BY ANAHITA GRIGORIAN MARQUETANT
Gebeta, injera, rice pilaf, and the crown jewelers. One might wonder, what could all this possibly have in common? The answer lies in the decades long tradition of showcasing the different Armenian communities in the Diaspora by the Hamazkayin “Siamanto” Chapter. This year’s journey was the unveiling of the often forgotten, but fiercely influential small community of Armenians of Ethiopia.
The “Dohmig Yerego” event, held on November 3 at the Harut Barsamian Armenian Center’s Ghazarian Hall in Santa Ana, CA, was in full capacity with distinguished guests and community members, as well as the descendants of Ethiopian Armenians featured in the presentation who joined the event from Arizona, Colorado, Atlanta and Canada.
In her welcoming remarks, Kohar Zaher expressed Hamazkayin’s deep gratitude for the generous contributions of Mr. and Mrs. Aris Stambolian and Mr. Alex Andekian towards the new Hamazkayin Cultural Center in Glendale, CA. Zaher then introduced Asbed Pogharian, the keynote speaker who presented on the history of Armenians in Ethiopia.
In his opening remarks, Pogharian, a native of Ethiopia, expressed his and his fellow Ethiopian Armenians’ heartfelt gratitude to the Ethiopian people and the nation who had welcomed the Armenians into their community with open arms, especially after the Armenian Genocide in 1915.
Asbed Pogharian offering remarks at the event
“Throughout [the] centuries, Armenians have made immense contributions and had influence on the progress of their host country, Ethiopia. But, the fact remains, what Armenians have received in return was much, much bigger than their contributions.”
The history of Armenians in Ethiopia can be traced back to their common roots of Christianity. Ethiopia was the second nation to become a Christian state in 330 A.D., after Armenia, which in 301 A.D. became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Additionally, there are uncanny aesthetic similarities between the two alphabets.
Over the centuries, Armenian tradesmen, servicemen and merchants had become the favorite of the Ethiopian Royal Court. After all, both cultures shared national interests in striving for independence from colonizers and invaders. Therefore, whether jeweler to the crown prince, palace photographer, royal seamstress, or a secret arms dealer to arm the Ethiopians against the Italians, the trustworthy, loyal, hardworking and modest Armenians were preferred over others.
In fact, one the first recorded diplomatic missions to Europe from Ethiopia was led by Mathew the Armenian, who traveled to Portugal and Rome at the request of the Dowager Empress Eleni of Ethiopia, to appeal for aid against Islamic incursions into Ethiopia in the early 16th century.
A scene from the Hamazkayin “Siamanto” Chapter’s “Dohmig Yerego” event
The complex process of Armenian settlements in Ethiopia had a slow start, with around 50 people initially, building their first straw roof school, called “Khode Tebrots,” which also served as a community center. As the population grew over the years, so did the schools, churches and Armenian owned businesses. After the 1915 Genocide, and by 1918, the total population, mainly residing in Addis Ababa, was around 800.
Besides the obvious religious affiliation, there is also the story of the Arba Lijoch (Forty Children, in Amharic) coming to Ethiopia after the Armenian Genocide. The Arba Lijoch were a group of forty Armenian orphans who had escaped from the atrocities in the Ottoman Empire, and were afterwards “adopted” by Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, then Crown Prince RasTafari. He had met them while visiting the Armenian monastery in Jerusalem.
The Arba Lijoch impressed him so much that he obtained permission from the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem to adopt them and bring them to Ethiopia, where he then arranged for them to receive musical instructions. The Arba Lijoch arrived in Addis Ababa in 1924, and, along with their bandleader Kevork Nalbandian, became the first official orchestra of the nation. Nalbandian also composed the music for “Ethiopia Hoy,” which was the Imperial National Anthem from 1930 to 1974.
The population peaked shortly before the Italian invasion in 1935, with some estimates, to over 2,000. But, by the fall of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, it was around 1,300 to 1,400, after which the numbers fell precipitously.
Today, the now nationalized former Armenian school in Addis Ababa does not have its old glory, nor is it home to Armenian students. Instead, it is a college for travel and tourism.
In his closing remarks, Pogharian reminded attendees of the dire situation of many Armenian communities around the world, that are infected by local conflicts and wars, making Armenians constant immigrants in search of safety and new homes. He emphasized that Armenians must turn their focus to Armenia, and invest their resources and skills to build a secure and bright homeland for the future generations.
The evening followed by a traditional Ethiopian dinner served on a platter known as gebeta, a large circular platter designed for sharing food with friends and family. A circle of injera (spongy sourdough flatbread) is first placed on the gebeta, topped with different stews, curries, or vegetables, followed by Armenian chicken and luleh kebab, rice pilaf and salad, paired with Armenian red wine and Ethiopian semi-sweet white wine. Traditional Ethiopian dessert, called Ambasha, was served with cinnamon and cardamon infused tea.
The Hamazkayin Educational and Cultural Society remains true to its mission and continues to preserve and promote Armenian culture, language and traditions while showcasing the beauty and uniqueness of each of the host countries and the common threads connecting the cultures. Thus, with knowledge, education and standing by its motto of “With Light, Towards Light,” we can march for better futures.
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