ARLINGTON, Mass.—Home to the Hakob Karapents library-collection, the Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) on Sun., Nov. 21 will mark the 85th birth anniversary of one of the most prolific of modern Armenian writers. Organized by the ACF, this event is co-sponsored the Amaras Art Alliance, Armenian Society of Boston, Hamazkayin Boston Chapter, the Armenian Independent Broadcasting of Boston, and the Armenian Cultural Committee of Greater Boston. The program begins at 4 p.m. and will include two keynote speeches—by Dr. Vartan Matiossian (in Armenian) and Tatul Sonentz-Papazian (in English)—and a presentation of Karapents’ life by Ani Arakelian.
Born in 1925 in Tabriz, Iran, Karapents entered the Armenian American literary and journalistic scene in 1947. Over the next 40 years until his death in 1994, he contributed extensively to major Armenian American and diaspora newspapers, magazines, and periodicals, among them the Hairenik Amsagir (Hairenik Monthly), Bagin (Altar), Alik (Wave), Asbarez (Arena), Horizoni Grakan Haueluats (Horizon Literary Supplement), and 80-akan (80’s).
Karapents contributed articles and reports to the Hairenik Oratert (Hairenik Daily) and his works have been reprinted in the pages of Armenian Diaspora papers from Boston to Istanbul, and from Cairo to Tehran. His distinctive prose style made him widely known in both the diaspora and Armenia. Albeit belatedly, they began to appear recently in the pages of the papers in his beloved Armenia.
The first literary attempts of Karapents were poems, short articles, and journalistic reports, which appeared in the pages of Aruseak, Loys (Light), Eros periodicals, and later in Alik daily. The 1950’s and 1960’s were especially fruitful. The first volume of the writer’s short stories, titled Antsanot Hoginer (Strange Souls), was released in 1970 when he was already a well-known writer. This work was followed by his second in 1972, a novel titled Kartageni dustre (The Daughter of Carthage), which received the Haykashen-Uzunian award (Beirut, 1972). In 1975, with Suren Gracian, Karapents participated and edited the Armenian portion of the text titled Khosaktsakan arewelahayeren (Spoken East Armenian) in the bilingual (Armenian-English) textbook with the same title, under the auspices and published by the American Council for Learned Societies. Karapents’ third volume, Nor ashkharhi hin sermnatsannere (The Old Sowers of the New World), was published in 1975. This and the above-mentioned two volumes were published in 1995 in Armenia in the first volume of a two-volume set of the works of Karapents.
The following six years were even more productive. The fourth volume of the works of Karapents, Mijnarar (Interlude), was published in New York in 1981. This work too was the recipient of the above-mentioned Haykashen-Uzunian literary award. The writer’s fifth volume, Adami girk’e (The Book of Adam), was a contemporary novel published in 1983 in New York. Hailed by many as perhaps the crown of Karapents’ works, this work won two awards simultaneously: the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s Alex Manoogian Literary Award and the Eliz Kavookjian-Ayvazian Award given by the French-Armenian Writers Society. Two more volumes by Karapents, Amerikian shurjpar (American Rondo) and Ankatar (Incomplete) were published in 1986 and 1987, respectively, bringing the number of his volumes to seven.
In 1989, after establishing residence in Watertown, Karapents, along with his literary works, brought his participation to the cultural life of the local community. In the following five years of his life, Karapents published two more volumes in Armenian: Erku ashkharh—grakan pordzagrutiwnner (Two Worlds: Literary Essays), Boston, 1992, and Mi mard u mi erkir ew ayl patmuatskner (A Man and A Country and Other Stories), in 1994. During the last two years of his life (1992-94), Karapents regularly contributed to the Armenian press, the Hairenik Weekly and Nor Keank (New Life) in particular. His weekly columns, covering a vast span of topics and issues (cultural, national, political, social, and artistic), appeared under the subheadings “Lusantski vray” (On the Margin) and Getap’in (By the River). A comprehensive bibliography of Karapents’ works, Karapents Matenagitutiwn (Karapents Bibliography) prepared by Dr. Ara Ghazarians, curator of the ACF, was published by Blue Crane Books in 1999.
With the exception of a few poems, short stories, and numerous articles which were published in the Armenian Review quarterly in the 1950’s and Litchfield County Times daily during the 1980’s, Karapents avoided writing in English. “It seems to me that I could have done the same work in American literature, and I actually had started to prepare myself and move in that direction in the last years by contributing to American dailies and periodicals. However, one bright day, I came to the conclusion that American literature does not need me at all, and neither do I need it… I will remain an Armenian writer, loyal to my language, its elements, and the national complexes.”
However, it was not fair for the English-speaking public, in general, and linguistically assimilated Armenian American generations, in particular, to remain deprived of Karapents’ literary wealth and rich legacy. Perhaps realizing the significance of this issue, and to introduce his work to American readers, Karapents planned his first English volume titled Return & Tiger and Other Short Stories which he closely supervised, like all his other previous volumes, in all details. Unfortunately, however, he did not live to see his tenth volume. It was released one month after his death in November 1994. A second volume in English of six short stories by the young Karapents, titled The Widening Circle and Other Early Short Stories (2008), was followed by Mtorumner (Ruminations) (2009), a collection of over 60 articles and essays were released posthumously by the ACF.
Armenia embraces Karapents
It was Karapents’ dream to see his works published in his beloved Armenia. The fact that his works were banned in Soviet Armenia among other Diaspora Armenian writers was a source of deep emotional affliction that Karapents endured in silence. During his last visit in 1989, when Armenia was on the verge of historical developments, Karapents was pleased to learn that his colleagues and literary establishments welcomed the prospect of having his works published in Armenia. The independence of Armenia and winds of change ushered a new era and opened new horizons for Karapents. Sadly he did not live to enjoy the warmth of his fatherland, its people, and more importantly his colleagues. Countless letters from numerous Armenian writers, poets, scholars, and intellectuals available in Karapents’ papers speak to close relationship and deep respect which he enjoyed among his Armenian colleagues. Shortly before his death in 1994, for the first time ever, Karapents’ American Rondo was released in Armenia followed in 1995 by a two-set volume of Karapents’ major works, of which unfortunately only the first volume was published. Had he lived yet another year Karapents would have been overjoyed and humbled to see an educational institution named after him in Yerevan. On May 5, 1995 by the decision of the Yerevan City Council, High School No. 6 in the heart of Yerevan, stone-throw away from the statue of David of Sasun, was officially named after the writer. An impressive solid structure with a student body of over six hundred in the Erebuni district of Yerevan is a living monument to Karapents where generations will have the opportunity to become acquainted with Karapents the man and the writer and his rich literary legacy. Through the efforts of a municipality of Yerevan, the ministry of education, dedicated faculty and staff, contributions and support of friends, fans and family members, including a grant from the government of Iran, the Hakob Karapents School has managed to overcome major difficulties and today stands tall as a well-equipped, remodeled, flourishing school with a bright and promising future. Perhaps the most important component of the impressive building is the Hakob Karapents Museum. Tastefully designed and equipped, this modest gallery, appropriately placed at the entrance hall of the school, will over the years turn into a place for visitors and scholars to explore the literary world of Karapents, and a source of inspiration for the youth and future generations of Armenian writers. The dedication ceremonies of the Hakob Karapents Museum on the occasion of the 85th birth anniversary of the writer, organized by Ovsanna H. Babayan, principal, and the school staff, are scheduled to take place on Dec. 10 at noon.
Armenia and diaspora mark anniversary
John F. Kennedy once said, “a nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” On Nov. 4, the 85th birth anniversary of Karapents was marked in Yerevan under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, the Writers Union of Armenia, Hamazkayin of Armenia, and the E. Charents Museum of Art and Literature. Speakers included Dr. Levon Ananyan, president of the Writers Union of Armenia, Lilit Galstyan, MP, National Assembly of Armenia also representing the Hakob Karapents Scholarship Fund, Ovsanna H. Babayan, principal of the Hakob Karapents School, as well as a number of writers and critics, Grigor Janikian, poets Avik Isahakian, painter and poet Arevshat Avagian, literary scholar and translator Artem Harutyunian, writer and publicist Seyranuhi Geghamian. The artistic segment of the program included presentations and recitations by the Karapents School students and Komitas Conservatory of Music students (Zaruhi Hakobian, accompanied by Armen Aghajanian, Seyran Avagian, and Ruzanna Melkomian). The mistress of ceremonies was Gayane Samvelian.
Similar celebrations have also been scheduled in Tehran organized by the Iranian-Armenian Writers Union in Tehran on Nov. 14, followed by special events organized at the Ararat Cultural Organization and in Los Angeles on Nov. 27. Of special significance and historic in nature are a number of initiatives planned in his native Iran. For the first time a select number of Karapents’ works will appear in Farsi. The Payman quarterly and Hooys bi-weekly, published in Tehran, have dedicated special issues and segments to Karapents and his literary legacy. The daily Alik has already dedicated pages to Karapents and has plans to publish more works by Karapents in its pages.
For more information on the Nov. 21 event at the Armenian Cultural Foundation, 441 Mystic St. in Arlington, call (781) 646 3090 or email acf.hmh@verizon.net.
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