Moush, sweet Moush: Mapping Memories from Armenia and Turkey Editors: Lusine Kharatyan Ismail Keskin Avetis Keshishyan S. Aykut Ozturk Nane Khachatryan Nihal Albayrak Karen Hakobyan 1 Published by: English Language Editor: The Institute for International Cooperation Ruby Chorbajian Of the German Adult Education Association (dvv international) Design and Layout: Arthur Mashinyan “CityStudio” Concept and Idea: Lusine Kharatyan Print: Ismail Keskin Printinfo JS LLC Avetis Keshishyan S. Aykut Ozturk Initial Idea: Nane Khachatryan Matthias Klingenberg Nihal Albayrak Nazaret Nazaretyan Karen Hakobyan Ulrike Pusch Chief Editor: Lusine Kharatyan Opinions expressed in the book do not necessarily refl ect dvv international those of the publisher. This publication, or parts of it, may be ObereWilhelmstraße 32-53225 Bonn reproduced provided the source is duly cited. The Publisher Federal Republic of Germany asks to be furnished with copies of any such reproductions. Tel.: +49/228-97569-0 Fax: +49/228-97569-55 This publication is not for sale and is not intended for E-mail: [email protected] commercial use or profi t. www.dvv-international.de Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche For further information please also see Nationalbibliothek www.speakingtooneanother.org The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the ©2013 dvv international Deutsche Nationalbibliografi e; detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de ISBN: 978-3-942755-12-2 2 Content Forward .................................................................. 4 Ozge Sebzeci and Ruzanna Baghdasaryan Acknowledgments ................................................. 5 Scattered Pieces .................................................. 69 Introduction ............................................................ 6 Moush: Basic Information .................................... 11 Armenuhi Nikoghosyan and Betul Kaya Unreal but Alive: Real but Dying .......................... 77 ORAL HISTORY .................................................. 12 Introduction .......................................................... 13 Armenuhi Nikoghosyan Fear ....................................................................... 81 Hilal Unal and Shahane Halajyan Imagining, Remembering: Atak Ayaz and Sofi a Manukyan Moush and the Armenians ................................... 15 Objects and Structures as Transporters of History and Memory: Interviewing Ourselves ................. 87 Ani Poghosyan and Sercan Cinar Those who “left” and those who “stayed” .......... 23 Ruzanna Baghdasaryan Gateways in the Crumbling Wall of Silence ........ 95 Eylem Nazli Tasdemir and Rinet Isajyan Treasure Hunt ....................................................... 34 PERFORMANCE ................................................. 99 Introduction ........................................................ 100 Rinet Isajyan Denying One’s Self: Stories of Women ................ 42 Ariadna Grigoryan, Mariam Grigoryan and Anna Poghosyan Hazal Atay and Tatev Hayrapetyan Moush Camp: Final Performance Script ........... 106 From a Bowl and Vineyards to Mount Ararat: Symbols of the Past and the Future .................... 48 Ariadna Grigoryan, Gohar Hovsepyan, Mariam Grigoryan, Merve Kan, Sayat Tekir and Selin Cakar PHOTOGRAPHY .................................................. 59 Gyumri Camp: Final Performance Script ........... 119 Introduction .......................................................... 60 GLOSSARY ....................................................... 125 Betul Kaya Un-bordering the past; Bringing the present back into focus: Mapmaking and Storytelling in the Era of Nation-State Borders ....................................... 62 Foreword developments, we feel it is all the more important to keep the dialogue alive between people, between civil societies In 2007, when we fi rst discussed the idea of a Turkish- in both countries and, where possible, to strengthen it. This Armenian reconciliation project, there was great hope that shared conviction is the foundation upon which partners from the relationship between the two countries would improve in Armenia, Turkey and Germany have pushed this project the short term. Based on this sentiment, and refl ecting on further along and even expanded it in sharp contrast to recent our engagement in processing history in other countries, actions of relevant political actors. the project Speaking to One Another (STOA) emerged. The Of course, the worsening political conditions have also present book has been published as the fi nal stage of that impacted those of us active in the project. We realized how project. diffi cult it is to get into a dialogue, how often we stutter and Our initiative gained momentum quickly and, during hesitate when the external pressure is rising and threatens various stages, it included the welcomed participation of to overturn the mood of the public. Speaking To One Another academicians, artists and civil society representatives. In was never an easy project, and it was not conceived as such — indeed, many of us specifi cally demanded that it shouldn’t particular, the initiative addressed young generations from be. Despite or perhaps because of the challenges we have both countries, and centered on the key role they play (and faced, the project has positively impacted the lives of nearly will play) in shaping relations between the neighboring everyone involved in it. Therefore, we think it was a very countries in the future. worthwhile endeavor which will be important to continue with The project focused on addressing memories of ordinary in the future. individuals which is widely considered to be a valuable We are pleased that this book we are able to present contribution to the process of reconciliation and to creating is yet another fruitful product from this diffi cult undertaking. a more democratic society. The STOA project has helped The book is a collection of students’ essays from the two expand the dialogue and generate mutual understanding countries based on their research and personal experiences between youth and older generations in Armenia and Turkey. in Moush, Turkey and in the villages populated by Armenians More generally, the project has shown that true reconciliation of Moush origin in Armenia. The publication ties the story of is not possible without acknowledging history and without the two places — Moush, a city the Armenians were expelled dialogue. from, and villages, where some of them found refuge from It is hoped that the project will contribute to creating an the genocide — to bind together the old and new, in order to atmosphere in which Turkey is more able to deal openly and stimulate a dialogue about what is common to both and what honestly with its own history, and one in which Armenians divides them. are able to appreciate corresponding initiatives from Turkish We are very grateful to all who participated in this project civil society which are often carried out under diffi cult and who in one way or another contributed to the creation of circumstances. this book. The regional political situation has deteriorated during the implementation of the project. Many hopes were attached to Nazaret Nazaretyan initiatives such as Football Diplomacy and the Swiss Protocols Matthias Klingenberg and we are therefore regretful to fi nd that the rapprochement Ulrike Pusch process is all but ended at the moment. In light of these 4 Acknowledgements Tamar Nalci, Meltem Aslan and Osman Kavala at Anadolu Kultur, and to Dr. Harutyun Marutyan, Dr. Hranush Kharatyan-Araqelyan The authors of this book would like to thank everyone who and Victoria Asatryan at Hazarashen. Not only did the partners contributed to its development. Our utmost gratitude goes to manage to successfully implement this complicated project, but the German Foreign Offi ce for their generous fi nancial and they offered reliable support for book-and content-related input. programmatic support throughout the project period. We Many local partners, organizations, guides, journalists and would like to particularly thank the following individuals at members of local government in Armenia and Turkey played the Ministry for their involvement and consistent support: Dr. a part to help make this project as successful as possible. Christine Althauser, Hans-Jochen Schmidt, Petra Dachtler, We have tried to name as many as possible here. In Turkey, Semjon Pauker and Karsten-Erich Hammer (deceased). Salih Yüce and Fatih Argun from the Youth Accumulation Our colleagues at dvv international were likewise Association and Ridvan Aktas from Young Steps Association tremendously supportive. We are especially grateful to Ulrike helped with various local arrangements; Sahin Sahin, a local Pusch, who monitored the project from beginning to end, journalist, accompanied us and helped us locate village checking in on our whereabouts and reminding us about contacts; Hayrettin Tas, our local guide, was our gatekeeper deadlines. Matthias Klingenberg and Nazaret Nazaretyan who in Moush and helped us fi nd our way to people who might not fi rst conceived of the project in 2009 have followed it closely otherwise talk to us; Deniz Sinan Bulakcibasi and the Damla throughout the ups and downs of its implementation. The Center for Arts and Culture provided a rehearsal and working project and the book have come to fruition largely thanks to space to our performance group; Veysel Semercioğlu, their enormous energy and faith in our work. We would also