Antranik Ourfalian
"I was born in the coastal village of Kabusia, Musa Dagh, on
the 1st of March, 1923.
My father, Sarkis Ourfalian, was a teacher in Kabusia. He had
moved from Marash to Aleppo and was later invited to Kabusia as
a teacher. The Ourfalian family name was adopted after my grand
grandfather had left Ourfa and moved to Marash. My mother, Nvart,
was from the village of Chengiler of Brousa. She was the sister
of ten brothers and the only daughter of Artin Yazedjian.
I received my primary education in the local school of Kabusia.
From 1937 to 1942 I attended the clerical college of "Srpotz Hagopiantz
Jarankavoratz Varjaran" in Jerusalem. I graduated from Jerusalem with
high honors.
After my graduation, in 1942, I returned to my family. They had left Musa
Dagh and settled in Anjar with the rest of the Musa Daghians, after the mass
deportation of the Armenians from the Sanjak region.
I started teaching at "Haratch" Elementary School in Anjar. I stayed there
for five years and after that I taught at the United Armenian School
of Damascus for one year only.
In 1948 I was offered to become the principal of both Armenian National
Schools of Tripoli, Lebanon. I stayed on the job for six years. In 1954
I became the principal of National Lucinian Elementary School in Bourj
Hammoud, Lebanon. The name of that school was later changed to Aksor
Kasardjian National School. I served as principal at Aksor Kasardjian for
thirty three years. In the summer of 1986 I voluntarily handed in my resignation and
retired at the age of 63. In 1988 I settled in Los Angeles close to my
children.
I have had literary and public works published in "Aztag" Daily and Weekly,
"Azad Or", "Haratch", "Housaper", "Nor Gyank", "Asbarez" Daily, and "Hye
Gyank".
My publications are "Gyanki Echer" (Pages of Life), "Musa Lere Yev Musa
Lertzin" (The Musa Dagh and The Musa Daghian), and "Gyanki Me Hedkerov"
(With The Traces of a Life)."
Antranik Ourfalian
Antranik Ourfalian passed away in August 2006, in Los Angeles.