TALAS’ LAST ARMENIAN FIRM ON STAYING

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 8 2009
Turkey

Despite being the only Armenian left in Kayseri’s Talas distrcit,
Karnikoglu is determined not to leave. Coming from a well-known family,
he says he will breathe his last breath here

Sarkis Karnikoglu’s love for Kayseri has gained him a claim to fame:
According to local legend, he is the last Armenian in the city’s
Talas district.

Karnikoglu, 50, attends the Sunday ceremony at the Church of
St. Gregory the Illuminator and helps tend to the church daily. Sarkis
lives a few kilometers from the city center in the Talas district.

"My family is one of the oldest and well-known families in this city,"
Karnikoglu told Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "I have never
had any intention of leaving this place. I will breathe my last
breath here."

A favorite in Talas

Sporting sharp, dark suits and a moustache, Karnikoglu is one of
the most colorful personalities in the district. Everyone knows him
in Talas and around the historical church; all the locals have his
phone number and address. When he is near the church, people greet him
and ask how he is doing. He even draws attention from the children,
who surround him when he enters town.

Karnikoglu enjoys the attention and is happy to be recognized by
the locals.

"I would feel like a fish out of water if I were somewhere other than
Kayseri," Karnikoglu said. "I wouldn’t be able to breathe. I am the
last member of my family."

Loyalty of friends

The members of Karnikoglu’s family were baptized and married at the
Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, as were their funerals. He
spent his childhood playing in the church garden.

"All my memories are here," Karnikoglu said. He had close friends,
the children of neighbors, when he was a kid and still has close ties
with those who are still alive.

"Everyone thinks I live here alone, but I am not alone because my
childhood friends see me as their brother," he said. "I never feel
alone. I have a big family."

Migration to US, Europe

According to Karnikoglu, Kayseri used to be home to numerous Armenian
families until the end of the 1960s. "Most of them migrated, mostly
to the United States and Europe, until the late 1980s," Karnikoglu
said, gazing at the church during a ceremony. "This garden used to
be packed during Sunday ceremonies 45 years ago."

Dilacar surname from Ataturk

Kayseri has been home to many well-known Armenians. Karnikoglu shared
some of the names, born in Kayseri and famous around Turkey and the
world. Known for his studies on the Turkish language, secretary-general
of the Turkish Language Foundation Hagop Martayan is one of them.

After the surname law was established, the founder of the Turkish
Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, honored Martayan by giving him the
surname "Dilacar," which is related to language.

Other prominent families of Kayseri are the Balyan and Gulbenkyan
families.

The Balyans were Ottoman architects. Many of the palaces, mosques,
churches and villas in Istanbul carry the Balyan signature. The
Gulbenkyans, who were mostly traders, have a huge art collection
exhibited in Portugal’s Lisbon at the Kalust Gulbenkyan Foundation
and Museum. The family played a big role in international oil trade.