94th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
It is almost April 24th.
April 24th, 1915 marks the official “beginning” of the Armenian Genocide…the Genocide when 1.5 million Armenians were brutally massacred.
Every year, at this time, Armenians all over the world remember the Armenian Genocide.
And every year at this time, we wait with bated breath to see if governments around the world, most notably American leaders, will officially recognize the first Genocide of the Twentieth Century. Will they use the word “Genocide” to describe the horrors that my ancestors suffered?
The stories my grandpa would tell us… stories of forced marches when he was just a seven year old boy… the horrors he witnessed all around him as he walked through the desert with other Armenian women and children, somehow making it alive to end up in a new country… the stories he told my mom, uncles and aunts, the stories my grandmother told them (she passed away long before I was born)…all send shivers up my spine… I am amazed that two young children survived such a nightmare, met each other years later, got married and began a new life together…
How did they endure that pain? How did they persevere through so much death all around them? The loss of parents, siblings, relatives, friends… the loss of home…
One thing I know, both my grandparents had a deep sense of faith which had been instilled in them from a very young age…I know by their own accounts that that faith gave them hope… that faith in God must have propelled them to take one more step…
Here is a photo of my beloved Grandma, Armenian Genocide Survivor…while I never met her, I feel a very close connection to her… she inspires me deeply. It pains me to think of what she endured as a little girl during this horrific time in our history. But it brings me great joy to know that she was a woman of hope and faith. She is an example to me.
My Grandma, Mariam Markarian, Armenian Genocide Survivor.
Related Posts:
Posted in Uncategorized
April 20th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
If that generation didn’t make it, then the whole world would not hear about it.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Mariam, I grew up outside of Boston, and my family emigrated to the US via Providence. I know that my paternal grandfather’s first wife and two kids were killed by the Turks. He then met and married my grandmother, and they ended up having 5 kids together. Grampa died when I was either 6 or 8 years old. Gramma died when I was an adult. Gramma was the one who taught me to read, write, and speak Armenian. I can still read it and write it, although I’ve forgotten some of the vocabulary.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Dear Mariam,
This is a personnal message regarding to your family. I’m discovering your music right now, fiding your site after a research on the name of Marcarian or Markarian, because this is the name written on the official papers of my grand mother who just died 5 days ago. I know, it seems probably incredible but this is the truth. I am really confused now, because I would like to know more about your grand mother… Mariam Markarian is exactly the name of the mother of my grand mother, And on this picture, your grand mother looks like mine! I don’t have enought words to say what I think, to describe the hopes that may be, I’ve found a sign of the family of my grand mother who survived in 1915 at Trabzon… As you know, the story is verry long and sad, so I don’t want to tell you more now, but I would be very happy to let you know everything about her, because both of our families could become one! Please, excuse my bad English, I’m French!
I’m very touched in a lot of ways… Please, accept my special regards and take care.
Isabelle (the first name of my grand mother is Zabel)