Title : A Village Remembered: The Armenians of Habousi
Author : The Compatriotic Union of Habousi
Translator : Vatche Ghazarian, Ph.D.
Publication date : Mayreni Publishing, 1997
Language : English
Format : 16 x 23.5 cm
Description :
Source :
Date of online publication : 1970-01-01
Number of pages : 32
A Village Remembered: The Armenians of Habousi - The Compatriotic Union of Habousi
Editorial note
Forward
Preface to the Armenian Version
Acknowledgment
The Armenians
Chapter 1: The Region and Its People
Chapter 2: The Foundation of Habousi
Chapter 3: Historical Fragments
Chapter 4: The location and the Springs of Habousi
Chapter 5: Agriculture and Produce
Chapter 6: Trade and Trades
Chapter 7: Household Economy
Chapter 8: Administration
Chapter 9: Family and Holidays
Chapter 10: Engagement and Wedding
Chapter 11: Baptism
Chapter 12: Interesting Remedies
Chapter 13: Proverbs
Chapter 14: Songs, Puzzles, Games and Curses
Chapter 15: Folk Idioms
Chapter 16: The Aghas of the Village
Chapter 17: The School and the Church
Chapter 18: The Missionary Movement and the School
Chapter 19: On the Eve of the 1895 Massacres
Chapter 20: The Massacres and the Victims
Chapter 21: 1915 Genocide and Deportation
Chapter 22: Resilience and Resurrection
Chapter 23: The Patriotic Union of Habousi
Chapter 24: The Holy Cross Church of Lawrence
Chapter 25: Ararat Armenian Congregational Church
Chapter 26: Epilogue of the Armenian Version
Chapter 27: Overview of the Compatriotic Union of Habousi
Foreword
In May of 1995, members of the Compatriotic Union of Habousi decided to embark on the project of translating the History of the Village of Habousi from Armenian into English. Both young and old members hoped to make accessible to all generations a sense of our history and a better understanding of our culture. What we did not realize at the time is that this project would become so much more.
The original History of the Village of Habousi was published in 1963. As the reader will learn in the 1963 preface, the contributors were aware of the historical, geographic and ethnographic significance of their undertaking. The moral obligation that compelled them to compile a history of the village, destroyed by the genocide, for posterity and to honor the people and community devastated by the massacres was not only courageous but wise. It is true that Habousi geographically no longer exists, and the land is submerged in water, as a result to the construction of the Kevan dam by the Turkish government in this region. However, through this document the reader will soon learn that the spirit of this village of Kharpert will continue to thrive from generation to generation. For equally important to the geographical and historical information is the knowledge of Habousetzies’ love for education, human values, their piety, entrepreneurial spirit, self defense, and strong community spirit.
This English version is not a literal translation. The Book Committee and the editor deemed it necessary to rid the English version from repetitions, to abbreviate certain chapters while expanding others, to include maps and a historical sketch by Christopher Walker and David Marshall Lang, and where noted to anglicize some of the original names. All this was done to enable the reader to better comprehend the History of Habousi while maintaining the spirit and sense of pride from the original authors.
Finally, we hope to bridge readers not only with the past but with a new generation of Armenia. Habousetzies, once again, have the opportunity to contribute to the prosperity of an independent homeland. This new homeland’s strength is encouraged by our support while we pay homage to our ancestors.
In spite of the historical significance of this document, for some readers this book will be a personal journey. For beyond the written text, the voices of your parents, grandparents or great grandparents may suddenly awaken and the stories become familiar. Once again, the Compatriotic Union of Habousi felt a moral obligation to insure that these voices were heard and not forgotten. Hence our decision to translate the original document into English.
In 1963, when the History of the Village of Habousi was published, our ancestors left a legacy to their descendants that identified the hardships and challenges of the past. In 1996, we hope that the reader not only understands those hardships but also appreciates the spirit in which the challenges were overcome. Habousetzies’ respect for human dignity and perseverance transcend time and are qualities that make both Armenians and non-Armenians proud.
Compatriotic Union of Habousi