A Village Remembered: The Armenians of Habousi - The Compatriotic Union of Habousi

Preface to the Armenian Version

(Published in 1963)

Our birthplace Habousi was destroyed and its indigenous Armenian population devastated during the horrible genocide of 1915, like other numerous lively cities and villages of Western Armenia. The Turkish massacres and deportation claimed the lives of most of our villagers—the aged, women, children. Those who survived have kept Habousi alive in their souls. They have remembered its beautiful scenery and its brave and hardworking people whose lives, customs, and traditions remain a valuable legacy for us all.

When the Compatriotic Union of Habousi decided to prepare and publish the history of the village, they were aware that it would be a difficult task—a task that would demand dedicated work and financial sacrifices from its members. But the notion of a moral obligation to complete this project urged us forward for two major reasons.

First, there was the desire to establish a monument in honor of our destroyed village and our compatriots who were killed by the Turkish yataghan (sword) or who perished on the road to exile. We hope that present and future generations learn through this book about Habousi which today lays in ruin, its creative villagers, workers, mothers, and children forever deprived of tombs.

Second, there was the demand to write down the customs, proverbs, values, desires, and efforts of many generations of villagers, as a complimentary part of the ethnographic history of the Armenian people.

Major contributors to the preparation of this book with their memoirs and documents are: Krikor M. Bennanian, Giragos Melkonian, Yeghia B. Bedrosian, Kasbar Arakelian, Dr. Arshag Der Margossian, Kasbar Minasian, Stepan Panian, Joohar Boyajian-Jerjekian, Hagop Kachadorian, Antranig Donigian, Haroutiun Boyajian, Nazaret H. Proodian, J. Kassabian, Hagop Akmakjian, Garabed Bedrosian, Boghos Yeghigian, Haroutiun Hagopian, Moushegh Hagopian, Nishan Teboyan, and Moushegh Kochakian, to whom we extend our deepest appreciation.

Central Committee
Compatriotic Union of Habousi