At long last, we're launching the We've already got over 150 recipes from all types of cuisine - but of course, we need more. So please make your contributions, and especially Armenian recipes!!

At the end of the year, Mosjan is inviting us all over to his house for a cook-off, but we can only use recipes from the cook book!

Enjoy everyone!

http://newsam.com/news/112638.jpgՀուլիս 09, 2012 | 11:47

Հայաստանում այս տարի սպասվում է 45-50 հազ. տոննա ծիրանի բերք: Այդ մասին այսօր` հուլիսի 9-ին, լրագրողների հետ հանդիպման ժամանակ հայտարարեց ՀՀ ագրարագյուղացիական միության նախագահ Հրաչ Բերբերյանը: Սա մոտ 40 տոկոսով գերազանցում է նախորդ տարվա ցուցանիշը (մոտ 27 հազ. տոննա):

Հ. Բերբերյանի տեղեկացմամբ` միակ տարածաշրջանը, որտեղ ծիրան չկա, Էջմիածնին հարակից գոտին է:

Ըստ Հ. Բերբերյանի` գյուղացին ժամանակին կատարել է սրսկումները` հետեւելով իր կազմակերպության խորհուրդներին: Նա շնորհակալություն հայտնեց լրատվամիջոցներին` գյուղացու կողքին լինելու, մասնագետների ձայնը գյուղացուն հասցնելու համար:

Backgammon The All-Armenian Game. Tom Vartabedian.

Armenians call it tavlou (YAVH-loo), which is derived from a word for

table. It is the gateway to excitement, challenge, and fun. You may know

the game by the name of its American counterpart, backgammon. Tavlou is a

lot like checkers. In fact, most American checkerboards carry the

backgammon game board on the reverse side. (Now you know what that board

with all those narrow triangles is for!)

Centuries-old, tavlou is a game of skill and luck for all ages. The best

games are played at Armenian festivals, where the smell of barbecued lamb

filters through the air. Some of the wooden game boards used there are

works of art, with beautiful inlaid wood. Armenian tavlou players are known

to strike their stones, or chips, with a thud and call out Turkish and

Kurdish expressions for each roll of the dice. One such phrase is iki bir

(icky-beer), meaning "two one." It is an Armenian custom to use tiny dice,

so have a magnifying glass handy!

The Rules

Tavlou is played by two people. Players take turns rolling two dice and

moving their stones the corresponding number of spots toward their home

board. See the illustration opposite for how to set up the board. To win a

game, a player must do two things: Move all his or her stones to his or her

home board; then remove the stones from the board. A player can begin to

remove his or her stones only after all of them are on his or her home

board. The first person to complete this wins. In Armenia, whoever wins

five games first is the winner.

ThePlay

1. Begin by setting up the game as shown in the illustration. To start,

each player rolls one die. The player who rolls the higher number goes

first. In case of a tie, throw again. The winner of the previous game rolls

first in the next game.

2. The first player rolls both dice at the same time. The dice must come to

rest flat upon the board. Otherwise, the player must roll again.

3.A play is deemed complete when a player moves his or her stones, removes

his or her hands from the board after the final move of that turn, and his

or her opponent then starts to pick up the dice.

4. The play of the stones can be accomplished in several ways. The player

can move one stone the number of times indicated by the total amount of the

two dice, or the player can move two different stones -- one each the

number that is indicated on each of the two dice.

5. Rolling doubles (for example, two threes) translates into four plays.

(Four stones can be moved three spaces.)

6.A player cannot land on the same place held by two or more of the

opponent's stones. If there is only one opponent's stone at the landing

point, the opponent's stone gets knocked off the board and must reenter

from the other player's home board.

7. A player who has a stone that needs reentry may not play any other stone

until the former is back in the game.

8. For more involved play, we recommend picking up a copy of Hoyle's or

some other game book that offers further instruction.

Kurdish is the language of the people of Kurdistan, a large region in

southwest Asia.

You need

A backgammon board 15 black stones or chips 15 white stones or chips two

dice

Tom Vartabedian has been a writer and photographer for The Haverhill

Gazette for thirty years. He is active in the Armenian community and has

been a correspondent for The Armenian Weekly for forty years.

Հաց ու Պանիր, մի Հեռացիր

http://www.hughesinternet.com/Recipes/images/lavash.jpg

http://www.hughesinternet.com/Recipes/images/lavash.jpg

Nvard, this is special for you. Armenian Penicillin

http://blansh.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/khash1.jpg\

http://blansh.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/khash1.jpg

http://www.armenianow.com/sites/default/files/img/imagecache/600x400/armenian-lavash-making.jpg

http://www.armenianow.com/sites/default/files/img/imagecache/600x400/armenian-lavash-making.jpg

http://www.armenianow.com/features/33593/armenian_bread_lavash_kotayk_village

ԼԱՒԱՇ ՏԻԿԻՆ

http://www.armenianow.com/hy/features/33602/armenian_bread_lavash_kotayk_village

Features | 25.11.11 | 12:17

Lavash Lady: A morning inside Lusik’s tonratoon

NAZIK ARMENAKYAN

ArmeniaNow

By Gayane Mkrtchyan

ArmeniaNow reporter

Lusik’s sea-blue eyes hold the reflection of the red-glowing tonir, the fire pit used in the process of making lavash, Armenian flatbread. She slaps another sheet of flour mix against the tonir’s hot wall. The paper-thin bread starts to change from yellow to brown, and with tender hands used to working in the heat, Lusik removes another piece that will add to the bulk of about 330 slices of lavash she makes every other day.

“My flower bread…” Lusik says, scattering the lavash delicately on a special cloth on the floor. For 20 years, every morning at 5 a.m. while her village sleeps, smoke rises from the yerdik (an opening in the roof for smoke) and fills Lusik’s tonratoon (the shed which houses a tonir), and in a few minutes the sweet aroma of lavash ride the wind. “Only a lazy person can say that there is no job and sit doing nothing, however, it is not true. There are people in our village who, roughly speaking, do not have even bread to eat, but they do not want to trouble themselves,” says 46-year-old Lusik Grigoryan. Lusik’s family lives in Goght village, Kotayk province (40 km north of Yerevan). In 1990s, when everything was in a mess in the country (Armenia), under the newly formed economic system the family decided to bake bread and sell it. “In the beginning we baked on a machine, but one day the wires of the electricity were cut off, and my husband said, ‘Lusik, can’t you bake lavash in tonir?’ I replied that I would try. Twenty years have passed since that try,” she recalls. In the beginning Lusik herself took her baked lavash to the market to sell it there, but when the number of her clients increased she had to give her lavash to people who later resold it so that she could bake more. Analyzing the past years from an economic aspect, Lusik says that in the beginning she sold lavash directly for 40 drams (about 10 cents) a sheet. Now, re-sellers pay her 100 drams a sheet and re-sell for 120 (about 40 cents). Costs of flour and wood have steadily risen. “Lavash indicates the poor economic condition of our life,” she says. The mild glide of the rolling pin is heard. A dough ball is being rolled out flat under the proportionate pressure of the rolling pin. The woman who works with the rolling pin is Lusik’s sister – Gayane. She skillfully keeps the evenness and flatness of the opened dough, a key part of the lavash process. The rolled out dough dances in Lusik’s hands, after which Lusik stretches it on a rafada (a special handmade board made of thick cloth and straw pulp) and evens the edges of the rolled out dough, sprays a few drops of water and scatters some flour on it, and takes the rafada with the dough to the hot tonir. There must be someone to open and close the lid of tonir to check whether lavash is ready or not, and if yes, take it out with a special iron pole the tip of which is hooked. Usually this job is done by Lusik’s husband – Torgom, but this time he is replaced by his mother – 73-year-old granny Terez. “Bread baking also needs skills, not everyone can bake such lavash. It depends on a person’s talent and hands. There are people whose lavash breaks easily, and they cannot eat it and give the bread to hens,” says Lusik’s mother-in-law. Every Sunday is Lusik’s market day. At 8:00 a.m. she is already in the market, and she usually does not have lavash left in two hours. She sells lavash at 100 drams (30 cents) each; six lavashes make one kilo. “Traditionally lavash has been baked by women in Armenian families; nevertheless it is a very difficult job to do for a woman - from preparing dough, making balls of them to baking. Simply I earn my living baking lavash,” Lusik says. The woman, who bakes 2,000 lavashes per week, confesses that she has no special secret, she simply does everything properly. “I do not mean to brag, but the number one bread in the bazaar is mine, because everybody asks me what I do, that I have such delicious and pretty lavash. I have no secret, I knead dough properly, make balls of it . . . I work hard, and as a result, I get good bread” she says. The fire disappears gradually, and Lusik lights a new fire. Throwing dry wood into the tonir, she says that they change the clay oven four years, every time paying 30,000 drams (about $90). This is her fourth tonir. It is a work that allows for contemplation in the quiet of the morning, and Lusik thinks about news of the recent mayoral change in Yerevan. She does not want even to hear about the upcoming Parliamentary elections in spring. “No matter what happens I will keep on baking lavash. With difficulty, yet we manage everything, and I am pleased that I can help my children. If I were displeased I would not do this heavy work so long,” says Lusik taking the recurrent flower-bread out of the tonir.

Enjoy.

Կախարդական Լաւաշ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePaw2Wzjc0I

====

Lest we lose it, here is thez Armenian text.

Լավաշ տիկինը. առավոտը Լուսիկի թոնրատանը

 

Նազիկ Արմենակյան

ԱրմենիաՆաուի ֆոտոթղթակից

Գայանե Մկրտչյան

«ԱրմենիաՆաուի» թղթակից

Լուսիկի ծովի պես կապույտ աչքերում թոնրում վառվող կրակի կարմիր արտացոլանքն է: Թոնրապատերին խփած սպիտակ լավաշները տեղ-տեղ ուռչում են, գունափոխվում: Կրակի ջերմությանը սովոր կնոջ ճերմակ ու նուրբ ձեռքերը վարպետորեն թոնրից դուրս են բերում թխած լավաշները, որոնցից նա օրը մոտ 330 հատ պատրաստում է:

«Ծաղիկ հացերս…»` ասում է Լուսիկը և լավաշները քնքշորեն փռում գետնին փռված հատուկ շորերին: Արդեն 20 տարի ամեն առավոտ ժամը հինգին, երբ գյուղն անուշ քնի մեջ է, Լուսիկենց թոնրատան երդիկից ծուխ է բարձրանում, քիչ հետո տարածվում է լավաշի անուշ բույրը: «Մենակ թամբալ մարդը կասի` գործ չկա ու կնստի, բայց էդպես չէ: Մեր գյուղում, կոպիտ ասած, մարդիկ կան, որ օրվա հացի կարոտ են, բայց իրենց նեղություն չեն տալիս»,- ասում է 46-ամյա Լուսիկ Գրիգորյանը: Լուսիկենց ընտանիքն ապրում է Երևանից 40 կմ հեռավորության վրա գտնվող Կոտայքի մարզի Գողթ գյուղում: 90-ականներին, երբ երկրում ամեն ինչ խառնվում է իրար, տնտեսական նոր ձևավորված հարաբերություններում ընտանիքը որոշում է հաց թխել ու վաճառել: «Սկզբում թխում էինք հաստոցի վրա, հետո մի օր հոսանքի լարերը կտրվեցին, ամուսինս ասեց` ա´յ կնիկ, չե՞ս կարա թոնրի մեջ թխես: Դե, ես էլ ասեցի`փորձեմ: Այդ փորձելուց արդեն 20 տարի է անցել»,- ասում է նա: Սկզբում Լուսիկն ինքն էր լավաշը տանում ու վաճառում ԳՈՒՄ-ի շուկայում, բայց երբ հաճախորդները շատացան, սկսեց հանձնել վերավաճառողի, որպեսզի հասցնի ավելի շատ հաց թխել: Տնտեսագիտական տեսանկյունից վերլուծելով անցած տարիները` հացթուխ կինն ասում է. «Սկզբում վաճառում էինք հատը 40 դրամով (մոտ 10 սենթ), այսօր արդեն վերավաճառողին հանձնում ենք 100 դրամով (մոտ 3 սենթ), նրանք էլ`120-ով (մոտ 4 սենթ): Կամաց-կամաց ալյուրը թանկացավ, ցախը թանկացավ: Լավաշը ցույց է տալիս մեր կյանքի տնտեսական վատ վիճակը»: Լսվում է գրտնակի մեղմ սահոցը: Խմորի գունդը բացվում է գրտնակի համաչափ ճնշումների ներքո: Գրտնակ անողը Լուսիկի քույրն է` Գայանեն: Նա հմտորեն պահպանում է բացված խմորի հավասարությունն ու բարակությունը, ինչը համեղ լավաշի գրավականն է: Բացված խմորը Լուսիկի ձեռքերում հաճույքով պար է գալիս, որից հետո Լուսիկն այն փռում է ռաֆադայի (թոնրի պատին լավաշի խմորը խփելու հարմարանք) վրա, հավասարեցնում ծայրերը, մի քանի տեղ ջուր կաթեցնում, մի քանի տեղ էլ ալյուր ցանում և ուղիղ տանում ջերմությունից ճաք տվող թոնիրը: Երբ ջերմությունը սկսում է պակասել, թոնրի բերանը ինչ-որ մեկը պետք է բացի ու փակի, իսկ հետո հատուկ թոնրի համար նախատեսված երկաթե ձողով, որի մի ծայրը կեռ է, հանի թխած լավաշները: Սովորաբար դա Լուսիկի ամուսնու`Թորգոմի գործն է, բայց նրան այսօր փոխարինում է մայրը`73-ամյա Թերեզ տատը: «Հաց թխելու մեջ էլ հաշիվ կա, հո հմեն մարդ ըսենց հաց չի թխա: Մարդու շնորհքից ա, ձեռից ա, մարդ կա` կենա փշուր, չկարնան ուտին`կտան հավերին»,- ասում է Լուսիկի սկեսուրը: Կիրակին Լուսիկի շուկայի օրն է: Առավոտյան ժամը ութին արդեն շուկայում է, երկու ժամ հետո հաց չի ունենում: Վաճառում է հատը 100 դրամով (մոտ 3 սենթ), վեց հատ լավաշը 1 կգ է: «Հայկական ընտանիքներում լավաշը միշտ էլ կանայք են թխել, բայց մեկ է` ծանր աշխատանք է կնոջ համար` սկսած խմոր անելուց, գնդելուց, թխելուց: Ուղղակի ինձ համար այն ապրուստի միջոց է»,- ասում է Լուսիկը: Շաբաթը 2000 հատ լավաշ թխող կինը խոստովանում է, որ հատուկ գաղտնիք չունի, պարզապես ամեն ինչ տեղը-տեղին է անում: «Գովալ չլինի, բայց շուկայում առաջին հացը իմն ա, որովհետև բոլորն էլ ասում են` ի՞նչ ես անում, որ ըտենց հաց ա լինում`հա´մ համով, հա´մ տեսքով: Գաղտնիք չունեմ` խմորը նորմալ հունցում եմ, գնդում, տանջվում, ու արդյունքում էլ` լավ հաց ունենում»,- ասում է նա: Թոնրի կրակը նստում է: Լուսիկն այն նորից է վառում: Չոր ցախերը լցնելով թոնրի մեջ` ասոմ է, որ չորս տարին մեկ փոխում են թոնիրը, որը կավից է`ամեն անգամ վճարելով 30.000 դրամ (մոտ 90 դոլար): Սա նրա չորրորդ թոնիրն է: Ծանր աշխատանքի հետ մեկտեղ Լուսիկը հետևում է երկրի անցուդարձին, խորհում քաղաքական վերջին նորություններից մեկի` Երևանի քաղաքապետի փոփոխության մասին: Գարնանը սպասվող ընտրությունների մասին չի էլ ուզում լսել: «Մեկ ա` ես էլի իմ լավաշն եմ թխելու: Դժվարությամբ, բայց հասցնում ենք, ու էլի գոհ եմ, որ կարողանում եմ օգնել երեխեքիս: Որ դժգոհ լինեի, այսքան տարի էս դաժան աշխատանքը չէի անի»,- ասում է Լուսիկը` հերթական ծաղիկ հացը թոնրից հանելով:

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PS. The reason I spelled it “լաՒաշ” is because originally the word was spelled as լաՒշ which in time turned to լՕշ and eventually to լՈշ whereby we lost all relation to our native language.

ՏՈՒՆ ԱՐԻ? Համեստափայլ Նախարա Տիկին Հրանուշ, խնդրեմ Դու Տուն Արի Հայաստան, եւ հրաժարիր թուրքերէն օճախ կցել ամեն Հայ բառի,կրթօճախ, գաղթօճախ, մեր օճախ, ձեր օճախ, մենք Հայերէն ենք խօսում ոչ Ռուսերէն, ոչ թուրերէն : Օճախըդ ակութըդ մարի եւ սովորիր Մեր Սրբազան Մեսրոպատառ Հայոց Լեզուն!!

See;

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=10722&st=0&p=134963&hl=lavash&fromsearch=1entry134963

AZNAWOR-Aznawour -Nobility

What does it really mean?

A variation of ԱԶԳ- ԱԶՆ-AZG - Nation, Heredity, Dynasty, Descendent. Race. Like in Դիւցազն ԴիտսազնDiutsazn/Ditsazn descended of deities. Դիւցազներգ means Epic as in the Epic of “Սասունցի Դաւիդ-David of Sasoun“.

http://linkavia.com/content/images/sightseeings/david_of_sassoun.jpg

http://linkavia.com/content/images/sightseeings/david_of_sassoun.jpg

When we spell it as ԱԶՆԱՈՒՐ-Aznawour ազնաւուր ազնաւոր it becomes aapparent..

ԱԶՆԱՒՈՐ/AznaWOR , nobility is known in the Georgian language as ԱԶՆԱՎՈՒՐ/AznaWOUR..

See below the Georgian Armenian heritage of his ancestors. His family name is spelled in the Georgian variant. Not the Armenian ԱզնաՒՈրեան/AznaWORi-an, but Ազանաւուրեան/AznaWOUR-ian. -Nobilty.

A Google search of Aznavourian turns out about 62,300 results, many of which are on or about him.

http://st-listas.20minutos.es/images/2008-08/40093/491136_640px.jpg?1219104805

http://st-listas.20minutos.es/images/2008-08/40093/491136_640px.jpg?1219104805

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Aznavour

Background-Aznavour was born as Shahnour Vaghenag Aznavourian in Paris the son of Armenian immigrants Michael Aznavourian (an Armenian[7][8] from Akhaltsikhe in nowadays Georgia) and Knar Baghdasarian (from Turkey).[9] His father spent his youth in Tbilisi, where his family had moved for work (Charles's grandfather was a personal chef to Governor General in Tbilisi).[10] Later, after moving to France, Michael Aznavourian sang in restaurants before establishing his own Caucasian restaurant called Le Caucase. Together with his wife, who was an actress, Michael introduced Charles to the world of theatre at an early age. Charles dropped out of school at the age of nine, already aspiring to the life of an artist. He began to perform at this time, and soon took the stage name "Aznavour". His big break came in 1946 when the singer Édith Piaf heard him sing and arranged to take him with her on tour in France and to the United States.[11]

Note. This item and some others that I have been posting are a preamble to the next- “Historical Armenian Nobility/ Noble Houses”

BY ERICT_CULINARYLORE

Colombo yogurt was the first U.S. yogurt brand. It got its start in 1929 when Armenian immigrants Rose and Sarkis Colombosian began jarring and selling their family yogurt in Andover, Massachusetts. The yogurt they made in America was the same they had made in the old-country, and based on a traditional Armenian recipe. Along with their sons, the couple hand-filled every jar, and sold it to neighbors and friends.

The Colombosians, who had arrived in Chicago in 1917 but then moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts, bought a small dairy farm in nearby Andover they called Wild Rose Dairy. The family made yogurt and a drink called ayran from their milk. When they began producing more milk than they could sell or use themselves, they decided to make yogurt that they would also sell along their milk route.

In fact, the Colombosian’s first customers were the local Syrian, Lebanese, Greek, or Armenian immigrants, all of which came from cultures with a yogurt tradition. It proved a good business, as these local hard-working folks were busy working in mills or other occupations and had no time to make their own yogurt the old way. The Colombosians priced their yogurt low enough so that it was as economical to buy as to make at home.In

From local dairy routes, the family began targeting Middle Eastern grocery shops. American owned grocery stores were not a likely sale since yogurt was still an unknown food to most Americans. They managed to get their yogurt into two stores in Watertown owned by the Mulgars. The Mulgars would later open a Massachusetts supermarket chain called Star Markets, which would also carry Colombo.

https://culinarylore.com/food-history:what-happened-to-colombo-yogurt/

Colombo yogurt was the first U.S. yogurt brand. It got its start in 1929 when Armenian immigrants Rose and Sarkis Colombosian began jarring and selling their family yogurt in Andover, Massachusetts. The yogurt they made in America was the same they had made in the old-country, and based on a traditional Armenian recipe. Along with their sons, the couple hand-filled every jar, and sold it to neighbors and friends.

The Colombosians, who had arrived in Chicago in 1917 but then moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts, bought a small dairy farm in nearby Andover they called Wild Rose Dairy. The family made yogurt and a drink called ayran from their milk. When they began producing more milk than they could sell or use themselves, they decided to make yogurt that they would also sell along their milk route.

Never mind the modern day furkish name of "gazi/ghazi-kaka"

Հովհաննէս, խնդրեմ մեզ գրիր նրա անուան ծագումը:

Ինձ թւում է թէ դա Արաբական ծագում ունի: "Այն էլ Թապ عین ال تاب»

Այո, գիտեմ «‘այն/ ակ/աչ/աչք» ի իմաստը, իմա «ակ/ աղբիւր», ինչպէս մի ժամանակ Հալէպի ըմպելի ջուրը գար Այն Էլ Թէլ**(antel) ից բարացի «բլրային ակ», որ մենք մեկնէինք իբր «անթել, առանց թելի», երբ նոյնիսկ ծորակը կոչուէր « անթէլ» : Նաեւ գիտենք որ Հլաէպի Քուէյք Գետի աղբիւրը Այնթապ էր:***

Տես Ռաս ուլ Այն/ ԱկնաԳլուխ եւ այն անուններ «այն եւ թէլ/ թալ/թիլ » ով:

** Չի մոռանալ Հալէպի Թիլել/ Բլուրներ թաղամասը, եւ tel-aviv ը: Մենք յիշենք Հալէպի հայաբնակ Թիլել թաղամասը:

*** َ «Անթէպ սչար, Հալէպ իչէր»/ Anteb defecates, Haleb drinks:”****

Աւելացնեմ: Իմ ամենասերտ, ամենասիրելի խնամին Այնթապցի քերդաստանից է: Ինչպէս նաեւ իմ սիրելի բարեկամ Մկրտիչը(Այնթապածին, իսկապէս) խիստ ընդվզւում էր երբ ես ամենայն սիրով եւ ակնածանքով նրան խթանէի թէ Այնթապը Մարաշի մի արուարձանն է: Ուր գնացին այդ սիրասուն եւ սիրալիր մարդիկը?

Եւ,այսօր մենք պատերազմ էնք հռչակում Արեւելա -Արեւմտայ- Երեւան- Սփիւրքի միջեւ:

---

Seriously.

Aintab Armenians have contributed so much to Armenian culture and history.

Comes to mind Adour Levonian,hero of the Battleof Aintab, General of the Syrian Army Aram Karamanoukian, master cannonier. All the Levonian intellectuals, not to forget “balaban khoja” of the Ousoumasirats School. Toros Toranian, and my beloved long lost RIP khnami unsung intellect Levon Vartan (Bedirian).His widow (Marashtsi ) Vehanoush (Melidonian) is in the process of putting together his unpublished masterpieces.

Let us not forget that Rev. Kassouni, father of Armenology, born in Behesni,/Kassoun was later educated, worked and taught in Marash and Aintab).

Hovannes, did I forget anyone? How about the master craftsmen Silahians of Aleppo. (Some of them were Kilistesi)..

Marashtsis were mainly engaged in shoemaking and jewelry/goldsmithong. Comes to mind the Oskanians. Wonder why they were nicknamed “oskan/oski/voskan/voski/gold”?

**** Ինչու, երբեմն այդ անգոյ գետը կոչուի «"Էլլէբէն" ?

“Tolma” Armenian national dish recipe book to be released in May

May 16, 2012 - 18:20 AMTPanARMENIAN.Net - Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO plans to release a cookbook featuring 70 recipes of “Tolma” national dish by the end of May.According to NGO chair Sedrak Mamulyan, the recipes were contributed during Sardarapat-hosted Tolma festival, with an NGO member Vahe Atanesyan having authored the cookbook.

Tolma fest was held in July 2011 on the sidelines of Golden Apricot film festival. The event hosted 20 chefs, with masters from Russia, Iran, India and Georgia among them, who made the dish based on their original recipes.

This year, Tolma festival was scheduled for July 11.

EurasiaNet.org, NY

July 12 2013

For the third year, Yerevan played host to an annual festival

celebrating dolma -- the dish made by stuffing grape leaves and

other vegetables with an assortment of ingredients. Reports the

Asbarez website:

Taste-Testers flocked through the flanked winged oxen of the Sardarabad

memorial for the third annual Dolma Festival on Wednesday, July

10. Traditional music, singing, and dancing set the mood for the

festival as 24 groups locked in a battle of vine leaves and stuffing

for prizes in a number of categories including the longest Dolma.

The festival was organized by the Armenian Cookery Traditions

Development and Protection Organization (ACTDP) and exposed visitors

to a number of variations of the traditional Armenian dish. Qajik

Levonyan, a representative of the Araratian Restaurant , said that

the name of the three thousand-year-old dish stems from the Armenian

word Dol, which means vine leaves, and that the recipe's secret lies

in the freshness of the ingredients.

As previously reported on this blog, though, the dolma festival is

more than just about dolma. This being the Caucasus, the event also

has a political subtext to it, with ACTDP head Sedrak Mamulyan telling

Armenian reporters two years ago that one of the motivating factors

behind the festival was to keep dolma (or "tolma" as he called it)

from being "appropriated" by neighboring countries. "We have done

nothing to patent our national dishes," he said at the time.

Other countries in the region may have an interest in keeping Armenia

from patenting dolma, but they may find that the country has a new

claim to fame in the stuffed grape leaf department. According to

reports, this year's festival yielded a new world record for the

longest dolma -- a 25-foot behemoth that some enterprising Azeri or

Turk is very likely now thinking about how to beat.

Meanwhile, video from the Armenian dolma festival (including a

visit from the American ambassador in Yerevan, who may have just

inadvertently stepped into one of the Caucasus' myriad food fights)

below:

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67245

Our family will be at home today, but we will think of you, our Armenian Family, in all the world. Glory to our God, health and happiness to you and those you love.

https://lavna.pro/#strength

JB Moore was a trader who established a post at Crystal, New Mexico at the western end of the Narbona Pass, where he developed the manufacture of Navajo Blankets for sale in the United States.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bradford_Moore
Around the turn of the 20th century there was great demand for oriental rugs, so Moore developed simplified oriental patterns for his weavers. He took the designs of Armenian rugs (they were called Turkish rugs at the time but we know better today) which were popular in the US, simplified them and passed them on to the Navajo to produce.
He wrote a book, called “The Navajo” in which he illustrates this. This publication was a catalogue published to promote his Navajo rugs.
https://www.amazon.com/Navajo.../dp/0936755016/ref=sr
Below is an excerpt from the book, “The Navajo” where he clearly shows where the inspiration for his designs came from.

Sides > How to Pickle Vegetables - Armenian Torshi

Published:

http://www.euronews.com/2017/03/21/the-armenian-island-of-venice?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1490091642

The Armenian presence in Europe stretches from London to Larnaca, Lisbon to Lviv; the Armenian Catholic Mkhitarian Congregation is among the most impactful examples of that legacy and this year marks a three-century-long presence in one of Europes most iconic towns.

The vaporetto leaves from San Zaccaria to one of the most unique corners of Venice, a testament to the centuries of multi-cultural history of that magnificent city. The unique corner is really an island Isola di San Lazzaro degli Armeni, or the Island of St. Lazarus of the Armenians. This year marks the 300th anniversary of that island becoming home to the Mkhitarian or Mechitarist Congregation.

Mkhitar was born in Sebastia (modern-day Sivas, in central Turkey) in 1676. He joined the Armenian Church at a time when it was facing the challenges of a modernising world. Drawn to Western Christianity and its already-established traditions of education and publishing, Mkhitar ran his own printing house in Constantinople (Istanbul), bringing together other like-minded individuals who longed to rejuvenate and invigorate a community at times struggling in the social and political milieu of the 17th century Ottoman Empire. Facing the resistance of the authorities, Abbot Mkhitar and his followers, who established the congregation named after the founder in 1700, spent some time moving from place to place first to Greece, then up the Adriatic before finally establishing themselves on what used to be a leper colony off Venice in 1717.

In the centuries that followed, the Mkhitarian fathers had a profound effect on research, education, and publishing in Europe generally, and for the Armenian world in particular. Still today, the monastery they founded continues to produce books; Venice is one of two cities in the world that can boast having published at least one Armenian book every year for three hundred years or more, with just a few interruptions (the other city being Istanbul). Whether as first-time publications of ancient manuscripts, translations of significant European works, or the other way around, the Armenian legacy has been showcased to the European and broader world through the efforts of these monks, and the doors of Europe have likewise been opened for Armenians thanks to their activities.

The Mkhitarian Congregation has always served as a bridge, says Father Serop Jamourlian, both for tying the Armenian reality to the European world in terms of scholarship and spirituality, and also as a bridge of universal human values: it is a representative of the East in the West and the conveyor of Western ideas to the East.

Perhaps the most significant impact the Congregation has had involves the development of language and identity. It was the Mkhitarian fathers who first published modern dictionaries of the Armenian language. Modern scientific approaches to research and education also owe much to these Armenian priests in Venice, who once upon a time ran a network of some thirty schools across Europe and the Middle East.

The reputation of San Lazzaro was so strong that Napoleon Bonaparte offered that monastery special permission to continue functioning even after he shut down other religious institutions in Venice in 1810. A few years later, the islands most famous guest Lord Byron spent some months during 1816-1817 studying the Armenian language.

The Mechitarists have suffered some setbacks over the course of their rich history, such as a significant split in the Congregation that led to a second monastery being established in Vienna in 1811. They reunited in 2000. The two had meanwhile carried on Abbot Mkhitars mission diligently. Both Venice and Vienna are known as centres of learning for the Armenian world.

Although the Mkhitarian Congregation is not as active as it used to be, with a smaller membership and growing challenges within a generally more secular global environment, it continues to run four schools in places reflecting the footprint of the Armenian Diaspora: Beirut, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, and Istanbul. A school was established in Yerevan, in the Republic of Armenia, in the year 2007 a good indication of the renewal of Diaspora-Homeland ties since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Special commemorations are planned for September during this 300th anniversary year celebrations alongside the people of Italy and Venice. Father Serop emphasises that their welcoming and hospitable attitude towards the Armenians is based on the experience of many centuries of deep ties. What lies in store for the Mkhitarian Congregation? Father Serop says that the mission has always been and remains, Service to the Armenian nation.

PS: If there is anything Armenian in the present world that made me proud of being Armenian then for sure one of these is St. Lazaro Degli Armeni. I visited the place twice and I'll go again. Beside the unique exhibits from Europe, Armenia and the World there is a very special ambience in the place that can't be described with words. Every Armenian and not only should go and see this magical place.

Photo by Boghosian

FRESNO/NEW YORK — On Monday, May 18, 2020, a community gathered — at a distance, on-line — to reflect upon the “delight & mystery of life” as expressed in the artistic objectives of William Saroyan’s literary work and through distinctive features of the Armenian faith tradition. Upon invitation from parish priest Rev. Stepanos Doudoukjian, Megan A. Jendian prepared a multi-media presentation for nearly 50 participants in the Capital District of Upstate New York’s St. Peter Armenian Church – Adult Education series hosted by co-coordinators Rhonda Boyajian and Elsie Vozzy.

Resource materials included publications from St. Nersess Armenian Seminary (Sacred Music Lab – NY, 2006) and research by Saroyan scholars David S. Calonne (Saroyan: My Real Work Is Being, 1983) and Prof. Micah Jendian (Falling from the Trapeze: Saroyan’s Challenge to the Culture Industry, 1999).

In the midst of global suffering and the current malady of despair, Jendian anchored her message in the miraculous messenger: the Way, Truth, and Life with Whom the source of grace lives and breathes within and among us. Noted as wisdom literature in the scriptural Book of Job, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty teaches me.” In the preface to Saroyan’s first collection of short stories, The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (1934), he states simply: “Try to learn to breathe deeply…; try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might.” At all times in all places, along with the perpetual yet oft-times passive practice of breathing, and through active engagement with both literary art and sacred prayers, readings, and hymns, there is the revelation of an ever-present message of life and hope.

https://mirrorspectator.com/2020/06/11/breathing-with-saroyan-a-message-of-life/

Shnoragalem ```

onjig

cute isn't she ```

“In Iran, they do what they can to restore them. In Azerbaijan and Georgia, they do what they can to destroy them.”

Vahe Sarukhanyan March 12, 2007

Interview with Samvel Karapetyan, director of the Yerevan office of the NGO Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA)

How many Armenian architectural monuments are there in the liberated territories adjacent to Nagorno Artsax?

I began working on investigating and documenting Armenian architectural monuments in 1993, following the liberation of the territories. We visited these areas in 1986 and 1987, too, but didn't study them thoroughly until 1993 to 1998.

When I visited in 1993 and1994, there was no one there and I documented only what I had discovered myself or seen with my own eyes. It's one thing to work without any assistance from local residents, and another thing when a person knows the area well. I intend to continue the census to complete the project. Most likely we'll do that in two years. As of today, in seven liberated regions we have registered 1,600 monuments, and that's not the final figure, or rather it is very far from being considered as such.

What condition are these monuments in?

There are, of course, monuments that have been deliberately destroyed – such as the monastery of Getamej, whose stones were used to build a school after it was demolished. Of four churches in the village of Tsar (Turkish: Char) in the Karvatchar (Kelbajar) region only two are left – the other two were completely destroyed and their were stones used for construction work. Cemeteries were destroyed as well, but this was not a universal phenomenon. In some important settlements, everything Armenian was destroyed. Generally, the monuments are half-destroyed or dilapidated.

Church of St. Gabriel

A totally different situation exists in Northern Artsakh – in the Gandzak region, which has not been liberated. Every day Armenian monuments are being savagely destroyed. These cases only come to light by chance.

For example, former residents of Northern Artsakh, most of whom emigrated to Russia, send us letters saying that the churches in their native villages have been destroyed. Since they miss their homes, they pay to have Azerbaijanis take pictures of the villages. When they get the pictures they see that the homes are intact but the churches are missing. That's how they learn about the destruction. Most recently we found out that the seventh-century Church of St. Gabriel in the village of Mirzik village the Church of St. Jacob in Voskanapat village in the Khanlar region had been destroyed. In its structure and proportions, St. Jacob was unique church among the churches of Artsakh.

Tsitsernavank

The most famous Armenian monument in the liberated areas, Dadivank, is being renovated. Are there other monuments that have been restored?

Yes there are. For example, Tsitsernavank in the Kashatagh (Lachin) region was renovated and consecrated a few years ago. Our organization has been working on the restoration of the Dadivank monastic complex since 1997. The complex consists of 25 different buildings, including ten religious structures – churches and chapels—and fifteen secular buildings of various purposes. The main buildings have already been restored and will be consecrated this year.

Azerbaijanis complain that Armenians are destroying their monuments in NKR and the controlled territories…

Whatever facts there are there, that's the reality. Azerbaijanis are telling lies more and more. The fact is that the Aghdam mosque is in the same condition as it was before. The Shushi mosques are standing erect – one of them was restored by the Shen Company, the other by the prelate of the Artshakh diocese, Archbishop Pargev himself. In other words, we have the opposite picture of what the Azerbaijanis are doing. Their mausoleums or “cumbazes” as they call them are in the same condition as when I saw them in Soviet times. The fact is that the Aghdam cumbazes , the Khojaly cemeteries, the Fizuli mosques, the monuments in the villages, are all intact.

A tide of protest has risen in Armenia because of the destruction of monuments in Old Jugha, Nakhichevan. However, UNESCO didn't seem to react in the way that was expected in Armenia.

I don't think there was a large tide of protest in Armenia. In December of 2005 the Azerbaijani Army smashed to smithereens the remnants of the Armenian khatchkars that had toppled in 2002. Virtually no state agency or political party remembered last December 14 and 15 that it was the first anniversary of the annihilation of the world-famous cemetery. They didn't even take the opportunity to raise the issue. Only our NGO organized a preview of the documentary film Jugha at the Union of Writers, and even though we had sent out invitations only a quarter of seats in the hall were taken. In other words, we have never raised a clamor and today Armenians, who are so isolated from Armenian culture, can't even protest loudly against the destruction of their monuments.

Azerbaijan has presented its arguments. For example, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the US Hafiz *****yev has rebutted a letter of protest by US congressman Frank Pallone. He stated that nothing had happened at the Jugha cemetery. According to him, the origins of the site were not known and it was not clear who the people were who had worked with these cubic stones.

Does Georgia mistreat Armenian monuments like Azerbaijan?

Georgia has a different attitude. Azerbaijan cannot appropriate an Armenian church or a khachkar in any way. And they have to destroy them. As for Georgia, under the pretext of restoring the churches they get rid of the Armenian signs - scrape off lithographic inscriptions and frescoes, and demolish the features that their churches don't have – such as elevated stages, fonts, etc. In other words, they make the signs asserting their Armenian origins disappear; they even change the crosses, since they have a different appearance, and consecrate them as if they were Georgian churches, turning them into Georgian churches. So the buildings remain, but all the Armenian features disappear. For example, I've seen khachkars with Armenian inscriptions scraped off. But being Christians they don't scrape off the crosses. And I've seen khachkars in Azerbaijan with the engraved framings intact but with the crosses scraped off. You can see such things at the Museum of History of Karvatchar.

What can be done to fight this?

In general, a lot can be done, if the desire exists. But we are not the bearers of our culture today. We don't realize that these monuments belong to us, and we don't work hard enough to solve these problems. We are not the masters of what we have and what our adversaries destroy. Today every trace of us is being wiped out of our home – whether is it in Nakhichevan or in Georgia. We are very carefree.

It is the type of Armenian that has developed over the centuries who adheres to alien values that is to blame. Every nation is formed within the framework of its faith, its ideology. In other words, when cherished values are professed, the national type, character takes shape. Our type is anti-national. For us the letters of St. Mesrop Mashtots mean nothing. Just walk along the avenue named after the same Mesrop Mashtots. Whatever is written in Armenian, there is five times as much is in English or Russian.

And, in general, what condition are Armenian monuments in Armenia in?

In Iran, they do what they can to restore them. In Azerbaijan and Georgia, they do what they can to destroy them. The situation in Turkey is a bit different. In the 1960s and 1970s, Turkey was doing what Azerbaijan is doing today. Now the situation has changed. First in the 1960s and 1970s, a huge number of very important monuments were destroyed – they were blown up or used as targets during military manoeuvres. There was the Red Church in the village of Hindzk (Ghumlu) in Erzerum. When we asked the Turks to show it to us, we were told that there was no church there. Then they accompanied us and we got to a hill completely covered in meadows. The guide told us that the Red Church used to be there. We looked around and saw nothing but meadows – no structures or even stones. This was the case in the 1960s and 1970s. Today the restoration of the Holy Cross Church in Aghtamar has both political and economic significance for Turkey. Political since Turkey aspires to becoming a member of the European Union and they have to prove that they are not the Turks they used to be. At the same time they have a great economic interest. Every tourist who visits Van is sure to go to Aghtamar. Boats go there every thirty or even fifteen minutes carrying some thirty or forty tourists.

Khtskonk Church

The mayor of Tekor (Digor) wants to restore the Khtskonk Church, which was blown up in 1964. Not because he values the Armenian monuments, but because there is an interest.

The St. Karapet Church of Mush doesn't exist anymore. The Kurdish village of Changly is there now. The village has sprung up right where the church used to be. And the church has disintegrated in the village – over the decades the church stones have been used to build new Kurdish houses. The Mayor of Changly says, “I feel very sorry. What fools our fathers were to destroy this church. If the church were still standing our villagers would make their living selling tan to tourists. If you can give us old pictures and drawings of the church we could rebuild it even partly to attract tourists to the village.” The Varagavank, partly destroyed, has become a very important source of profit for the Kurdish village. They sell needlework in the chapel. The church has turned into a kind of art gallery. As for the Armenian monuments in Armenia, they are not in a particularly brilliant condition. We have left them to the mercy of fate. In any case, they are standing for our masters build them skillfully, and it doesn't look like there are many fortune hunters in Armenia to cause great damage. But if we had some national dignity and didn't stand on the brink of a precipice vis-à-vis our culture, the situation would be much better, of course.

And the Mayor of Haghpat, for example, wouldn't dare to build a restaurant leaning against the wall of a church that is on the list of monuments being preserved by UNESCO. And, similarly, there would not be a café next to Noravank and the UNESCO team visiting the church would not have to turn back after seeing the café. It attests to us being faceless, dishonorable.

Hetq.am

http://www.nkrusa.org/country_profile/assets/culture/winged_khachkar.jpg

salt freshly ground black pepper to taste. I tablespoon Sumac

------------------------------------------

1.combine the ground lam, onion, half the parsley, and all the vread crumbo, salt andpepper in the bowl, mix well.

2. With wet hands form on sur or shish. Brown all over turning frequently.

3. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley, with the Sumac, and with lemon wedges on the side.

I don't use Bread crumbs.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK! What would you do differently? come on, say it!~ Post it.

How many cup of uncooked rice would you cook ~ if you were going to make pilav for 20 men ~ you know there will be meza and kebab and/or havoo mees with the pelav ```

Vava, how about swiching to Armenian gampr? At least the climate in Canada will suit it.

Wow, look at these beauties. Khopur is the other name for self-confidence! Nice site!

http://www.gampr.net/

And A Man Called Mashtots.

The month of October has been designated the Month of Armenian Culture in honor of Mesrop Mashtots. Ther are many programs underway, both in Armenia and the Diaspora. Not to forget that we also celebrate that other “warrior”, Komitas this time of the year

Does anyone remember the rest of this poem, by whom and what title?

Ari yeghbayr parabanenq mer hoyakap Hayots Lezou-n,

Mer ajqi jur, mer dzerqi tur, mer hogu lar Hayots Lezou-n.

Bkhel e na mer sarerits, mer darerits u mer srtits,

Araksi pes mish karkachun, mer hoyakap Hayots Lezou-n

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU! DO NOT BRING THE JEWS AND THE TURKS INTO THIS THREAD, NOT EVEN Gregory Peck.

This will be totally and solely dedicated to Mashtots in particular and to Armenian Culture in general.

Mods and Adms take notice, please filter out any and all irrelevent posts.

I will try and find the Armenian text, or someone can type it.

The Glory of Discovery

Let’s begin with Siamanto and see what others have said about the subject, including but not limited to Paruyr Sevak. Note the topic.

Does anyone know who wrote Geghon I Pativ Hay Lezvin (Ode in honor to the Armenian Tongue)?

Not my translation. I found it on the internet.

ԳիւտինՓառքը

Siamanto

Mesrob! you stand an unshatterable

diamond rock against time,

against the Armenian centuries.

You, an undiscovered lighthouse

illuminating the unformed brains

of children, and igniting the genius.

You, the clatter of the chisel,

whose hours, whose minutes carve statues

for the museum of the intellect.

You, the sleepless watchman,

you, the visionary titan of

each word of ours, each utterance

from the cradle to the grave.

You, the creator of dialect and dialogue,

prince of words,

You, the permanent watermark,

the generating father of substance,

you, wheel of light, invitation to faith,

boundless forest, a forest rising on our native soil,

sudden as a storm rising, a forest of solid trees,

each of whose branches is a harp for our breath.

Each one a trumpet for our battles, each

a barricade against scourges.

You, inexhaustible field of wheat, you, free bread.

You, a rich harvest, you a glowing hot wine press,

you, a golden vat of wine into which

even I, mad with thirst for the sun,

plunge a golden pitcher.

You, apostle with eyes that cut and cleave,

you, whose future glorifies the past,

you, who with vision, invention and ardor,

freed the Armenian offspring

from the clever Greeks and fire-worshipping Persians.

And from the world-conquering Romans.

You kept them intact with the ruby

cornerstone of your language.

You, a second god and

first creator of thought.

You, fertile source of goodness

and heart,

treasurehouse of color, and throne

of compassion,

you, a bride without toll,

arching the flying centuries,

a bridge over which your peoples

cross, your millions cross

in glory, marching in pride

or dragged in sorrow, from life to death.

You, the titled prophet

forecast by the Greeks,

you, the solitary magistrate

to whom Armenians roar Hosannah!

Hosannah! they cry also

to Sahag of Parth, your contemporary

pontiff of Vagharshabad.

Hosannah to King Vramshabouh

for supporting like two buttresses

your discovery,

one with his cross, one with his sword.

Pace by pace, they walked with you,

to open the door of literature,

to let in the dawn of Ararat.

Ah, with what fevers of the blood,

were you carried,

from what chill,

from what hellish twisting,

from what hesitation,

from what hypothesis,

what undulation of the brain,

what transfiguration of balance,

with which molecule of the spirit,

which ray of the eyes,

with how many drops of sweat,

and inspiration, how many

panting breaths, flights of flying dreams,

through how many vortices of prayer

in those forty days and nights

in that solitude, quiet as death,

were you lifted toward your vision?

And from which germinating seed

which unsprouted flower,

from what air, what voiceless accent,

what colorless word, which rootless

stripling did you create

the harmonious alphabet?

Thus, from the golden threshold

of the Fourth Century until now,

the Armenian spirit fuses

with Armenian blood.

Oh, riddle without solution,

oh lightning bolt of fiery nerves,

oh pulse and impulse of blood,

spotless multiplication of dreams.

Amazing and lyric chimera!

You are a rainbow of divine love,

the bearer of the fire of reconciliation,

the carrier of the hesitant,

ruler of the irresolute.

You are a fantastic dome of perfect design.

You, a passionate monk, man of God,

brother of the mind, sister of the harp,

allow me to drink from your cup.

Today, nourished by your holiness

I, a tardy harpist, undeserving but

grateful, bring you the soul

of your people as a mirror.

The fire in my eye is from the fiery eye

of your people. My words are harvested

from their hearts.

Whatever you read on my forehead

and in my smile, I have written with their hope.

Therefore, allow me to climb your gold ladder

step by step, crown by crown, as your son,

the son of your thought

to sing this song.

17th century church re-consecrated in Artsakh

The re-consecration of the St. Stepanos Church has been carried out by Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, the head of the Diocese of Artsakh of the Armenian Apostolich Church. A Sunday Mass was held afterwards.

Реклама 15

After the ceremony, Kashatagh regional head Stepan Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the Tufenkian Foundation for sponsoring the restoration of the church and “conveying new life to the historic church”.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/979513.html

la cuisine de lucine

Every diaspora has its cause, or causes, and what fractured the Armenian people was genocide, which killed millions and dispossessed millions more of their ancestral lands during the early part of the past century, the Georgia Straight writes.

Yet the lure of Armenia, coupled with family necessity, led American jazz pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan to undertake his own reverse diaspora, returning to Yerevan from California as an adult, and making a new life there surrounded by music and relatives and love.

“It’s really a different kind of world here, compared to Europe or the U.S.,” the 30-year-old pianist said in a Skype conversation with Georgia Straight’s Alexander Varty from the Armenian capital.

“There are challenges that are different here, and the challenge isn’t like living in New York. But there is definitely a lot of culture that I need for myself, like the soul food that I need, which is mostly the reason why I went back. Also there’s some kind of freedom I have here that I don’t have in other places. There are things that I can do that I wouldn’t be able to do if, say, I was living in L.A. or Paris. A lot of it has to do with the people and their traditions, and the way they live their life here. And also just being able to wake up and drive for 15 minutes and end up in a seventh-century monastery in the mountains… These are the things and places that inspire me to create, I guess,” he said.

Hamasyan didn’t always admire his roots. “Actually,” he says, “I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Later on I got into jazz, and I really hated Armenian folk music because all I wanted to play was bebop. But a few years later, some records came out on the ECM label—like Jan Garbarek records, Keith Jarrett records—and I realized that folk music can give you a different approach to improvisation, a different musical vocabulary you can use to improvise. So all these things led me into folk music in general, and to my own folk music.”

In solo performance in Vancouver next week, Hamasyan will mix lyrical improvisation with Armenian-inflected melodies and, sometimes, his own rich, flexible singing. In Armenia, however, he’s been working with larger forces—most notably the Yerevan State Chamber Choir, as heard on his 2015 release, Luys I Luso.

“I’m basically arranging Armenian religious music, church music from the fifth to the 20th centuries, for piano and a choir,” Hamasyan notes. “This was something where I really had to be able to stay here to get this project going, because I had to find the right choir and work with them for six months nonstop before we could record. So it was a long process, but it was a really beautiful project—and definitely a learning experience.”

The learning continues: Hamasyan is currently working on a large-scale commission from the New York City–based vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. In the as-yet-untitled work, the choir will interpret a 10th-century Armenian canto, or religious poem, with improvised counterpoint from the piano.

“I’ve gotten myself into a lot of trouble, because it’s a long piece and it’s complicated,” Hamasyan says with a laugh. “But I like a challenge!”

http://www.armradio.am/en/2018/02/08/the-georgia-straight-tigran-hamasyan-sought-food-for-his-soul-in-armenia/

Anyone else have a similar story ?

Also, anyone with some knowledge about medicine, can this infamous 'nabat' actually have some healing abilities ?

BY STEVEN J. DER-HAROUTUNIAN

The recent call for replacing the national anthem, Mer Hairenik, with the former Soviet Armenia anthem can only be viewed as an attempt to drive a wedge between our people when in fact the purpose of the revolution was to unify our nation.

When the obvious why is asked, we are given some dribble about musicality, why of course citing the trivial and impertinent armchair criticisms of some otherwise respected musicologists as the basis. While I will defer to others to scientifically debate the merit of one tune over another an anthem on the other hand cannot simply be judge in that manner. A National anthem doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

How an anthem can be solely measured by its musical quality 100 years after its adoption is shocking to the conscious of most of our nation who has answered the call of that anthem and its flag and all those symbols which represent Armenia and give character to the long struggle of the Armenian nation for its freedom and independence.

That anthem captures the sacrifice made by countless patriotic men women and children in that struggle for independence whether that was standing on the front at Saradarabad in 1918, standing in a hall in Davenport Iowa in 1946, on the cliffs of Shoushi in 1992 or holding onto the faith as a family in the darkest days in the early 1990s and standing firm on their small plot of land and choosing to stay without food, warmth and often without adequate shelter and tough it out as Armenians on their ancestral land rather than to leave for the chance of a better life in Russia, Europe or America as thousands of others did.

That anthem tells their story. A sacred story. A story of faith, struggle for freedom to live and if necessary die as Armenians for Armenia rather than to live and then to disappear among other nations un-moored to their land and lost like flotsam in the sea.

http://asbarez.com/178023/what-unifies-us-as-a-nation/

Komitas the Heretic?

There have been calls for Komitas to be canonized and sanctified.

I agree, as he can be as saintly as any.

Yet.

Does anyone else sense that, given time, Komitas may have disavowed his vows of celibatic clerical life?

We can simplistically, easily, facilement ascribe his loss of sense to the horrible scenes of the murder of his soul mates. But, could there have been a deeper "spiritual"(clerical v secular artistic) reason for it?

Hints and clues will follow, mainly from Sevak’s Anlreli Zangakatun.

See highlighted passages below. In addition to one biography where it is suggested that he had a falling out with the powers to be in Ejmiatsin, yet even in Bolis he was severely reprimanded by the Patriarch for airing sacred church music from secular stages and theaters. He was intimately associated with the day's intelligentsia in Bolis, his most intimate friends were the denizens of the "Ojakh", the likes of Halideh Edib (the so caled humanist, we have seen her in several posts here ) and the poet Mehmet Emin.

Details will follow, including his own autobiography, which is very dry and simply chronological in nature.

In the meantime, read ….

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=84411731

Did you know this? I didn't. See asterisks below.

ԿՈՄԻՏԱՍ _

Յունարեն. Komitas անունից, որ նշանակում է “գիսավոր”, “երկար մազեր ունեցող”**: Հնում այս անունը կրել են մեծ մասամբ հոգևորականները: Վերջերս բավական տարածվել է ժողովրդի մեջ ՝ ի պատիվ հայ մեծ երաժիշտ Կոմիտասի:

KOMITAS

From Greek name "having long hair". In old days it mainly was the name of clergymen. This name became popular in honor of Armenian great composer-musician Komitas.

**Consider the English "comet", gisavor astgh-գիսավոր աստղ in Armenian

About Komitas-Կոմիտաս

BIOGRAPHY OF KOMITAS Komitas, a.k.a. Soghomon Soghomonyan, was born on September 26, 1869 in Anatolia, Turkey, in the town of Koutina (Ketaia). His father, Gevorg Soghomonyan was a shoemaker but he also composed songs and had a beautiful voice. The composers mother Tagui - was also singled out for her vivid musical abilities; she was a carpet weaver. Komitass childhood was joyless and full of deprivations. He lost his mother when he was less than one year old, and because his father was too busy his grandmother took care of him. At age 7 Komitas entered the local elementary school. As soon as he finished school his father sent him to Broosa to continue his education. However, he failed and 4 months later he came home having ultimately become an orphan: his father passed away and Soghomon was only 11 years old He was a frail, weak, pale boy, always thoughtful and kind. He was dressed poorly, one of his classmates recalled about Komitas. Soghomon was often seen sleeping on the cold stones of the laundry room. He could sing perfectly, and no wonder in Koutina he was nicknamed a little vagrant singer. For his delightful voice Soghomonyan was also indebted to an event that fundamentally changed the entire course of his life. In 1881 the priest of Koutina, G. Dertsakyan, had to leave for Echmiadzin to be ordained a bishop. At the request of the Catholicos he brought the gifted orphan boy with him to study at the Echmiadzin Church Seminary. Twelve-year old Soghomon was selected out of the other 20 orphans to study at the Seminary. As it was forbidden to speak Armenian at that time the boy spoke Turkish and when being greeted by the Catholicos Gevorg IV, he replied, I dont speak Armenian, if you wish I will sing. Then with his fine soprano voice he sang an Armenian sharakan (a church hymn) without understanding the words. Due to his exclusive aptitude Soghomon overcame all the obstacles in a very short time and perfectly learned Armenian. In 1890 Soghomon was ordained a monk. In 1893 he finished studying at the seminary, then he was ordained a Vardapet (priest) and acquired his new name Komitas - the name of the outstanding poet of VII century, the author of sharakans. At the seminary Komitas was assigned to teach music. Along with teaching, Komitas organized a choir, an orchestra of folk instruments, and treated folk songs; he made the first researches in the field of Armenian Church music. In 1895 Komitas was ordained an archimandrite. In the autumn of the same year he left for Tiflis to study at the musical college. However, when he met the composer Makar Yekmalyan, who had received his education at the conservatory of Petersburg, he changed his mind and started studying a course on harmony by that composer. These studies became the original forerunner and the firm basis for gaining the European technique of composition. The further events of Komitass life had to do with the large music center in Europe Berlin, where he went to study under the protection of the Catholicos, being financed by the largest Armenian oil magnate Alexander Mantashyan. Komitas entered the private conservatory of Professor Richard Schmidt. Within the conservatory Komitas took private classes on singing, elaborating his beautiful voice, fine baritone. Simultaneously with these classes, he also attended the lectures on Philosophy, Esthetics, General History and History of Music. During these academic years he had an opportunity to communicate with European music, continually enriching the supply of knowledge, and engaging in musical criticism. Upon the invitation of the International Music Association he held lectures devoted to the Armenian church and contemporary music in comparison with Turkish, Arabic and Kurdish music. In September 1899 Komitas returned to Echmiadzin and started his musical activity right away. In a short period he radically changed the system of teaching music in the seminary, organized a small orchestra and perfected the performance level of the choir. He visited various regions of Armenia treating and putting down thousands of Armenian, Kurdish, Persian and Turkish songs. He started serious scientific research work, studied Armenian folk and church melodies and worked on the decipherment of Armenian khazzes and on the theory of voices. In various countries of the world Komitas appeared as a performer and propagandist of Armenian music. composer began thinking over big, monumental musical forms. He had in mind to create the musical epic Sasna tsrer and continued working on the opera Anush, which he started back in 1904. Komitas focused on the themes concerning folk music and revealed the content of folk songs. No doubt, such world outlook had to result in an inescapable conflict between Komitas and the Church. Gradually the indifference of new leaders, negative attitude of the backward group of the church figures, gossip and slander increased so much that it poisoned the life of the composer: the man who remained in the imagination of the contemporaries as an absolutely worldly man. The conflict turned so tense that Komitas sent a letter to the Catholicos begging him to release him and let him create and live quietly. This request remained unanswered, and the persecution of Komitas became more obvious. In 1910 Komitas left Etchmiadzin and went to Constantinopole. There he expected to find the environment that would understand him, protect him, and encourage his activity; and here he would be able to fulfill his dreams. Komitas wanted to establish a National Conservatory with which he connected the further destiny of his peoples music. But the composer failed to accomplish this plan (as well as many others). His inspired ideas were only faced with the cold indifference of the local authorities. In Constantinopole Komitas organized a mixed choir of 300 men and called it Gousan. It was very popular. Armenian folk songs constituted most of its concerto program. Komitas would often spend his time touring, giving presentations and lectures; he also acted as a soloist and conductor. He had the baritone, original for its richness and expressiveness. Due to the wide range of his voice Komitas could also sing part of the tenor. He also wonderfully mastered the flute and the piano. He was endowed with great power to influence his audience. The well-known musicians: Vincent DAndy, Gabriel Fore, Camille Sen-Sans fell in love with Komitas creative work. In 1906 after one of the concertos the outstanding French composer Claude Debussi exclaimed excitedly: Brilliant father Komitas! I bow before your musical genius! In Constantinople Komitas could not find any unconditional like-minded people who would help him implement his plans. Moreover, while in Echmiadzin he was together with his native people and close to its living style and art, in Constantinople he was deprived of it. Nevertheless, he continued to work hard. Komitas paid special attention to the composition of church music. His masterpiece Patarag (Liturgy) is written for the male chorus. Musicology was also an important field for him. In Paris at the Conference of the International Music Society he gave two presentations: Armenian Folk Music and On Old and New Notation of Armenian Spiritual Music. These provoked great interest among the participants of the conference. Komitas was also requested to give a spontaneous presentation on the topic: On Time, Place, Accentuation and Rhythm of Armenian Music. In the period of World War I the government of Young Turks initiated their monstrous program on violent and inhumane extermination of part of the Armenian people. In April 1915, Komitas was arrested together with the number of outstanding Armenian writers, publicists, physicians, and lawyers. After the arrest, accompanied by violence, he was deported far in Anatolia where he became a witness of the brutal extermination of the nations bright minds. And in spite of the fact that due to the intervention of influential figures Komitas was returned to Constantinople, the nightmare he had experienced left a deep ineradicable impression on his soul. Komitas remained in seclusion from the outer world, absorbed in his gloomy and heavy thoughts sad and broken. In 1916 Komitas health deteriorated and he was put in a psychiatric hospital. However, there was no hope that he would recover. The medicine was powerless against the destructive disease. The genius of Armenian music found his final shelter in Paris, in the suburban sanatorium Vil-Jouif where he spent almost 20 years of his life. On the 22nd of October the life of the Great Komitas came to an end. In the spring of 1936 his remains were transported to Armenia and buried in Yerevan in the Pantheon of prominent art figures. No less tragic was the destiny of Komitas creative legacy. The majority of his manuscripts were destroyed or lost all over the world The Armenian people found and recognized its soul, its spiritual nature in Komitas songs. Komitas Vardapet is a beginning having no end. He will live through the Armenian people, and they must live through him, now and forever. (Vazgen I, the Catholicos of all Armenians)

A man stands by the big oven on the ground floor and greets the lift that’s coming from the basement. With dance-like fluidity he takes the ready dough circles and with equally light and smooth movements puts them into the red-hot oven. In a few minutes hot aromatic lahmajoun is ready to be served.

“We have only 20 sq. m. of space. I decided to use it to its best, which is a typical Armenian trait – adjusting to the situation and doing the impossible. I’m following Archimedes rule: ‘give me a fulcrum and I’ll move the Erath’,” says 51-year-old Sargis Grboyan, offering some of the tasty lahmajoun right off the oven.

He says that translated from Arabic lahmajoun means “dough and meat”, in Armenian it’s called “msashort”, meaning “covered with meat color”. Some might call it “Armenian pizza”. One of the most popular kinds is Ayntap (a city in Western Armenia) lahmajoun.

“After the Genocide they emigrated to Syria and other Arabic countries taking their cuisine with them. There msashort turned into lahmajoun. During the 1946-47 wave of repatriation Syrian Armenians brought the tradition to Eastern Armenia,” says Sargis, who is from Ayntap by roots.

Grboyan’s parents repatriated to Armenia in 1947. His father Yenok Grboyan turned to the Soviet authorities asking for a piece of land in Yerevan’s Kilikia district, where he could build a house overlooking the Biblical Mount Ararat.

“They satisfied my father’s request, although Kilikia district back then was nothing but a bare hill. It was difficult for my parents to adjust to the Soviet regime; they had come back but regretted the decision and the only thing keeping them from leaving was that it was their motherland. When Armenia gained independence, the family started thinking about founding a private business,” recalls Grboyan.

Repatriates brought new culture to Armenia. Eastern coffee (now often referred to as Armenian) was a real discovery for the locals, as where lahmajoun, ishli kyufta, tabuleh, gari yarakh, surborak, etc., which are now among favorites of the locals.

Grboyan recalls how their neighbors would come to their place for a treat of the aromatic lahmajoun every time his mom would make it, because the inviting smell of it went far beyond their little hospitable house. This gave an idea to Sargis and his brother Vazgen Grboyan – buy a small place in the city and found a lahmajoun business.

With a background in mechanics, Grboyan, without any training on how to run a business or any knowledge of marketing techniques, somehow found the key to success.

“In 2001 we opened Mer Taghy (Our District). For the first 25 days we worked for free, treating people with our lahmajoun. The first month we used 5 kilos of meet, the second – 10 kg, then up to 25 kg. People were curious, they would taste and ask: ‘This is such tasty lahmajoun, where do they make it?’,” tells Grboyan.

Today Mer Taghy has many regular visitors, who go there not only for the lahmajoun, but to meet Sargis. The conversation with him keeps being interrupted by “Sargis jan, hello, how are you?”, as customers come by to greet him, or “Sargis jan, I have come to have some lahmajoun and a little chat with you”, “Sargis jan, tomorrow I’ll be sending 15 people to you, they are visiting from America”, etc.

“I like talking to people, making jokes, finding out where they are from by family roots, treat them. When people are in good mood their palate is more sensitive to the taste of food,” says Grboyan and adds: “Our most important principle is hospitality. And when showing your hospitality, you shouldn’t expect anything in response.”

Mer Taghy has become a small meeting place fro Diaspora Armenians. They come here to eat, to talk, to discuss issues, to help each other. Grboyan says that “with this lahmajoun I have traveled around the world – China, France, Aleppo, Syria, Beirut, Egypt, America… Tufayans, a wealthy Egyptian-Armenian family, who have major bread factories in Florida, wrote a $44,000 check right here and gave me a car – that black BMW, X 5 standing over there by the sidewalk.”

Grboyan is also the chairman of Ayntap union of comptatriots. They have connections with Ayntap natives living in different Armenian communities across the world; there are also philanthropists among them who assist Armenia.

“There are more wealthy people among Ayntap natives than others. And wealth doesn’t come by chance, it is earned. Ayntap people are a little crafty, but smart and resourceful in business, they are good learners,” he says.

Many of the high-ranking officials and law-makers prefer Mer Taghy to luxurious fancy restaurants.

“Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Serzh Sargsyan’s brother Levon Sargsyan come here. Once the prime minister came to have lahmajoun and asked: “Sargis, you have made a good name, but by how many percent do you evade taxes? Half serious, half joking, I said: 10 percent. He said: How about more honestly? I said: 25 percent. He said: Isn’t it too much? I said: “So for you it is a period of transition, but not for me?” He said: Bravo!” tells Sargis.

He is looking through the thick albums with his customers’ photographs and notes about the Mer Taghy and the tasty lahmajoun. He stops when he reaches the photo of Gilbert Kerkerian, former deputy mayor of Marseilles, due to whose efforts a monument to the victims of the Armenian genocide was erected there and one of the streets was called Genocide. Grboyan has placed a similar sign on the street where Met Taghy is located.

“Kerkerian came to Armenia and visited Mer Taghy. He came across the familiar sign and was astonished. I was at a wedding party that day, when I suddenly got a call telling me to come back as there was someone asking for me. Our acquaintance has turned into great friendship,” recalls Grboyan, with warm affection.

There days the little bakery receives orders for 1,500 lahmajoun, which takes around 80-100 kilos of beef. The business has been expanding, but is still run from the 20 sq. m premise.

“There is a phrase I like saying – my space doesn’t grow, but my business does. There are those when the premise is big, but there is little business. When a young man is conscripted, he says he’s going to become a general. Big goals generate enthusiasm and aspiration, if you set good goals you will have the energy and with willingness to work hard. Everything can be achieved,” says Grboyan.

Modern Diplomacy

April 5 2018

Pope Francis on Armenia and Armenizm

April 5, 2018

By Valery Paul, PhD

• In June 2016, Pope Francis, current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church was on a three-day official visit to the Republic of Armenia. This visit was not a routine visit of the ruler of the state. It is distinguished by the fact that the Pope is the leader of the superpower of the Vatican state and the Holy See, the power of which depends not on nuclear and other weapons, but on powerful spiritual charge which is guided by the army of billion followers. On the other hand, Francis is not an ordinary political leader but a Man who stands out not only for his intellect but also for his spiritual nature and decency, for his exemplary behavior and lifestyle; his apparent merit and he can be placed in the series of great humanist thinkers.

  If we add to this Francis’ ideas about Armenia and the Armenians, it becomes clear that his trip was truly historic and every Armenian, wherever he is, can be proud of, and should draw serious conclusions and prove to the ignorant world that He was right, as it is accepted by the Catholic dogma of the pope’s infallibility.

  Now I want to present a few thoughts of Pope Francis about Armenia and the Armenians:

  On the eve of his visit, the Pope calls the attention of the world noting. “…I will go on pilgrimage to a land of the East, Armenia…”. What does “pilgrimage” mean in this case? Is this a common pilgrimage? Where do people usually go on pilgrimage? – sanctuaries, then Armenia is such a sacred place. Of course, Armenia is sacred for every Armenian, but it is also a sacred place for the Pope, that is for the Catholic world, in case when Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church are Christian, and not Catholic.

  This _expression_ has a continuation, “… I ask for your prayers…” What does it mean? Why should all the Christians pray for him? Probably it means that He has a very serious task, which can only be fulfilled by everyone’s support, and he visits Armenia by a particular mission. What is that mission? He wants to remind the world which is now in its tough times, not to forget the role of Armenia in the development of modern civilization.

  In his speech in Holy Etchmiadzin, he said, “It is very moving for me to have crossed the threshold of this holy place… the centre from which its spirituality radiates”. Immediately a question arises. What is the spirituality of the Armenians?

  What does it mean, especially when he adds “Armenia gave the world its unique identity and it made itself the herald of Christ to other nations.” What kind of identity, moreover particular identity? What precepts should the Armenians impart to other nations? Whether it should be understood in the framework of purely Christian ideas? He continues: “… faith in Christ … is an essential part of its identity… ” and then cited John Paul II, which refers to the identity of the Armenian nation.

  Pope Francis, following Saint John Paul II, considers the Armenians peace ambassadors to the world. He believes that “The whole world needs…(your) message of peace….”. Pope Francis probably had in mind the fact that the Armenian kingdoms had constantly pursued a policy of peace, fought only when they were attacked. This is proved by the fact that there was no slavery as such in Armenia. The same thing happens today when the soldiers forced the aggressor to a ceasefire.

  In this context I consider it important to mention the attitude of Pope Francis to Saint Gregory of Narek, whom he proclaimed a Doctor of Catholic Church, whose poem “Book of Lamentations” he considers to be an extraordinary book and calls it the “spiritual constitution of the Armenian people.” What spiritual is it and how is it expressed? Do the Armenians understand this “constitution”? Did they understand what is to be the Doctor (Vardapet) of the Catholic Church? What did this proclamation give the Armenians? What did the Armenians do to recognize, to understand, to gain lessons, to present to the world the ancient thousand-year-old “spiritual constitution”? And in their turn what did others do to learn this spiritual wealth?

  The Pope refers with his precepts to the Armenian people, which, I think, in a sense, completes his mission and the pilgrimage to Armenia. Here’s the message: “…. a future of constant efforts to create the conditions for peace: dignified employment for all, care for those in greatest need, and the unending battle to eliminate corruption”. Here is his exhortation to people. “Dear young people, this future belongs to you, but cherish the great wisdom of your elders and strive to be peacemakers: not content with the status quo, but actively engaged in building the culture of encounter and reconciliation”.

  Being familiar with the Armenians, Pope Francis believes that Armenizm unites them all, regardless of whether they are Catholic or the followers of the Apostolic Church. What is the Armenian identity? What is the difference between Armenians and other nations? What peculiar features do they possess? In short, what does Armenizm mean?

  I think there is no need to continue with a series of new questions that Pope Francis put forward, they are too many, that are basis for serious reflection, as well as for new, radical conclusions for the Armenians and the world.

  Overall, the Pope’s visit seems to me as follows: He, like no-one before and now, placed the Armenian nation in the most prominent peak in view of not only Catholics and Christians in general, but of all humanity.

  Armenians need to finally come out of the sleep. The road is the correct understanding of the questions put by the Pope and thoughtful, reasoned response. The Armenians have no choice. The Pope with his visit gave the key to the solution of domestic and foreign policy, the fundamental concept of solving the problem of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and, in general, the key to true progress of the Armenian society.

  ARMENIZM

  With this essay I try, on non-professional level, to touch briefly the problem of, particularly, spirituality of the Armenian people, its unique identity and Armenizm.

  In recent decades, the issue of national(ethnic) identity has become a topic for current discussions in social sciences as great efforts were made to merge the nations in the course of history, which, however, can be asserted, successfully failed. A vivid example of the above said is the policy of Turks towards annihilation of nations and Turkization, Bolshevik national policy, as well as the advocacy of the European multiculturalism. And it is not accidental that the issue of identity was moved to the foreground. In this context it is necessary to highlight the fact that constantly growing consumer psychology and materialism has promoted the spiritual values ​​ carried by the nations themselves. The Armenian social scientists are also concerned with the Armenian identity, but as far as I know, not to a sufficient extent to give complete answers to the questions – Who are the Armenians? What is Armenizm?

  In this regard, it is debated whether the Armenians are the carrier of the European culture or the Asian? This issue is very important in terms of the European integration, which the Armenian nation faces from time to time.

  I think that the identity of the Armenian people (as well as of any other nation) is determined by many factors, particularly by customs, traditions and legends created in the Armenian environment by the cultural, economic and other relations with neighboring and other countries, by the Armenian music, architecture, music and dance, the Armenian Script, military culture, the Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots, bibliography and by Christian values, etc. The translated literature, which has greatly contributed to the Theology, Philosophy, Law, Political and Natural sciences and, in general, to the development of the Armenian culture, has a unique place in the Armenian literature, and it is no coincidence that the Armenian people has included The Feast of the Holy Translators in their calendar. Great and unique is the role of such individuals as Hayk Nahapet (Hayk the Great), Aram, Tigranes the Great (Tigran Mets), Gregory the Illuminator and Mesrop Mashtots, Movses Khorenatsi, David the Invincible, Gregory of Narek, Nerses IV the Gracious (Nerses Shnorhali), Mkhitar Gosh, Komitas on the road of shaping the Armenizm.

  Based on all abovementioned, as well as on other diverse factors, the Armenian culture has evolved over centuries, which in its turn determines the Armenizm, the Armenian spirit, the spiritual conformation, and the Armenian nation has been shaped of its own kind. What is this type capable of? The same is true about other nations.

  I think it is important what combinations of various features have been made. This probably depends on the path of the nation over the past centuries, that makes every nation unique.

  All in all, I would like to highlight just a few of the many Armenian features, without claiming them as completely justified.

  The first thing I would like to mention is the attitude of the Armenians to their children, they pay too much attention to their learning, education, they spare nor their welfare, nor health, nor their rest, nothing. Even the illiterate Armenian finds that education is a necessity for his child. It is no coincidence that the adult’s precept to their children is as such: “Learn to become a human”. It is surprising how the elderly parents care for their already grown-up children (who are not children any longer) when they need more care for themselves. But this is not all. The parents` attitude is much deeply displayed towards the grandchildren, probably because becoming wise through the years they realize that they were not sufficiently attentive to their children at that time and try to compensate it by their attitude to their grandchildren.

  All this applies not only to an individual Armenian, but the Armenians in general. It is known that in the Middle Ages, even in the absence of statehood, the education was free in Armenia.

  On the other hand, the Armenians stand out for their worship to the parents and in general, for a deep respect towards adults, when the children try in every way to be worthy to their parents with their attitude and care, uphold their honor, ensure a dignified senility for them. And this is not conditioned by their potential, they are ready for any sacrifice, only the parents feel themselves better. It is not an ordinary compensation of debts, but internal, spiritual urge, an _expression_ of love that turns the family into holiness. Such a relationship of the generations based on mutual love makes the Armenian family a strong and indivisible/ inseparable unity, which becomes a unique whole cell not dependent on the social status, social environment. Perhaps this is one of the factors that the “Armenian” type retains its identity.

  Another typical feature of the Armenians is their attitude to the manuscripts and books. They have always been considered a subject of special care and one of the greatest values. Special attitude was displayed to “Narek” of the poem “Book of Lamentations” by Gregory of Narek, which is considered sacred and balm from diseases.

  It is enough to remember that when the Armenians were forced to leave their homes and take migration path, among the first items of necessity have always been manuscripts and books. That is why many of the famous ancient manuscripts were saved in this way. It is not accidental that after the invention of printing in many European and Asian cities the Armenians have established printing houses and published books.

  One of the characteristic features peculiar to the Armenians is the fact that in many Armenian communities of the countries worldwide there has been an indisputable principle throughout the centuries – there should be no one asking for alms, beggars and the poor in their community. And, as a continuation of this and the previous principle, there was another principle – education was free of charge. Let us recall the great philanthropists A. Mantashev, G. Gulbenkian and others.

  One of the typical features of the Armenians is their strive for justice and law-abidance, which is observed in Armenia as well as in all the countries where there are Armenian communities. All the Armenian kingdoms considered the adherence to moral principles as a guarantee to ensure justice; they have stressed the importance of human dignity, and, in general, spiritual values and legality, which were considered supreme/uppermost values. Such an approach has been expressed in all the Armenian Lawcodes since the IV century. A concentrated _expression_ of such ideas was presented by Gregory of Narek, who pleaded the God in his prayers to give a man a chance of conversion as he believed that the person’s sins first of all are not his guilt but misfortune. Such a possibility could be realized only in the conditions of a peaceful, just, law-abiding, spiritually healthy society. In the Armenian reality the role of legal consciousness therewith was also highlighted, without which it could be impossible to ensure an ordinary development of the society. That is why Nerses the Gracious appeals to all the classes of the society in his “Toukht Enthanrakan”, demanding them not to be guided only by the carnal, and not to forget the spirituality because of the carnal. Overall, “Toukht Enthanrakan” contains regulatory provisions on human rights and of limiting the powers of the authorities which are still consistent with modern concepts with their legal significance.

  The “Lawcode”(Datastanagirq) of Mkhitar Gosh has acquired special significance in the Armenian reality, on the basis of which is the divine right of man, or by modern terminology, the natural rights. Since the 5th Century the constitutional approaches have been of great importance in Armenia. This is primarily manifested in Church Councils that have adopted mandatory rules regulating public, as well as legal relationship. These Church Councils, starting from the Council of Ashtishat (365 AD), were, in today’s terminology, a representative assembly, which was attended by the representatives of all social strata without exception. This approach has been maintained in subsequent centuries, and the rules of these congregations had universal and priority importance. From this perspective it can be asserted that these meetings are comparable with constituent meetings by their nature. It should be noted that a similar meeting was held by King Vachagan (5th century), where “Canonical Constitution” was adopted. In the absence of statehood such meetings were held by the Catholicoses. Overall, it can be concluded that the rules adopted in such Councils have ensured the supremacy of the rules of national consensus, thus they have been constitutional by nature.

  It is not convenient to talk about the details here, but I want to mention two circumstances that show the special attitude of the Armenians to the Constitution. First, the work “Snare of Glory” by Sh. Shahamirian published in 1773, which was a unique draft constitution, intended for future independent Armenia. Only the title of the book is a complete constitutional concept and, taking into account the time of publication of this work, one can be really surprised by such a constitutional ideas and approaches.

  The other phenomenon is that in the illiberal Ottoman Empire from 1840 to 1860 the “constitutional movement” was expanding, the purpose of which was to adopt a formal document for Armenians in Turkish Sultanate which would regulate the internal relations of the community. As a result of the movement in 1863, the Sultan government approved the “Armenian National Constitution,” which retains its significance up to now.

  Such thinking is obviously an evidence of the formation of a new civilizational level.

  I would not dare to make such a conclusion, if it were not for the point of view of an expert of the Armenian law, Professor Kohler, according to whom the Armenian nation gained civilized legal status, when he adopted highly developed religion. It is no exaggeration to say that the Armenian, as a carrier of its own civilization, could perform the role of the world in a strange world.

  Without going into professional details, which is beyond our power and not our problem, I suggest to those who are interested in the history of law to get acquainted with the researches of Josef Karst, Joseph Kohler, etc.

  Considering all these, I think that the foundation of the analytical center of “Constitutional Culture” in 2016 Yerevan should be highlighted. I am convinced that this international organization in the nearest future will generate ideas that will guide further development of civilization in various aspects.

  As for the behavior of the Armenians in the Armenian communities, we can claim that they have never been distinguished by their illegal, unlawful behavior, otherwise the authorities of these countries will not grant them any privileges. Besides, the Armenians have always tried to harmonize their community life with the legislation of the host country, while remaining faithful to national values. This is evidenced by the “Lawcode of Polish Armenians”, “Astrakhan Lawcode”, etc., created on the bases of the legal principles of the Lawcode by Mkhitar Gosh and have been functioned with the permission of the authorities. The Armenian law-abidance is evidenced by the generosity emphasized in the poem “Tazit” by the great Russian poet A. Pushkin (see further).

  Of course, it may be objected that in this case, how should it be explained that nowadays the number of inmates in American prisons has increased dramatically? Here I would like to refer to the words of the great English poet Lord Byron. “The virtues (of Armenians) have been those of peace, and their vices are those of compulsion.” In this case, the vices of the Armenians are forced to them and appear as soviet legacy. The Soviet Union was a country where any economic freedom, economic initiative was considered illegal, which led to the formation of the corresponding illegal behavior. I am sure that the rate of such crimes will drastically decrease after the change of the generation. And my hypothesis that the reason for such behavior is homo sovieticus – is motivated by the fact that this phenomenon is characteristic to the migrants from all the post-Soviet space.

  I would like to mention one of the most important features of all Armenians – it’s a special attitude of the Armenians to the Armenian woman. The Armenian woman, who is a bit of oriental and European, has a unique place in the Armenian society with her generic image and has a special social status. I believe that the basis for this phenomenon is the loyalty to the Bible, in other words, the Armenians have been impulsively guided by biblical provision, according to which “the two shall become one flesh.” I should also bring the viewpoint of August von Haxthausen on the Armenian woman – …in family life, this people has a patriarchal way of life, which only sharply differs from other Asian peoples in one way – the difference in the social status of women, in invoking her for independence, equality and human dignity, which is expressed in the very way of the Armenian family, as well as in the personal characteristics of the Armenian women. Then he gives an explanation. It seems to von Haxthausen that the reason for this lies in the very mission of the Armenians, as people of high culture and spirituality that has become a mediating link and the center of the unification of Europe and Asia. I think there is no need to add anything to the said above. In fact, this definition is not the only one, the same view was expressed by the Austrian historian Amand Shvaykher Lirhenfeld and many others.

  Finally, it should be infered that Armenizm as a phenomenon could be formed only in the Armenian Highlands, under the auspices of the holy Mount Ararat, a mountain that has been sacred for Armenians for thousands of years, which was later enshrined in the Bible. And another factor – today the science finds that one of the most important factors of European civilization progress is the wheat plant, the homeland of which is the Armenian Highlands, I mean that it is not accidental that Armenia has become the cradle of civilization and has assumed the role of civilizing. Armenizm exists and will exist as long as there is Armenian Highland and the people live there. No matter how good the Armenians feel themselves abroad they will be able to survive only if the Armenians continue to live in their homeland, from where they get their vital and spiritual food.

  I must also mention the creative kind and nature of the Armenian. Every Armenian, regardless of educational, social, environment background and opportunities, is constantly in the incessant search for something new. And the Armenian is the carrier of both the rational and the spiritual, and always strives to achieve his objectives. He is not indifferent to the events happening in his surroundings, or in the world, he always reflects his attitude to everything. Of course, this does not mean that he is always right and meaningful, and that’s why he is always ready to listen to a view of a better qualified and educated one and evaluate it.

  Finally, I want to mention the general characteristic for the Armenians, by the XVII century famous botanist, traveler Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, which was later repeated by Jacques Elisee Reclu and many others, according to which the Armenians are the best people in the world, they are virtuous, polite, imbued with discretion and decency.

  The list of characteristics of the Armenians can be continued, but it should be left for the future. Here I would like to mention just a few of the hundred assessments and characterizations given to the Armenians in two-thousand-year-history.

  One of the famous characteristics of the Armenian nation is given by the greatest thinker, philosopher I. Kant and he thinks that the unique commercial spirit is dominating in the Armenians: they are engaged in exchange, traveling from China to Cabo Corso (present-day Cape Coast) on the Gulf of Guinea. It shows the unique origin of this intelligent and hardworking people, people that passes through the entire Ancient world from the north-east to south-west and is warmly accepted among all these nations where he finds himself. It proves the superiority of their nature …

  Another German ethnographer and traveler August von Haxthausen describes the Armenians as follows: all the studies indicate the fact that the Armenian people are marked by the will of God and are chosen to spread the Christianity and civilization in the East. The Armenians can be regarded as a leaver, as the main ingredient in the Asian dough, designed to revive the dead spiritual life in this region.

  Many years ago, when I got to know Kant’s characterization of the “commercial spirit”, it had a very negative impression on me, so far as “merchant” prompts nothing good to many of us. Basically, we understand that word with negative meaning “hawker”, “trader”, ” usurer,” “miser”, as the European “bourgeois”, which has never been respectfully accepted in the European culture. However, much later, when I studied the Armenian culture more thoroughly and the history of development of the European economy, I began to understand that the genius philosopher from Konigsberg gave such a description that the Armenians can really be proud of and present themselves to the world with their contribution to the modern civilization.

  When reading Kant`s writings, especially taking into consideration the limited communication possibilities in the 18^th century, immediately a question arises – How could he have known that the Armenians are “intelligent and hard-working” and that “passing through the Ancient world they received a cordial reception among all the peoples”? What did he mean by saying “unique origin” and “superiority of the character”? The cordial reception among the peoples is probably certified by the fact that the big merchants were engaged not only in trade but also performed the role of mediator and interpreter in the relations between the ruling families and/or authorities of different countries, they even did official diplomatic assignments, became ambassadors to different countries and even ministers of foreign affairs. If we add to this all the significant contribution of the Armenians in commercial and economic, particularly in maritime relations between China, India, other Far Eastern and European countries, I think, the picture will become more complete.

  As to the characteristics of the Armenians given by von Haxthausen, it should be noted that not only the existent researches had served as a starting point for him, such as Kant and others, but also his own experiences and researches. Overall, his view is not only consistent with the thoughts expressed by Kant, but he gives more far-reaching civilizational assessments.

  Considering the fact that Kant had practically never been away from Konigsberg, it can be assumed that there was some idea about Armenia and the Armenians in Europe in the 18^thcentury, which is justified by the von Haxthausen witness that there is certain information and research about the Armenians.

  A question arises, what kind of information and research is meant? First, we can mention «Anglo-Saxon chronicle» of 807, where it is indicated on the first lines of the old English manuscript that the Brits came from Armenia and settled in the south of England. Valuable information is also contained in the German legends, where Armenia and Ararat are often mentioned, the leader of Germanic peoples called Armenios, as well as the assumption that the Bavarians and the Tirols have been originated from the Armenians (Enno Mayer, Zwischen Rhein und Arax. 900 jahredeutsch-armenische beziehungen, 1988). It is not difficult to assume that the works of famous Greek and Roman historians can be listed among these researches which were included in the framework of the interests of European thinkers since the Renaissance, and in many of them Armenia and the Armenians had serious assignation (I mean such great thinkers as Herodotus, Xenophon, Polybius, Strabo, Plutarch, Cicero, Seneca and many others).

  In addition, all the Europeans were cooperating with the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in the Crusades, got directly acquainted with the Armenian culture, established economic and trade relations with the Armenians (especially Venice and Genoa republics). It was not accidental that the king of Cilicia, Leo VI Lusignan was given royal reception by the kings of Castile, Aragon and France. John I, the King of Castile, granted several cities to Leo VI. King Charles VI of France gave him the royal palace of Paris Saint-Owen. His tombstone is in the royal crypt at Saint-Denis. The Armenian participation in the Crusades was highly appreciated by Papal Bull (“Ecclesia Romana”) of Pope Francis Gregory XIII.

  Here it is not impossible to note Francois Rabelais, who in his novel “The life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel” speaks with reverence about the Armenians. It is interesting to note that the name of Artaxias (Artashes) is written with the Armenian phonetics and the history of the King Artaxias II is described with deep knowledge. Further the luxurious reception in Rome of Tiridates, the King of Armenia as well as the efforts of the Roman Emperor Nero to make Tiridates the permanent friend to Rome are described.

  Extensive information about Armenia and the Armenians was given by the European travelers in their traveling notes (Zhurden de Severac, Burkhardos Monte de Sion, William of Rubruck, Marco Polo, Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, John Dardel, Johannes Schiltberger, Antonio de Gouveia and others).

  In this context, I think it was important that the Armenians founded numerous publishing houses and were publishing books in Venice already in 1512 and further in many other European cities. This circumstance could not but attract the attention of the Europeans, if we consider that the book was a rare and exotic phenomenon at that period.

  Important information was published about Armenia, Greater Armenia, Lesser Armenia and Tigran the Great in the French encyclopedia, in “Britannica” and in other universal encyclopedias published in Europe in the 18-19^th centuries.

  Apart from this, the prominent European thinkers began to discuss issues related to Armenia and the Armenians, the Armenian language and the works of the Armenian historians in their studies and gradually the Armenian Studies was formed (Matyuren La Kroz, Gottfried Leibniz, Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, Joachim Johann Shroyder, I. Kant, J. Herder, Antoine-Jean Saint-Martin, A. Von Haksthauzen, Leopold von Ranke, Heinrich Petermann, Marie Brosset, Edward Dulaurie, Victor Langlois, Frederick Muller, Auguste Carrier and others).

  Taking into account all the above mentioned, it is not difficult to guess why Armenia was in the limelight of the European science and culture.

  Armenians, wherever they live – in Europe or the Far East, South America, the Middle East, North America or Iran, regardless of cultural and religious environment, had rapidly integrated and become law-abiding and exemplary subjects and citizens of these countries, were distinguished by their hard work, contributed to the development of science, the arts and crafts of that countries and to the economic progress.

  Such a viewpoint may seem an exaggeration, but when learning about the Armenian activities in various countries, it is not difficult to ascertain the accuracy of such evaluation. On the other hand, it is surprising that this viewpoint is expressed by the Europeans, because in the framework of the ideology of Eurocentrism at that period, only the Europeans are capable of civilizational, cultural, economic intervention. Despite this factor, when the Europeans think that the Armenians may have a serious mission in terms of civilization, this means that there are serious grounds for it.

  I do not know what specific basics are meant by von Haxthausen and others for their conclusions, but many of such facts are known from history. It is a well-known fact that in the 18^thcentury, for several centuries, the Armenians, who migrated from Armenia, had established large communities in some European regions (Italy, Byzantium, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Transylvania, Russia, etc.), where they had received many privileges from the government, built churches, schools, founded printing houses, participated in cultural life, had many popular scientific, religious, cultural, political and economic figures. Unlike the European countries, where Armenians settled willingly, escaping from the Tatar-Mongol and later the Seljuk Turks unbearable domination, the Persian ruler Shah Abbas forcibly resettled several hundred thousand Armenians in Persia, granting them with great benefits. Here they built the city of New Julfa, boosting the rapid development of trade, economy and culture. Favorable attitude was displayed towards the Armenians in Russia. Thus, Peter I the Great granted privileges to the Armenian merchants. With the edict of November 10 (21) in 1724 he announced his patronage to the Armenian people: “Keep the honest Armenian people with special mercy… We ordered not only to protect their merchants, but also to grant with some privileges for great interests and benefits and will be kind to them in the most merciful way.” The same attitude was treated by Catherine II, who with decree of 1768 expressed her support and patronage to the Armenian people. In particular, by granting privileges to the Armenians, allowed them to build Grigoriupol and New Nakhchivan cities.

  The poem “Tazit” by the great Russian poet A. Pushkin can be considered the illustration of the political role of the Armenians in Russia. The famous phrase of the poem: “You are a coward, a slave, you are Armenian”, which, taken out of the context of the poem, has become “a great proof” of different interpretations and speculations, and Armenophobia. Whereas reading the poem, it becomes apparent that Pushkin, in this case by saying “Armenian” with the mouth of highlander meant only the evince of magnanimity, a person with high moral qualities. But that is not of interest to us. We should answer to the question – why the great poet, as opposition to human cruelty, ferocity of satisfying the vile passions, has mentioned the Armenians. How is this explained? Hardly accidentally, Pushkin would mention particularly the Armenians without any reason. Pushkin was very well aware of and had close ties with a number of Armenian politicians (David Abamelik, the Lazaryans, Grigor Zakaryan and many others). Moreover, Pushkin has witnessed how the Karabakh brigade returned from the battle, bringing eight Turkish flags with them. Therefore, Pushkin could not describe the Armenians as a coward or a slave. But it is not enough to commemorate/mention the Armenians.

  To understand why Pushkin has done so, it is necessary to refer to the role of the Armenian element in the North Caucasus and Caucasus, in general, in the beginning of the XIX century and during the second half of the 18^th century. In this regard, we consider it important to mention a question concerning Crimea. The point is that after the destruction of Ani, many Armenians migrated to Europe (Hungary, Transylvania, Poland, etc.), particularly to the Crimea, where densely settled Armenians had a major impact on economic, cultural and political life. When in 1768-1774 after the Russian-Turkish war, the Russian Empire, in the face of Russian Empress Catherine II and Russian Prince Grigory Potemkin, decided to unite the Crimea to Russia, deported Armenians from the Crimea in 1778 (as well as other Christian nations). In 1780, the Armenians established the famous New Nakhchivan residence with the sponsorship of the government. To understand this Russian policy, we should apply to another Russian writer V. Pikul, who in his historical novel “Favorite”, in the letter of Potemkin addressed to the commander A. Suvorov, who had Armenian descent states about letting the Hellenes make the wine and hunt mugil, they are commercial people, resourceful, believe me they won`t get lost. But in the new areas … let the Armenians develop new handicrafts, such as … weave silk and cotton fabrics, make leather morocco leather, make various needlework, in which the Armenian women are so skilled. It is no coincidence that Potemkin highlighted particularly the spiritual development of the people in the letter and ordered to bring priests from Armenia.

  With this deportation the Russian Empire undermined the economic and military capabilities of Crimean Khanate and created conditions for uniting the Crimea to Russia, and besides, strengthened its position in the North Caucasus. The Russians realized that it was impossible to establish order in this immense territory only by military force, it was necessary, if we use the current terminology, economic, cultural, political intervention. And to solve the very problem they wisely used the Armenians and other Christian nations, encouraging them by various privileges to continue to live in that region. And the Armenians settling in the region began to deal with economy, trade, agriculture (particularly horticulture), crafts and many other occupations. It is obvious that by settling there they developed their own culture, established schools, cultural centers, built church and residential buildings. The economy began to develop gradually in the Caucasus as a result of the Armenians` various creative activities, which had a beneficial effect on the development of public relations. And, most importantly, other nations were also involved in these processes, gradually acquiring the appropriate civilizational level. The same happened in the Crimea, after joining the Russian Empire, where the Armenians were given many privileges, which contributed to the settlement of the migrants from Western Armenia in Crimea. As you can see, the Russian policy towards the Armenians greatly facilitated the final appropriation of the North Caucasus.

  I think here the unique character of the Armenians is manifested, which was successfully used by the Russian Empire to solve their own internal problems.

  Obviously, the Armenians had gratefully received the favorable treatment of their host country/people, and at the same time it is also obvious that such attitude to the Armenians is explained not, as it is said, for their beautiful eyes but for the sake of far-reaching political and civilizational reasons and state interests.

  Every nation and a state have a problem of being presented to the world, especially the newly independent state. Today, the world is not aware of a few thousand-years-history of the Armenian people, the place of Armenia on the map, though the word “Armenia” is mentioned on all the ancient maps of the world. It is known only by the Armenians and by narrow specialized, scientific small community. Despite millennial cultural heritage and their contribution to global civilization, today the Armenians are only known to the world as the remnants of a collapsed superpower. Meanwhile, they have the task to develop, but it is necessary to appear to the world not only with a dignity, their culture, historical heritage, but first of all with present cultural, economic, scientific achievements, with their Armenizm.

  When I heard the words of Pope Francis on Armenizm, I tried to understand what it means. After long ponderings, of course, on amateur level, I found out that I still do not know what are the elements that formed it, what mixture does lead to Armenizm. But overall, I think we can draw the conclusion that Armenizm is meant to serve to civilization, to develop a civilization, to fight for civilization. Especially given the fact that many great thinkers have expressed such an opinion (August von Haxthausen, V. Abaza, Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, N. Marr, F. Makler, A. Kraft-Bonnar, P. Charanis, E. Mezhelaytis and others). Perhaps, I will mention only the words of A. Mayer: There is a country that Armenians can demand … due to the fact that they are a force. Armenians are the force of civilization since IV or V century.

  My knowledge is this much. It is obvious that the aforementioned about the Armenians is only the small part of the reality, which has various layers of exploration and discovery, but that’s not the problem. Of course, the Armenians will be grateful to all the scientists and researchers who will help to clarify and supplement the Armenian history, the Armenian identity and Armenizm, all this is necessary for the states interested in the progress of civilization. The great Russian scientist N. Marr, back in the beginning of the XX century, writes in this regard that the Armenians were the first to understand the international interests and the history of space already in the Middle Ages. The Russians should be the first to get interested in the history of the Armenian people, as responsible for the present fate. The Armenian nation is still the only race capable of sublime Christian culture and civilization, a tribe that owns the future of the region.

  The same thing, in fact, is claimed by the European and American Armenologists.

  How can we explain such a favorable attitude of the great humanist Francis towards Armenia and the Armenian people? I think there is no secret here. Such an attitude stems from the concern over the future of mankind, when the Christian values ​​are gradually replaced by the growing mercantilism, when the moral values ​​are turned into the product, when spirituality is replaced by the material, when the material is idolized, when the human being is transformed into a robot. Therefore, the Pope can not remain indifferent to all those communities, including the Armenians and Armenia, which is already two millennia appropriates Christ’s teaching, and this doctrine has become a state subject for a thousand seven hundred years and it remains faithful to Christian values ​​and continues to contribute to the progress of civilization.

  Let me finish with the principle of the Lithuanian poet E.Mezhelaytis that Armenia is the rock of civilization.

  https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2018/04/05/pope-francis-on-armenia-and-armenizm/