A Wreath on the Gamavor’s (Legionnaire’s) Tomb

Vahe H. Apelian

 

Gamavor is an Armenian word meaning volunteer. It is used only as a noun. For the one or two generations preceding ours Gamavor referred to the approximately 5,000 Armenian men who volunteerarily joined the French Army to fight the Turks during the First World War. The French called the formation La Legion Armenienne. In English the descriptive word we have chosen is legionnaire. I am not sure if the word legionnaire inherently describes volunteering to a legion for a lofty cause, as was the case with the Armenian Gamavors. 

The Armenian volunteers were motivated by a French and Armenian Diaspora pact promising that in return for Armenian military support to the Allies against the Ottoman and German alliance, the French and their allies would help the Western Armenians lay the foundation for home rule in Cilicia, part of historic Armenia. Most, if not all, of the volunteers were expatriate Cilicians. Approximately 1,200 came from the United States, including some 70 Kessabtsis. Among the latter was Nshan, the paternal uncle of my maternal uncle, the historian Dr. Antranig Chalabian, who dedicated his book “Revolutionary Figures” to his uncle Nshan and noted the following:  “Towards the end of 1916, when my father was subjected to deportation, his brother left America and returned to the homeland to enlist with the volunteers to fight against the Turks. After training with the Armenian Legion in Cyprus for two years, my uncle and his cousin Panos went to Palestine along with thousands of volunteers, fought in the Battle of Arara, went to Cilicia and after the turnabout of the French Government, returned to America and died in Fresno in 1973.”

The Battle of Arara was the major military engagement of the Gamavors. It took place on Sept. 18, 1918, near Megiddo (the Biblical Armageddon) in northern Palestine. The valor of the Armenian combatants in securing victory against the German-Turkish forces merited special commendation of the Allied High Command. Twenty-three Armenian combatants were killed in action. What followed the battle was another sad chapter in Armenian history.

The French forces, having secured victory, headed north and eventually captured Cilicia. Their presence encouraged the genocide survivors to return to their ancestral villages. But instead of honoring their pact with the Armenians, the French reneged on their promise and withdrew their forces, without giving notice to the Armenians and without having negotiated with Turkish forces about the state of the Armenians they were leaving behind. I recall being told, during family conversations, that the French even padded the hooves of their horses to muffle the sound of their unannounced midnight evacuation. “Chivalrous France” became a sarcastic expression in Armenian conversation and literature.

Abandoned and left to the whims of the Turkish onslaught, without the protection that they had rightfully expected from their French allies and unable to protect themselves, the Armenians once again fled their Cilician homeland to disperse around the world. Only two Armenian villages remain from the once thriving Armenian enclave on that prime northeastern Mediterranean region, along the Mediterranean coast,—the vilage Wakf in historical Mussa Dagh in Turkey and Kessab in Syria.

After the genocide the surviving Kessabtis who managed to return to Kessab tenaciously held on to their enclave and established a de facto home rule, under the leadership of the Kessabtsi Gamavors who had left the legion and moved to Kessab with their arms. The home rule lasted from 1918 to 1921 during which the Armenians established administrative and judicial bodies to enforce law and order. The former legionnaires also formed an armed force and protected the population from the prevailing lawlessness in the region and gave refuge to some members of other minorities such as ethnic Greeks and the Alevis. The French disbanded the Kessab self-rule, as they cemented their colonial control over Syria and Lebanon.

The British and the French, as the supreme powers in that part of the world, had secretely already drawn the map of the region to suit their interests. The straight-lined borders of present-day Middle Eastern states were the works of their foreign ministers, Sir Mark Sykes of Britain and François Georges-Picot of France. They carved, among themselves, what had remained of the Ottoman Empire, without regard to the mosaic of the area's ethnic, religious or social fabric.

The drawn map put Kessab within Turkey. The prospect of ending up in Turkey terrified the Kessabtsis in spite of the fact that they had been under Turkish rule for centuries, had adopted Turkish words in their vocabulary, traded almost exclusively with Turkish-occupied Antioch and had almost no dealing with their immediate Arab neighbors in the south. The uncertainty over the fate of Kessab heightened in the latter part of the decade (1937 to 1939) as Turkey began imposing its presence in Kessab and made Turkish language teaching mandatory. Many members of the first post-Genocide generation born in Kessab had reached conscription age by then. These young men, including my father, were urged by their families to flee to Lebanon lest they be be drafted into the Turkish Army.

The Kessabtsis also appealed to the occupying forces to have Kessab removed from the emerging Turkey. It is generally accepted that Cardinal Krikor Bedros XV Aghajanian (Գրիգոր Պետրոս ԺԵ. Աղաճանեան, French: Grégoire-Pierre XV Agagianian, Italian: Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian) played a decisive role in having the colonial rulers redraw the map to secure the last remnant of Armenian Cilicia. This episode may be the only instance where the two great powers redrew the map in that corner of the Middle East to save the Armenian enclave Kessab from the Turkish occupation. Kessab was incorporated into Syria but at a price. Most of the arable lands of Kessab were given to Turkey.

The first Syrian government official visit to Kessab took place on March 20, 1944. Shukri Kuwaitli, the first elected President of Syria visited Kessab as a token of Syrian Government’s appreciation of the Armenians for having their native enclave included in Syria. 

The late George Azad Apelian, in an article, noted that during his pre-teens in the mid-'50s, the  Kessabtsi Gamavors came to Keurkune--one of Kessab's twelve villages--for their traditional September reunion celebrating their participation in the battle of Arara.. Their arrival created much excitement among the villagers, particularly among the youngsters, seeing the men in their military fatigues and carrying ammunition and rifles. The Gamavors celebrated their victory at the Battle of Arara seated next to the village spring, feasting over white sheets spread on the nearby meadow. They sang a song about the Gamavors. George had memorized the old song that ended with:

From Arara to Cilicia

Are reminders of the Volunteers

On the tomb of the Volunteer

There is no wreath, however.

«Գործող Կեդրոնի Պէտք Ունինք եւ ոչ թէ Թանգարանի»

Վահէ Յ. Աբէլեան

Վերնագիրը ընդօրինակած եմ Հրաչ Քալսահակեանին թեւ 179  վիտիոյէն։ Հրաչը գնահատելի սովորութիւնը մը ըրած է։ Մեր կեանքին հետ աղէրս ունեցող հարցերու մասին իր կարծիքը  կը ձայնագրէ եւ կը զետեղէ Եութիւպի վրայ։

Վերնագիրը ընդօրինակեցի քանի որ 1976-ին Ամերիկայ հաստատուելէս ետք անոր իրողութիւնը ապրած եմ եւ տակաւին կ՚ապրիմ։ Իսկ «գործող կենդրոն» իր ակնարկը ոչ թէ միայն Շարժայի մէջ հայ կեդրոնին նման կեդրոնի մը կը վերագրեմ, ալ նաեւ եկեղեցիին եւ ինչպէս նաեւ այլ հայկական հաստատութիւններուն։

Աւելի քան տասնամեակ մը մաս կազմեզի Նիւ ճըրզի Հայկական ծերանոցին հաստատութեան հոգաբարձութեանը (Board of Trustees).  Հոն ապրող տարեցներուն ծախսերը կը հոգայ կառաւարութիւնը։ Հետեւաբար կառաւարական հսկողութեան տակ գործող հաստատութիւն մըն է  եւ ենթակայ է անոր օրէնքներուն ինչպէս իրեն նման այլ հաստատութիւնները։ Բայց շէնքը կառուցած է հայ համայնքը եւ կը ղեկաւարուի համայնքէն ներկայացուցչներով եւ այսպէս պահած է որոշ հայկական դիմագիծ մը։

Նիւ Ճերզի հայկական ձեռանոցը սովորութիւն ունէր Հայրերու Օրուայ շաբաթավերջը ընկերական դաշտկերոյթ, փիքնիք, ունենալ որուն ներկայ կ՚ըլլային հարիւրաւորներ եւ հարիւրաւորներ։ Յեռնարկը կ՚ապահովէր հասոյթ հաստատութեան զանազան եւ այլազան կարիքներուն համար։ Այդ հասոյթը կարելի կըլլար ապահովել քանի որ այդ հսկայ ձեռնակը ամբողջութեամբ կը տարուէր կամաւոր աշխատողներու կողմէ։ Փիքնիքէն նուազագոյն շաբաթ մը առաջ պատրաստութիւնները կը սկսէին։ Ալ գնում ընողները, անոր նշանաւոր քէպապի միսերը պատրաստողները, ինչպէս նաեւ սարման, անուշեղէնները եւն եւն ամբողջութեամբ կը պատրաստուէին հոյլ մը կամաւորներու կողմէ եւ այսպէս եղած  էր տարուէ տարի, տասնեակ տարիներէ ի վեր։ Քանի մը սերունդներու համար ծեռանոցին Հայերու Օրուայ փիքնիքը անգիր բայց հաստատուած տօն մըն էր։ Երբ ես գործի համար նահանգէն հեռացայ 1995-ին արդէն փիքնիքը դադրած էր տեղի ունենալէ։ կամաւորներու այդ սերունդը կամաց կամաց հեռացաւ իսկ անոնց ձգած բացը լեցնողներ չեղան։ Նախքին սերընդակիցներ կը յիշեն ծեռանոցին հայկական փիքնիքը իր նուագով եւ պարով, անոր նշանաւոր քէպապը եւ պուլղուրով փիլաւը։ Բայգ նոր սերունդը գաղաբար իսկ չունի։

Անցեալ շաբաթ Մարին եւ ես ներկայ եղանք՝ Ուսթըրի (Worcester, MA) Սուրբ Երրորդութեան եկեղեցիին ներքնասրահը ուր այդ Ուրբաթ օրուան  երեկոյեան եկեղեցիին համար հասոյթ  ապահովելու համար տեղի ունենալիք հիրասիրութեան  պատրաստութիւնը կըլլար։ Հոն ալ խումբ մը, ընհանրապէս կիներ, ժրաջան կ՚աշխատայիին։ Բայց ամէնուն մտահոգութիւնը նոյն էր, երիտասարդ կամաւորներու պակասը։ Հիւրասիրութիւնը տեղի ունեցաւ եւ ըստ ակնկալութեան, շուրջ $20,000 շահ ապահոված պիտի ըլլայ։ Անշուշտ որ այդ կարելի եղաւ շնորհիւ կամաւոր աշախատողներուն եւ մատակարարողներուն։ Հապա՞ եթէ անոնք չըլլային կամ չըլլան օր մը։

Պարզուած պատկերը ընհանրական է եւ պատասխանատութիւնը մեր ամբողջին վրայ կ՚իյնայ։ Ոչ մէկ վարչութիւն կամ վարչական, կացութիւնէն շատ բան պիտի կարենայ փոխել եթէ տիրող մտայնութիւնը այսպէս շարունակուի։ Այնպէս որ անբողջութեամբ չեմ բաժներ Հրաչին ըրած ախտաճանաչումը։ Հոն հասարակած պատասխանատուութիւն մը կայ որուն մասին պէտք եղած ախտաճանաճումը չգտայ Հրաչին տեսաերիզին վրայ։

Հակասական վիճակ մը կայ այս կացութեամ մէջ։ Բացատրեմ օրինակով՝

Օհայօ Նահանգին, Քոլոմպոս քաղաքին մէջ հայկական կազմակերպուած համայնք մը կայ որ կապուած է Էջմիածնական Թեմին։ Հոն է որ անդրադարձայ թեմերուն անյաղորդ վիճակին պատճառած վնասը։ Պարբերաբար կղեր մը կուգայ եւ կը պատարագէ։ Բայց այդ կղերականը պէտք է ըլլայ Էջմիածնայ Թեմէն։ Կը պատահի որ շրջան մը, այլ եւ այլ պատճառներով, կղերական մը չըլլայ։ Բայց համայնքը արտօնուած չէ կապ պահել Անթիլեասի Թեմին հետ որպէսզի կղերական մը տրամադրէ Էջմիածնական Թեմին կղերականին բացակայութեանը։ Օտար եկեղեցի մը իր ներքնասրահը եւ պաշտամունքի եկեղեցիին սրահը տրամադրուած է հայ համայնքին Քրիստոնեայ եղբայրական զգացումներէ տարուած։ Բայց համայնքը ակնկալուած համեմատութեամբ ներկայ չըլլար։ Բայց երբ հարց կը տրուի շարունակել կամ դադրեցնել այս վիճակը, համայնքը չուզեր դադրեցնլ, բայց զարմանալիօրէն պէտք եղած տարողութեամբ մասնակցելու տրամդրութիւն ալ ցոյց  չի տար եւ միեւնոյն ժամանակ չուզեր առանց եկեղեցիի եւ որոշ կազմակերպուած համայնքի մը ներկայութեանը մնալ։ Այսպէս պատասխանատուութիւնը կը մնայ  կամաւորներու շատ սեղմ շրջանակի մը ուսերուն վրայ որոնք արդարաբար կը գանգատին եւ սպառնան դադրիլ պատասխանատուութիւն ստանցնելէ։

Կար ժամանակ երբ միւթենական աշխատանքի համար ոչ թէ միայն տրամադրութիւն կար, այլ յաճախ ներքին պայքարներու պատճառ կը դարնար ստանցնելու վարչական պատասխանատուութիւնը։ Յաճախ կը պատահէր որ այդ համայնքը կեդրոն չունենար եւ հետեւաբար կեդրոն ունենալը հիմնական անհրաժեշտութիւն կը դարնար։ Արեւմտեան Պէյրութի ժողովրդային տունը ուր ես անցուցի պատանեկութիւնըս եւ երիտասարդութեանս սկզբնական տարիները, կուսացութեան չէր պատկաներ։ Վարձու տեղ մըն էր։ Յետաքային կուսակցութիւնը ունեցաւ իր կեդրոնը որ դժբախտաբար չի կրցաւ օգտագործել քաղաքացիական պատերազմին պատճառաւ եւ ըսուեցաւ որ ծախուեցաւ։

Ներկայիս շատ աւելի դիւրին է շէնք մը բարձրացնելը բայց շատ աւելի դժուարացած է այդ շէնքը գործող կեդրոնի մը վերածելը։ Վարիչներ կամ որոշ մարդիկ կրնան որոշ օգտակարութիւն ունենալ շէնքը գործոն կեդրոնի մը վերածելու։ Բայց այդ մէկը դատապարտուած է աւելի շատ կանուխ քան ուշ  իր վերջալոյսին, եթէ համայնքին անդամներուն մասնակցելու եւ բաժնեկցելու ընհանրական տրամադրութիւնը օրէ օր պակսի։

HMEM: The Legendary Scoutmaster and his Son.

"Elevate Yourself and Elevate Others"-Բարձրագիր՝ Բարձրացուր

Dedicated to my childhood friend GARO ANTIKAJIAN

 "Mesh Badrast"- "Always Ready."

Vahe H. Apelian

Homenetmen (Armenian: Հ.Մ.Ը.Մ. pronounced [ˈhɔmɛnetmɛn], short for Armenian: Հայ Մարմնակրթական Ընդհանուր Միութիւն, meaning 'Armenian General Athletic Union') is a pan-Armenian Diaspora organization devoted to sport and scouting. The motto of Homenetmen is "Rise and Raise" (Elevate Yourself and Elevate Others with You) (Armenian: Բարձրացի՛ր, Բարձրացո՛ւր, Partsratsir Partsratsour). Homenetmen was founded on 16 November 1918 in Constantinople present-day Istanbul. Shavarsh Krissian, an avid athlete and footballer had promoted the idea of a pan-Armenian sports association for a number of years and is considered the founder of this eminent Armenian athletic organization. (Source: Wikipedia).

On October 20, 2014, Levon Sharoyan of Aleppo posted about Levon Apkarian where he noted the following.

“Give another year, half a century would have passed since Levon Apkarian’s death, He was the Armenian scoutmaster “Baden Powell”. The new generation may not know of him or even heard his name. But the older generation, as onetime students in Armenians schools, and orphanages in Syria, Lebanon, and Cyprus, knew this legendary person. They could never forget the athletic events he organized, the Swedish exercises he taught and scouting troupes he led wearing his hat, carrying a whistle around his neck and the emblems he wore on his formal scout dress.

Levon Apkarian hailed from Sassoun. His life would have made a captivating novel if one had been able to do the impossible task of narrating it. In the immediate aftermath of the genocide, his life was marked by his efforts of salvaging Armenian orphans from the Syrian cities of Deir Elor, Ras al-Ain, Arab Punar and entrusting them to the care of Armenian organizations.

After the war, he devoted himself completely to athleticism and scouting. The Syrian Arab community bestowed upon him the honorific title as the “Chief of the Scouts”.

After his death, the Armenian community did not have a scoutmaster of his caliber. There has not been another Levon Apkarian. Along with the genocide martyred founder of the Armenian Athletic organization and scouting Shavarsh Krisian, Levon Apkarian remains a towering figure in the history of Armenian athleticism and scouting."

Levon Apkarian, was also the father of the legendary artistic director and conductor of the Kohar Symphony Orchestra, Sebouh Apkarian”.

On August 5, 2014, Asbarez Daily also reported the passing away of the legendary artistic director and conductor of the Kohar Symphony Orchestra, Sebouh Apkarian. Many if not most of us remember him with his long white hair flowing down his back shoulder, his graceful, and undulating body as he conducted the Orchestra.

The following communiqué was carried in the Armenian press:  “Sebouh Apkarian was born in Cyprus. He was a composer, conductor, painter and educator. He founded the Armenian Radio Program at the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, where he served for 46 years.

He graduated from the Melkonian Educational Institute, where he later taught music and conducted the school choir, following the steps of his music teacher and mentor, Vahan Bedelian.

After graduating from the Melkonian he continued his studies in Paris.

As an opera singer, he performed in Nicosia, Athens, Beirut, Aleppo, Cairo, and Paris.

He composed many songs, choral works, chamber music, oratorios, cantatas, symphonic suites and musical caricatures. Many of these compositions have been performed in Tokyo, Paris, Cyprus, Beirut and the US.

His work and performances with Kohar Symphony Orchestra and Choir were characterized by many as the most significant contribution towards the promotion of Armenian culture during the last decade.”

Worrisome Aleppo Armenians

Manuel Keshishian

Translated and abridged by Vahe H. Apelian

Born and raised in Aleppo, Manuel Keshishian is a playwright, stage director, and long-standing teacher.

Manuel Keshishian with the Aleppo youth

-       “When are you both getting married?” I asked a young man I know.

-       “God only knows.”  Answered the boy.

-       “True, God knows, but what are you planning?” I continued asking.

What plans? What can he plan? I know his fiancée. She is a recent graduate with dying dreams.

The boy has a good job. He works and earns well. He lives with his parents.

-       “How are you doing?” I asked a newly married young man.

-       “Don’t you know?” He answered.

A newlywed young man who married the love of his life should be happy and there should be no reason to ask.

However.

Before the conflict, the monetary exchange rate was 48 to 50 Syrian pounds to a U.S. dollar.

Today one U.S. dollar is equivalent to 460 Syrian pounds.

The salary of a young teacher before the conflict was between 20 to 25 thousand Syrian pounds (500 U.S. dollar). Today the adjusted salary with additional bonuses is between 40 to 50 thousand Syrian pounds (80-110 U.S. dollar.) 

Those who work for companies that deal with banks receive a salary between 60-70 thousand Syrian pounds.  Those who work for the United Nations receive even a larger salary. But the number of such persons is limited. The least paid are the teachers. Artisans and craftsmen likely earn similarly but those who own their business earn well. Owning a shop is a dream these days.

How are the young to get married to have families of their own? How are they going to support their families?

That is why asking a young person how is he doing, one receives a dismissive answer.

The prices of the houses nowadays are 50% of what they were. However, the salaries have dropped to one-fifth of what they were. Before the conflict banks extended a long-term favorable mortgage to those who wanted to own a house. Before the conflict, there were Armenian organizations that facilitated Armenian families own house by loaning them interest-free and long-term payment options. Before the conflict professional and trade associations erected buildings and sold them to their members for the cost. Before the conflict Armenian organizations built houses and rented them affordably to Armenian families in need.

In Syria, almost everyone owned a house. Many owned a few houses. They lived in one and had the other ready for their children. Many owned houses in the villages and many villagers owned houses in the cities. Would you believe that in Syria there were between 400 to 500 thousand houses that were not occupied year around?

Nowadays none of them exists.

Nowadays there are high prices, high prices, and high prices. Everything costs ten times what it cost before the conflict.

I know three married couples who work in the same office. Their spouses work as well. These three families live in vacant houses left behind by those who have left the country. They are in constant fear that the owners of the houses might one day call them and let them know that they put their houses for sale forcing them to vacate the houses and face inordinate high rents they can ill afford to house their families.

These days in Aleppo a family needs at least 150 thousand Syrian pounds per month to have a decent living while most earn no more than 50 to 60 thousand pounds per month.

Most families get by through with assistance. Incidentally, most of the benevolent organizations that assist them are not Armenian although we should note that the Armenian General Benevolent Association assists 1200 families. We cannot afford not to note that some of the families that receive assistance do not really need it.

We get used to it, in fact, we got used to being in need for subsidy. Some of us are on the verge of losing our self-worth.

For how long and until what time, are we going to let our youth in such predicament?

We say. We herald loudly from the stage, and without exception during every occasion and event, we repeat that we will keep our community going and that we will rebuild.

What do we do to get the community going? What can we do?

The stark reality is that we do not believe in the possibility of overcoming the odds against us. Saying that “we will rebuild” is a sort of a social obligation, a duty. We have not collectively come to the decision to keep and rebuild the community.  We simply react to the circumstances; otherwise, we should have long planned to face the present. At the very least we should plan for the future from today and on. Who are our future, if not our present day youth?

What do we do, or what can we do for our youth?

We should have thought beforehand setting up an endowment fund the interest of which we would devote to our collective needs. We should have done it before the conflict, but we did not do it. We should have done at the start of the conflict, but we did not do it.  Many were articulating then to devote the 5% of all assistance received towards an endowment fund. But there seemed to be no one in the leadership to heed to the call.

Our youth are living in a precarious situation. This is not an unexpected sate. Extraordinary states call for extraordinary steps to be taken.

All of us realize individually that we have a responsibility. Each and every one of us is to set some money aside for our youth. Even those who receive assistance should set aside 5% of their assistance towards an endowment fund we need.

Let us not forfeit our individual responsibly if we do not want our youth facing an uncertain future  and if we want to preserve our community.

I repeat, extraordinary times demand extraordinary solutions. I pray that I do not invite the animosity of our organizations and establishment when I ask:

-       “To whom belong our communal real estates, if not for the people?” 

These real estates have been bought and built by the community as a whole during the past 100 years. Why can’t we devote part of these real estates for the benefit of our youth, if we want to preserve our community?

Why can’t we start implementing our much-said call for repatriation?

Why can’t we transfer the income from the sale of some of these real estates to Armenia and have housing built for our youth without interest and with a long-term payment option? I am sure that the authorities in Armenia will procure land for the Aleppo Armenian youth who would like to move there.

-       “You talk idly.” Some will say.

I will have no response other than repeating.

“Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures.”

Aleppo, October 28, 2018

Sbaghanants Magar (Սպաղանաց Մակար)

By Vahe H, Apelian

 

This is the translation of an article I wrote in 1993. The information pieced together is from Roupen Der Minassian’s “Memoirs of an Armenian Revolutionary” and Antranig Chalabian’s “Revolutionary Figures” books.

 

I had not yet stepped into my teens when my father enrolled in the A.R.F. Badanegan Myoutium (Youth Association) whose meetings took place in an old, single level building situated on a hill. It had a balcony that overlooked the street below, but we were not permitted to get on the balcony for fear it might collapse. The building seemed to have been a one time the Middle Eastern type home for an extended family as it consisted of a large central hall, surrounded by many rooms with a common bathroom and a kitchen. In my days, it served as the A.R.F. West Beirut Community Center.

The center had its permanent resident, Vartan Shahbaz, a one-time fedayee, a freedom fighter. In his frail old age, he had found refuge in one of the rooms. But the center was a veritable beehive. Young and older adults impressed us kids, as they entered in and exited these rooms with an air of utmost determination pursuing something very important. The walls of the central hall were laden with pictures of the founders of the A.R.F, fedayees, and of the statesmen who founded the First Republic of Armenia along with others. It was in this building that we youngsters held our meetings on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons as the Armenian schools we attended held classes six days of the week but had the afternoon off on these two days of the week.

In time the stories of the events and persons we learned during our meetings took shape and form for us thanks to the pictures on the walls. But that was the case with Sbaghanats Magar. There were no pictures of him on the walls or in the books although we remained much impressed by the story we were told of the young A.R.F. Burea envoy Roupen Der Minassian resolving the conflict between him and the legendary freedom fighter Kevork Chavoush, that threatened to split the ranks of the fedayees on the Mountains of Sassoun.

A while back my father gifted me the two coffee table size volumes of A.R.F. Centennial Memorial Album edited by Hagop Manjikian, a Kessabtsi friend of his. There I came across a drawing of Sbaghanats Magar placed next to his one-time nemesis Kevork Chavoush. I cannot say that the drawing impressed me for I doubt that there will be any drawing that will do justice to my youthful image of the man who has remained etched in my memory much like the legendary Dork Angekh of our mythology. According to our eminent ancient historian Movses Khorenatsi, Dork Akegh was the great-grandson of our legendary founder and patriarch Haig, who led our ancestors to the foothills of Mount Ararat so that they might live there free of oppression from the tyrant Bel.

The reason for the serious conflict between the two great freedom fighters, Sbaghanats Magar, and Kevork Chavoush, was the latter’s secret marriage to Yeghso. By doing so Kevork Chavoush had broken an unwritten but a solemn code of honor among the ranks of the freedom fighters of not marrying. This had raised the ire of Spghanants Magar. There might have been other reasons as well we do not know. After all, surely conflicts arose at times among the ranks.

Kevork Chavoush was an undisputed leader but the person who confronted and challenged him, Spaghanats Magar, was not an ordinary freedom fighter. Magar’s reputation and influence among the ranks spread far from the mountains of Sassoun all the way to the highest A.R.F. authority, the Burea, whose members took special notice of the conflict between the two and delegated young Roupen Der Minassian to resolve the conflict. I make note of the conflict just to point out to the Spaghanats Magar’s reputation. As to how Roupen Der Minassian resolved the conflict and ended up immortalizing the event in his memoirs, is an altogether different subject that will make for a fascinating reading.

Who Was Spaghanats Magar?

Magar was the princely chief of the village Sbghank of Sasoun. Roupen Der Minassian in his memoir noted that he was “a giant of a man, a formidable person”. Roupen also noted that the people said: “ Kevork is a wolf or a tiger, but Uncle Magar is a raging bull during a combat”. And indeed, Roupen further noted in his memoir, “with large and bloody eyes, a big head, giant of a body, that fearless person, during a combat, looked neither to his left nor to his right, with a roaring voice, his hands over his dagger, he either charged forward or stood still even if hundreds of cannons exploded around him.”

Born and raised on the mountains of Sassoun, Magar should have been a true son of nature who knew neither cunningness nor considerate talk. A veritable feudal lord he must have been who was rebellious and coarse. In his own dialect and is his own way he would say, referring to the well known freedom fighters of the day. “What? Educated people like Damadian, or Kourken or Armenag, bossing me? Whether it is Arapo, Mourad, or Abro and Kevork, not even Serop, none of them is worth more than Magar”. For the princely Magar, the most any one of the famed combatants could have been was as his comrade-in-arms.

When did Spagahanats Magar become a fedayee?

For all indications, Magar espoused the cause when the ringing of the liberty reached the mountains of Sassoun Having accepted the call to fight for freedom Magar remained faithful to the unwritten freedom fighters’ code and did not marry to form a family of his own. He became the comrade in arms of the famous fedayees such as Serop Aghpuyr, Kevork Chavoush, Hriair, Antanig, Mourad, Damadian and almost anyone who took any leadership role on the mountains of Sassoun. All of his comrades-in-arms had a picture that helped them secure their rightful places in the annals of our freedom fighting history, but not Spaghanats Magar. Even his one-time nemesis, Kevork Chavoush, had his only snap-shot that has survived to this day, taken by Vahan Papazian on the Island of Aghtamar where the fedayees had convened. No picture of Magar has reached us and since my youth he has remained etched in my memory much like another Dork Ankegh.

Why did Magar decide to become a freedom fighter?

Shenegi Manoug was Magar’s comrade-in-arm. Fate would have them both killed during the same fight. I will allude to that later on. One day Roupen Der Minassian asked Shenegi Manoug why did he become a fedayee for he came from a well to do family as well?

Shenegi Manoug responded saying  “when people go atop Mount Maratouk or to Saint Garabed for pilgrimage, they do not choose the sickly animal as offering for sacrifice. That would not be acceptable to the Saint. People chose the best among the animals for sacrificing so that the purpose of the pilgrimage would be fulfilled. Our god is the freedom of the Armenians. Well-to-do and wealthy Armenians should be among the first offering to the sacrificial cause”.

We will never know the reason that drove the princely chief of the Sbghang to become a fedayee. But the fact is that he became one at a great personal sacrifice and went down in history having not an even a snap shot of him and without a family of his own..

What combats did Spghanats Magar take part?

I have pieced together the following, surely not all:

·                 Under Antranig’s leadership, in the assassination of the person, with his entire family, who treacherously had the legendary freedom fighter Serop Aghpuyr poisoned and rendered incapable to defend himself.

·                 In the defense of Sbghank when the Kurdish Khalil Bey attacked the village.

·                 In the ambushing the convoy and beheading of the same Khalil Bey under Antranig’s leadership.

·                 In the defense of Sassoun villages Dalvorig, Andog, Tsovasar between 1890-93.

·                 During the 1904 second revolt of Sassoun.

·                 In the combats in Daron and Vaspouragan during 1904-1908.

In all these combats Spaghanants Magar had assumed a leadership role. It might not be farfetched to claim that he took part in almost all combats in the Daron and Sassoun region from 1890 to his death in 1907.

For all indications he was illiterate, that is to say, he did not know how to read and write, which was unusual at the time on the Armenian Highlands. He appeared not to be a modest man for he did not shy away from claiming, if not boasting of the role that he thought rightfully belonged to him and to his village. In his own way, he would say. “ The whole nation looks up to Sassoun and Sassoun is the soul of the nation and the soul of Sassoun is Sbghank.” He would go on claiming that more than any other village of Sassoun  “it was Sbghank and Uncle Magar” who hosted and backed the fedayees in their times of need, for which they ended up paying a hefty price.

How was he killed?

After the martyrdom of Kevork Chaoush during the combat with Ottoman forces that came to be known in our history as the Battle of Soulukh, Spghanants Magar and Roupen Der Minassian became de facto leaders of the fedayees. It was during that time word reached them that Kevork Chavoush’s son Vartkes and wife Yeghso are in danger.

Spaghanats Magar and Shenegi Manoug took upon themselves to move the family to a secure place. But the enemy tracked them down. Spaghanats Magar had Varktes left behind to trusted hands saying “he is a kid, he might survive”, But he retained Yeghso under his protection saying that “Yeghso is honor, she should not be captured by the enemy.”

Spaghanats Magar had now assumed the safety of the woman whose marriage to Kevork Chavoush had raised his ire and caused serious conflict within the ranks. During ensuing combat, Shenegi Manoug and Spaghanats Magar were killed becaming two other sacrificial rams on the altar for freedom.