David Dzhrnazyan

Oral History on Stepanakert- Bella Kanayan

  My grandmother Bella Kanayian was a financial manager for building and construction parts in Stepanakert, Kharabagh.  She had an education there and always enjoyed her childhood to its fullest. She mentioned that they would pick mushrooms, search for the first white flower after the snow melts, and pick blue flowers called “Manoushaks”.  She new famous people such as the current president of Armenia and famous town singers at the time.  In her lifetime she lived through world war two and a revolution going on in Stepanakert against Turkey. Her father was a relatively wealthy man so they lived quite comfortably but she explained that life with her sisters got much more depressing after her father died and they all went off to get higher educations.

Some people I knew in Stepanakert were Robert Kocharyan, who was originally born in Stepanakert and  is now the current president of Armenia. Robert went to a university in Armenia but then he returned for the revolutionary movement in Kharabagh. He went back to Armenia after the movement and later became elected as president. I also knew his wife, her name was Bella, same as me “laughs” and she worked in my home town as a doctor.  I also knew a man named Ashot Manouchian, who also has a high place in the Armenian government now.  Before Robert Kocharyan was president we had met in the town a few times and he was pretty popular with everyone as a very clever person. 

  On the corner of our street named “Pushkin” was where Martiros Saryan lived.  He was a very famous painter in our town and his house was also a museum which we would visit frequently. I knew a famous writer in our town named Arthur Baglyan who later moved to Armenia in the revolutionary movement of 1965. I also knew Zori Balayan, a very famous journalist who helped a lot in the revolutionary movement and everyone honored him for his courage in reporting the truth.  There were also very famous actors, I remember a man named Arshakuni but I can’t remember his last name or any other actors at this moment.  When we were kids we spent time with our fellow students. Arusha Krikoryan was one, and the other was Arik Baghdasarian and they both played soccer with us.

At the time, there were many papers. One I recall was called “Hayk Tert”. There were papers of both our town and the entire world, including what was happening in Russia, America, and even America. Well, just like everywhere else, certain things were kept from us and sometimes papers would contradict each others stories.

Stepanakert, before 1917 and the communist era was called “khan ken hi” by the Azerbaijan government. Khan meant king in Turkish.  Stepanakert was named after the famous revolutionary Stepan Shahunyan. He was a very patriotic man and they named my home town after him. But even though the communist government crumbled, the name of the city was preserved.  I believe he was a great hero and he deserves the honor of representing my town.

While I lived in Stepanakert it was very very small and all four borders of the city were covered in forests.  We would pick mushrooms and pick flowers called “manooshaks”.  I am not sure exactly what you call them in English but I they are very beautiful blue flowers.  Maybe you do not know because you haven’t seen snow but there were snow flowers. They were very beautiful white flowers that we also picked.  Over there we would always walk at night and it was a very happy life. There were no taxis or cars to worry about and it was always safe. It was a very advanced city and it was not left behind on anything from the rest of the world at all. Oh and one very important detail, Glendale is very very similar to Stepanakert. The flowers, the way the streets are made. They are very similar. I also get the same mood here, except it’s much much bigger. The only difference is that there are taller buildings here. It was a very beautiful city. 

There were many great days in my childhood and it was a very wonderful life. I had a great time with my parents. We always had money for food because my dad had a very high position in the city. After my father died things got a little bad with my four sisters but before it was a very wonderful life.  Then we grew up and got a higher education.

As a child, I loved classical music but there was no “opera” in our city so we listened to the beautiful classical music on our radios.  I also loved our local folk music but even until now I love classical music.  Even in college people would ask me about the classical music songs they would hear.  I knew a lot of history and I even can help people in classical related words in crossword puzzles.  I also loved the town folk songs and they were what everyone listened to. Even I would sing at the time. I did not know many famous musicians but I knew man named Ashot Zatyan who made some music.

During the Soviet Union’s rule, no one would be a Christian because the soviet leaders did not allow it.  Though there were places people worshipped in secret but people were scared because it was not allowed. In some hidden villages surrounding ours, there were hidden churches. At the time there was no church but now there is one in the city. The second the Soviet Union crumbled, almost 100 percent of people became Christians. Now when I see the religious people on TV I get very happy.  I forgot to mention there was a hidden church in the backyard of our apartment building but it was somewhat embarrassing to go into a church and light a candle. 

When it was communist, almost everyone had very smilar living condition and there were small variations but no one was too rich . But now, capitalism has appeared and there is a big variation in social classes. People are forced to go get high level diplomas and do remedial jobs.When I was 10, World War 2 happened and we saw the hunger and the devastation but we lived well because our father had a high position and we got extra money from the government.  There were many large earthquakes that somewhat damaged the city.  There was a revolution going on at the time also.

Well honestly, I really loved my childhood and only remember good things. The only thing I am still worried about is the argument between Kharabagh and Turkey between the lands conquered by Kharabagh.  The issue is still not settled yet and I would really like to see the bigger powers in the world step in and help.