On Monday mornings, Maral Bzdigian clears her schedule for something she considers invaluable: time with her cousins. This weekly ritual isn’t just about family bonding—it’s part of a long-standing tradition known as shirket. Originally formed by Armenian women in Lebanese refugee camps, shirkets provided a path to financial independence and strengthened social ties. More than just economic cooperatives, they became a cornerstone of community life, a tradition that endures in Middle Eastern Armenian circles today.
Despite being a distinctive social institution, shirkets have received limited scholarly attention. Canadian-Armenian anthropologist Dr. Arpi Hamalian offers a detailed analysis of shirkets in her 1974 journal article, “The Shirkets: Visiting Pattern of Armenians in Lebanon”. Her work serves as a foundational text for scholars studying Armenian community life in the Middle East.
Origins of the Shirket
Dr. Hamalian describes shirkets as a structured visiting pattern with a clear economic purpose: “the cooperative saving of money for use in time of need.”
She traces the origins of shirkets to the 17th century Ottoman Empire, where men participated in savings associations that combined the collection of money and shared recent gossip. While men handled these monetary collections, women managed the household affairs. When their husbands were away, women formed their own visiting patterns at the hamam (public bath), known as “hamama days.” These gatherings provided a vital space for discussing domestic and financial matters, laying the groundwork for the shirkets that would emerge centuries later.
The first shirkets emerged in Lebanese refugee camps, when Armenian women, deprived of social and economic aid in the aftermath of the genocide, came together for mutual support. Women in adjacent tents gathered to share their struggles and sought collective solutions. “The situation of stress and need accelerated the formation of friendships,” writes Hamalian. Over time, these gatherings became structured meetings where women pooled resources—one might offer a few eggs, another some extra flour—to ensure everyone’s basic needs were met.
As Armenian families began earning steady incomes from factory work, their social and financial status improved, and so did their ability to relocate. “Most shirkets continued to operate outside the camps, moving with the members, because the members often actively helped each other to move into the same neighborhood,” Hamalian writes. This network of mutual support became a key factor in the Armenian community’s residential and social mobility. While some shirkets dissolved when members left the camps in search of better living conditions, these former members typically formed or joined existing shirkets in their new neighborhoods.
How Shirkets Operate
Dzovig Miskjian, a Lebanese Armenian from Bourj Hammoud, remembers her mother’s days in a shirket in the 1980s. “My mother hosted the gatherings at our home, and I would sit and watch them collect money,” she reminisces. Beyond financial contributions, these weekly meetings were a space for women to exchange gossip, discuss pressing issues, and in the process, they strengthened their sense of community.
While shirkets vary in structure and purpose, most consist of 10 to 15 members who meet weekly. Miskjian explains that forming a shirket begins with choosing a meeting time, typically when husbands and children are away, ensuring privacy. Next comes selecting a location—usually, one member volunteers to host in her home. In keeping with Armenian hospitality traditions, gatherings include coffee and small pastries.
Some shirkets require all members to attend every meeting. The gatherings begin with a grace period for greetings, casual conversation and making coffee, before transitioning to the main purpose, collecting shares.
Hamalian highlights the vital roles of the accountant and treasurer in documenting, collecting, and securing weekly shares. Since these individuals handle the group’s finances, trust is essential. Although there are no strict requirements for these roles, maintaining transparency and accountability helps prevent disputes.
Miskjian recalls that her mother’s shirket had three accountants to ensure accuracy, with a single, trusted person serving as treasurer. “Mistakes can happen, which is why there are several accountants,” she explains. “These roles demand a lot of responsibility, so the accountants and treasurers remained consistent.” She adds that members presented them with gifts at the end of each year to show their appreciation.
Hamalian notes that beyond the money shares, members face penalties for specific infractions: missing meetings, failing to pay weekly shares, or arriving late. These fines add to the group’s capital.
Traditionally, shirkets operated in secrecy, closed to all men and women who weren’t members. Members never discussed shirket matters with their husbands, though the men knew these groups existed. This secrecy allowed women to manage household finances discreetly. “The wife through skillful investment in a shirket will provide small luxury items in addition to the daily needs or as assets of the household that could not be normally purchased within the limits of the budget set by the husband for such expenditure,” Hamalian writes. Since husbands and wives often disagreed on household spending, the shirket provided women an independent source of income to support their financial decisions.
The shirket’s secrecy was a safe space for members to discuss personal issues, particularly regarding their in-laws, functioning as an informal group therapy gathering. Women could express their frustrations freely without fear of judgment.
To preserve this secure and faithful space, admission to the shirket was highly selective. Hamalian notes that unmarried women could only join if their mother was a member and hosted meetings at her home. Additionally, sisters- and mothers-in-law were never members of the same shirket, ensuring conversations remained open and honest.
The Evolution of Shirkets
In the 1940s, new forms of shirkets began to emerge as Syrian Armenians immigrated to Lebanon, adapting to meet the changing needs of members’ families.
Miskjian explains that among the popular shirket types was the “rotating sum system” commonly known as “akhmakh shirket”. Each member contributed a small amount weekly, and the total sum collected was given to one member at a time. The process continued until every member had received a lump sum, after which the cycle would begin again. This system provided an immediate source of cash for those with urgent needs, such as paying rent.
Another common shirket was the option of borrowing money at a one percent interest rate, which was more accessible for Armenian women at the time. “It was practical for the women,” Miskjian added. “The money was always in circulation because members often borrowed it.” She says that this shirket served a purely economic purpose, enabling the women to pay for goods and services they couldn’t otherwise afford, including home appliances, state taxes, and water bills.
Meanwhile, in the small Armenian-populated village of Anjar, shirkets remain common among older women. Maral Bzdigian, a former teacher, belongs to a shirket founded by her extended family 40 years ago. Unlike other shirkets, this one’s purpose is not economic—it exists to form a community. “If I wasn’t part of this shirket, I wouldn’t have the chance to see my cousins,” she says. “I wait all week for our gathering.”
The close-knit Armenian community of Anjar, distinct from the suburbs of Beirut, helps preserve the tradition of shirkets. Bzdigian’s mother maintained a shirket with her neighbors, continuing a practice passed down through generations. Yet the custom is less prevalent among young women today. “Back then, women were mostly at home and had more time for the gatherings,” she explains.
The shirket, comprising 12 members, meets every Monday morning at a different member’s home. “The first member volunteers to host us, and then we take turns starting from the nearest house to the host,” Bzdigian explains. During these gatherings, the women typically discuss their meal plans for their families and share recipes.
As Armenians continue to migrate to new locations, shirkets have evolved with them. In 2018, Zarmine Minassian, a Syrian Armenian, established a shirket in her Yerevan apartment building. What began as an initiative to connect the building’s women has since blossomed into a close-knit community. “We are here to support each other,” Minassian explains. “We meet to share our sorrows and happy times.”
Members of this shirket meet every Friday morning, contributing 3,000 Armenian drams each week. As the group grew closer, they began organizing gatherings at cafes and even trips outside of Yerevan.
Like other shirkets, this group enforces fines—100 drams for being late and 200 drams for missing a meeting. These collected fines fund gifts for members on special occasions such as Christmas and International Women’s Day. “We want to show them that they are appreciated,” Minassian says.
Through shirkets, Armenian women have fostered resilient communities, offering one another support, solidarity, and a space for shared experiences. While their original economic function has evolved, the sense of belonging and empowerment they cultivate remains invaluable. These gatherings continue to strengthen Armenian communities, ensuring that mutual aid and connection endure through both joy and hardship.
