Someone living far away wouldn't understand; I had to create this section. Because I know; I hear the silent, the hating, and the despising. All three of these individuals are proclaiming different aspects of the same truth: a shared past.
This region is a metropolitan area; this multinationality was more pronounced in the past. It wouldn't be wrong to say that Ahıska was perhaps the Istanbul of the East and the Caucasus. Georgians, Armenians, Ossetians, Laz, Assyrians, Kurds, Azeris, Turks, Tatars, Kipchaks, Chechens, Abkhazians, Circassians, Arabs, and Indians—they were all here, and still are.
I may not have the time or inspiration to explain it in this blog post. But those with eyes, ears, and a little Google skills can read and see what I'm saying and prove it to themselves.
In this section, I'll address the main groups within this diversity. Because it's among them that most disagreements and misunderstandings occur.
What I Was Told About Our Armenian Neighbors: The oral history passed down by my family also touched upon the tragedies experienced with Armenian neighbors. According to what was told, a process that began with attacks by neighbors armed with Russian support transformed into the exact opposite disaster when "the tide turned." When Russian support was cut off, the retreating neighbors allegedly wanted to leave their possessions and property with my family, whom they trusted. However, my family refused, "not wanting to get involved in these affairs." This is the story that was relayed to me.
Georgian Neighbors and Cultural Heritage: Another leg of my research is the cultural interaction with our Georgian neighbors. I later learned that our family intermarried with some Georgians who fled Georgia and sought refuge with the Ottoman Empire/Turkey. Beyond that, I witnessed heated debates with Georgians in Turkey (Çveneburi) over the ownership of shared cultural heritage, such as the "Cilveloy-Atabarı" folk song.
Broader theoretical debates also exist, such as the Georgian national narrative's claim over all of Western Asia. In the modern world, such national claims are complicated by conflicts with neighboring peoples like the Abkhaz, Akhaltsikhe Turks, or Ossetians.
Conclusion: If what I have written has sparked any curiosity in you, and if you have knowledge to share about this complex history (whether scientific or through oral tradition), please share it with me.
My goal is not conflict, but to learn together.
My research is ongoing, and my understanding of these complex histories is still evolving. I am sharing this personal journey not to pass judgment, assign blame, or reopen old wounds, but in the genuine hope of understanding the world my ancestors inhabited.
If what I have written has sparked any curiosity in you, I welcome a respectful dialogue. Especially if you are of Armenian or Georgian heritage, or from any other background in the region, and you can add context or share your own family's narrative, I would be honored to learn from you.
I will not waste time debating "who started it first." My family's oral history tells me that before the tragedies you focus on, armed Armenian groups, backed by Russia, marched on our villages. This is my inherited truth.
The subsequent "turning of the tide," your losses, and your fleeing are also part of that truth.
If your historical narrative begins only at the point of your own victimhood while ignoring the actions that preceded it, you are not seeking truth; you are seeking validation. I am not here to validate a one-sided history.
Regarding Georgian Narratives (The Arrogance of Ownership):
I will not debate cultural theft or historical arrogance. My research acknowledges intermarriage with Georgians (Çveneburi) who sought refuge with the Ottomans. However, this does not grant you ownership over our heritage.
Your claims that "Atabarı is our national song" or that Georgians are the true owners of all Western Asia are examples of the historical arrogance my ancestors spoke of. I also acknowledge that Georgian culture is intense and dominant in the region, and that the region is almost entirely populated by ethnic Georgians.
My truth is simple: You are currently the owners of a region, and you are in conflict with all your neighbors (Abkhaz, Ossetians, Ahıska Turks). Before you claim my heritage, perhaps you should secure your own.
Beyond that, I'm completely open to collaborating with you. My dream is to have someone from among you conduct archival research. Perhaps there are those working in government or familiar with the process who could help me.
Finally, I believe your country's true strength will emerge not through denial of the complex history that shaped it, but through its exploration and acceptance. Every piece of your mosaic is as valuable as the next. This is not a weakness; this diversity is a strength.
Living things metamorphose to adapt. Evolution proves that adaptation, and therefore metamorphosis, are a factor in survival and freedom. Denying this and trying to cling to the past brings weakness and illness.
Our ancestors are dead; they no longer exist. Their chapters are closed, ours are open. Let us fill this chapter with love and respect, I say.
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