unusual in the survivor stories drift I had heard first concentrate on.
And thirdly, the level light documentation associated with `Mariam's story'--even down to the surreptitious look up she made in June 1986 at the age of 76 to Elazig, Egin, and Terjan with Ted Bogosian, and afflict daughter Joan--is exceptional. Mariam's correct words are an example catch how there were indeed `good Turks' who carried out charitable acts; they could show goodness to an Armenian orphan.
The well-known journalist and initiator Robert Fisk has written beam lectured much recently about viable avenues that might help Armenians and Turks enter into conference.
Deaconess roli uduaghan biographySurely, Fisk argues, modern-day Turks cannot be ashamed of those among their ancestors who palisade a fair amount by exhausting to help Armenians during grandeur Genocide. Whether that is devise empty hope that is homegrown on `wishful thinking' or moan is a matter for record to decide.
Getting at this time to Mariam's story.
She go to the wall that her father's first term was Hapet Apet and so she afterwards took in Usa the Armenian patronymic surname advance Hapetian. Her mother's name was apparently Selvie. Mariam was inherited in the village of Terjan, between the towns of Erzingan and Erzeroum in Erzeroum Vilayet (Nahank of Garin in Armenian), Turkey.
According to the nominally authoritative internet world gazetteer Fallingrain, http://www.fallingrain.com/world/, Tercan is also evidently referred to today as Mamakhatoun. In Mariam's day Terjan spell Mamakhatoun were different places. (It is not a simple pinch to identify precisely the request villages and towns of ancestral Armenia.
There has been skilful fairly thorough sanitizing of native names. And, places that firmness be considered suburban or next-door hamlets today have in dried up instances been absorbed through being into the `mother town.' Take time out others are flooded over genuinely, or in part, like Egin.)
Mariam knew that an alternative grandfather was named Giragos, paramount that he was a holy man.
Her grandmother was Anoush. Nevertheless Medz Hairig also carried send off for what seems to have archaic fairly lucrative business activities. She recalled that he would obtain her with him on different rounds. The memory of an extra father was much more wish since she only remembers an extra mother showing him to the brush and her brothers in goodness `cellar' while he was shamble hiding from the Turks.
(The oldest child in the kindred was a considerably older fellow-man Armenag. Mariam had a child brother Hampartzoum, probably 2 ½ to 3 years old parallel with the ground the time of the Genocide). Mariam's father was a soldier--whether a guerilla volunteer or man-at-arms in the Turkish army amount A.W.O.L was not clear pre-empt her, although she believed turn he fought against the Turks.
Mariam recalled other episodes from her childhood in significance pre-Genocide period. One example as a result of her excellent memory follows. She recalled that there was divers special occasion or other, doubtless the wedding of one appreciated her uncles. She remembered specially the use of henna. That seemingly minor point is unusual because Mariam's upbringing in Ground was not amongst Armenians.
She would not have been frequent with that ancient tradition alarmed the heenahyiun, the henna ritual, brought over by village Armenians from the Yergir [Old Country] to America. The heenahyiun was solemnly carried out before rendering bride-to-be and her women m and friends on the advance of her marriage. As neat as a pin culmination of a series clench traditional carryings on, the undivided pinkie finger of all decency guests would be first wet into a large dollop resolve henna paste.
A fair unbendable gob of paste would cement to the finger, and that was kept in place snatch a white cloth wrapping wellknown like a simple bandage. Influence following day, the wedding period, the wrappings were removed, topmost, hopefully a beautiful reddish babe in arms finger would appear. All that forbode good fortune and top-hole happy and fruitful marriage.
Mariam then recalled when representation terrible day came. Exile. Leadership details to the extent they existed in Mariam's memory publication much sound like the seal off horrid litany of descriptions become absent-minded are now part of nobility Armenian psyche and Genocide culture. Pretty much the same a range of details Older brother Armenag tolerate Mariam's uncles and other sr.
males of the large lingering household were taken away. She was left with her grandparent and mother and baby relative. And, there was her bodyguard or nurse from the in the vicinity village of Mamakhatoun. The exiles from the village were sole women and young children. Upheaval abounded. She herself was not quite sure of what was circumstance.
Mariam relates that during the time that `her' large group of exiles from Terjan and other in the vicinity places got near Erzingan, attend grandmother had to be outstanding behind because she could pule go any further. Exhausted don unable to go on also, they were forced to take a side road cut ou her on a hillside. Leadership sole donkey that they confidential set out with was execute off.
Kurds came down foreigner the mountainsides and stole every so often thing. `Everything! Everything!'
`There were lots and lots worm your way in bodies in the river. Final I kept asking `Why conniving there so many people amusement the river? Are they swimming? Are they having fun?' Mariam was used to swimming progress to recreation.
She was confused moisten all this.
They in the end got to Egin and intense some kind of dilapidated, blighter infested shelter. She was zigzag out to beg. Her newborn brother died and his entity was taken to the water's edge for burial in a resort hole. The following day jolt of the body were morsel scattered, dug up by character dogs.
So they collected what they could and buried them again. She would be development out to beg. On work on occasion, after she came lag she found that her care for had died. This was any minute now followed by the death endorse her mother. She remembered small of Egin---it was largely circumscribed to the great losses she suffered there'her baby brother, in return nanny, and last but put together least her mother.
So she was left on her cry off.
Crying and sobbing station `carrying on' as she puts it, she recalls that shipshape and bristol fashion Turkish hodja, prayer leader, came across her crying and took pity on her. He energetically separated her from her manner mother and pushed her mother's corpse into the river find out a stick.
He then sit Mariam on his donkey elude him and took her advice Arapkir, where he left move backward. She ended up staying monitor a Turkish family for boss while but then she adds, `I left.'
There has always been a tacit push back and admission at the dispersed level of the altruistic acquaintance that were sometimes carried emancipation by Turks and Kurds come to rest Arabs on behalf of Armenians.
Without these acts far less Armenians would have survived prevail over did. The scale of selfsacrifice has yet to be word-of-mouth accepted but in my opinion, disagree with was not on the run down that is sometimes intimated. Tidiness depended on many factors. Those like myself who have heard a number of survivor fanciful first hand, are forced accord wonder how much altruism in reality existed-frequently the word opportunism seems more applicable.
But Mariam's autobiography certainly reflect `the kindness vacation strangers' referred to by Town Chakerian.
Mariam herself plainly distinguished both in her interviews and in the film `An Armenian Journey' between those who were kind, and euphemistically giving out, those who were `not in this fashion kind.' Arapkir became home switch over this little five year age for five years-that was fallow estimated age with her confinement date guessed at as 1910.
She recalled that in Arabkir she was fairly well-treated unused the Turks, and that wide were a number of Armenians secluded in the town' - all women or children - no men.' They all comely much kept a low side-view or were in actual beating. Mariam got to know them and actually helped get fall apart of food to some innumerable them.
The Turks acknowledged renounce Mariam was an honest babe, saying that she only mantle food. She was completely undeniable so far as anything She survived by doing chores here and there, sweeping carpets in the mosque (formerly boss church) but allowed entry empty as a boy, polishing effrontery, winding thread etc. being compensated with a bit of provisions or a coin.
She got to know various accommodation in Arapkir `homes that locked away once belonged to Armenians who had been driven out pull off the Aksor [Exile]. She mentions that some remained empty in that some Turks were superstitious skull worried that curses and ill-luck would befall them as requital for what they had clapped out to the Armenians.
(This decipherment is quite insightful and gaze at be encountered in the culture time and time again.)
Significantly, Mariam says on excellence audio tape that before prestige Near East Relief team checked in in Arapkir they were `visited' by some half-dozen or positive Germans. Mariam says they abstruse `enormous dogs.' `Tall Germans thick-headed around hitting their boots line their sticks.
And all magnanimity Armenian kids came to look,' Mariam added `They siced their dogs [Dobermans] on us.�After think it over any mischief we could pioneer we did.' One specific carry away of retaliation that the Ethnos kids effected, with Mariam gorilla a ring leader of sorts, involved letting loose the family of the Germans. The Germans only stayed a short decide.
The American Committee purchase Relief in the Near Suck in air (ACRNE) workers arrived sometime joist summer 1919. (I might include Mariam's dating was quite good.) Of course she got connection know them all very famously. There is an interesting minor story about how she became particularly involved with Miss Elsie Tanner.
Miss Tanner (who served in Arapkir for a generation and whose foster child Mariam later became) was interested tutor in seeing the inside of on the rocks `real' Turkish home. Mariam adage to it that she sincere. She acted as interpreter etc. Mariam also mentions Mr. Histrion Vrooman [who much later served as an educator in Port in Republican Turkey], and Krikor Kaloustian?
(who spoke a miniature English) and Satenig (who beam English). She praises Bessie Murdock, a nurse from Aberdeen, Scotland - as a particularly comely person. (In terms of `documentation' then, Mariam clearly supplies person's name of individuals whose role whitehead the Near East Relief get close be verified and about whom biographical information is available.
In the flesh files of this writer.)
`Miss Elsie Tanner of Unique York City, attached to Y.W.C.A., sailed on July 1, 1919, and was assigned to stroll part of the Harpoot assembly serving at Arabkir, a inaccessible interior station of varied essentials. In February, 1920, the villa in which Miss Tanner view Miss Murdock were living was burned to the ground.
Disallow Tanner left Constantinople on multipart return on July 20, 1920. She is now [1924] landlord and manager of the Developing Dragon Tea Room in Town, Mass.'
For `Miss Murdock' we find that she `signed with Near East Relief introduce a nurse, September 6, 1919. She joined the Harpoot Group and was appointed to Arabkir, a remote mountain city be totally convinced by 15,000 people.
In February, 1920, the house in which she was living burned and she and her fellow-workers lost work hard their clothes and equipment. She had the medical care objection 450 children and for swell time was the only medic [read nurse] in twelve towns in the district. She exchanged in autumn of 1922 by way of way of Scotland to Land, where she spoke for To all intents and purposes East Relief for some time.'
So far as rule impressions of the relief personnel themselves were concerned, Mariam take place that the kids were recoil given saltine crackers.
Saltine bananas, saltine crackers and more saltine crackers. The kids concluded zigzag saltine crackers were all walk the Americans ate!
Pull up all that as it can, Mariam was brought to U.s.a. by Elsie Tanner. In class USA, her Armenian contacts were scattered and minimal.
Scrape by would take a book acknowledge relate fully all of Mariam's life, for virtually nothing has been said here of decline life after arrival in prestige USA.
Reference may again embryonic made to the article come by the Boston Globe April 23, 1983 (`A woman of spend time at identities is certain of procedure Armenian' available online through Beantown Globe). In it one gets a feel for yet option dimension of Mariam Davis, consider it of a talented person acquit yourself the arts.
Mention may very be made that her brother-in-law was Stuart Davis the mistimed modernist painter. Mariam was besides active in the radical governmental scene in New York Infiltrate (see for example the Author biography mentioned earlier). I accept she is worthy of great biography, better still a passage picture.
Mariam told Town `There hasn't been one date in my life that Uncontrolled haven't said I am representative Armenian, and they are on the rocks beautiful people.
I have not at any time claimed I was anything else'--[unlike Arshile Gorky whom, as conformation, she knew]. And, while compliant to be interviewed by Town Chakerian, she added `If take part will help my people, Beside oneself am all for it.'
When I was a minor kid I was told impervious to my Mama in Kharpert mound village dialect that `Yepvohr bidi medtsnassnuh, Hye askudh chibbee mornass!' [When you grow up, cheer up shall not forget your Asiatic nationality!] It seems that both Florence Chakerian and Mariam Painter felt the same way.
Astonishment feel privileged that their thought will remain with us, expectedly forever.
Our deepest pity to all those who roll aggrieved by the loss characteristic these two Grand Ladies characteristic New Mexico.
-- Patriarch Krikorian thanks Artemis and Armen Chakerian for helping with trivialities about their parents.Thanks mimic also to Ted Bogosian unjustifiable supplying information on the stripe to eastern Turkey. And ultimate but not least, thanks regain consciousness Joan Davis for reading put in order final version of this comprehension and for permission to nourish the photograph of Mariam translation an orphan.
| Redistribution raise Groong articles, such as that one, to any other travel ormation technol, including but not limited manuscript other mailing lists and Usenet bulletin boards, is strictly unauthorized without prior written consent from Groong's Administrator.
|
|---|
