The Arslanian family

THE  ARSLANIAN FAMILY

The Arslanian family lived for generations in the town of Hadjin, Cilicia. It is believed that the family came from Artsakh and settled down in Hadjin several centuries ago. The etymology of their surname goes back to a family ancestor who was challenged to a fight by a Turk called Arslan, meaning “lion.” The Turk was defeated, and the local bey said to the ancestor, “You deserve to be called Arslan.” According to another story, the Arslanians were called “kekelle” (Turkish: rooster) due to their rebellious character and temperament. The Arslanians were tinsmiths, and when the road conditions would allow, they traveled from village to village, tinning copper pots and other kitchen items.In 1915, the Arslanian family got a deportation order. Stepan and Ovsanna Arslanian, along with their children Nver, Zaruhi, and Simon, Stepan’s mother, Hripsime Pnnikian, and sister-in-law, Varvar Antonian, were placed in a caravan heading to Homs. only Stepan, Ovsanna, Simon, and Varvar survived the journey: the others starved to death, with grass being the only food source for two months. Stepan buried his two daughters and mother in the Syrian desert. The remaining 25 members of his family were deported to Deir-ez-Zor, where they all fell victim to robberies, diseases, and starvation. After World War I, Stepan, Ovsanna, and Simon returned to Cilicia, hoping to settle back into life in Hadjin once again. In 1920, the kemalist Turks besieged the town; they took refuge in Adana, under the French governance at the time. In october 1920, Hadjin had been ransacked and destroyed by the Turks. Except for a few hundred of the defenders, the rest, including several relatives, were martyred after eight long months of siege and resistance. A year later, on october 26, 1921, Stepan and Ovsanna’s son, Antranig, was born. Twenty-one days after his birth, the Arslanians boarded a Greek ship in the port of Mersin, along with thousands of other Armenian refugees facing the imminent retreat of the French troops and the advance of the Turkish army. They wandered the Mediterranean Sea for two months, where the Ports of Said, Cyprus, Izmir, and Constantinople repeatedly rejected them. Finally, on December 24, 1921, they anchored in Athens and settled into a small area called Fix – a settlement for immigrants. Life in Athens was very hard for the Armenians; the Greek economy was ruined due to the war and a large influx of immigrants. In 1924, a girl was born into the Arslanian family. Her name was Hripsime, in memory of Stepan’s late mother, who perished in the Syrian desert. The Arslanian family lived in Greece for a few years, hoping to return to their ancestral homeland. Still, after time, they accepted the harrowing reality that they would never be able to return to their beloved Hadjin. Stepan and Ovsanna had relatives in Argentina, Misak Pnnikian and Issac Bakchellian, who settled in Buenos Aires in the early 1900s. After learning about the Arslanian family’s hardships, they rushed to help them relocate to Argentina. 

THE ARSLANIANS IN ARGENTINA 

The Arslanians arrived in Argentina on March 21, 1927. After living at Pnnikian’s residence for a few weeks, they moved to a conventillo (hostel tenanted mainly by immigrants) inhabited chiefly by the Armenian survivors of the Genocide. During the first couple of years, Stepan had different jobs working as a tinsmith, shoe shinstreet cleaner, and in an abattoir. His primary goal was to get his family out of poverty and be able to provide them with a fresh start. Ovsanna worked as a laundress and seamstress, contributing any way she could, and so did Simon, helping his father after school. Ovsanna and Stepan took pride in all three children who received a proper education. Argentina was a blessing for all Armenian immigrants. By the 1930s, there were Armenian schools, churches, clubs, and cultural centers, many of which are functioning till today. Over time, the Arslanian family moved into their own house in Pompeya, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires. At the time, Argentina was generous, allowing these estranged families to begin a new life while still healing from all the pain caused by the tragic events. Against all the odds, they could prosper again and live on as Armenians in a new country. Upon completing secondary school, Antranig Arslanian was admitted to the prestigious University of Buenos Aires, where he studied to become a dental surgeon. This was a short-lived career for Antranig, and in the 1950s, Simon and Antranig founded a textile company. Hripsime’s husband, Elias, also joined this endeavor.In 1953, at an event at the Argentinian-Armenian University Center, Antranig Arslanian met Anitza Yatzitchian, a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, who had just arrived in Argentina to visit her family who had emigrated from Greece to Argentina after World War II. A year later, in January 1954, Antranig and Anna married, laying the foundation of a deeply rooted traditional Armenian family. They had three children, Stepan, Garo, and Armen, who grew up with a strong sense of an Armenian identity. Antranig Arslanian became one of the most active Hadjentsis in the Armenian community of Argentina. Throughout his life, he treasured his Armenian roots and took pride in upholding the unwavering spirit of his native Hadjin. Like their parents, the three brothers also embraced their Armenian roots and took an active role within the Armenian Diaspora in Argentina by joining various social and political organizations. Initially, the brothers were part of the family business but later set up their own manufacturing company specializing in manufacturing labels apparel industry. over time, the company prospered, gaining great momentum and securing a relevant position in the sector. Inspired by their success, in 1991, the brothers set up a similar company in Los Angeles (California). Currently, NATco LLC has 13 branches spread across the world. Stepan Arslanian Sr. passed away in 1970, and Ovsanna in 1978. 

Today, more than 60 of their descendants, living in Buenos Aires and California, not only partake in the life of the Armenian Diaspora in their respective countries, but they also maintain close relationships with their motherland, Armenia. They are all proud of their roots and origins and are unconditionally committed to preserving their family’s ancestral heritage. After a prolonged illness, Anitza Arslanian passed away on November 25, 2011. Antranig Arslanian passed away on April 27, 2014, in Buenos Aires, surrounded by his loving family. His three children, Stepan, Garo, and Armen, have carried on his patriotic legacy. The charitable activity of the Arslanian family is boundless, ranging from a longstanding collaboration with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to various educational and cultural initiatives in Nor Hachn and constant support for wounded soldiers through different charitable foundations, as well as commercial investments, to name a few.. In recognition of their numerous charitable initiatives in the town of Nor Hachn (art school, kindergarten, museum), in 2015, the Arslanian brothers were granted the “Honorary Citizen of Nor Hachn.” They are considered “best friends” of the Nor Hachn community and remain committed to their ongoing charitable calling to this day. The living memory of Stepan and Ovsanna Arslanian is the driving force that fuels the new generation of the Arslanians and encourages them to preserve and strengthen their ties with the Motherland. This is the authentic spirit inherited from their forefathers who had been natives of the “fortress of eagles” in the Taurus mountains – Hadjin. Stepan Arslanian married Patricia Babikian and has two children: Ruben Andranik (wife: Nune Margaryan), Mercedes Aline, and a grandson, Aram Stepan. Garo Arslanian married Silvia Sasyan and has three children: Antranig Nicolas (wife: Mariana Chalukian), Levon Carlos (wife: Zaruhi Nazaryan), and kevork Marcelo (wife: Gabriela Zadikian). Their grandchildren are Agustin Garo, Francisco Aram, Meline, Nare, and Raffi. Armen Arslanian married Laura Ansurlian and has three children: Viken Gabriel (wife: Sabine Hovaguimian), Vartan Federico (wife: Rebecca Avadessian), and Julieta Ana. Their grandchildren are Isabella Laura, Lilia Gabriela, and Armen Federico.