Today is April 24th

 Today Armenians all over the world (and yes, we are literally scattered all over the world) have united in commemoration of a genocide that took place in what is now Turkey 100 years ago.  Every Armenian family was touched, torn apart and irreparably damaged by the events.  Some losing their whole family.  I fretted as to what to say on this blog today and then I saw my daughter's post on her Instagram account and I knew I found the answer.  I will re-post it here with her beautiful picture.

People ask me why it is important to Armenians that the genocide our ancestors endured is labeled as "genocide". I've thought about how to answer that question and why it is important to me as a half armenian person. For me it is personal; my family suffered as a result of it and it is not fair that I can't grieve for them appropriately. My great grandmother did not lose 5 of her children and run away scared from the home she loves because of a war to which she was not a part of. It is personal because I know that my race alone was the reason a group of people wanted our death. However, a better answer would be the following: We as humans should not, can not live amongst each other in a civil way and learn from our mistakes if they are brushed under a blood soaked rug. We must acknowledge what has happened so we make sure it does not continue to happen.

Don't March Me Through the Syrian Desert

David Shakhramanov

Regarding the picture the artist says:  Hello from Florida. This is an oil painting I’ve been working on for the past two months to commemorate and raise awareness for the Armenian Genocide. It is called “Don’t March Me Through the Syrian Desert.” The whole piece was created using Red, Blue and Orange and there are exactly 100 footsteps in the sand for every year of our suffering. My grandfather was a survivor of the 1920 Shusha massacre, and although it was not part of the Ottoman genocide per-se, it was still supported by Ottoman forces and occurred within the same time frame, so I always felt like my family were descendants of the survivors.

My family came from Cilicia - now Eastern Turkey.  This song below from Maria Cozette is a commemoration of the massacres that happened there in 1909.  Beautifully sung with Armenian instruments in the background.  I hope you listen to it.

1915 was not the beginning of the atrocities happening to the Armenians.

The Cilician Massacres led to the death of 30,000 Armenians in Cilicia. In the city of Adana alone about 4,500 Armenian homes were burnt down to the ground. By the end of the massacres 15,000 Armenians were left homeless in Adana and 10,000 in Tarson (Tarsus). As a result of the massacres 40,000 Armenians fled to the US, 10,000 to Bulgaria, 5,000 to France, and 5,000 to other nations of Europe.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfwDhvJT7BU

Kim Kardashian visits Armenia

Kim Kardashian and I have a lot in common.  Well, maybe not so much.  Our names end in "ian" and start with a "K".  Maybe that's the long and the short of it.

The biggest thing is what Kim is doing right now in her life.  The fact that she is paying homage to her Armenian ancestry, ancestors and heritage, that is our deepest connection and greatest achievement.

I am not into reality stars and often the Kardashians, to me, were and are an embarrassment to the Armenian race. Yes, I said it, out loud.  But watching her the last few days has taken her up several notches in my book.  I am glad that she has made herself known with a celebrity status and then has taken that status and used it for good.  I will admire that in anyone.

They are visiting Armenia and showing it to the world.  They have seen and toured ancient Armenian cathedrals, we are an ancient people, after all.  They have even purchased land as a way to bring awareness to the plight of Armenia.  Then they went to Jerusalem and baptized their daughter at the Christian cathedral, where my mother and her family sought refuge in 1921.  I say, bravo, keep the cameras rolling.

See if They Will Not Create a New Armenia....William Saroyan

Tomorrow, Armenians all over the world will be commemorating the Armenian Genocide.  This year has even more meaning as it is the 100th year anniversary.

As you may have noticed on this blog, my parents and grandparents where survivors of this horrible event.  I lived hearing about it all my life.

Although we are scattered all over the world, we retain that cultural identity, that fighting spirit, sense of loyalty and human-kindness. 

I love this quote from William Saroyan, it rings so true.

The Sewing Machine

My mother was an artist, in the true sense of the word.  Everything to her was a learning education, a chance to teach us something.  Preschool for us was road trips. I remember going to a turkey farm to see how turkeys were raised.  We took train rides to I don't remember where, but the train ride was fun.  She was creative and she was fun.  She always drew cartoon characters, Disney images and various sketches on our book covers.  I treasured those.  Later on in life she found the time to pursue her artistic side.  I found this the other day, all crumpled up and falling apart - a sketch she made of me while I was at my sewing machine and judging by the picture and my intense pose, I am undoing something I did wrong. I can just feel the frustration.

1969 Sketch

The picture my mother used for her sketch