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Wicked Local North Andover, MA
May 11 2014
Carrying forward the memory
By Sally Applegate
[email protected]
The large screen in the North Andover High School auditorium fills
with the image of a beautiful young woman. Watching this image from
the front row is that same woman, Nellie Nazarian of Haverhill. Now
102 and the only remaining local survivor of the Armenian Genocide,
Nellie is being honored at a memorial musical performance at North
Andover High School on the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
This human rights atrocity resulted in the death of 1.5 million
Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. From the years
1915-1923, Armenians died on forced death marches across deserts
without food or water, and many others were killed in massacres during
World War 1.
The commemoration ceremony, hosted by the Armenian Genocide
Commemorative Committee of the Merrimack Valley, took place on Sunday,
April 27. The afternoon not only included somber remembrances, but
live music performed by The Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble celebrating
life in the aftermath.
This impressive group creates magic on Armenian folk instruments and
their two vocalists have stunning voices. Soloist Ani Zargarian's
expressive voice and face mirrors the passion of each song's message
and the addition of Tamar Melkonian brings a ringing strength to the
music. The audience claps along to some of the numbers and cheers
loudly for the song "Getashen."
Nellie no longer has survivors left to sit with, so she is surrounded
by her large and loving family. Nellie had four children, 15
grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren. Her husband Stephen and her
son Ara have both passed on, but her daughter Marlene, son Raymond,
and grandson Ken are there with dozens of other relatives.
Her son Raymond is happy to see his mother honored.
"It is a great feeling - look at her!" Raymond says. "I'm proud of
her. She was a great mother. She was the smartest one of all of us."
In the aisle near Nellie, her great granddaughter, three-year-old
Brianna, is beaming and dancing along with the music in that
unself-conscious way that only children can. Her father Ken reaches
out an arm to help her do a twirl. As her mother Lois smiles,
six-year-old Gabriella joins her sister in the dance, and Brianna
tries to get their 10-year-old sister Natasha to join them.
A requiem service at the beginning of the afternoon was followed by
readings from the student winners of this year's essay contest - on
the significance of the Armenian Genocide monument, "A Mother's
Hands," that will be placed at Lowell City Hall Plaza on May 10. The
memorial pictures a mother's hands crocheting a doily and was created
by world-renowned artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.
Armenian Genocide Committee Chairlady Sossy Jeknavorian announced the
young essay winners, 12th grader Matthew Kochakian, 8th grader Anna
Shahtanian, and 9th grader Isabelle
Kapoian.
Shahtanian read her essay, a challenge to today's Armenians to
recognize the importance of this monument being placed in Lowell. Here
is some of Shatanian's essay, asking what people think when they hear
the words "the Armenian Genocide" beyond the thousands of bodies
scattered across deserts and all the Armenians being starved to death.
"Do you know what people don't think of? They don't think of the
mothers that held their children who trembled with fear ... a mother
trying to fight off Turkish generals with her bare hands in order to
protect her family ... after the genocide, women had to work rigorously
to create a new life for themselves and what was left of their
families...
"Even Armenians don't see that mothers were the people most
traumatized by the genocide. They had to watch their children and
husbands rot to death in the deserts. For that, we forever remember
their courage by putting up this monument."
Kapoian read her essay, recounting how her mother kept the doilies her
grandmother crocheted tucked away protectively in a dining room drawer
- to be used only on special occasions.
"The recognition of the Armenian Genocide was the same - always hidden
from sight and only clearly visible to the families of those who were
killed or had survived, making our fragile past almost nonexistent to
others. "
Kapoian's essay describes the importance of placing this monument on
government land, as it depicts not only the strength of the Armenian
people during and since the Genocide, but the promise of the future -
"a mother's hands crocheting a doily that will surely be passed on for
generations to come, no longer hidden, but laid upon the table for
everyone to see."
Also honored during the evening was WWII Veteran Albert Movsesian, who
spread the message of Armenian culture, spent 55 years serving the
Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe, worked with Northern Essex Elder
Transport and spent 44 years as a Big Brother, among many other
accomplishments.
The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of the Merrimack Valley
presented Sunday's program and continues to remind all Americans that
despite brutal attempts to exterminate the Armenian people, the
Armenian language, culture and love of liberty persist, and they will
continue to pursue justice against Turkey.
This large committee, from every sector of Armenian life, has a common
cause based on the theme "Remembrance, Renewal, Resolve - We Shall
Survive."
Since its founding in 1990, the committee has raised $73,000 for
distribution to orphanages, hospitals, nursing centers, health care
centers and much more in Armenia.
After the 2013 memorial ceremony last year, Nellie offered some advice
to upcoming generations.
"Do not be so cruel, learn the lesson of history, and appreciate what
you have," advised Nellie.
http://northandover.wickedlocal.com/article/20140511/NEWS/140519838
May 11 2014
Carrying forward the memory
By Sally Applegate
[email protected]
The large screen in the North Andover High School auditorium fills
with the image of a beautiful young woman. Watching this image from
the front row is that same woman, Nellie Nazarian of Haverhill. Now
102 and the only remaining local survivor of the Armenian Genocide,
Nellie is being honored at a memorial musical performance at North
Andover High School on the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
This human rights atrocity resulted in the death of 1.5 million
Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. From the years
1915-1923, Armenians died on forced death marches across deserts
without food or water, and many others were killed in massacres during
World War 1.
The commemoration ceremony, hosted by the Armenian Genocide
Commemorative Committee of the Merrimack Valley, took place on Sunday,
April 27. The afternoon not only included somber remembrances, but
live music performed by The Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble celebrating
life in the aftermath.
This impressive group creates magic on Armenian folk instruments and
their two vocalists have stunning voices. Soloist Ani Zargarian's
expressive voice and face mirrors the passion of each song's message
and the addition of Tamar Melkonian brings a ringing strength to the
music. The audience claps along to some of the numbers and cheers
loudly for the song "Getashen."
Nellie no longer has survivors left to sit with, so she is surrounded
by her large and loving family. Nellie had four children, 15
grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren. Her husband Stephen and her
son Ara have both passed on, but her daughter Marlene, son Raymond,
and grandson Ken are there with dozens of other relatives.
Her son Raymond is happy to see his mother honored.
"It is a great feeling - look at her!" Raymond says. "I'm proud of
her. She was a great mother. She was the smartest one of all of us."
In the aisle near Nellie, her great granddaughter, three-year-old
Brianna, is beaming and dancing along with the music in that
unself-conscious way that only children can. Her father Ken reaches
out an arm to help her do a twirl. As her mother Lois smiles,
six-year-old Gabriella joins her sister in the dance, and Brianna
tries to get their 10-year-old sister Natasha to join them.
A requiem service at the beginning of the afternoon was followed by
readings from the student winners of this year's essay contest - on
the significance of the Armenian Genocide monument, "A Mother's
Hands," that will be placed at Lowell City Hall Plaza on May 10. The
memorial pictures a mother's hands crocheting a doily and was created
by world-renowned artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.
Armenian Genocide Committee Chairlady Sossy Jeknavorian announced the
young essay winners, 12th grader Matthew Kochakian, 8th grader Anna
Shahtanian, and 9th grader Isabelle
Kapoian.
Shahtanian read her essay, a challenge to today's Armenians to
recognize the importance of this monument being placed in Lowell. Here
is some of Shatanian's essay, asking what people think when they hear
the words "the Armenian Genocide" beyond the thousands of bodies
scattered across deserts and all the Armenians being starved to death.
"Do you know what people don't think of? They don't think of the
mothers that held their children who trembled with fear ... a mother
trying to fight off Turkish generals with her bare hands in order to
protect her family ... after the genocide, women had to work rigorously
to create a new life for themselves and what was left of their
families...
"Even Armenians don't see that mothers were the people most
traumatized by the genocide. They had to watch their children and
husbands rot to death in the deserts. For that, we forever remember
their courage by putting up this monument."
Kapoian read her essay, recounting how her mother kept the doilies her
grandmother crocheted tucked away protectively in a dining room drawer
- to be used only on special occasions.
"The recognition of the Armenian Genocide was the same - always hidden
from sight and only clearly visible to the families of those who were
killed or had survived, making our fragile past almost nonexistent to
others. "
Kapoian's essay describes the importance of placing this monument on
government land, as it depicts not only the strength of the Armenian
people during and since the Genocide, but the promise of the future -
"a mother's hands crocheting a doily that will surely be passed on for
generations to come, no longer hidden, but laid upon the table for
everyone to see."
Also honored during the evening was WWII Veteran Albert Movsesian, who
spread the message of Armenian culture, spent 55 years serving the
Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe, worked with Northern Essex Elder
Transport and spent 44 years as a Big Brother, among many other
accomplishments.
The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of the Merrimack Valley
presented Sunday's program and continues to remind all Americans that
despite brutal attempts to exterminate the Armenian people, the
Armenian language, culture and love of liberty persist, and they will
continue to pursue justice against Turkey.
This large committee, from every sector of Armenian life, has a common
cause based on the theme "Remembrance, Renewal, Resolve - We Shall
Survive."
Since its founding in 1990, the committee has raised $73,000 for
distribution to orphanages, hospitals, nursing centers, health care
centers and much more in Armenia.
After the 2013 memorial ceremony last year, Nellie offered some advice
to upcoming generations.
"Do not be so cruel, learn the lesson of history, and appreciate what
you have," advised Nellie.
http://northandover.wickedlocal.com/article/20140511/NEWS/140519838