Hamasdegh, the Quintessential Armenian Villager (No. 2/2)

Vahe H. Apelian

The following is pieced togethe from Hamasdegh’s autobiography and the introduction in a book published in Lebanon in 1966 comprising his books, “The Village” and “Rain”. The link for first part: http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/03/hamasdegh-quintessential-armenian.html

Hamasdegh Among Kessabtis

After immigrating to the U.S. in 1913, Hamasdegh undertook a trip abroad from 1928-30  where he visited Diaspora communities (including Kessab, as attested by the embedded picture). During the trip he remained in touch with the people and the notables of the Diaspora communities. His trip left an indelible and a profound impression  on him.

From there on, he never left elsewhere and continued to live in the U.S. In fact, in a “corner” of the United States as he confided to Simon Vratsian and noted the following in a letter to him. “But I like that corner. It is warm and serene much like the nest of a bird.”  It is said that the U.S. became his residence but throughout his life, in his heart and in his soul, he remained the quintessential Armenian and the Armenian villager he masterfully depicted in his writings.

He was happy and content with his family. His lifelong partner, his wife Srpouhie, remained his staunch supporter. They raised two fine daughters. His wife’s death weighed very heavy on him. In  letter to Simon Vratsian on April 1, 1966, he wrote: “Our beloved Srpouhie’s loss was very heavy. We cannot believe that she is no more. We were happy. Srpouhie emptied both the home and me….”

In another letter to Simon Vratsian he wrote: “The days pass repetitiously; with no color and interest. It is said that sorrow seeks solitude. Our most graceful daughters attempt to fill in their mother’s void…Srpouhie raised fine daughters. Whatever we do, however, there cannot be a remedy for Srpouhie’s absence.”

Hamasdegh died not too long after, on June 4, 1966, during his jubilee celebration in Los Angeles where he passed away on the stage due to a fatal heart attack.

Hamasdegh started writing relatively early. In his autobarotropy he attributes his foray into writing partly to his proximity to “Hayerenik” where he had his first literary work published in 1917. He was 22 years old then. In his autobiography he wrote: “My proximity to “Hairenik” Daily and its staff became the impetus to resume writing.” Surely, he is alluding to his early writing while in school in Kharpert where he received his teacher’s appreciation and commendation to continue writing.

 In his autobiography he noted the following: “In 1920 I stayed in New York for one year where Shirvanzate (Շիրվանզադէ)  lived also. I had read almost all his literary works, but I did not know him personally. We met frequently. He became the reason that I ceased hovering in the sky above and came down to earth.” He was 25 years old then and had already established a reputation as an upcoming writer. What he meant to say is that his early literary endeavors were driven by an attempt to impress with his literary prowess but were not true to his calling. He made a similar remark in 1929, in Cairo where the community gave homage to the young writer. In his speech there he said: “Excuse me when I say that there is an element of sickness among some of our intellectuals. We had a generation who filled their heads with German or French imaginaries and hoovered well over the ground. They detached themselves from our reality. They could not anchor themselves on the ground. But, there were a few who stood firm on the ground like giant pillars because they had absorbed the nation’s instincts.” 

 Surely, among those who had absorbed the nation’s instincts, is Hamasdegh himself,  as one of the giant pillars of the Armenian literature. 

The following comprise his literary output and their first publication dates.

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1.    “The Village”, («Գիւղը»), published in Boston in 1924.

2.   “Rain”, («Անձրեւ»), published in Paris in 1929.

3.   “Holy Comedy”, («Սրբազան Կատակերգութիւն»), (not published)

4.    “The White Horseman”, («Սպիտակ Ձիաւորը»), published in Los Angeles in 1953.

5.   “Nazar the Brave and 13 Stories”, («Քաջ Նազար եւ 13 Պատմուածքներ»),(published in Cairo in 1955.

6.   “House of Prayer”, (“Աղօթարան»), published in Beirut in 1957.

7.    “Goat’s Almanac”, (“Այծետոմս»), published in Cairo in 1960.

8.   “The First Love”, (“Առաջին Սէրը»), published in Beirut, in 1966.

9.   In a letter of Simon Vratsian dated January 29, 1965 he noted that he has handwritten manuscripts totaling some 3000 pages and may literary works published in “Hairenik” Daily and “Punig” especially during 198-1919, his early writing years.

Note: The following comment was made by " Harry Kezelian Don't forget to mention Hamasdegh lived in Boston, which was and is the home of the Armenian-American press and the political parties (Hamasdegh of course was a staunch Tashnagtsagan) and most of his writing was published in Hayrenik. It is worth of note that Hamasdegh's first book was published in 1924. After the treaty of Lausanne was signed in July 1923 we notice that the Armenian-American community turned its thoughts toward reminiscing about the Yergir, especially Kharpert, the native land of most of them, as seen in Hamasdegh's first 2 books as well as an impressive amount of Kharpertsi folk songs in both Armenian and Turkish that were recorded on 78 rpm discs in the period 1923-1925 and also afterward. The deportation of the orphanage in Kharpert in early 1923 to Ghazir, Lebanon, the signing of the treaty of Lausanne which buried all Armenian political aspirations, as well as the fact that even under the treaty of Sevres Kharpert was not to be included in united Armenia, and the fall of French Cilicia (which maybe would have eventually included Kharpert), no doubt struck a deep affect among the thousands of Kharpertsis living in America who after 5 years of waiting and wondering after the war came to an end, finally realized there would be no return..."