Naregatsi Art Institute and Sayat Nova Dance Company

I received an email today from Nareg Haroutounian, the founder of Naregatsi Art Institute, asking me to attend their function at ALMA this Sunday at 4pm in Watertown, MA entited "A Celebration of Peace, Education, and the Arts In Shushi, Nagorno Karabagh". Naregatsi Art Institute is a non-proft organization "dedicated to serving Armenia's existing cultural heritage through supporting Armenian contemporary artists and creating a forum in which the spirit of art and the common voice can resonate freely." I met Narek once in New York City in 2004 while speaking at an engagement at the Tufenkian Gallery on the release of our Karabagh CD on Pomegranate. I was immediately struck by his dedication and vision in creating a comfortable space for artists and musicians to share their art with audiences. Since the, he has gone on to open quite a hot spot in Yerevan where nightly events take place such as art gallery exhibitions and musical concerts. I will blog about it when my wife and I are in Armenia next month. Nareg has also been working toward a similar concept in Nagorno Karabagh. Interestingly enough, his family has acquired a swath of land in Karabagh and they are paying locals to move to this colony/village to repopulate the lands. It's remarkable work from a Diasporan who has gotten his hands dirty and decided to do something about issues he cares deeply about. Direct involvement with Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, with no complaints.

The other big news in this area is that Boston's very own Sayat Nova Dance Company is going to Armenia to perform at the Opera House in Yerevan sometime in early July 2006. They are a fixture here in Boston with leader Apo Ashjian a positive force in our community at the helm. Also, one of my close friends Josh Tevekelian will be accompanying them on the trip. Josh will also we with me and my wife for the wedding of our bash brothers, Aram Hajian. While some would question the expense of going to Armenia to perform, I believe it is a natural and positive step for the group. They did it in the 1990's, and now the group (I believe about 50 people) will return. Again, connecting the Diasporan group to Armenia directly is a win-win situation for everyone around. For many, this will be their first trip to the Homeland. Overcoming financial and artistic obstacles, the group has decided to step out of their Diasporan "comfort zone" by saving their money and working hard toward their rewarding upcoming journey. Many of them could have vacationed elsewhere this summer, but, instead they collectively decided to bite the bullet and go for it.

In both cases, Diasporan organizations and individuals have turned innovative thinking into a force for positive change in their own lives and perhaps in some small way, for the lives of others in Armenia. In both cases, they have solved the puzzle of the "Ultimate Diasporan Hypocracy". Instead of staying in Boston and doing the same old, same old, Sayat Nova Dance Company opted for a direct linkage to Armenia. For Narekatsi Arts Institute, it started with an idea how to help local artists and musicians in Armenia. And now, the idea has become a reality.