Antranig Chalabian
Much is being written these days about the Syunik region of Armenia. This obituary was written in memory of Karoun (Apelian) Der Sahakian by her nephew Antranig Chelebian over a decade ago. Karoun was the maternal uncle of my mother and maternal uncles Antranig and Hovhannes Chelebian. The family was settled in Ghapan upon repatriation from Kessab in 1947. I am posting its translation in her memory.
In 1930’s Karoun was a teenage girl with a beautiful face and a sweet voice. Her parents’ house was situated on a hill in Keurkune, Kessab. At times she would stand on the rocky elevation next to their house and sing. Her melodious voice would join the chirping of the birds and be heard afar.
She was engaged at a young age to Kessabtsi Hagop Der Sahagian. Hagop was a driver with an appealing appearance. He ran a taxi service between Kessab and Antioch.
On a Sunday morning the young girls of Keurkune gathered in Karoun’s parental house to have a merry time by singing and dancing. One of the girls takes down the hunting rifle hanging on the wall in the house and after assuring herself that the gun is not loaded and does not have the triggering capsule on it, starts teasing and scarring the girls by aiming the gun at their faces and pulling the trigger as the girls run for cover. In the ensuing commotion she also aims the gun at Karoun’s face and pulls the trigger. The “empty” gun explodes full force and lodging numerous ball bearings in the socket of one of the eyes of the poor girl.
In no time, the ominous news of the accident spread all over Kessab, agonizing the people over this tragic accident.
Hagop Der Sahagian did not abandon his one eyed and disfigured fiancé. They got married. However, the tragedy in store for this young couple, Karoun and Hagop seemed just to just start.
In those days the shoemakers of Middle East had made a new discovery. They started repairing the worn out soles of the shoes with nail instead of string. A rusty nail from the sole pierces and bloodies Hagop’s foot thumb as he repeatedly breaks the car during service poisoning him. Soon gangrene sets in. The surgeons amputate the thumb and some of the other foot toes.
Hagop and Karoun repatriated to Armenia with their families. The ravages of the gangrene continued and resulted in further amputation and eventually costing Hagop his life.
Karoun raised the family on her own with assistance from the State. Her son Nshan married and over time her grandchildren married as well.
Some ten years ago Karoun came to America to visit her relatives. Her brother Soghomon Apelian, her maternal uncle Garabed (Charlie) Chelebian, her other maternal uncle, Nshan, had passed away by then in Fresno, her niece Ani (Papken) Apelian -the daughter of her sister Nvart, her niece Zvart (Chelebian) Apelian, her nephews, the children of her paternal uncles - Antranig Chalabian, Mesrob Chelebian, Johnny and Rosemary Chelebian and others. Throughout her visitation she would speak boastfully of her region Kapan in Armenia telling that anyone visiting Armenia should visit the historic Syunik region of Armenia. Whoever has not seen that part of Armenia, she would say, cannot appreciate the natural beauty of Armenia.
Her extended family carved a comfortable living on their own in that mountainous region of Armenia where the Soviet Armenian authorities had settled them after repatriation. However, the family faced hardship anew after the 1990’s political upheaval in Armenia threatening the family even with starvation in that landlocked region of Armenia . Karoun, the much tested matriarch of the family, pulls the family together and keeps them going and assures storing all the necessities for the winter ahead when communication comes to a stand still. After facing and overcoming inordinate challenges in her life, Karoun unexpectedly passed away on December 14, 1996.
Dear Karoun, you faced a lot of misfortunes and overcame inordinate sufferings. Ironically only your unexpected sudden death happened uneventfully without pain and suffering. Praise be God.
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