The Armenian Studies Program web page is sponsored by a grant from
The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable
Foundation, Fresno.
Throughout the years “Musa
Daghtsis,” the people who originated from the region of Musa Dagh (made famous
for their defense of the Turks
and from the famous book, Forty Days of Musa
Dagh by Franz Werfel), have told folk tales to not only educate the young
but also entertain
all. Sona Zeitlian, a graduate from the
Mrs. Zeitlian was born in
During the early 1960’s
Zeitlian
recorded some of the tales for the first time. She collected about 300
tales that are retold now in Western Armenian. She has published
them as The
Folktales of Musa Dagh, based on the oral tradition that she recorded for
the first time in
Story-tellers,
mostly men,
would open the minds of the listener to a new world full of adventure and
morality. It was the best medicine for a cold
winter’s night. Covering the
windows would give the tales a more dramatic effect so the first light would
not interrupt. It was believed
that certain stories called “koushmas” could do
the impossible, for example, they had the ability to comfort the sick and help
cure
people who had an evil spirit. This was believed to be true if the sick
people were prayed over for seven days and seven nights, without
interruption.
The Musa Dagh folk heroes
resemble the heroes we as Americans grew up with. You have the occasional king
or the heroic
prince or even the damsel in distress represented by the
princess. Most stories would feature a “zmranka” which was a magical bird
who
always seemed to know who was good and who was evil. Some characteristics of
the heroes in the folk tales are: proud, daring, confident,
risk takers, or
simply a person on a quest for a gift.
Two stories that Mrs.
Zeitlian related have remained in my mind. One was called
“Three Temptations.”
A man leaves his family due to work and years later finally comes home to see a
younger man sleeping next to his
wife. As the man ran to get his gun to shoot
his promiscuous wife he remembers that it was his son who he has not seen for
quite a while.
The tale combined sensitivity and emotions such as love, hate,
envy and greed.
The second story, which was
my favorite, begins with
a bride’s ability to see whether or not a deceased
person will go to heaven or perish in hell. When the bride’s father-in-law
passes
away she sees evil spirits. She put all her trust in the “koushmas” and
wanted to recite them for seven days and seven nights. On the
sixth night she
was very tired so her husband took over for her. He fell asleep and was unable
to complete the ritual so the father-in-law
passed away. He felt very guilty
and because of his uncontrollable emotions, stabbed his wife to death.
Adults can take these
stories
that have been passed down by generation to generation and examine the
depth, emotion and, creativity that was put into each and every
story. If you
take apart, line by line, the memories, then images of the past will come
pouring through. As a young woman with Musa
Daghtsi roots I am speechless. Mrs.
Zeitlian opened new doors for me. I for once am very interested in learning
about where and how
these folk traditions were communicated and what I can do
to help them stay actively alive.
Mrs. Zeitlian stated that
most Musa Daghtsis
are now living in a cosmopolitan setting. I witnessed a lady
about the age of my grandmother, who was born and raised in
Mrs. Zeitlian ended the
evening with a very interesting quote, “It is yesterday’s ember
that will
kindle tomorrow’s fire.” Shared traditions make not only the people of Musa
Dagh, but also everyone else around have memories
that will be carried on
forever.
