Gregorio Belaunde: French-Peruvian and a Little Bit Armenian

I also discovered members of another branch of the family who had migrated to Egypt in the 1880s, and then left because of Nasser. They all fondly remembered my mother. One of them was an old lady married to a Swiss diplomat, who told me a lot about the family history (hailing from Tokat, originally). A daughter of one of her brothers who lived in Spain, who is my age, also ended up marrying a Peruvian, like my mother. Kind of a funny coincidence.

The first Armenians were established in Peru already in 1699. Do you know other Peruvians with Armenian roots?

Incredibly enough, I would like to know more about them! In Peru, there are very few people of Armenian extraction. A Peruvian diplomat, when I asked him why Peru did not recognize the Genocide like other countries of the region, told me half-joking, that the Belaunde Matossian brothers and sisters like me were certainly half of the whole community and that Turkey’s soap operas were too popular in the country. But actually, in the French-Peruvian school, I had a classmate whose father was Armenian, a very old man (who set up a reputed clothing business in Lima, and had also married a younger French lady), had escaped as an infant with his father, Gomidas, and the family, of being killed in Smyrna, thanks to the help of Greek friends. He had lived in France where he had a similar business, for a number of years and left for Peru, following the advice of a Peruvian diplomat he had as a customer in Paris. My friend has never come to Armenia yet, we remain in close contact, and he remembers some Armenian words from his father. He has an older sister whom I know as well. We were both interviewed by a Peruvian magazine for the 100th anniversary of the Genocide; I managed to get that magazine editor-in-chief interested in the subject, that he did not know at all about. My son also has a Peruvian friend and former classmate, with a French-Armenian mother; but her mother didn’t like to speak about that subject.

I easily say, either in France or in Peru, that I’m fully both, and that I also have my Armenian identity that I am proud of. And this love for Armenia came through my French-Armenian mother. And my three children have come to visit Armenia already and I have transmitted our Armenian family memory to them. They know that my name, Gregorio, comes from my mother wanting to have her first son named after Gregory the Illuminator, so that’s why my children have all visited Khor Virap as a priority.

Was it your choice to begin to work at your mother’s ancestor’s country?

Totally. Actually, what happened was that one of the multilateral development entities wanted me to come more often to Armenia (I had come many times since November 2017), and for longer stays, and I jumped on the chance to offer to do better than that: to come to live here, and that I could do my other work from Armenia as well.

I had already been thinking for some time of coming to Armenia when that opportunity appeared, especially after the shock caused by the defeat in the 44-Day War. I felt the country was more in danger than ever, and that it was time to do something and come. You know, even small things like making my small contribution to Armenia’s economy through taxes and spending is important to me. I also hope that other people will follow that example. It took some time to materialize, to organize the contract, but also to complete the residence formalities here in Armenia, first for me and then for my wife, who agreed to come with me here (she is French, with no Armenian roots, but she knew mine well, including having known my mother when she was still my fiancée, and knowing my aunties, as well as my friend in Lima when we lived there) and also the exit formalities in Switzerland, where it is better to settle everything straight before leaving. And well, my wife is used to living in other countries as well. She has enjoyed living in Hong Kong, Peru and Switzerland.

How do you describe living in 2020s in Armenia?

When I was coming often here before Covid, the atmosphere was different, as the first large war had been won, there was no sense of danger. Now you feel that sense of danger, but also outrage, every time there is something happening at the border, and it was especially strong during the September 2022 aggression. I was seeing the sadness in the faces of many women and asking myself: how many of them have fathers, boyfriends, brothers, husbands at the dangerous borders? And being an ethnic Armenian while being here, knowing what your own family went through, makes one feel that danger very strongly. While feeling the outrage at the almost universal cynical “both-sideism” even more strongly.

At the same time, at least here in Yerevan, one feels the need to live intensely when it is possible. People go out as much as in Latino countries. And what is amazing is the kindness of the people, I have travelled to many countries, you feel it more than in any other places. The sense of personal safety is also impressive for one used to dangerous cities like Lima or Paris; even Geneva is not that safe, actually; I had not felt that since my times of travelling often to Singapore for work.

The new thing is that since February 2022, one sees much more Russians, but also more Americans. And also, more people from India which reminds me of Hong Kong. I have seen places where you can find plenty of tables with Russians, others with Americans, and all this coexists without problems. That leaves me wondering what a fantastic role Armenia could play in the international arena if only there were not two countries bent on annihilating Armenia and Armenians.

Well of course, since February 2022, rents and many prices have skyrocketed, and we feel the difference. But at least for prices this is happening in most countries. Trouble is that this can increase poverty, as what I have seen sometimes in the countryside. I already know cases of people who could not keep the places they were living in. At least when we arrived it was a flat rented by no one for quite some time; I wouldn’t have liked to be the cause of someone Armenian losing his place.

And there are so many small things that remind us of our life in Peru that one could write a full article about that.

The difference is not speaking the language but some weeks ago, we at last found a teacher who can adapt to our rather chaotic timetable, so there are now things that we can say, understand and read (and even write): “hima, sovorum enk Hayeren” (now we are learning Armenian), and we are very happy about that!