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#1 SirunTgha

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 12:02 PM

I felt like clarifiying a few points regarding Armenian diasporas as they are often neglected by Armenians in Armenia.

Armenian diasporas has been widely spreading after the collapose of the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1991. Due to the facts that, if you remember, the country was almost collapsing. There was no electricity, no warm water, no food on the market, no jobs for young work-able men. Families were starving, freezing and many dying. It was the total chaos.

Due to that fact, and i would be remissed if i did not mention that it's indeed a fact, many familes been fleeing the country.

I was one of them, i was 6 years old when my father traveled to Minsk, Belorusse to work as an engineer. 3 months later we joined him, my mother and my older brother, who was 10 at the time. We lived on a salary of 80$ a month. But at least my father could provide us food, shelter and warm water.

We then moved to Moscow to join my moyrcuyr and her family (my uncle and two cousins). After which we went to Swizerland, Lausanne, then back to Moscow, then back to Yerevan and then to Canada, Montreal. It was 1997 and I was 8 years old.

We established here since then and my father and mother (both engineers) put their education to use and slowly we started to finally live after all these hard years.

But we were not alone, at least 30 000 Armenians live in Montreal. We're a diaspora, refugees from our country's difficult times.

The way we percieve Armenia from our point of view, is we love it, we have the most patriotic feelings towards our motherland, for an Armenian living in Armenia, it's a concept slightly hard to understand. Because you're surrounded by your own people, not us, and when you see at least one Armenian in a cword here, you go and talk to him, you're the same, we are the same. The bonds we have here could not have been this strong if we lived in our country. It's a natural instinct to find your equal among those who differ.

In Montreal, as i'm sure is the same in every other country that has a big Armenian diaspora, have our own church, our own community, our own Armenian society. We are all christians and extremely patriotic. We organize annually at least 5 conferences concering the Armenian genocide, and believe me we fight for that cause more than an Armenian living in Armenia.

But in the eyes of the general population living in Armenia, we are very often percieved as traitors, infidels, unloyal Armenians who escaped the country.

Let us not forget, that more than 400 million dollars are invested by the Armenian diasporas from all around the world, in particular from America, Russia and Canada, to more than 30% of the Armenian infrastructures, social services and for the promotion of human rights.

The Armenian diasporas are what gives Armenia it's good image all around the world, no matter where I proudly say, I am an Armenian, i'll only hear positive comments towards my ethnicity and my nationality.

That is my point of view and of course my dear friends everyone is welcome to reply and discuss this subject that I find essential.

A little information for those who might be curious,

Armenians were among the first Europeans to come to America. A man called `Martin ye Armenian' was among those who lived in the British colony at Jamestown (founded in 1607), arriving either 1618 or 1619. Later, to help with the raising of silkworms, two more Armenians were invited to the colony. One of them, `George ye Armenian', according to the records, was offered an inducement of 4,000 pounds of tobacco to persuade him to remain and continue his work. Nothing, apparently, came of these efforts to raise silkworms in America.

Please, read the rest :http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/armenian/papazian/america.html

and be proud of what you are, in my eyes my country and my people are the best thing in this world smile.gif

#2 Ashot

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 05:11 PM

Very Nice story, could you post in here in the same topic as to what has been done by the Canadian Armenians. Publishments, churches in Canada, what has the Armenian Diaspora in Canada done!!! It would be interesting! anything you can dig up to fill up this thread!!!

#3 Aaron

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 07:56 PM

Read this,

http://en.wikipedia....rmenian_descent

I'm form Montreal. I've traveled around and I must say that it is one of the most, if not the most, active and organized armenian community in the world, per capita of course. If you derived ratios of the number of events planned, arts activities, attendants, organizations, schools, students, churches, clubs, etc, over the entire number of armenians in Montreal ... no doubt the value would turn out to be large if compared to other communities worldwide!

A.

Edited by Aaron, 05 February 2008 - 07:57 PM.


#4 SirunTgha

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 09:37 PM

QUOTE (Aaron @ Feb 5 2008, 07:56 PM)
Read this,

http://en.wikipedia....rmenian_descent

I'm form Montreal. I've traveled around and I must say that it is one of the most, if not the most, active and organized armenian community in the world, per capita of course. If you derived ratios of the number of events planned, arts activities, attendants, organizations, schools, students, churches, clubs, etc, over the entire number of armenians in Montreal ... no doubt the value would turn out to be large if compared to other communities worldwide!

A.


I agree with you brother!


#5 SirunTgha

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 09:38 PM

QUOTE (Ashot @ Feb 5 2008, 05:11 PM)
Very Nice story, could you post in here in the same topic as to what has been done by the Canadian Armenians. Publishments, churches in Canada, what has the Armenian Diaspora in Canada done!!! It would be interesting! anything you can dig up to fill up this thread!!!


Thank you Ashot for taking interest in my post, I believe Aaron answered your question smile.gif

#6 vava

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 10:01 PM

QUOTE (SirunTxa @ Feb 5 2008, 01:02 PM)
..... when you see at least one Armenian in a cword here, you go and talk to him, you're the same, we are the same. The bonds we have here could not have been this strong if we lived in our country. It's a natural instinct to find your equal among those who differ.



This makes several of us "Montreal" Armenians at HF - but all from different backgrounds.
I have met very few hyastancis here in Montreal, how do you perceive your "acceptance" by the diaspora here, which consist mostly of "western" Armenians? Have you any experiences other than such a "strong" welcome?



#7 SirunTgha

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Posted 05 February 2008 - 10:07 PM

QUOTE (vava @ Feb 5 2008, 11:01 PM)
This makes several of us "Montreal" Armenians at HF - but all from different backgrounds.
I have met very few hyastancis here in Montreal, how do you perceive your "acceptance" by the diaspora here, which consist mostly of "western" Armenians? Have you any experiences other than such a "strong" welcome?


I think that western Armenians are very patriotic, that's something, and me being a Yerevan born Armenian can notice the difference, I can say that Armenians from Armenia despise them all. Yes I felt a warm welcome you know, when we arrived here in 1997, the Armenian community, being mostly composed of Western Armenians has helped us with furniture, general information and much more, so yes i can say that i felt a warm welcome smile.gif

#8 Aaron

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Posted 06 February 2008 - 03:27 PM

SirunTgha (I don't know your real name) has a point when he says that relations between all Armenians are very warm here in Montreal, and we mostly have good feelings towards each other regardless of one's country of origin. By origin, I'm half Lebanese-Armenian and half Armenian-from-Armenia, I have lived in both countries when I was young, and right now, I most of all feel Montreal-Armenian.

I must say that in general and pretty much everywhere, traditional-diaspora armenians (western armenians) and armenia armenians (hyastancis) don't know each other well, and don't understand each other's mentality clearly. Living together in the diaspora, both groups are slowly getting to know each other better and it's working very well. I wouldn't say that western armenians are more patriotic since easterners are also very attached to their country and culture without showing it that much.

I would say that IN GENERAL, hyastancis are not familiar with the concept of diasporan community and the necessity to be involved in it. Perhaps this comes from the fact that they have a republican approach to things (not republican as in the american political party, I mean more of a state mentality), they are used to having a government, ministries, state structures, etc. Therefore, no need to collect donations, build schools, community centers, or churches ... there is a ministry of revenue, ministry of education, of social affairs, and the national church, respectively, for all that!

On the other hand, for western armenians, community structures were the only thing "close" they had to an "Armenia" for almost a century. It's a way of life, a tight community the members of which feel a strong responsibility for supporting the local armenian population, think about it's future, the education of the coming generations, the financial issues of the group, sometimes even it's physical security, etc. Because if they don't do it, if they don't go to meetings every evening, if they don't teach armenian to their kids, if they don't donate money to the community, if they don't have a sense of sacrifice, nobody will care about the preservation of the nation. This is something that recently arrived armenians from Armenia need to understand quickly and gain from the long experience of western armenians, before they realize that their children have become "Armenians by ancestry" only. The latter threat is not a myth as I unfortunately have little cousins in Moscow who don't speak Armenian because there are no community structures there. On the other hand, recently arrived (hyastancis) are in the best position to inject new life, new approaches, and new ideas in traditional diasporan structures. All of this is maybe what gives an impression of patriotism from the western armenians, but it is in fact the demonstration of a survival instinct. Armenians from Armenia proved their patriotism in other ways: fighting for Karabakh, staying in the country even if they have a chance to move elsewhere, serving in the army, etc. Overall, I would say that contacts between the groups should increase!

As for armenians in Armenia who despise the Western Armenians, I wouldn't take that too seriously since people there are just starting to open up to the world. Pathetic issues like "karabakhtsi" or "barsig" for iranian Armenians remain, and they are more in the ridicule domain than they are dangerous for the nation. Armenians from Armenia are not racist people, perhaps close minded since they have never lived with blacks, hispanics, asians, arabs, etc ... but definitely not racist. I can confirm this by looking at my own family!!!! After all, the first president was a western armenian born in Syria, the second wasn't born in Armenia, and the way things look, the third will also be one born outside of the republic (whether Levon or Serge). Right now, the majority of the most high ranked officials in Armenia - the president, the prime minister, the foreign affairs minister, the defence minister, and the head of the general staff of the armenian army - were all born outside of Armenia ... so nobody can convince me that hyastancis despise outside armenians, it's simply not true!

Anyways, this was long and since I wrote pretty fast it must be full of grammatical and structural mistakes, which I'm sure you'll be kind enough to forgive!

wink.gif
A.

Edited by Aaron, 06 February 2008 - 03:37 PM.


#9 SirunTgha

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Posted 06 February 2008 - 05:20 PM

QUOTE (Aaron @ Feb 6 2008, 03:27 PM)
SirunTgha (I don't know your real name) has a point when he says that relations between all Armenians are very warm here in Montreal, and we mostly have good feelings towards each other regardless of one's country of origin. By origin, I'm half Lebanese-Armenian and half Armenian-from-Armenia, I have lived in both countries when I was young, and right now, I most of all feel Montreal-Armenian.

I must say that in general and pretty much everywhere, traditional-diaspora armenians (western armenians) and armenia armenians (hyastancis) don't know each other well, and don't understand each other's mentality clearly. Living together in the diaspora, both groups are slowly getting to know each other better and it's working very well. I wouldn't say that western armenians are more patriotic since easterners are also very attached to their country and culture without showing it that much.

I would say that IN GENERAL, hyastancis are not familiar with the concept of diasporan community and the necessity to be involved in it. Perhaps this comes from the fact that they have a republican approach to things (not republican as in the american political party, I mean more of a state mentality), they are used to having a government, ministries, state structures, etc. Therefore, no need to collect donations, build schools, community centers, or churches ... there is a ministry of revenue, ministry of education, of social affairs, and the national church, respectively, for all that!

On the other hand, for western armenians, community structures were the only thing "close" they had to an "Armenia" for almost a century. It's a way of life, a tight community the members of which feel a strong responsibility for supporting the local armenian population, think about it's future, the education of the coming generations, the financial issues of the group, sometimes even it's physical security, etc. Because if they don't do it, if they don't go to meetings every evening, if they don't teach armenian to their kids, if they don't donate money to the community, if they don't have a sense of sacrifice, nobody will care about the preservation of the nation. This is something that recently arrived armenians from Armenia need to understand quickly and gain from the long experience of western armenians, before they realize that their children have become "Armenians by ancestry" only. The latter threat is not a myth as I unfortunately have little cousins in Moscow who don't speak Armenian because there are no community structures there. On the other hand, recently arrived (hyastancis) are in the best position to inject new life, new approaches, and new ideas in traditional diasporan structures. All of this is maybe what gives an impression of patriotism from the western armenians, but it is in fact the demonstration of a survival instinct. Armenians from Armenia proved their patriotism in other ways: fighting for Karabakh, staying in the country even if they have a chance to move elsewhere, serving in the army, etc. Overall, I would say that contacts between the groups should increase!

As for armenians in Armenia who despise the Western Armenians, I wouldn't take that too seriously since people there are just starting to open up to the world. Pathetic issues like "karabakhtsi" or "barsig" for iranian Armenians remain, and they are more in the ridicule domain than they are dangerous for the nation. Armenians from Armenia are not racist people, perhaps close minded since they have never lived with blacks, hispanics, asians, arabs, etc ... but definitely not racist. I can confirm this by looking at my own family!!!! After all, the first president was a western armenian born in Syria, the second wasn't born in Armenia, and the way things look, the third will also be one born outside of the republic (whether Levon or Serge). Right now, the majority of the most high ranked officials in Armenia - the president, the prime minister, the foreign affairs minister, the defence minister, and the head of the general staff of the armenian army - were all born outside of Armenia ... so nobody can convince me that hyastancis despise outside armenians, it's simply not true!

Anyways, this was long and since I wrote pretty fast it must be full of grammatical and structural mistakes, which I'm sure you'll be kind enough to forgive!

wink.gif
A.



Oh very well said!

#10 SirunTgha

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Posted 06 February 2008 - 05:22 PM

QUOTE (Aaron @ Feb 6 2008, 03:27 PM)
SirunTgha (I don't know your real name) has a point when he says that relations between all Armenians are very warm here in Montreal, and we mostly have good feelings towards each other regardless of one's country of origin. By origin, I'm half Lebanese-Armenian and half Armenian-from-Armenia, I have lived in both countries when I was young, and right now, I most of all feel Montreal-Armenian.

I must say that in general and pretty much everywhere, traditional-diaspora armenians (western armenians) and armenia armenians (hyastancis) don't know each other well, and don't understand each other's mentality clearly. Living together in the diaspora, both groups are slowly getting to know each other better and it's working very well. I wouldn't say that western armenians are more patriotic since easterners are also very attached to their country and culture without showing it that much.

I would say that IN GENERAL, hyastancis are not familiar with the concept of diasporan community and the necessity to be involved in it. Perhaps this comes from the fact that they have a republican approach to things (not republican as in the american political party, I mean more of a state mentality), they are used to having a government, ministries, state structures, etc. Therefore, no need to collect donations, build schools, community centers, or churches ... there is a ministry of revenue, ministry of education, of social affairs, and the national church, respectively, for all that!

On the other hand, for western armenians, community structures were the only thing "close" they had to an "Armenia" for almost a century. It's a way of life, a tight community the members of which feel a strong responsibility for supporting the local armenian population, think about it's future, the education of the coming generations, the financial issues of the group, sometimes even it's physical security, etc. Because if they don't do it, if they don't go to meetings every evening, if they don't teach armenian to their kids, if they don't donate money to the community, if they don't have a sense of sacrifice, nobody will care about the preservation of the nation. This is something that recently arrived armenians from Armenia need to understand quickly and gain from the long experience of western armenians, before they realize that their children have become "Armenians by ancestry" only. The latter threat is not a myth as I unfortunately have little cousins in Moscow who don't speak Armenian because there are no community structures there. On the other hand, recently arrived (hyastancis) are in the best position to inject new life, new approaches, and new ideas in traditional diasporan structures. All of this is maybe what gives an impression of patriotism from the western armenians, but it is in fact the demonstration of a survival instinct. Armenians from Armenia proved their patriotism in other ways: fighting for Karabakh, staying in the country even if they have a chance to move elsewhere, serving in the army, etc. Overall, I would say that contacts between the groups should increase!

As for armenians in Armenia who despise the Western Armenians, I wouldn't take that too seriously since people there are just starting to open up to the world. Pathetic issues like "karabakhtsi" or "barsig" for iranian Armenians remain, and they are more in the ridicule domain than they are dangerous for the nation. Armenians from Armenia are not racist people, perhaps close minded since they have never lived with blacks, hispanics, asians, arabs, etc ... but definitely not racist. I can confirm this by looking at my own family!!!! After all, the first president was a western armenian born in Syria, the second wasn't born in Armenia, and the way things look, the third will also be one born outside of the republic (whether Levon or Serge). Right now, the majority of the most high ranked officials in Armenia - the president, the prime minister, the foreign affairs minister, the defence minister, and the head of the general staff of the armenian army - were all born outside of Armenia ... so nobody can convince me that hyastancis despise outside armenians, it's simply not true!

Anyways, this was long and since I wrote pretty fast it must be full of grammatical and structural mistakes, which I'm sure you'll be kind enough to forgive!

wink.gif
A.


And my name is Nicolas.

#11 Shushi

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Posted 06 February 2008 - 10:13 PM

QUOTE (Ashot @ Feb 5 2008, 06:11 PM)
Very Nice story, could you post in here in the same topic as to what has been done by the Canadian Armenians. Publishments, churches in Canada, what has the Armenian Diaspora in Canada done!!! It would be interesting! anything you can dig up to fill up this thread!!!


In Montreal there are 3 day schools - Sourp Hagop (Pre-K to 11) (700 students) (www.sourphagop.com), École Alex Manoogian (Pre-K to 8) (450 students) (www.alexmanoogian.qc.ca) and École Notre-Dame-de-Nareg (Pre-K to 8) (300 students). All children learn French, English and Armenian. Last year Sourp Hagop was ranked 8th out of over 400 high schools in Quebec in terms of the academic results achieved by its graduating class in provincial exams. Sourp Hagop also runs a Saturday school.

In addition there are several community centres - AGBU Alex Manoogian (www.agbumontreal.org), Tekeyan, Bolisehaymuyoutioun, and Sourp Hagop (which even has a restaurant). These centres provide all kinds of activities including sports, dancing, concerts, theatre, bridge, art exhibitions, lectures, etc.

The two largest scout groups (of any kind) in Quebec are first Homenetmen and second AGBU.

There are two weekly newspapers – Horizon and Abaka as well as radio and t.v. shows.

There are several churches – Catholic, Evangelical and Apostolic. In particular the Diocese of Canada for the Armenian Apostolic Church is based in Montreal http://www.armenianchurch.ca/ .

There is no friction between Western Armenians and Hayastancis perhaps because there are relatively few Hayastancis in Montreal. The only friction in the community comes from duplication of institutions (and fundraising) – schools, churches, political lobbying – as the Dashnaks have all their own institutions (including a Serpazan).

Montreal is probably the only place in North America outside of LA where the language is fluently spoken by the younger generation, even those born in Canada. This is because there is a cultural space between the English and French speakers which means others don’t assimilate as quickly.


#12 Ashot

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Posted 06 February 2008 - 10:18 PM

Thank you very much Shushi jan, this is indeed very important to know!
I am assuming with a high rating, there will be more none Armenians attending to St. Hagop!!! Congradulations to St. Hagop, I give props...

Now what would it take to have a school with a high rating in LA?

#13 rostom

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 12:49 AM

QUOTE (Aaron @ Feb 5 2008, 05:56 PM)


In addition to the above link, here are a few other useful ones on Canadian Armenians:

http://epe.lac-bac.g...me7/volume7.htm

http://www.hayk.net/montreal
http://www.hayk.net/toronto/

There is also a book on the history of Armenians in Canada called Like Our Mountains: A History of Armenians in Canada by Isabel Kaprielian-Churchill.

#14 vava

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 03:19 PM

QUOTE (rostom @ Feb 7 2008, 01:49 AM)
There is also a book on the history of Armenians in Canada called Like Our Mountains: A History of Armenians in Canada by Isabel Kaprielian-Churchill.


Rostom have you read this book? If yes, I'm curious as to what your take is...


#15 nairi

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 06:34 PM

QUOTE (SirunTxa @ Feb 5 2008, 07:02 PM)
Armenians were among the first Europeans to come to America.


Yay. Now we may proudly rejoice on the fact that we were among the first to support and participate in European colonialism and imperialism.

Btw, did you also know that national pride-parades (i.e. I'm proud to be Armenian because such and such Armenian did this or that) were invented by Europeans?

Why do we still feel this need to imitate them? Have we lost our pride that much?


#16 Yervant1

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Posted 08 April 2018 - 12:52 PM

St Catharines Standard, Canada
April 7 2018
 
 
YESTERDAY AND TODAY: The last farm on Ontario Street Community 05:28 PM by Dennis Gannon            
B88124563Z.1_20180406172636_000_GKK4NSK2

The old family farmhouse pictured here was torn down long ago and most of the former farm replaced by a shopping mall. - Connie Bevan , Special to The Niagara Falls Review

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the late 19th century life for Armenian Christians in the Ottoman Empire was difficult. That consideration is likely what led so many Armenians to come to this country during those years. A good number of them chose to settle in St. Catharines.

Faced with conscription into the Ottoman army, Armenian Ohannes Torosian, with his wife Hyanoosh (Agnes), left the Old World behind and came to this country in 1909. By 1912 they had settled here in St. Catharines, where son Hygus was born later that year and son Harry in 1919. Like many of his fellow Armenians, Ohannes initially settled near the intersection of Carlton and Ontario streets, where McKinnon Industries offered employment opportunities for such new arrivals.

This week's old photo shows the old farm house on the east side of Ontario Street, above Carlton, that the Torosians ultimately called home. During much of the 19th century the house had belonged to farmer J.W. Johnson, whose property once extended all the way from Twelve Mile Creek eastward to Haig Street, and from Carlton Street northward almost all the way to Scott. By the early 1890s that extensive property had begun to be sold off piece by piece, with the farm house itself and adjacent property then owned by farmer Henry Hogben.

By the 1920s Ohannes Torosian owned the old farm house at 350 Ontario Street and was growing tender fruit trees on the adjacent farm land. He became a familiar figure on the Market Square in downtown St. Catharines. His family had a stall there for some 70 years, and for a time son Hygus was president of the Market Vendors' Association.

With the economic and demographic changes that followed the Second World War the area along Ontario north of Carlton was gradually invaded by non-farming activities. The Torosian family's farmer-neighbours moved on to other things, and the stretch of Ontario from Carlton to the QEW was slowly taken over by gas stations, auto body repair shops, car dealerships, fast food restaurants, and a large bowling alley that ultimately grew into the Parkway Motor Inn complex.

Torosian patriarch Ohannes Torosian died in 1975, age 94, but sons Hygus and Harry remained in their Ontario Street homes until the late 1980s — Harry in the old farm house at 350 Ontario and Hygus in a modern house next door at 354 Ontario. They were the last vestiges of the area's former agricultural economy. By 1990 Hygus and Harry had both sold their properties and moved to other parts of the city.

The old family farmhouse pictured here was torn down long ago and most of the former farm replaced by a shopping mall. Today Big Tuna Asian Cuisine stands where the old farm house once stood. But not all of the old farm was sold. The family gave the city several acres at the rear of their property for a neighbourhood park. The next time you're on Ventura Drive, look for Torosian Park, the welcome bit of greenspace the family left behind for us all to enjoy.

 

Dennis Gannon is a member of the Historical Society of St. Catharines. He can be reached at gannond2002@yahoo.com               

https://www.stcathar...ontario-street/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 






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