Arcoş was the name of my great grandmother. The videoclip Arcoş was inspired by her. Here by I am sharing her story without any change, exactly as my grandmother told me.
In 1915 Arzavat was 10 years old. She was called Arcoş by her family and friends. She changed her name to Arzu when she got married to a Turk. She spoke Armenian and read/wrote in Turkish. She had never spoken to her children in Armenian.
Her family was from the village of Armutak in Divriği district of Sivas. Her mother was called Anno and her father was Hambarsan. Hambarsan had a store in Divrigi. He was a wealthy man until 1915.
All the Amenian men from the 5 villages including the village of Arcoş were obliged by government to gather. They thought that they were going to Murat Pasa to listen to the authorities. All the men from Armutak including Hambarsan were gathered in a garden called Derin Bahce, “Deep Garden”. All of them were killed in that garden by the army of Ottomans. Names of the other 4 villages were Odur, Ersin, Hazerkek and Vartan.
Topal Osman and his men, took all the women and children including Anno and Arcos to a bridge after they had all of their valuables and belongings. Topal Osman and his men started to throw all the viliagers into the river. Another Armenian, Mother Zarife (a lady from the village) threw her son before she threw herself into the wild river called Firat.
Very few people survived. My grandmother still doesn’t know how Arcoş and Anno survived. She says “somehow they just made it.” They took refuge in a village called Saricicek. It was a Kurdish village. Anno became a maid to this family where they took a refuge. Arcos became a shepherd and was grazing small animals. After a while they moved to the house of Hambasan’s friend. They stayed there for many years. They were able to go back to Armutak, their own village, years later but their house and store were pillaged. Relatives of Arcos who became refugees in The U.S. found her in Armutak. Her relatives wanted to take her to The U.S. but she got already married to a Turkish man and had children of her own. She chose to stay in Armutak with her family.
Directed and written by Aktas Erdogan
Recorded at Percupedia Studios
An Armenian folk song Nare Nare
Arrangement and Percussions by Ruven Ruppik
Duduk by Aktas Erdogan
Dance Performance and Choreography by Yevgeniia Lavrenchuk
Costume Designed by Bianca Gallons