Armenian citizen at the crossroads
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 06, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - The emotional dilemmas of an Armenian citizen living in Istanbul have become the subject of a book by Bercuhi Berberyan. The character is not regarded as a citizen in the place where she lives, Turkey, and doesn’t feel herself in Armenia, which is said to be her country
Bercuhi Berberyan's story is the story of an Armenian citizen living in Istanbul, who felt "lost" in Armenia. Her novel expresses her experiences in Armenia and the exclusion she has felt in Turkey and as a visitor to Armenia.
In addition to a novelist, Berberyan is a painter, theater actress and a writer working for daily Agos.
She was born in Istanbul but her roots are in Anatolia. Despite her good economic conditions, she has never thought of leaving Turkey for another country as a tourist. "Whenever the idea of travel occurs, I suffered pains in my stomach," she said. Despite those feelings, one day she had to go to Armenia. "I was dragging my feet," she said. She visited Armenia first in 2006 with a group of 16 people from high school.
’I am not a citizen in my homeland’
Berberyan’s visit took 10 days. She expressed her feelings in a book, saying, "Turkey’s Armenians are foreigners in Armenia. I am not regarded as a citizen in my own homeland Turkey, and I don’t feel myself in my homeland in Armenia, which is told to be my country."
Berberyan’s book titled "A Turk in Armenia" was recently released by Metis publishing house. Speaking to Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Berberyan talked about Istanbul’s Armenians and diaspora.
"My family experienced the incidents of 1915 but we have never been hateful. As different from diaspora, we continue living on this land. Everyone asks me why I came here; they ask if my country is Armenia or not. These questions hurt me," she said.
Berberyan said the situation was not much different from Turkey, and that people had prejudices against Istanbul’s Armenians. "The people of Armenia do not accept us as Armenians. According to some, we are ’sold’ because we are living together with Turks. And according to some, we are either ’heroes’ or ’victims.’ An eastern Armenian language is spoken in Armenia. Western Armenian is mainly spoken in Istanbul. There is dialectical difference between the eastern and the western Armenian, that’s why there might be difficulties in communication," said Berberyan.
Berberyan said she had difficulty in understanding the language in Armenia. "They did not even put forth an effort to understand us. I felt myself lost in a place that I did not know. Also, an unidentified smell was following me and driving me crazy," she said.
Berberyan said the smell annoyed her until she left Armenia. "The smell stopped following me only when I returned to Istanbul."
Letting the dove fly away
Berberyan said she was not planning to write a book on her Armenia impressions. "I was in front of an historical church and a beggar with a dove in his hand came by me and said ’give me some money and I will let the dove fly for your luck.’ As I handed the money to him he threw it like his hand burned and shouted saying ’you are a Turk,’ because I unwittingly gave him Turkish money. There was much hatred in his eyes," she said.
Berberyan said she angrily walked to the entrance of the church and, changing her mind, she held the beggar’s arm and told him to give the dove to her. "He was confused. I loved and kissed the dove for a few minutes and gave it back to him saying ’take it and let it fly if you want.’ Her eyes were full of tears and said ’whoever or whatever you are, I will let this dove fly for your beautiful heart.’"
In addition to a novelist, Berberyan is a painter, theater actress and a writer working for daily Agos.
She was born in Istanbul but her roots are in Anatolia. Despite her good economic conditions, she has never thought of leaving Turkey for another country as a tourist. "Whenever the idea of travel occurs, I suffered pains in my stomach," she said. Despite those feelings, one day she had to go to Armenia. "I was dragging my feet," she said. She visited Armenia first in 2006 with a group of 16 people from high school.
’I am not a citizen in my homeland’
Berberyan’s visit took 10 days. She expressed her feelings in a book, saying, "Turkey’s Armenians are foreigners in Armenia. I am not regarded as a citizen in my own homeland Turkey, and I don’t feel myself in my homeland in Armenia, which is told to be my country."
Berberyan’s book titled "A Turk in Armenia" was recently released by Metis publishing house. Speaking to Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Berberyan talked about Istanbul’s Armenians and diaspora.
"My family experienced the incidents of 1915 but we have never been hateful. As different from diaspora, we continue living on this land. Everyone asks me why I came here; they ask if my country is Armenia or not. These questions hurt me," she said.
Berberyan said the situation was not much different from Turkey, and that people had prejudices against Istanbul’s Armenians. "The people of Armenia do not accept us as Armenians. According to some, we are ’sold’ because we are living together with Turks. And according to some, we are either ’heroes’ or ’victims.’ An eastern Armenian language is spoken in Armenia. Western Armenian is mainly spoken in Istanbul. There is dialectical difference between the eastern and the western Armenian, that’s why there might be difficulties in communication," said Berberyan.
Berberyan said she had difficulty in understanding the language in Armenia. "They did not even put forth an effort to understand us. I felt myself lost in a place that I did not know. Also, an unidentified smell was following me and driving me crazy," she said.
Berberyan said the smell annoyed her until she left Armenia. "The smell stopped following me only when I returned to Istanbul."
Letting the dove fly away
Berberyan said she was not planning to write a book on her Armenia impressions. "I was in front of an historical church and a beggar with a dove in his hand came by me and said ’give me some money and I will let the dove fly for your luck.’ As I handed the money to him he threw it like his hand burned and shouted saying ’you are a Turk,’ because I unwittingly gave him Turkish money. There was much hatred in his eyes," she said.
Berberyan said she angrily walked to the entrance of the church and, changing her mind, she held the beggar’s arm and told him to give the dove to her. "He was confused. I loved and kissed the dove for a few minutes and gave it back to him saying ’take it and let it fly if you want.’ Her eyes were full of tears and said ’whoever or whatever you are, I will let this dove fly for your beautiful heart.’"