Armenia · Tavush · 23 June 2021
The Yellow Door
A family from Artsakh, a new house on the border, and a yellow door facing the hills. With their voices.
From An Armenian Journal
We travelled to Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, Tavush province in the north-east, meeting families displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.
These families were not only displaced but at the time of meeting had little hope and aspiration left. I, again, felt out of my depth providing comfort with my own words.
Field note · 23 June 2021
Anahit and Aharon came from Vurgavan, a village in the Lachin district, with their five children.
A programme for families with many children gave them a house here, a few kilometres from the border. They had moved in a week before.
Listen · Anahit
We didn’t plan to leave our home, we just fled. They were told to leave the village in such a hurry that the only thing they took was the key to the house.
In Armenian · 1 min 08 · English from the interview transcript
We’ll stay here. Where should we go?
When you look at the border, you feel you have to be strong and stand firm to protect it.
Field note · The door
At the edge of the village a yellow door faces the hills.
It was the brightest thing for miles. I kept coming back to it.
Listen · Anahit
It’s not a frustration. We don’t have the right to get frustrated. We have to struggle. It’s painful to lose a house. My child can’t forget our house. But you can’t sit and weep for days.
In Armenian · 1 min 38 · English from the interview transcript
If they want to know what’s going on, they should come see it with their own eyes.
Listen · The neighbour’s tractor
When they were moving to this house, someone from the village learnt that an Artsakh family was moving in. He came back with his tractor and ploughed the plot to get it ready for the family.
In Armenian · 1 min 57 · English from the interview transcript
We are, we will be and we will stay where we are.
End of the walk
Peace is the only thing we want
Anahit and Aharon spoke for forty minutes. These are three moments from that afternoon. Their full story is a chapter of my forthcoming book, An Armenian Journal.
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