About two months ago, candidate of philological sciences and Turkologist Lusine Sahakyan had a meeting with students of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Moscow and talked about her documentary film called “Hamshen at the Crossroads of the Past and Present”. She talked about the film since the premiere was going to be held a day later, according to plan. Not all the students had managed to attend the film screening on the day of the premiere, but after the meeting, they were impatiently waiting for the opportunity. At the initiative of teacher of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School Ashot Avetisyan, the more than one-hour film, which makes the viewer feel admiration, regret and motivation, was shown at the school, Armine Kareyan reports to Hayern Aysor from Moscow.

“Kaghtsats Mernum Em” (I’m dying from hunger), “ashkharh” (world), “dun el apris” (you did a good job too), “Astvats” (God) and “menk kertank” (we’re going)-the Moscovites listening to these words from the people of Hamshen were amazed, but continued to follow the film very carefully. They even understood the songs of Hamshen.

Some of the attendees were hearing about the people of Hamshen for the first time and were asking why they rejected their Armenian origin when they can speak in Armenian. Before they would hear the answer to that question in the film, Ashot Avetisyan told the curious attendees the main reasons and reminded them the words of the people of Hamshen hosted at “Hayordats Tun” during a meeting with Lusine Sahakyan. Despite their old age, they had just recently learned about their Armenian roots due to Turkey’s policy. Some of them have started communicating with Armenians, while others with Islamic views have rejected and have even considered it a shame to have Armenian roots.

“I have mixed emotions after watching the film. On the one hand, I feel sad that some Armenians continue to live in the homeland, have become detached from the Armenian identity and “Armenianness”. On the other hand, I think about the tremendous job that the creators of the film did and hope to see the day that Hrant Dink was talking about, the day when Turkey will cease to exist and all nations living in that country will return to their roots. The film also clearly shows that the topic of the people of Hamshen and Islamized Armenians is multilateral and one has to be careful when dealing with that. I felt cordial towards those people. There is a need for time, cultural relations and reciprocal visits for mutual recognition in order for them to consider us familiar,” Armenian history teacher of “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School Silva Gyulishyan said as she shared her impressions of the film before leaving the hall.