Interview with Mikayel Harutyunyan

Armenian Oral History Project
Interview with: Mikayel Harutyunyan
Interviewed by: Jackie Kachadourian
Transcriber: Cordelia Jannetty
Date of interview: 2 February 2018
Interview Setting: Binghamton
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(Start of Interview)

00:13
JK: My name is Jacqueline Kachadourian, I am interviewing, um, for the Binghamton University Oral History Project Today is February 2, 2018. Um, will you please state your name for the record?

00:25
MH: My name is Mikayel Harutyunyan.

00:28
JK: And can you give us some biograph-uh, biographical information like where you are from.

00:33
MH: Yeah, um I was born in 1998 in Armenia, Yerevan, uh and since then I have moved to America, um, for studies.

00:47
JK: And, um, growing up in Armenia, uh how long did you live there until you moved ̶

00:53
MH: I lived there until I was thirteen years old.

00:55
JK: And then you moved to the United States?

00:57
MH: Yes.

00:59
JK: And, um, would you tell us about your parents, u their occupations and their role in [indistinct] ̶

01:04
MH: Uh, my dad is a businessman, uh so he does multiple ̶ he, he deals with multiple companies, multiple different jobs. And my mom is a ̶ used to be a banker, an accountant and then she is now a stay at home mom who studies in college.

01:25
JK: And did you have any siblings growing up?

01:27
MH: Yes I have. When I was growing up I had a one year like an older brother whose one, one years old one year older than me. But now I also have a, a eight year old small brother.

01:39
JK: And did you attend Armenian lang-language school or bible school or ̶

01:43
MH: Uh, well yeah when I was in Armenian I was in an Armenian school.

01:48
JK: And, uh, did you ̶ assuming in Armenia you spoke Armenian ̶

01:53
MH: Yes.

01:54
JK: Uh, did you learn any other languages like Turkish or [indistinct] ̶

01:57
MH: Uh, I learned Russian.

01:58
JK: Russian.

01:59
MH: Uh, Russian is the second language for Armenians in Yerevan.

02:03
JK: And, um, uh, did your family a-always stay in Armenia in like the past, or did they move from different places to Armenia?

02:13
MH: Yeah, uh, my mom's side, uh, had lived in Armenia in, uh, I mean both of the sides have lived in Armenia but not Yerevan ̶ only the, uh, grandparents, uh, my grandparents that moved to Yerevan and since then their kids, uh, my mom's side comes from, uh, uh, Hoktemberyan. And my dad’s side comes from, uh, [indistinct], in Ijevan.

02:41
JK: And, um, did your family ever go through the Armenian genocide or were they not part of it?

02:50
MH: Uh, I know that my mom's side was affected because her, um, her uncle's parents they, they were separated at, uh, when they were moving away from Armenia, or fleeing Armenia to come to U-the US. They, uh, separated-the older and the younger brothers were separated because they were put into, uh, different, uh, home services for kids, uh, and they accidentally ̶ one of the kids' names was changes ̶ last names was changed so they do not even have the same last name even though they are cousins.

03:31
JK: Mhm, and did they ever reconnect, do you know?

03:33
MH: Yeah they, they reconnect they reconnected later on and, uh, they are bo ̶ all, all of them are in, uh, America ̶ or -Los Angeles.

03:40
JK: Okay. And, uh, growing up in Armenia, was it like ̶ um, moving to the United States ̶ how was it similar or different?

03:51
MH: Uh, I feel like my parents were always kind of, um, like, uh, they, they were active in the US ̶ in Europe they traveled a lot so we were kind of used to this ̶ the English language, watching stuff in English, um, we ̶ I mean obviously I was not good at speaking, uh, I thought I was because I studied in Armenia but turned out when I first arrived it was not easy, um, but after a while, I got used to it.

04:16
JK: Um, growing ̶ uh when you moved to the United States, uh, what part did you move to?

04:21
MH: Uh, we moved straight to New York, um, yeah Westchester.

04:26
JK: And were there a lot of Armenians in the area or no?

04:28
MH: Not a lot at all, uh, and the Armenians that are there, they have been here for such a long time that it is kind of different, uh, yeah.

04:37
JK: And, um, growing, growing up in Westchester did your parents speak Armenian in the household or did they ̶

04:44
MH: Yeah, uh, we speak in Armenian but my younger brother he started losing the ability to speak Armenian so he just ̶ he usually has a tough time speaking but yeah we usually speak Armenian in the household.

05:01
JK: And did you guys accustom to like, uh, American standards or did you guys keep with the Armenian traditions?

05:08
MH: I think we kept ̶ we most likely kept like the traditions, the Armenian but we also incorporated the American stuff like Thanksgiving and Christmas even though we Armenians do not celebrate those two. Um, but we ̶ but we also keep the Armenian Easter and stuff January 6.

05:26
JK: And when you were in Armenia did you attend church regularly?

05:30
MH: Hhm not regularly, we, we would attend obviously for any, um, weddings and, uh, and, uh, what is it called other, other events that happen in the church and we would go sometimes to pray and, um, light candles but not regularly, I would not-

05:49
JK: Um, was it were you [indistinct] living in Westchester, uh, the Armenian community, or was it mostly your [indistinct] your American friends?

05:58
MH: Uh, we are ̶ we have one, uh, family friends in-a few minutes away from us in Westchester but, uh, usually my friends are American, uh, and we, we usually ̶ we ̶ there is an Armenian church in Westchester that we attend sometimes but we do not really know anyone from there.

06:19
JK: And coming to Binghamton University, um, do you know, do you know if there is a big population of Armenians or have you seen-?

06:28
MH: I have not really seen much I have seen just a couple people that are Armenian and, uh, I do not really think there is a big community here.

06:37
JK: Yeah, um, and then let us see, so growing up in the household in, uh, Armenia what was it ̶ what was it like compared to like now within like the classes et cetera, school life?

06:56
MH: Uh, yeah I mean obviously school life is much different I was going to a public, uh, private school in Armenia, uh, which was kind of more similar to American schools than any other school in Armenia so I am kind of more used to it but at the same time it is, it is obviously different and, uh, the household seems to be the same not, not much of a difference there.

07:17
JK: And, uh, have you ever been back to Armenia since you left or ̶

07:21
MH: I ̶ yeah, I, I cannot go back and I have not been there before, uh, since the five years I have been here because once I go back there is a problem with the Armenian, uh, army and even pe-people with citizenship in the United States, uh, uh, that are-that have come, uh, from Armenia and then became citizens they can still, uh, be taken to the army even if they go back.

07:46
JK: Oh okay.

07:46
MH: Yeah.

07:47
JK: And do you have any family in Armenia or are they ̶

07:50
MH: I, I do yeah I have my, uh, dads, uh, side, grandma and uncle.

07:55
JK: Okay.

07:56
MH: With-with kids and wife.

07:58
JK: Um, if it was possible would you want to go back or ̶

08:00
MH: Oh yeah, of course, I would like to visit.

08:03
JK: Yeah and, uh, what were the ̶ what were the circumstances in which you guys had to come ̶ or leave Armenia and come to the Westchester ̶ were you happy about it or were you ̶

08:14
MH: Uh, yeah I think, uh, it has been ̶ my dad has been planning it for a while, not planning but thinking about it because my so in around 2000, uh, around the year 2000 my grandparents won the, the green card and went to LA. My, my mom's side, uh, yeah grandparents went to live in Glendale which has a very big Armenian community and, uh, since then obviously the idea was to join with them ̶ join-go to America was pretty vivid but, uh, we pushed it as education and obviously avoiding the war and, uh, avoiding, uh, going to the army.

09:00
JK: And, um, you ever you think you guys would ever go to Glendale or ̶

09:09
MH: Uh.

09:11
JK: ̶ Probably stay in Westchester.

09:11
MH: Um, there is an idea I mean yeah if, if anything it there is its different circumstances obviously but, um, it depends on what happens but the idea to move to Glendale is not, not a terrible one there is ̶ it is a big community there but, um, I, I feel like this is better ̶ kind of not too close to the community because I know that many people who live there they just do not even learn English because they have everything they need to just speak Armenian and not, um, get American ̶ not get Americanized I guess.

09:46
JK: And, um, what were some of the Armenian traditions that you guys kept in the household like did you guys celebrate Armenian Christmas as opposed to traditional Christmas?

09:56
MH: We ̶ I guess we cel ̶ we celebrate both, um, we celebrate the American one and the Armenian on January six, uh, and, um, yeah, yeah we, we kept those kind of traditions.

10:14
JK: Um, and then growing-as you grow older, grow older do you want to keep those traditions in the household like speaking Armenian?

10:23
MH: Yeah, yeah definitely I, I would like that I'd like it if-if we kept it and even, uh, other type of traditions, too in, uh, I guess marriage and stuff.

10:33
JK: Mhm and, um, it is important to your parents to, uh, for you to keep those traditions not just like yourself but your parents want you-

10:42
MH: Uh, I do not know actually, um, they have not really ever specified they need the traditions kept I guess it is just assumed that we are going to and, uh, we never ̶ me and my brothers never said that we were not I guess it is ̶ it is kind of obvious for us.

10:57
JK: Yeah, um, uh, coming to Binghamton and obviously the United States what were some of the new traditions that you guys, uh, brought into your household? If, you know, any ̶ or ̶ besides holidays and stuff.

11:14
MH: Um, I do not, I do not think there is anything that big, uh, not, not really no.

11:24
JK: And, um, when you went to ̶ I am assuming you went to high school in Westchester?

11:29
MH: Yeah.

11:29
JK: Um, did-were people surprised that you were from Armenia like did they know about Armenian culture?

11:38
MH: Uh, they would ask because I, I have an accent and stuff they would ask about it but, uh, it would ̶ they would assume or they would like pretend that they knew where, where it is but obviously it is like such a small country it is not really ̶ but people were interested yeah people were wondering about stuff and I, I tried to kind of show my culture as well.

12:01
JK: And, um, what-what do you think that makes ̶ what makes you most Armenian in your eyes? Like what is ̶

12:08
MH: What makes me most Armenian? My nose [laughs] No, uh, I do not know, uh, I guess, uh, the way I think I guess is very Armenian traditionalist I guess, um, and, uh, political views I guess a little bit but-

12:30
JK: Um, do you ̶ what do you think is the ̶ do you think like church is an important Armenia like what makes ̶ what do you believe that makes Armenia like important? The language, the culture ̶

12:42
MH: Yeah the, the language is very important because, uh, our letters are our own we do not even it, it does not come from any trees it is just created by us and we speak it and it is really rare for a language to have a ̶ to be like that for such a small country and history is very important obviously, um, pride, um, and church is too.

13:07
JK: And do you think Armenia could re ̶ uh, remain without the language or the church of the homeland or ̶

13:14
MH: Um, can Armenia remain without having a homeland?

13:18
JK: Yeah, like ̶

13:18
MH: Yeah like I get what you are saying the history traditions stuff.

13:21
JK: Yeah.

13:22
MH: People ̶ when people usually ̶ I mean you can kind of see it in, uh, people who have moved here a lot of them, uh, try to keep the traditions and they do go to church but sometimes it just does not work out and slowly they, uh, get more Americanized which is fine I guess but, uh, there are so many Armenians all over the world in completely different places and they ae all completely different but they are all proud to be Armenian. I guess that is how it can remain.

13:50
JK: And you see, uh, bringing the topic up ̶ do you see a difference between the Armenians who are in Armenia and like, uh, the diaspora ̶

13:57
MH: Yeah defin ̶ definitely I went to camp over the summer, uh, the Armenian camp. All the people ̶ most of the people there were I would say 95 percent were American-born in American or Canada and, uh, it, it is not, it is not something specific but it is obviously different than from people in Armenia than how people in Armenia are.

14:20
JK: Uh, do you know any ̶ like could you name any examples or it is just gener ̶ like general.

14:25
MH: It is just that ̶ I really cannot it is just, just the feeling of the interaction just the culture I guess but they do keep ̶ I know that they are strong in keeping the tradition of church every Sunday they, they would have a church, um, they would invite, uh, like a preacher ̶ Armenian preacher and they would have church.

14:46
JK: And, um, uh, let us see how would you identify yourself as like Armenian-American, American-Armenian?

14:57
MH: I would just say Armenian.

14:58
JK: Armenian.

14:58
MH: Yeah, I ̶ not, uh, I guess it is too early to say Armenian-American yet.

15:04
JK: Um, and, uh, for your siblings like you and your older brother and you and your younger brother do you communicate them ̶ to them with-in Armenian or ̶

15:15
MH: Yeah with my, uh, older brother I definitely do. With my younger one, I try to but sometimes he does not understand some things I say so we switch to English but usually, I try to communicate with them in Armenian.

15:28
JK: And, um, um, as you grow older do you want to move back to Armenia if it was possible or do you want to stay?

15:51
MH: Um, permanently probably not I would want to move, move back. Sometimes I do think about how my life would be different if I stayed in Armenia but at the same time, I think the opportunity in America is way too large to miss out on, um, since I am already here. But I would want to visit Armenia. I definitely ̶ I would want to go for a couple months at a time.

16:12
JK: And, uh, going back to like your past history like your past family history, uh, you were saying how your mom's family was affected by the genocide have you ever visited like the villages they came from-they are still intact?

16:27
MH: Uh, the village my, my, my, my mom’s side is on is, uh, I visited many times and same, same with my dad's side. Actually I visited the dad's side even more because in Ijevan, Ijevan is right next to Azerbaijan border but it, it really was not affected by, uh, the war and, uh, by the genocide with the Turks so, um, we visit there all the time. And my-my mom's side it is Hoktemberyan we, we would go there I, I was a kid I would go there more because my grandparents were here ̶ were back in Armenia, um, but yeah, uh, but the original, original sites like in even in Turkey that, that has been taken over ̶ I have not visited those.

17:08
JK: Would you want to if the opportunity arises [indistinct].

17:13
MH: Probably not. I, I people go to Turkey a lot of time from Armenia but, uh, I do not know I have never felt the urge to do that.

17:23
JK: And, uh, what ̶ do you know the reason why your family decided to stay in Armenia rather than re-relocate, uh, during that time?

17:32
MH: Oh during that time. I really do not know why. I think I think both the villages-both of the villages that they stayed in were not really that affected, um, Ijevan my, my dad’s side, uh, I guess and they were not it was not like they were staying there permanently it ̶ my grandparents were already in Yerevan, uh, both of them so it, it was not going to affect them as much, uh, or like with Azerbaijan. So I guess it, it just happened to be really convenient to stay, safe.

18:08
JK: And, uh, was it was there any difficulties coming to the United States at a young age?

18:17
MH: Yeah, uh, obviously there is going to be, uh, is ̶ you are going to be having a tough time the first couple months because of the language barrier, uh, my grades were not that great and then, uh, and when ̶ they did get better obviously because, um, I came to Binghamton ̶ I needed to go to college um but it was tough, uh, the language barrier was always I mean there and culturally were also completely different from American people so, socially, it was also affected.

18:51
JK: And, um, and I know you already mentioned this but it's important to keep the tradition of speaking Armenian alive and to uphold the Armenian traditions, um, why-why is it important for you to [indistinct].

19:12
MH: Um I, I would say I am like nationalist [laughs] nationalistic towards Armenia. I mean I really love my country, um, so, uh, keeping the language is number one way to keep the traditions alive ̶ keep the culture alive, uh, language is very important and you can see it in, uh, every immigrant group that has moved; Italians, Irish, uh, all the, uh, Latinos that moved from different countries they, they, they keep ̶ they have sections of country where there is a lot of them and they speak the language because they need to keep the culture alive in a different country, um, so it is important to, uh, keep our Armenians ̶ like Armenia ideology.

20:00
JK: Um, is there anything else you would like to add?

20:03
MH: Uh, no I, I think, I think that is it, yeah that is about it.

20:05
JK: All right thank you.

(End of Interview)

2 February 2018

Jacqueline Kachadourian

Mikayel Harutyunyan

Mikayel Harutyunyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia, and moved to New York in 2012. He received his Bachelor's degree in  Graphic Design from Binghamton University in 2020. While studying at Binghamton University, he was the Graphic Design Intern at Pipe Dream Newspaper. Harutyunyan plans to work in either product design or graphic design in the entertainment industry.

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Armenians; Traditions; Yerevan; Church; Culture; New York; Family; Language; Family.