DAY OF CULTURE DEDICATED TO HAMSHEN IN FRANKFURT ON MEIN
Azg/arm
8 Dec 04
For the first time in history a conference dedicated to Hamshen
Armenians (around 1 million living in Turkey the rest in South Russia
and Abkhazia) launched in Frankfurt on Mein, Germany. Prof. Wolfgang
Vodestein specialized in languages and culture of South Caucasus with
the help of his colleague, historian Aliye-Alis Alti (Hamshen Armenian)
and Khachkar international organization lectured at Goethe University
in Frankfurt. Prof. Voerstein, Dr. Akhim Shibol and Hamshen Armenians
Nurettin Gyurman and Alt were also among the lecturers.
Discussions followed after the lectures unearthed undeniable historic
facts. Firstly, the Armenians of Hamshen have inhabited the region of
Hamshen (Northeast Turkey) for centuries and were always objected to
violence, forcible conversion to Islam but even the converted Armenians
still preserved their mother tongue and traditions up to the days of
the Armenian genocide in 1915. Secondly, Prof. Voerstein who visited
the Hamshen Armenians in Georgia and Turkey thinks 20.000 Armenians
living in their historic birthplace speak in their native dialect,
the others speak the language of Lazs or Turkish.
Thirdly, the Lazs call Hamshen Armenians “somekhs” (Armenians),
and Turks know very well the identity of Muslim Hamshen Armenians
especially in present case when there are many of them occupying high
positions in the country.
Fourthly, while the Hamshen Armenians of Russia and Abkhazia had
freedom in the spheres of education, culture and created “Baghramian”
armed squad, Hamshen Armenians of Turkey were kept under political
pressure and were not allowed to communicate with their brothers and
sisters in other countries. An old Hamshen Armenian put it right once
saying “weâ~@~Yll again turn into gyavurs (faithless)”.
The only thing Armenian historians and ethnologists can do today is
to organize workshops on Hamshen Armenians to search for the ways of
salvation for the biggest Armenian ethnic group.
By Hamo Moskofian in Frankfurt on Mein
–Boundary_(ID_/49v0E56T45Q8F0qPfZ+HA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress