As noted on the “Misak Kojaian Letters” page and the “Hovhaness Oozoonian Letters” page of this website, in 2018, H. Şükrü Ilıcak and I were responsible for the publication of My Dear Son Garabed: I Read Your Letter, I Cried, I Laughed. Kojaian Family Letters from Efkere/Kayseri to America (1912-1919). This book collected over 80 letters written from the village of Efkere to Haroutiun and Garabed Kojaian, in Detroit, between the years 1912 and 1919. Each letter was painstakingly transliterated,and translated, using scores of translators from around the world. The principle translating work was carried out by H. Şükrü Ilıcak, and the entire project was carried out under his direction.
The book received a great deal of favorable press, and the initial run, on Histor Press, quickly sold out. It has been re-printed by Gomidas Institute Press.
Not all of the letters from this time period in the author’s collection, however, were used in the book. It was thought that the excluded letters would prove to be of less interest to the reader than the letters that were included.
I have taken the liberty of presenting some of the omitted letters here.
Please note that these letters have not undergone the same level of scrutiny that the letters in My Dear Son Garabed have undergone. Revisions will almost certainly have to be made, and it is anticipated that more accurate translations will be posted in the next few months.
The following two letters, while undated, were probably written on September 17, 1912, as they were included on letter written by Haroutiun Kojaian, in Efkere, on that date, to his son Garabed Kojaian. It appears that both were written by “Gadar”, one of which is to “Donig”, and the other to Krikor (possibly, Krikor Oozoonian). In the picture of the letter provided, Gadar’s writing can be seen on the bottom and edges of the pages.
Letter A:
My two eyes, my precious iris, my dear son Donig
I kiss your eyes, and extend my greetings.
Tell my greetings to Krikor, too.
Your letter has arrived, and we were very pleased. You have written about the house. If it [the letter?] had arrived to Mr. Misak. But he gave up on that idea.
We too [you and I] get along well, and this house of mine is enough for you.
Come, God willing, when you are done there. Come for the house. Don’t exhaust yourself in foreign lands. It doesn’t matter whether you come or not after I die.
My son, the winter is coming—send money. I depend on this, and that person and [vertical line on left] I don’t have any money left in my pocket. Why do you do this to me? I am really tired of this. I desire things like any normal human being, but now I just stare.
I bought some wheat from Mr. Misak, and he asks for money, for your information.
Letter B:
To the Intelligent Mr. Garabed
In Istanbul, around Chemberlitash at Vezirhan
Mrs. Anush gave Mr. Garabed’s address. Send him a letter—he will be happy, my son.
[vertical line on left]. Miyaser’s letter arrived. She got the money. She will send a letter next week.
Give greetings to Hagop.
[on top of the page, written upside down]. Krikor, my son, you have sent me only two liras. I am a poor lady. I gave the rest to Salanin. Send me pocket money. You will do this too, my son?
Thank you
Gadar
The following letter is undated, but probably was written in 1912.
My Dear Noble Brother:
First of all, I would like to ask about your well-being. I kiss your hand, and hope that you have no worries—that your health, and state of mind, are at their best. As far as we are concerned, thank the Lord, our friends and family as a whole are fine. We pray for you always, so that God Almighty may grant you a long life, and success in your work. We always wish for your well-being, and if you desire the same for us, keep writing to us. Please write at least once every fortnight. If you can write every week, we will be even more grateful, because your letters will be some consolation for your parents. It will be the same for us, too, because your letters are like gifts to us-so don’t every stop writing.
My dear brother, Mr. Garabed Kojaian
I received your letter, read it, and it really made me happy. I received a card with it and read it—that amused me too. My mother and father laughed a lot and so did I. I took a long look at it.
Our school has opened, and the teachers are: a). Muncusuntsi Giragos efendi, b) Hagop Efendi c) Talastsi Parounag Efendi. A director has not yet been appointed—he has not arrived yet. There are a lot of changes. There is another teacher besides these.
Mariya [?] Oozoonian
November 4, 1913. Haji Mari Oozoonian to Haroutiun Kojaian and Garabed Kojaian. This letter, in particular, will need further translation, but hopefully the following will give an accurate sense of its essence
November 4, 1913
Dear Artin dayi [“uncle Artin”, Haroutiun Kojaian], and my brother Garabed Efendi Kojaian
I greet you, and I kiss your hands.
If you ask about us, we have no difficulties. We just miss you.
My brother Yeghia efendi [likely Misak Shabazian, Mariya’s first cousin] came, and we were very happy. Now, he’s gone, too, and there is nobody left for us. If you come back, then you will all come back together.
By God’s grace, let everybody be well—the rest is not important.
My dear brother, what is the problem? You sent my brother a kallik [?]—you left us very confused.
My dear brother, let me tell you a bit about miss Verkine [Verkine Kojaian, Garabed Kojaian’s toddler sister], as you asked for news of her. Verkine is well—she is slowly starting to speak. My Khala Hanim [aunt] brings her to us. We have coffer, and she points to it with her finger, and says “bir kah”. [Here, Verkine is expressing herself in Turkish. “Bir” means “one”, and “Kahve” means “coffee”.
[Much of the following in this letter is difficult to decipher, and an update will have to be posted in the future]
If you ask about my sister Elizabeth, she is going to school, and she kisses your hand. I have nothing left to write.
Your sister,
Haji Mari Oozoonian.
Verkine has gotten better—she is now very well. We haven’t heard from my father in a long time. Do the two of you meet? Please tell us of his well-being.
The following letter was written by Garabed Kaprelian of Darsiyak, which was a neighboring village of Efkere. It was written in Efkere, however.
March 17, 1914
Intelligent Kojaian Haroutiun Aga
First of all, I convey my greetings to you, and kiss the eye of Misak and Gabid [Garabed].
I have responded to Garabed’s card, but I did not receive any response.
Thank you for asking about our well-being in your letter. Both your household and ours have no problems.
May you be well, too, dear sirs.
Garabed Karelian of Darsiyak
Artin—tell my greetings to our fellow townsmen who reside there.