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  • "Armenian Origin Of Hamshens Seems More Probable To Me"

    "ARMENIAN ORIGIN OF HAMSHENS SEEMS MORE PROBABLE TO ME"

    "Noravank" Foundation
    02 October 2008

    In July of the current year, within the framework of "Hamshen week"
    in Yerevan took place the concert of "Vova" concert group. The group
    has been set up with the effort of a number of Hamshens. Since 1996
    they have been gathering Hamshen national songs and tunes, which in
    most of the cases have no names. As one of the group leaders Hikmek
    Akchicheq mentions, they are very much worried that in the quickly
    changing world a serious danger can be exposed both to the Hamshen
    dialect and the songs in this dialect, and they have an objective to
    gather, arrange and hand on the generations to come Hamshen unique
    tunes and songs.

    If we take into consideration Turkey's scrupulous approach to ethnic
    problems, than the visit of this company to Armenia may be considered
    quite a brave step. In Yerevan after the concert and conference devoted
    to Hamshen Armenians we conversed with Hikmet Akchicheq about some
    problems concerning to Hamshen Armenians inhabited in Turkey. I'll
    mention that music is Hikmet's hobby: he comes from Hopa, however,
    he lives and works in Istanbul. Besides, Hikmet is the member of
    socialistic party "Freedom and Solidarity," he is also engaged in
    politics. His cagy and diplomatic replies in the interview may be
    reasoned by the above mentioned circu mstances.

    R.M.

    Question: It is known that there are different standpoint on the
    origin of Hamshen Armenians: many people think that Hamshens have
    Armenian origin, and the others ascribe to them Turkish origin. I'd
    like to know your opinion on the matter.

    Reply: I'm not a historian and I learn about historical facts from
    different sources. However, should one ratiocinate, than Armenian
    origin of Hamshens seems more creditable to me. It goes without
    saying that following my political convictions I'm not proud of my
    national belonging and I'm not ashamed of it. There is no difference
    for me what is my origin - Armenian, Turkish or Arabic. I'll also
    mention that that there are young Hamshens, in particular, carriers
    of socialistic ideas, who don't conceal their Armenian origin, and
    among them there are even some who are pleased with it. There are
    young Hamshens with opposition views who consider their Armenian
    origin to be the manifestation of their opposition origin.

    However, I don't think so and I don't consider that my being Hamshen
    must make me oppositionist.

    Question: Does it mean that there are people among the Hamshen youth
    that openly confess of their being Hamshen?

    Reply: I rather want to say that the ones who find out their Armenian
    origin are not warred as they don't look at the world from the
    standpoint of national belonging. Besides, there are people who
    consider the Armenian origin of Hamshens to be true.

    Question: As a specialist of Turkish philology I know that in
    Turkey it has always been carried out persecution policy to national
    minorities and concealment of ethnic belonging may be connected with
    this circumstance.

    Reply: Just like in many states in Turkey as well there is not a
    policy encouraging research conducting in connection with ethnic
    belonging of people, developing any activity on this ground.

    Question: Do you speak among yourselves in your families about your
    Armenian origin?

    Reply: Yes we do, as Hamshens and Lazes in Hopa and Georgians in
    Borchka live together, people and nations have common memories and
    stereotypes connected with one another and the past. For example,
    for the Hamshens of these districts it is very common the expression
    "stubborn Armenian." I remember that in my childhood when we were
    quarreling or fighting with our neighborhood children they were calling
    us "Armenians" and running away. Perhaps, they heard the conversations
    about Hamshens' Armenian origin from their parents. As Armenians were
    perceived under the category of rival nations, the Hamshen-child taking
    offence of the word "Armenian," ran away with tears in his eyes and
    asked his parents if he was really Armenian. Later on, I suppose when
    I was a student (in the beginning of 1980s), I had quite a lot of =0
    Ainformation about the probability of our Armenian origin so I asked
    my uncle about it. He answered, "My son, they say that our ancestors
    had been apostate Armenians."

    Question: I've earlier heard from the very Hamshens that religion
    doesn't have such influence on you, that's to say, you don't follow
    all the principles of Islam. As an example it is mentioned using of
    alcoholic drinks, seldom attendance of mosques etc. They say that it is
    possibly connected with leftist ideas adhered by most of the Hamshens.

    Reply: No, it has nothing connected with leftist ides. I supposed in
    spite of the fact that Hamshens are not very much educated, they have
    taken the way of reasonable Islam, and most of them don't have fanatic
    inclination to religion. For example, Hamshens may drink by day and
    pray in the evening or vica versa. In the period of Ramadan they fast,
    go to pray, however, two days later they may eat and have a good drink.

    Question: How do you appreciate the condition of the "Hamshen"
    language, or more exactly the Hamshen dialect of the Armenian language?

    Reply: The Hamshen language is at the edge of extermination, and it
    is more connected with globalization, growth in the number of urban
    population than with Turkey's policy. The usage of the language becomes
    more and rarer especially among the city inhabitants. The young women
    first of all teach t heir children Turkish and not the Hamshen language
    for their children not to undergo any language discrimination and
    not to have any problems. For example, at present I live in Istambul,
    my wife is not Hamshen, and it is hardly possible for the two of my
    daughters to learn the Hamshen language.

    In reality it is very difficult, and besides, there is not the natural
    surrounding making people learn this language, and this and not the
    other things is the real danger. That's to say such preconditions
    play more important role in the matter of loosing the language than
    state policy.

    Besides, such a state policy is not new, it was also carried out in
    the Ottoman epoch. I want to say, I ascribe such a policy not only
    to Turkey: It is adherent to all the nation states.

    Question: From different sources it is known that, for example, the
    apostate Armenians of Turkey and their generations have preserved the
    tradition of inter-community marriages. Is this tradition preserved
    among Hamshens or is it also lost?

    Reply: Let's say so: It is hardly possible for a Hamshen inhabited in
    Hopa to marry a non-Hamshen. There, Hamshens mainly marry Hamshens,
    Lazes marry Lazzes, Georgians - with Georgians. However, as it
    has already been told, city inhabitants and the ones living in big
    settlements in other surroundings don't always follow this tradition.

    Question: Have there been preserved Christian customs and=2
    0ceremonials among the Hamshens in Turkey?

    Reply: To tell the truth I can't say which of the traditions or
    holidays has Christian grounding, but I'll say that we, the Hamshens
    of Hopa, have been brought up on the basis of Islamic culture and we
    follow it.

    However, there is such a peculiarity: the Hamshens of Hopa have
    preserved the language but they don't hold to traditions, which is
    very strange.

    But in comparison with them in Rez and in the district of Chamlhenshin
    (where the language is not preserved - P.M.) are particularly very
    common nation games, a number of traditions, for example, Vardavar
    and others.

    Question: Much interest has been shown in both Hamshens and other
    Islamized citizens of Turkey - Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians recently,
    and besides some political speculations have begun. What do you think
    of it?

    Reply: It goes without saying that revelation of various historic
    events and human tragedies is very interesting and exerts certain
    influence on people.

    For example, in Anatolia one can find hundreds and thousands of stories
    which are alike the book by Fethiye Cetin. And it is necessary to make
    a ground for us to be able to speak about it. I think that an important
    step towards it is Turkey's democratization. However, it is also true
    that in any other country such historians and their revelations worry
    the carriers of narrow national ideas. I think 0Athat such subjects
    are to be far from political speculation; they can not do anybody good.

    Question: If we take cultural, language and other commonalities between
    Armenians and Hamshens as a starting point how you think the future
    relations between the Armenians in Armenia and Hamshens should be?

    Reply: We live in the same geographical zone. I can't treat you like
    strangers such as Englishmen and Germans. Our feelings and standpoints
    are quite common. More than the relations between Armenians and
    Hamshens I want a dialogue and multilateral good neighborly relations
    to be established between Armenia and Turkey.

    The interview was conducted by Ruben Melkonyan
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