Kistinok, A Cherished Language

Vahe H.  Apelian

A Panoramic view of Kessab

Levon Der Bedrossian, Armenia’s first nationally elected president, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin I Sarkissian of blessed memory and,  Rev. Dr. Movses Janbazian, the Executive Director of the AMAA who spearheaded establishing the Armenian Missionary Association of America in Armenia, spoke a common language they had learned from their parents, Kistinok.

If my recollection serves me well, it was the on- time weekly, “The Armenian Reporter”, that had noted that whenever the three met, they exchanged pleasantries in that language. I believe that their knowledge of this cherished dialect fostered among them a special camaraderie and a bond that transcended all other considerations. There is a unique feeling of cherished ownership knowing that you have been entrusted with an ancient Armenian dialect, or language if you will, few others speak nowadays.

Dr. Avedis Injejikian, the prominent Kessabtsi medical doctor, notes in his study published in the third volume of Hagop Cholakian’s exhaustive study of Kessab that the Armenians of the historical Antioch, which constituted the core of the famed Armenian Cilicia, called themselves kistini, that is to say Christians and the language they spoke Kistinok, the language of the Christians. While the native Armenians understood Kistinok, there are regional nuances in the accent that further characterizes the dialect. The Kessabtsis, call it also Kesbenok, i.e. the language spoken by the Kesbetsek, that is to say the Kessabtsis, the people of Kessab; while the people of Musa Dagh refer to their dialect Sividitsnok, in reference to the Sveda sub-district within the Ottoman province where Musa Dagh is located, presently in the Hatay province of Turkey. 

Consequently, Levon Der Bedrossian and Movses Janbazian having hailed from Musa Dagh, Catholicos Karekin I Sarkissian, having hailed from Kessab, would have spoken in their distinct accents and yet all three would have understood each other very well and enjoyed the precious legacy they have been entrusted with, Kistinok. For generations Kistinok was the conversational language  of the Kessabtsis. Hagop Cholakian, the eminent Kessabtsi scholar, has done much of the study of the language and preservation of its folk stories, songs and sayings. 

My paternal grandparents, Stepan and Sarah, were the sole genocide survivors of their families. They spoke Kistinok with each other not only at home but also socially with their contemporaries. In fact, it was with that dialect that they welcomed my father and my paternal uncle into this world and raised them.  Out of love of their first-born grandson, regretfully they spoke in Armenian with me and thus I  am not conversant in Kestenok but I understand it very well.

Grandfather Stepan Apelian

My mother tells me that for the first post genocide generation of the Kessabtsi boys and girls, herself included,  speaking Armenian was not the norm, rather it was the mandate in the village school they attended. In order to enforce speaking Armenian, the school had devised a system called “signal”, which consisted of a note card kept by a teacher supervising the students during recess. The teacher would hand it to the student caught speaking Kistinok instead of Armenian. The student in turn had the option of passing it to any other student who spoke Kessaberen. At the end of the day, students who had those “signal” cards would be  reprimanded for having not spoken Armenian or “hayja” as students would call speaking Armenian amongst themselves.  

With the ensuing immigration of the Kessabtsis to the “four corners of the world” and with the repatriation to Armenia, the language went along and in some families the kistinok remained the conversational language. Children born and raised in these families in faraway places often time used it as a substitute for Armenian and some became very conversant in it. I doubt that nowadays there are Kessabtsi families whose conversational language in their homes is in Kistinok.  

Kistinok, with its varied accents is a vivid example of the rich dialects that had evolved from coastal towns of historical Cilicia, to the plains of Van and Moush, to the mountain top of Sassoun that was destroyed due to the genocide, the Medz Yeghern that befell upon the Armenians. With the disappearance of these dialects a rich folklore that had evolved over millennia simply got wiped out as well. 

Recently I posted one of Jirayr Terterian’s song on my page and shared it with other groups on Facebook. Most who commented had not heard the language before and some appeared not know that there is such a dialect. I choose to believe that as long as there are Kesbetsek,  Kistinok will be spoken. Before the start of the Syrian civil war, I was told that the young in Kessab are making a special effort to use it socially to foster camaraderie and preserve the language. Recently I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my cousin’s son Dr. Tsolag Apelian and daughter Shoghag Ayanian, have mastered the language having learned it from their grandparents.  In fact, Tsolag maintains a Facebook page called “Քեսպնուօկ - The Armenian Dialect of Kessab” to encourage the continual use of the millennial old cherished dialect across the globe.

Grandmother Sarah Mousajekian Apelian

CALLIGRAPHY AND STEVE JOBS' INTUITION

Vahe H. Apelian

Some time ago I saw the movie “Steve Jobs”. As the title of the film indicates it was a depiction of his life. In a dramatic scene Steve Jobs fired one of their best programmers because he questioned the need to devote time and effort to have different fonts on the Apple computer when they were facing so many challenges to overcome. Steve Jobs attributed his appreciation of calligraphy when he attended a course or two in college and must have intuitively recognized its appeal and importance to consumers.  The movie scene was a dramatization of course but tt is well known that Steve Jobs emphasized the aesthetics of the product, along its functionality, way back when they launched Apple Computers.  In his interviews he said he aimed in making the product an extension of the person. Nowadays, there is a whole list of fonts on an Apple computer including many different Armenian fonts.

Steve Job’s intuition about the importance of calligraphy reminded me of my mother’s Armenian typewriter and her appreciation of calligraphy.

Decades ago, my mother purchased an Armenian font manual typewriter. It was not an on the spur of the moment purchase. An Armenian font manual typewriter was fabricated upon request. It was an expensive proposition, especially for a teacher in Armenian schools. She spent almost a year saving from her salary towards her acquisition of an Armenian manual typewriter.

I remember her spending a considerable amount of time teaching herself typing on the manual typewriter. In the end, I doubt that she typed a single letter on the typewriter simply because she did not like the fonts.

Some time ago I found in her papers a type written report by the late Rev. Aram Hadidian about the founding of the onetime Sin El Fil Armenian Evangelical School (see ԵՐԲԵՄՆԻ ՍԻՆ-ԷԼ-ՖԻԼԻ ՀԱՅ ԱՒԵՏԱՐԱՆԱԿԱՆ ՎԱՐԺԱՐԱՆԻՆ ՊԱՏՄԱԿԱՆԸ, August 8, 2017), The fonts indeed look very dull. There is no appeal to them whatsoever. It becomes evident the manual typewriter was made to be functional and that’s all.  The technology or the mindset may not have been there at the time to consider having more appealing fonts along with  functionality.

From that point on she resorted to her customary hand wiring. When the computers became more accessible, my mother was too much set in her ways to ever consider learning word processing, which in fact can be regarded as a modern-day typewriter. She continued resorting to the only way she knew, handwriting. The thought of sitting in front of a computer  terrified her.  

My mother left behind hundreds of beautifully handwritten pages. On unlined blank sheets of paper, she wrote neatly and on a straight line; line after line, pages after pages. She had a beautiful handwriting. At least, I know of no other whose natural effortless Armenian handwriting is as beautiful as hers was. She was also endowed with an uncanny ability for committing poems by heart much like a recording. She loved Armenian poetry and had a habit of writing them down for her enjoyment. She also loved and prepared group recitations, Khmpayin Asmoung in Armenian, for her students to recite. Such group recitations were, as I am not sure if they still are, time-honored traditions at the graduation ceremonies from Armenian schools. I reproduced some of the handwritten group recitation she had prepared in  a book.  I invite interested readers to read my blog titled “Tribute To An Art: Khmpaying Asmoung”.(see Tribute To An Art: Khmpayin Asmoungner, see August 27, 2017).

Although she did not use her Armenian font manual typewriter,  she kept it. I imagine that she maintained a sentimental attachment to it for, years ago, she had it shipped to me, in the U.S. I donated it to the Armenian Library and Museum of America. The original ribbon was still on it. I typed a line on a page indicating that this typewriter is being gifted to the museum and had the manual typewriter shipped there.

Armenian Font Manual Typewriter

Cries of Joy

Arpi Vanyan

The attached is the first personal account I read a short while ago of what transpired on May 8 and 9, 1992 in Artsakh. Apri Vanyan had posted it on her page. I took the liberty of translating it. The original posting is attached. Vahe H. Apelian

 

Twenty-eight years ago, this day (May 9^th) remains etched in my soul. During the night of May 8 and the following morning, we could not get out even for a minute from our dark and humid cellar. My father was on the war front, I was a still a child, my young mother and my young sister were in the cellar, as well.  

The enemy had gotten wild that day and was unleashing its fury with all kinds of armaments he possessed and with all its probable and improbable methods and was bombarding Artsakh and especially the town of Hadrut.  We understood nothing as to what was going on and why such a fury?

May 9^th was my mother’s birthday. We could not even open the door of the cellar and get out to congratulate her on that occasion, which was dear to us, with tea and simple cookie.

It was the second half of the day when we heard cries from the street. Somehow we managed to have a  look outside and saw one of our neighbors, who regretfully was martyred later on, coming down the street, shouting in jubilation with open arms. We did not understand what he was saying, we remained afraid. But as he got closer, it became clear to us that he was saying “Shushi is liberated !”. He was shouting and he was also crying. We stood still. We could not believe what we heard. Soon after the grown ups started crying loudly. We also participated in this widespread cry of jubilation and of the thankfulness that heralded our freedom, our deliverance, our collective victory, our right to live. Words are not enough to describe our emotions.

Years have gone by and I remember that day with joyful remembrance  because it was also the birthday of my prematurely dead mother. From 1992 and on, in our home, we celebrate that day with a joyful remembrance.  My mother is now in heaven, but the celebration has remained the same for me, congratulating her on her birthday. My mother is my identity, she is the path I have crossed, she is my timeless want. She is my pain, my love, and the heightened goal I must reach.

My Artsakh, my mother, my fatherland, and our mighty army…

28 տարի առաջ այս օրը դաջվել ու մնացել է իմ հոգում: Մայիսի 8-ի գիշերն ու հաջորդ օրվա ցերեկը, մենք մեկ րոպե անգամչկարողացանք դուրս գալ մեր մութ ու խոնավ նկուղից: Հադրութում էինք: Հայրս պատերազմի դաշտում էր, ես՝ տակավինաղջնակ, երիտասարդ մայրս ու մանկահասակ քույրս՝ նկուղում: Այդ օրը հակառակորդը կատաղել էր և իր ունեցած ողջզինատեսակով, բոլոր հնարավոր ու անհնար մեթոդներով ռմբակոծում էր Արցախն ու կոնկրետ Հարդութ քաղաքը: Ոչինչ չէինքհասկանում: Ի՞նչ է կատարվում, ինչու՞ է այս աստիճանի ագրեսիվ: 

Մայիսի 9-ը մայրիկիս ծննդյան օրն է: Չկարողացանք անգամ բացել նկուղի դուռը, դուրս գալ, որ մի բաժակ թեյ ու դոշաբի շուրջշնորհավորեինք մեզ համար թանկ այդ օրը: 

...Օրվա երկրորդ կեսն էր, փողոցից գոռոցներ լսեցինք: Մի կերպ գլուխներս դուրս հանեցինք նկուղներից ու տեսանք, որ մերհարևաններից մեկը /ով հետագայում նույնպես, ցավոք, զոհվեց/ ուրախությունից գոռալով, ձեռքերն առաջ պարզած՝ գալիս է: Ոչինչ չէինք հասկանում: Բոլորս վախեցանք: ՈՒ որքան մոտենում էր նա, այնքան պարզորոշ էր դառնում ասածը՝Շուշի՜ն...Շուշին ազատագրվե՜լ է... գոռում ու լացում էր նա: Ասես քարացել էինք, չէինք հավատում մեր լսածին: Հետո մեծերըսկսեցին բարձրաձայն լացել, մենք էլ միացանք համընդհանուր այդ լացին, ուրախությանը, գոչյուններին, օրհնանքներին: Դա...Դա ազատություն էր, փրկություն, բերկրանք, դա մեր միասնական հաղթանակն էր, մեր ապրելու իրավունքը: Բառերս չենհերիքում, որ նկարագրեմ :

..... Տարիներ են անցել.. ամեն անգամ այս օրը ես նշում եմ որպես քառատոն, որովհետև վաղամեռիկ մայրիկիս ծննդյան օրն էնաև: 1992-թվականից սկսած մեր տանը , մենք այդ օրը որպես քառատոն էինք նշում: Մայրս հիմա երկնքում է, բայց տոնն ինձհամար մնացել է նույնը՝ Շնորհավոր ծննդյանդ օրը, մամաս, իմ ինքնություն, իմ անցած ճանապարհ, իմ անանց կարոտ, իմ ցավ, իմ սեր, իմ բարձունք որին պետք է հասնել: 

Իմ Արցախ, իմ մայրիկ, իմ հայրենիք, մեր հզոր բանակ...

UNFOUNDED OUTCRY

Vahe H. Apelian

In my blog regarding installing a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Yerevan, I had noted the following: “Throughout my penning in my blog, I have steered away from making commentaries that may come across polarizing in nature. The 283 posted blogs attest to that. Most of my blogs are originals. They are my own. But I have also translated many stories that I thought shed light on our history which otherwise might not have been accessible to my English reading audience. The primary language of my blog is English. This blog will be an exception.”

And exception it became with almost hysterical and unfounded outcry against the government of Armenia for having accepted the Indian government’s proposal to have a statue of Mahatma Gandhi installed in Yerevan which the municipality of Yerevan has agreed to do and have the statue installed in Armenia’s capital city, Yerevan.

I make no biblical reference but allude to the common parlance that “no man is a prophet in his own country” and surely Mahatma Gandhi is not in his own country. But yet again he is generally accepted to be the father of passive resistance. I quote Wikipedia “passive resistance. passive resistance A tactic of non-violent resistance to authority pioneered by Mahatma Gandhi in his campaign against the British government in India in the 1930s and 1940s. Passive resistance has since become an accepted way for minorities to place moral pressure on majorities.”  I am no social scientist so I invite those who have expertise in the matter to refute what is generally accepted to be the case regarding Mahatma Gandhi, that Martin Luther King Jr. based the Civil Rights movement he led on such a principal; so did Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu led their movement that ended apartheid in South Africa.

As to a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, I quote Wikipedia to note that: “In the United States, there is a statue of Gandhi outside the Union Square Park in New York City, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, and a Mahatma Gandhi Memorial on Massachusetts avenue in Washington, D.C.  near the Indian Embassy. There is a Gandhi statue  in San Francisco Embarcadero Neighborhood. In 2009, a statue of Gandhi was installed outside the Bellevue Library in Washington state.”.  

As a further note from Wikipedia again, there is a statue in Brisbane, Australia, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Burgos, Spain, Beijing, China, Johannesburg, South Africa, and list goes on.

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Yerevan, surely would not be looked out of place.

As to Armenian Indian relations, I would like to bring to the attention of interested readers that  during the last few years I have read several authoritative articles in keghart.com about the Armenian presence in India by Liz Chater, who is an authority on the presence of Armenians on the historic Indian subcontinent. I invite interested readers to visit Keghart.com and type her name in the search and read the informed articles she wrote about the presence of Armenians in Indiat, that continues to this day where prominently stands, I quote her “ the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy (ACPA) of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta)” that celebrated in 2016, its 195^th year, "honouring founder Arratoon Kaloos, financial supporter Sir Paul Chater, and six former students who left their mark on the Far East business life and on the Armenian Diaspora.” Armenian students from Diaspora continue to study there.

For my contemporaries growing in the close-knit Armenian community in Lebanon and attending Armenian schools, the following were fairly known. I quote Wikipedia to substantiate what I had accepted to be true.

        “Under the shade of frangipani trees in the quiet garden of Chennai’s 245-year-old Armenian Church is a grave decorated with an open book. Engraved on the book in block letters is the word “Azdarar”, which means “The Intelligencer” in Armenian. This was the first Armenian journal in the world, published in Madras in the year 1794, when the merchant community from the mountainous, Eurasian country was thriving in the city. The grave belongs to Reverend Haruthium Shmavonian (1750-1824), who was the editor and founder of Azdarar, hailed as the Father of Armenian Journalism. Shmavonian was born in Shiraz, a cultural hub in Iran. After the sudden death of his two sons, Shmavonian moved away from the crowded city to study Persian, which he ultimately mastered. His later voyages led him to settle down as a priest in Old Madras, where he eventually began the journal Azdarar on October 28, 1794 publishing business and world news in Armenian for the settlers in Madras.” Yes, the first Armenian journal was printed in India.

The great Armenian sea faring merchants were based in the city of Madras, the present Chenai. As a testament of their prominence to this day stands “Armenian Street, locally known as Aranmanaikaran Street, is one of the historical streets of the commercial centre of George Town, in Chennai, India” .

It is fascinating to read  that  “The little known Armenian constitution was titled Vorogayt Parats and Nshavak – “Snare of Glory” and “Target” – which were volumes that represent some of the very earliest modern constitutional political writing in the world. Authored and published by Shahamir Shahamirian in his printing house in Madras (India) where he settled as a merchant among a small Armenian community of India.” The printing of this constitution took place in 1773. 

No, I am not going to bother the esteemed readers with tidbits such as the ones I quoted. Those interested to read about the few century old presence of the Armenians in India, may do so by purchasing the following book “Armenians in India, from the earliest times to the present day: A work of original research”. The book is written by Mesrovb Jacob Seth. It is printed on January 1, 1983. The book is 629 pages long. Amazon.com claims that it has only one copy left and it retails  for $935.25. No, I do not have a copy and yes, I have not read the book.

To the person who cynically questioned me if I am a member of Yerevan Municipality for standing by its decision to have a statue of Gandhi installed in Yerevan; I say, no I am not a member of the Yerevan municipality but I, not only  support its decision to have responded affirmatively to the Indian Government’s proposal, but I also applaud its decision. 

It’s high time that we acknowledge the historic ties of Armenia / Armenians with India by honoring one of its internationally acclaimed historic figure, Mahatma Gandhi.