The Split Rug

This rug, torn in two during the Armenian Genocide, became a symbol of survival and reunion. Fifty years later, two sisters, separated by war and displacement, found each other again—each having held onto one half, halfway across the world. (Photo credit: the artist)

This summer, I traveled to Armenia, and in the belly of a museum dedicated to Armenian rugs I encountered a century-old rug, split down the middle and sewn back together. The story behind it reminded me of tales I grew up hearing about the Armenian genocide. During the massacres perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks, an Armenian mother tore the family’s carpet in two, giving a piece to each of her daughters, instructing them to use it to find each other if separated. Amid the chaos, the sisters did, indeed lose each other, only to be reunited 50 years later in a New York City Armenian church. They used the carpet fragments to confirm their identities.

A glimpse into our visit to the Megerian Carpet Factory in Yerevan, Armenia. Clockwise from top left: yarns hanging from the loom, ready to be hand-knotted into a carpet; the natural dyes that give Armenian carpets their rich colors; the factory floor where artisans handweave each piece; and my daughters learning the traditional Armenian double-knot technique.

This story illustrates how deeply art and culture are intertwined with Armenian identity. Armenians, scattered worldwide, hold onto tangible connections like heirlooms that link them to their heritage and to the broader global community. As Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Saroyan said, "Go ahead, destroy Armenia... Then see if they will not laugh, sing, and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia." (Saroyan 1936, 438)

In an increasingly digital world, an online space for Armenians to connect and share their stories feels essential. As an artist in the Armenian diaspora, I sought such a community and found it in Azad Archives, a platform dedicated to preserving Armenian history, culture, and stories, especially through the lens of the diaspora. What makes Azad Archives significant is that it addresses marginalized voices, such as LGBTQ+ Armenians and those of mixed heritage, offering a space where their stories can be shared.

Screenshot of the homepage of the website Azad Archives. Source: Azad Archives, accessed October 25, 2024, www.azadarchives.com.

Azad Archives is available in both Armenian and English and is divided into three sections: ‘Dialogue’, which features interviews with artists and creators; ‘Art & Culture’, which showcases work by diaspora artists; and ‘Society’ , which analyzes the state of Armenian identity globally. One powerful example of the connection this platform fosters is a poem published in March 2024, “You Taught Me How to Say My Name” by Nadine Araksi. The poem touched me deeply, describing the significance of someone taking the time to learn how to say an Armenian name correctly. As an Armenian diasporan, this resonates strongly with the experience of juggling different identities(Araksi 2024).

Like Armenian diaspora newspapers before it, Azad Archives plays a crucial role in bringing together scattered communities. As Rachel Barton wrote in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival blog post discussing the history of Armenian American newspapers: “We create community in a variety of ways. A community can be the familiar faces and houses you pass on your daily walk, or the swirl of shared language in the air. Sometimes, it takes the form of ink on paper. As physical communities are changed or taken away, communities based on interpersonal connection and commonality are reinforced to maintain a sense of home in a tumultuous world.” (Barton 2018)

If Armenian print newspapers once served as a unifying force for local communities, Azad Archives provides this connection for the global artistic Armenian community. It fosters solidarity by encouraging contributions of personal histories and artwork, allowing Armenians around the world to connect and share experiences.

Azad Archives is like that split carpet—it helps us find each other, piecing together our shared history and creating something new. As the Armenian community faces ongoing challenges, platforms like this are vital to maintaining our culture and keeping us united.

References

Araksi, Nadine. 2024. “You Taught Me How To Say My Name.” Azad Archives. https://www.azadarchives.com/dialogue/you-taught-me-how-to-say-my-name/.

Azad Archives. "Azad Archives." Accessed October 25, 2024. www.azadarchives.com

Barton, Rachel. 2018. “Linking Language: A Brief History of Armenian American Newspapers.” Smithsonian Folklife Festival. https://festival.si.edu/blog/linking-language-history-of-armenian-american-newspapers.

Saroyan, William. 1936. Inhale and Exhale. New York: Random House.