#hamshen

[harminuya]

Nreni Vokal singing in Homshetsma (Hamshen Armenian). Source.

[aegean-okra]

One of the factors that determined the direction of the developing Hamshen Armenian identity and culture was the constant flow of information betweent them and their 'ethnic core', i.e. other Armenians. Armenian schools and the church stimulated such connection. Another factor of their development was undoubtedly the level of their integration into the polyethnic environment of the Pontus. It is important to remember that, counting all ethnic groups, the Hamshen Armenians made up only 3.4-5% of the total population of the Pontus. In all other areas where Armenians were living, they made up a significantly higher percentage of the population. It is clear that out of the all the ethnic groups with whom they shared the highly diverse Pontus region - Greeks, Turks, Laz, Circassions, Georgians, and others - Hamshen Armenians had very few partners for sustained cultural contact. Paradoxically, Turks provided the most likely partners. Pontic Greeks were so to a much lesser degree, with other ethnic groups of the Pontus completely unsuitable. However, only all the mentioned conditions taken as a whole to explain the phenomenon of the spread of Turkish features in the culture of the Hamshen Armenians. For example, some elements of the Hamshen Armenian technology such as different types of agricultural tools were similar to their Turkish equivalents in each place of the Pontus. But the case of language could be more complicated. The majority of Trabzoncik speak Turkish far better as well as Standard Western Armenian while their sub-dialect is composed of fewer Turkish borrowings. Conversely, Canik-Orduyecik rarely use literary Armenian or Turkish language, however usually their speech is highly colored with Turkish words, frequently phonetic adapted, as well as Turkish phraseological cliché. By the way, it is namely the Canik district where a massive immigration of Turkic peoples had begun significantly earlier than in other parts of the Pontus, and where consequently Turkish culture planted deeper roots.

Igor Kuznetsov, Armenians of the Pontus: On Historical and Linguistic Background

[televizr]

Was there ever an incident when a Hamshen was arrested just for saying that he/she was of Armenian extraction? No one wanted to risk an answer. Harun spoke of an incident in 1982 when an ASALA activist had been arrested. They showed him on TV and the guy spoke a few words in Armenian. In an open-air cafe a Hamshen named Tahsin Alper said, “Geez, the guy is one of us.” Alper was thrown in jail just for uttering the word “us”. Alper was a heavy drinker and died years ago.

-Vahan Ishkhanyan, from this article about Hamshentsis, Hetq Online

[harpy]

Visit Original Link

Yar Yar (Anonymous Traditional) VOVA Hamşetsu Ğhağ - Hemşin Ezgileri - Songs of Hemshin

The Hemshin (Hamshen, Hemshinli, Hamshenahay, Hamshentsi) are a group of people of Armenian origin living in the Black Sea who were forced to convert to Islam. The Hemshinli speak both Turkish and Homshetsma (a dialect of Western Armenian).

(Yar yar) Dune dage bayira (Yar yar) Erzevare çayira (Yar yar) Ğarat aek dağaker (Yar yar) Garkevuşi daiya (Yar yar) Ka tse done gugume (Yar yar) Kuagutse vetune (Yar yar) Intsi kolets u bobgets (Yar yar) Çağtsutse inatune (Yar yar) Entu ardin dagniver (Yar yar) Malinaim malina (Yar yar) Erandnin garkevetsan (Yar yar) Inç genez yemalila (Yar yar) Dants agav ğhavağ ağav (Yar yar) Tamnetsav tsemer ağav (Yar yar) Garkevelu menatsak (Yar yar) Mezi elile ağav

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Hemshin Women Flickr / CharlesFred

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Bert Vaux theorizes that Homshetsma can allow us a glimpse of "pure" Armenian since: a) it is not a written language and therefore has not undergone influence from classical or literary dialects. b) it retains archaisms found in classical and middle Armenian.

Bert Vaux. "Part III Language: Homshetsma: The Language of the Armenians of Hamshen." The Hemshin: History, Society and Identity in the Highlands of Northeast Turkey (Caucasus World: Peoples of the Caucasus). Hovann H. Simonian. 265-266.

[harpy]

This village, known as Elevit / Egiovit / Evoghiwt (now Yaylakoy) is said to be the last village Armenians remained in before being deported by the Ottoman regime in the early 20th century.

SeRLoosh / Flickr

These photographs were taken in Hemshin last summer, with exception to a few, which were taken in Armenia. Looking at the human side of politics. Looking at people and not policies. Rest of set.