Turkey: Few Traces of Armenian Past To Be Found a Century Later

Anahit Hayrapetyan Apr 24, 2015
Many of the original Armenian homes in the historic Kale district of Muş have been demolished for urban improvements. Many of the original Armenian homes in the historic Kale district of Muş have been demolished for urban improvements.
Only the older woman (center) of this Christian Armenian family, living in the village of Komik, can still speak Armenian. Only the older woman (center) of this Christian Armenian family, living in the village of Komik, can still speak Armenian.
Orthodox Armenian women pray at the St. Giragos Armenian church in Diyarbakır during an Easter ceremony. Orthodox Armenian women pray at the St. Giragos Armenian church in Diyarbakır during an Easter ceremony.
A villager climbs a hillside in deep snow in the village of Çengilli. A villager climbs a hillside in deep snow in the village of Çengilli.
Ferman, a Muslim Armenian man, holds a photo of his father Selim, who escaped the 1915 bloodshed in Turkey. Ferman, a Muslim Armenian man, holds a photo of his father Selim, who escaped the 1915 bloodshed in Turkey.
A man visits the ruins of an Armenian church in Muş. A man visits the ruins of an Armenian church in Muş.
An Armenian girl, who does not speak Armenian, cooks at home in one of the villages of the Sason region. An Armenian girl, who does not speak Armenian, cooks at home in one of the villages of the Sason region.
During the Middle Ages Muş was the center of the Taron region of Armenia. During the Middle Ages Muş was the center of the Taron region of Armenia.
The Akkush family is one of the few remaining in the village of Pirshenq that still speak Armenian. The Akkush family is one of the few remaining in the village of Pirshenq that still speak Armenian.
Muş is first mentioned as a city in Armenian manuscripts of the 9th and 10th centuries. Muş is first mentioned as a city in Armenian manuscripts of the 9th and 10th centuries.
The St. Giragos Armenian church was recently renovated as a sign of reconciliation with the Christian community. The St. Giragos Armenian church was recently renovated as a sign of reconciliation with the Christian community.
A woman stands in front of her tonir, used to bake bread, that was built using the stones of an Armenian church in Çengilli. A woman stands in front of her tonir, used to bake bread, that was built using the stones of an Armenian church in Çengilli.
Marde, who speaks very little Armenian, had most of her family migrate from Sason to Muş. Marde, who speaks very little Armenian, had most of her family migrate from Sason to Muş.
An Armenian man enters his garden that belonged to Armenians before 1915 and has since been used to grow grapes. An Armenian man enters his garden that belonged to Armenians before 1915 and has since been used to grow grapes.
A broken gravestone shows weathered signs of old Armenian script in the city of Muş. A broken gravestone shows weathered signs of old Armenian script in the city of Muş.
A woman, who speaks Armenian, gets ready to bake bread in her tonir. A woman, who speaks Armenian, gets ready to bake bread in her tonir.
Very few of the around 500 Armenian homes remain in the old district of Kale in Muş. Very few of the around 500 Armenian homes remain in the old district of Kale in Muş.
For 40 years Ercan Çete has been living in Muş in his old Armenian house, which he is trying to save from being demolished. For 40 years Ercan Çete has been living in Muş in his old Armenian house, which he is trying to save from being demolished.
Büşra, whose mother is a Muslim Armenian, recently had a DNA test to confirm she is ethnic Armenian. Büşra, whose mother is a Muslim Armenian, recently had a DNA test to confirm she is ethnic Armenian.
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For Armenians, the towns of Muş and Sason in southeastern Turkey, not far to the west of Lake Van, hold particular historical significance. But today, 100 years after the massacre of 1915, few ethnic Armenians still remain there

In the medieval era, Muş served as the central town of the influential Armenian principality of Taron, home to Mesrop Mashtots, who invented the Armenian alphabet in the early fifth century.

Sason, known to Armenians as Sasun, is the setting for the 8th-10th-century Armenian national epic, “The Daredevils of Sasun" (also called “The Daredevils of Sassoun"), which tells how Armenian fighters, led by the legendary ruler, David of Sasun (or Sassoun), repulsed repeated Arab invasions.

Although both locations lost their prominence in modern times, they remained important regional centers for Armenian culture until the bloodshed of 1915.

Today, little sign of that past remains. The old part of Muş, where many ethnic Armenians once lived, has been partly destroyed, though the walls of a women’s hamam and an Armenian church still stand. Khachkars, Armenian memorial cross-stones, stand near many Kurdish houses. Stones with carved crosses often have been used for construction materials. A graveyard can be found on a nearby mountain.

Recently, an Armenian club opened in Muş with the name "Daron - Hay,” a local Armenian rendition of “Taron-Armenian.” Members say they chose the Armenian word “Hay” since the Turkish word for Armenia, Ermeni, can be used as an insult.

Members say, though, that those attitudes are starting to change a little. But still, despite a relative liberalization of government policies in recent years, many ethnic Armenians in Turkey remain cautious.

The desire to retain an Armenian cultural identity, though, runs strong. One Muslim ethnic Armenian told a visiting Armenian photographer about his family’s difficulty in finding their relatives in Armenia, where they fled after the massacre of 1915.

But in both Muş and Sason/Sasun, only the older generation of ethnic Armenians speak Armenian. Youngsters say they try to learn the language while attending school in Istanbul, where more opportunities exist to study Armenian.

Istanbul and other larger Turkish cities also have drawn away most of the local ethnic Armenian families who are Christian; a faith seen as an integral part of Armenian culture. Many of those who remain are Muslim, while others are mixed. A few have converted to Christianity.

Marriage is viewed as a key tool in preserving these families’ Armenian heritage within Turkey. To do so, some locals often even opt for distant relatives as spouses.

Still, their focus remains on the future. One Muslim Armenian man discussed the prospects for a bride for his son. The father’s hope is that she will be Armenian.

Editor's Note: Anahit Hayrapetyan is a freelance photojournalist based in Berlin and Yerevan.