101-year-old Nektar Alatuzyan: “I killed 6 Turks in Musaler” (video)
Vigorous and active 101-year-old Nektar Alatuzyan was too little during the years of Genocide and she doesn’t remember much: she tells what happened after that, “I killed 6 Turks in Musaler, as those 6 Turks had killed many Armenians. I was at the age of 12-15.” Over the years her hearing has weakened, her memories are patchy. Stories of her life were collected by her grandchild’s wife, Geghetsik. Journalists visit granny Nektar very often: she has got used to cameras. Granny Nektar was born in Khdrbek village of Musaler and was the eldest among 5 children. She likes speaking about her father and is proud of him, “My father is a hero of 7 villages, people gathered in our house and had discussions.” During the gatherings in their house, the residents of Musaler decided to struggle and not to surrender, they were armed. The famous novel by Franz Werfel “40 days of Musaler” is their story. Granny Nektar was taken to Egypt by French ship together with her fellow villagers, in 1919 they returned to Musaler, and in 1939 they finally left Musaler and settled in Aynchar village of Beirut. “Everything is a lie, I have been in Antiock, France. I knew French, but now I forgot everything.” After marrying officer of French Army Tigran Alatuzyan, Mrs. Nektar finally settled in the RA. She has warm memories of her husband. The energy of granny Nektar is endless- she does housework chores, she sings in several languages, recites, dances and even climbs up trees. Granny Nektar has 5 children, 18 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchild. Until now her dream is to see Musaler again.
