Armenian MolokansRepublican, Num. 8 (50), 2007
Written by: Hovhannes Hovhanessyan — Translated from Armenian by: Karine Mnatzaganian |
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Original article in Armenian language.
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Armenia Molokans by Hovhannes Hovhanessyan The issue of keeping the national identity has become a significant agenda of everyday life under the current informative advanced press. Interesting enough, among the contributing factors that define types of Armenians as marked by several research studies, is the concept and role of religion in keeping the Armenian national identity. Hereby we do not wish to discuss which religion contributes best in keeping the national Armenian identity. In this circumstance, we think this question is rather subjective and is connected to the intention of the chosen topic. However, having said that, we wish to talk about a small Armenian religious sect on whom some research has been done only in the United States. It is about Armenian [Jumper] Molokans. Since the Molokan* religion branched from the Russian Orthodox Church having typical and characteristic Russian ethnic elements, from first glance it may appear that this religion may have nothing in common with the basic issues of the Armenian identity. However, the facts say otherwise. ———————————— * The founder of the Molokan religion is considered to be Simon Uklein from Tambov. There are disagreements concerning the etymology of the name of the sect. Some say that it is named after Molochnaya river; a second group claims that the sect owes the name to the Passover season during which the followers use milk; while a third group declares that the name originates from the Bible reminding them of the "spiritual milk ". In 1768, Simon Uklein together with his "70 apostles" established the activities of the sect. A short time later, it spread to Siberia, Central and Northern Russia, and also to Transcaucasia [and south Ukraine]. During the 1830s and 1840s, the Molokan sect divided into different branches: Uklein Molokans (which are the old Molokans [Constants]), Jumper Molokans [Pryguny] and so on. In Armenia the number of the Jumper branch has been the biggest, since the founder [leader of some] of the branch, Maxim Rudomiotkin, lived and worked in Armenia. [But he spent his last 20? years in a monastery prison north of Moscow] ———————————— |
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In the beginning of the 1800s, as a result of the religious
policy of the Russian Empire, the Molokans were relocated in the
Caucasus, along the Southern Russian border, thus establishing there
the foundation of Russian settlements. During the same period of time
many Molokans also dwelled in the province of Kars. During 1877-1878, after the Russian-Turkish war, in the province of Kars Russian authorities under Tsar's rule diminished the presence of different Russian religious groups including Molokans, Doukhobors, Shabatakanner (Subbotniks), Baptists and so forth. At that time, facts show that Armenian Molokans have been living in the village of Kara-Kala, (which means "black fortress") in the province of Kars. [The location of Karakala is unknown at this time.] We do not have exact information about when the Armenians started to dwell in Kara-Kala, or when the Russians built their Military outpost. The most reliable information was given by one of the contemporary writers, Sirakan Kaloian, in his book "The Emigration of Armenians from Shirak to the United States". Kaloian writes that after the Russian–Turkish war in 1877-1878, Kara-Kala ... became a modern village, with beautiful buildings and large streets. Before moving to Kara-Kala, the Armenians lived in Ghazarabad (today, Isahakyan, on the Turkish border) and were continually harassed for their Protestant faith by their fellow countrymen. Concerning these events, M. Mushegian documented interesting information from the teachings of Elder M. Perumean. Perumean noted that the hooligans of the village chased and offended the Protestants using bad language. They would defile their newly buried carcasses by hanging them on the trees along with destroying their crops. Because of this persecution, they filed a complaint to Tsar Nikolai second, who offered to move them to an abandoned Russian Military outpost. As a result the Armenian Protestants moved to Kara-Kala. Shortly after they moved to Kara-Kala a photograph was taken showing the villagers standing in front of their barrack-like homes. The photo was taken after church services so many of the people are dressed in white like the Russian Molokans. During a visit to Turkey, an emigrated Molokan tried to define the terrain of the village based on this picture. The village is located near a hilly landscape which is the main guiding line to the exact location. After the First World War, the village was totally destroyed and leveled to the ground after its remaining population fled for their lives (That this happened to the Armenian Kara-Kala has not yet been substantiated.ed). However, the villagers who live around that area still remember that not long ago there existed a Russian outpost and village. It is interesting to note that Joyce Keosababian Bivin, a descendant of the Armenian Molokans [Jumpers], stated that after Kars was handed over to the Turks, some of the Armenian and Russian Molokans [and Jumpers] decided to Turkify their family names as a safety measure while living in Turkey. There are several interesting legends related to the Armenians of Kara-Kala. One of these tells the story of an eleven year old boy, Efim G. Klubnikin, who in 1855 had a vision revealing that in the future, difficult times would come and the Molokans [Jumpers] would have to flee. In 1904, this same Prophet called a conference in the village of Novo-Mihalovka inviting elders from the Molokan [Jumper] villages, including two elders from Karakala. At this meeting it was decided by those attending that it was time to immigrate to America.The Prophet also foresaw a terrible time of persecution for the Armenians and to avoid this slaughter, the Armenians needed to emigrate from that area. Relying on prophesies, many Armenians from Karakala escaped the Turkish slaughter that took place between 1918-1920. Between 1904 and 1913, Armenian and Russian Molokans [and Jumpers] emigrated from the province of Kars [and the Caucasus]. Approximately 3000 Russian and Armenian Molokans [mostly Jumpers] immigrated to America with the hope of finding work and avoiding military service. |
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In the Boyle Heights or "Flats " section of East Los Angeles where Russian Molokans settled, the Armenian Molokans also settled and established their church community, preserving the Armenian identity, culture and elements of the Armenian language and ritual Molokan ceremonies. It is interesting, that still today, the historical memory has stayed alive among those living in Los Angeles. In the early years, the Shakarian family provided the first meeting house for the Armenians. Eventually the church moved to Goodrich Blvd. in East Los Angeles and finally to La Habra Heights where they still meet. In 1926 Soviet authorities offered most of the Molokans [and Jumpers] (Armenian and Russian) living in Kars and Ardahan, lands in the area called "Sal'skii steppe" [Rostov oblast]. As a result 90 percent of the inhabitants including the Russian Doukhobors left for Russia. In the Rostov region the Molokans and Doukhobors resettled in approximately 34 villages [40+ villages], most of which were named after previous settlements. In 1930, the national movement in Turkey enforced three Molokan villages to be renamed: Ialinchain [Yalinchalir], Atchilar and Chalkavur [Chakmak]. [See 1960s maps by Turkdogan.] In turn the Soviet Authorities provoked the Molokans living in Turkey with programs providing them with lands and houses, thus helping them settle in Stavropol province in 1962. We need to note that the Armenian Molokan community still exists though they have changed their identity to Armenian Pentecostals or Hissunakanner. They have moved from the Molokan theological ideology of M. Rudomiotkin to the principals of the Pentecostal doctrine, but still maintain some Molokan traditions along with modern forms of worship. Removing "Armenian" from the church name was done to make everyone welcome to the meetings, even non-Armenians. |
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Correspondence Aug 3, 2007 In 2006 I participated in the UCLA Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian Studies and so have some friends there. I know Peter Cowe and Hakop Guludjyan personally and also I know some Armenians studying at Arizona State University, but, unfortunately, I do not know any professors there. I have visited your website and picked up some information I needed. Why do I need information about Molokans and especially Armenian Molokans? When I was in LA, Hakop told me about them and a little bit about their history. I was very interested in the topic as my background is religious studies and history of Orthodox Church. Now I am working in Center for Civilization and Cultural Studies and I am writing a topic about Molokans in this center. I did one about Molokans in Kara-Kala and this brought me to Australia, because some families from Armenia migrated there. That’s why I need any information that can be useful for me about them, any contact or e-mail. As you already told me that they have their own molitvenii dom there so I thought you may know some of them. Also I will need any information that can be useful for me. In this sense I will appreciate if you give me the e-mail address of Alexei Sandikov’s wife. I am also ready to help them if I can because the Molokan [and Jumper] community is well accepted and respected in our country. Hovhannes Hovhannisyan
PhD, Yerevan State University, Faculty of Theology. May 20, 2009 First of all thank you very much that you have not forgotten my request and wrote me such a detailed letter. When I was at the conference at UCLA I got some information on Armenian Molokans and I decided to write about them. The article in the journal Republican attracted a lot of attention which I even did not expect. So they asked me for more new articles about such groups because the journal is quite interested in these issues. That's why I asked you about the Armenian Molokans in Australia because I do not have any information myself. I am interested in their everyday spiritual life, the level of identity, dealing with pentecostal church, the future of Armenian Molokan community, the contacts with other Armenian communities, their integration level in different events happening in Armenians' life, possible integration into Pentecostal Church, etc. I would appreciate if you also send me a list of Armenian Molokans and any other issued and problems I am not familiar with. My profile and biography [above] is OK, if some changes are needed I'll inform you. Thanks for the information provided and hope to hear from you soon. I also hope also to host Joyce in Armenia and have lots to talk about this issue. Best, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan. |
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