BEIRUT. The Haigazian University Press and Hairenik Press have announced the launch of the “Hushamatean” series. The first volume in the series is the English translation of Parunak Topalian’s My Native Village: Okhou.

First published in Boston in 1943, the book presents the history and daily life of the Armenian village of Okhou in the Palu district of the Kharberd region of the Ottoman Empire. The author, genocide committed against Armenians survivor Parunak Topalian, reconstructs the world of his lost native village through his memories. The English translation was completed by Simon Beocekian.

The “Hushamatean” series aims to translate valuable Armenian memoirs and make them accessible to new generations and international readers. The publications will also include historical commentary, demographic information, and research materials presenting the history and cultural heritage of Armenian communities in the former Ottoman Empire.

The initiative is of great importance in preserving the memory of Armenian communities lost as a result of genocide and displacement. These memoirs are not only historical sources but also testimonies through which the life, traditions, and memories of the homeland of Armenian villages and towns are passed on to future generations.

The publication of the first volume marks the beginning of extensive work aimed at preserving Armenian historical memory and passing it on to new generations and the international community.