Old Photo ID Needed... Mexican?

[diggummup]

Do these folks look like Mexicans? Also, if you notice they are all holding flowers. Could this be a funeral? I count at least 100 people in this photo, mostly kids. Any thoughts on this photo?

 

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[mojjax]

Or maybe Spain - It reminds me of the amazing events of Fatima - what ever it is , it is a cool photo !

 

[huntsman53]

Definitely not Mexican! See the gentleman with the large cylinder type hat with a tassel to one side in the upper left and lower right pics. They appear to be Greek, Turkish or possibly Moroccan common folk and yes, they appear to be gathered for the photo before or after attending a funeral but quite possibly a wedding.


Frank

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

only one muslim in the group? the fez is a giveaway...

perhaps Armenians...not Mexicans...look at the feet...everyone is in slippers.

 

[Mackaydon]

Many in vertically stripped shirts reminds me of Morocco; as does (for sure) the fez.
Don.....

 

[capt-zero]

I agree Spain or Morocco. Spanish civil war era?

 

[unclemac]

i 'm with huntsman...greek...the fez looking hat doesn't mean Muslim, it was a common look for all over the ottoman empire, which included most of the Balkans and their Christian populations....

 

[diggummup]

Okay, thanks. I'll start researching those areas. It came from someone who lived in Arizona and had a lot of Mexican/ Southwestern stuff so I figured Mexico since it was the closest to where he lived.

 

[DCMatt]

It is interesting that there are no women in the picture. Only men and boys. A clue, perhaps?

DCMatt

 

[FeS2]

Most faces look European to me, not typically Turkish, definitely not Moroccan except for a few faces.

Isn't there at least one woman and several girls in the photo?

Where were slippers worn? And those striped shirts?

What was the ethnicity of the person who owned the pic?

Balkan countries had weirder traditional clothes in this time period and you'd think someone would show up wearing them. Think of traditional Greek or Albanian costumes. Lean toward Spain. Older than the 1930s.

 

[DCMatt]

No females that I could find in the pic.

The other thing that struck me is that, except for one fez, no one has a hat. It is my impression that in this era (1890 - 1920?) men pretty much anywhere in the world didn't go outside without a hat.

DCMatt

 

[Sentrom]

Looks like they are wearing Turkish Yemeni slippers.

 

[huntsman53]

No females that I could find in the pic.

The other thing that struck me is that, except for one fez, no one has a hat. It is my impression that in this era (1890 - 1920?) men pretty much anywhere in the world didn't go outside without a hat.

DCMatt

I believe that many of the men had hats but took them off for the photograph. In the 1st pic, the two men in black in the front center, appear to be holding their' hats on their' laps. I can't be certain about women but there does appear to be a few young short haired girls or they are femine faced boys.


Frank

 

[DCMatt]

I've been looking at pics of Armenians from the 1900 - 1920 era. Many photos show a mixture of traditional and western clothing. Here is a photo of Armenian boys from that time period:



I wonder if the photo in question has something to do with the Armenian deportation/genocide at the hands of the Turks in 1915. They all look healthy enough. Maybe they were the lucky ones who got out early.

DCMatt

 

[DCMatt]

After doing a little more research, I think you may have a photo of Armenian refugees or deportation survivors from 1915 - 1920. If you do a Google image search on "Armenian survivors", you will see what I saw. Be aware that some of the photos are graphic and gruesome. The Turks were brutal and ruthless.

If it is a photo of survivors, it will be of value to someone. I urge you to contact one or more of the Armenian genocide groups about it.

DCMatt

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

psst..I said Armenian...had a friend who was an exile...sure reminded me of his family photos...
the ottoman empire called the Armenians terrorists...killed them in mass.

found these two photos..one of the men, one of the females..notice the dress patterns?

 

[diggummup]

Interesting replies. Okay, I did a little research on the guy who owned the photo originally. Uncommon name. His last name was Meharian, first name Jack. I can find one reference to a person of that surname in the 1940 census listed as born in Turkey. Yevdogce Meharian from Ward 3, Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls City in 1940 Census District 32-58 It shows she lived in Niagara NY. I found an old paperweight with Niagara Falls on it at the same sale, coincidence? Maybe. Here it is bottom right.



At any rate. I thought there were a couple of women and girls in the photo at first. Now that I take a closer look, I don't think so. It appears to be all men and boys. I believe they possibly could be Armenians who were trudged off into the interior of Turkey back during the war. They do appear to be in good health and clothed decently and they do not appear to be Muslim. More digging to be done. I will see what I can come up with.

 

[Bramblefind]

Great thread and super research

Here's something to add to the mix

 

[huntsman53]

I've been looking at pics of Armenians from the 1900 - 1920 era. Many photos show a mixture of traditional and western clothing. Here is a photo of Armenian boys from that time period:

View attachment 845350

I wonder if the photo in question has something to do with the Armenian deportation/genocide at the hands of the Turks in 1915. They all look healthy enough. Maybe they were the lucky ones who got out early.

DCMatt

I am sorry but IMHO, if the photo in question was of survivors of the Armenian deportation/genocide, I don't think they be would carrying flowers! What, to give the flowers to the Turks to thank them for what they did to their' families?? I am not saying that the group of people in the photo are not Armenian! I just believe that they were gathered either for a Funeral or some sort of celebration such as a Wedding!


Frank

 

[diggummup]

Okay we know that...
1- they are all men and boys from the looks of it.
2- They are all in good health and properly clothed.
3-They are all holding flowers to an extent.
4- The man that owned it "may" have been of Turkish (or even Armenian) descent.
They are not Muslim (flowers aren't part of a Muslim funeral tradition).
Women and children aren't allowed at the burial.
5- Appears to be early 1900's.
6- Clothing could be Turkish, Armenian or several others in that region of the world.
7- In the photo, they are definitely not prisoners yet, if they ever were.

I sent an email to Genocide Museum | The Armenian Genocide Museum-institute with the photo and a link to this thread. We'll see what they have to say, if anything.