Wow..
Alright, I will confess: I simply forgot that I'm a blogger here. And of course, I remembered right now, as I try to write an assignment for my Judicial Institutions and Civil Procedure class, due tomorrow. ;)
Many many things to say.
First, a brief recap of the Armenia trip this past summer.
As I had mentioned, the AGBU project was a tremendous success, and my internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was great too. I definitely learned a lot, and can't wait to go back (probably not in 2007, though).
As for my impressions of Armenia, I won't go on for too long about them. I saw the same good most people see, and the same bad most people see. The bad angered me, but didn't discourage me. Every witnessed injustice is a motivation. I plan to put my education and career to good use, instead of using it as an excuse to run away from our problems.
If I am to draw one conclusion from my trip, it is simply the confirmation that our only salvation is through statehood. Any work we can undertake to strengthen this statehood is good. Anything that weakens it is, well, bad. Note that I am not talking about the government when I mention the State. I will not elaborate on my exact feelings about the government we currently have, but will just state that it is high time that we (the diaspora) participate in the development of an active civil society in Armenia, and not just in Turkey.
Turning to the community events chapter...
Hamazkayin's Ani Barakhump had a show on Sunday, which I went to. Speaking only of the second half (the first half were the youth dancers), I can't judge it artistically, because it was a sort of 'contemporary modern dance' choreography, of which I am not particularly a connaisseur. I must admit that I didn't quite understand what was happening, but it was a solid effort by the dancers, and generally a good (and much improved) technical performance. They also introduced great Jazz Gomidas music. Vartskernin gadar. They had a solid full house, as usual.
This weekend, it is our turn to have our show. On October 28 and 29, Garni Barakhump will perform at the Leonardo Da Vinci Hall in Saint-Léonard. I do believe that there are a few tickets left, so come support us if you're in town. I can guarantee that you will have a good time! Gotta love the pre-show excitement!
On Friday, November 3, the A.G.B.U. Scouting group that held the project at the S.O.S. Village will be hosting a presentation in A.G.B.U.'s Dervishian Hall at 7pm. There will be a short power-point presentation (which will be presented by yours truly), followed by a 40-minutish video of our time and work in Armenia. It should be rather interesting, and it would be a pleasure to have as many of you among us as possible. I'm a firm believer in this kind of youth-led projects, and I hope that they can receive wider support within the community.
Scouting is going strong yet again this year. We are now at 60 cub-scouts (that's the age 9-11 branch, of which I am one of the leaders). The commissionner for our district was at our gathering last week, and told us that we (the A.G.B.U. Scouting movement) are one of the two biggest groups in the province, the other one being......the Scouting movement of Sourp Hagop.
I'm hoping to hold at least a couple of joint events this year. Desnenk...
About the anthem: GREAT NEWS! Mer Hayrenik has its place in history, but we need a proud and arrogant anthem, which Khachaturyan's provides. Let us hope the lyrics will live up to the music. I disagree with the idea that the anthem should be something kindergarten kids can sing. We have "glorig mlorig shakar hats" for that. ;)
Adgé zad, life goes on. I am slowly becoming more comfortable in law school, and am head over heels in love with my Public International Law class. I'm also thinking of joining our university's chapter of Amnesty International, which is way too silent for my taste.
Oh, Tata is coming to town on November 10. Can't wait!
De lav,
Pari getsek,
Vrouyr
Many many things to say.
First, a brief recap of the Armenia trip this past summer.
As I had mentioned, the AGBU project was a tremendous success, and my internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was great too. I definitely learned a lot, and can't wait to go back (probably not in 2007, though).
As for my impressions of Armenia, I won't go on for too long about them. I saw the same good most people see, and the same bad most people see. The bad angered me, but didn't discourage me. Every witnessed injustice is a motivation. I plan to put my education and career to good use, instead of using it as an excuse to run away from our problems.
If I am to draw one conclusion from my trip, it is simply the confirmation that our only salvation is through statehood. Any work we can undertake to strengthen this statehood is good. Anything that weakens it is, well, bad. Note that I am not talking about the government when I mention the State. I will not elaborate on my exact feelings about the government we currently have, but will just state that it is high time that we (the diaspora) participate in the development of an active civil society in Armenia, and not just in Turkey.
Turning to the community events chapter...
Hamazkayin's Ani Barakhump had a show on Sunday, which I went to. Speaking only of the second half (the first half were the youth dancers), I can't judge it artistically, because it was a sort of 'contemporary modern dance' choreography, of which I am not particularly a connaisseur. I must admit that I didn't quite understand what was happening, but it was a solid effort by the dancers, and generally a good (and much improved) technical performance. They also introduced great Jazz Gomidas music. Vartskernin gadar. They had a solid full house, as usual.
This weekend, it is our turn to have our show. On October 28 and 29, Garni Barakhump will perform at the Leonardo Da Vinci Hall in Saint-Léonard. I do believe that there are a few tickets left, so come support us if you're in town. I can guarantee that you will have a good time! Gotta love the pre-show excitement!
On Friday, November 3, the A.G.B.U. Scouting group that held the project at the S.O.S. Village will be hosting a presentation in A.G.B.U.'s Dervishian Hall at 7pm. There will be a short power-point presentation (which will be presented by yours truly), followed by a 40-minutish video of our time and work in Armenia. It should be rather interesting, and it would be a pleasure to have as many of you among us as possible. I'm a firm believer in this kind of youth-led projects, and I hope that they can receive wider support within the community.
Scouting is going strong yet again this year. We are now at 60 cub-scouts (that's the age 9-11 branch, of which I am one of the leaders). The commissionner for our district was at our gathering last week, and told us that we (the A.G.B.U. Scouting movement) are one of the two biggest groups in the province, the other one being......the Scouting movement of Sourp Hagop.
I'm hoping to hold at least a couple of joint events this year. Desnenk...
About the anthem: GREAT NEWS! Mer Hayrenik has its place in history, but we need a proud and arrogant anthem, which Khachaturyan's provides. Let us hope the lyrics will live up to the music. I disagree with the idea that the anthem should be something kindergarten kids can sing. We have "glorig mlorig shakar hats" for that. ;)
Adgé zad, life goes on. I am slowly becoming more comfortable in law school, and am head over heels in love with my Public International Law class. I'm also thinking of joining our university's chapter of Amnesty International, which is way too silent for my taste.
Oh, Tata is coming to town on November 10. Can't wait!
De lav,
Pari getsek,
Vrouyr
posted by Vrouyr at 10:42 PM
10 Comments:
tata sucks...
rupen: I concur.
Vrouyr...I admire your energy and enthousiasm...bravo for the productive summer you had in armenia and good luck with law school! I hope I can make your dance show this weekend! i LOVED last year's...
Lalai, yes Aren's co-MC :)
A lot of Armenians were inspired to do great things through simple songs like "Mer Hairenik".
No big deal to change it - But don't mock it for partisan reasons. Just remember, a lot of bad things happened to Armenia and the Armenians when Khatchaturian's song was song. We have to be respectful of the truth.
I thinking of doing an internship at the MFA this coming up summer. Did you simply apply and got in, or you gotta have connections to get in? if it's not a secret, will advise me what to do?
Lalai: thank you :) Did you come to the show?
Anonymous: a lot of bad things happened to Armenia and Armenians during the "Mer Hayrenik" times too.
I am looking at the anthem only for its esthetic/musical value, as this will be the sound that represents us on the international stage.
Katine: I filled out the application that you can find on the MFA website. I'd only advise you to contact the MFA to follow up on it.
Who was doing bad during the first Republic (other than Boshevik rebels)? Don't confuse Turks with Tashnags. There is no comparison between how the ARF dominated government governed and how the Bolsheviks governed. I suggest that you read some of Professor Hovannisian's work on the first Republic to get a better sense of the truth. Until then, I would refrain from glorifying a regime that sent 100,000's of Armenians to prison, killed thousands (including a Catholicos and prominent intellectuals)and warped Armenian behavior and denigrating a group that laid the foundation for the Armenian state. The truth is the truth and true aesthetics should not be limited by political hyperbole (Tashnag, Ramgavar, Bolshevik, or other).
Who has been glorifying the Soviet regime?
Who has been denigrating the Tashnags?
I have reservations about the ARF in general, but I don't think you can find me stating anything negative about them in any of my blogs. Nor did I compare the way the ARF governed to the way the Soviet regime did. It is simply fact that there was widespread famine during the 1918 independence, just like there was widespread deportation during the Soviet era.
An anthem, by the way, is not a representative of the government, but of the State.
Also, Khachaturyan is not a representative of the Soviet regime, and was stifled by it too (for at least a period of his career). He is the best composer Armenia has had, and that is what I see reflected in the anthem, not the face of Stalin or Beria.
There is a distinct difference between famine (imposed from withhout) during the "Mer Hairenik era" and the crimes committed during the "Khatchaturian era". The government of the first Republic did not impose the famine and was made up of individuals radically dedicated to creating an Armenian state. Without their heroic efforts, there would be no ASSR or third Republic. Their efforts were complimented by the song which you repeatedly describe as childish. Perhaps when you join the Amnesty club, you should review some Amenesty files about the Soviets.
Khatchaturian's song was the anthem of Soviet Armenia. There is no way around that. He is the best known composer, not necessarily the best. Even if he was the best, that doesn't mean that his anthem is the best.
As for Khatchaturian's name recognition, you seem to be more concerned about how his name will play with others rather than with Armenians. I can assure you that few people ask "who wrote that anthem?" when they hear a nation's anthem. We should be concerned about how an anthem resonates with the Armenians. The Khatchaturian piece is divisive - our discussion here shows that neither song is appropriate.
It is time for a clean break from the past two republics with a healthy appreciation of the historical truth.
Ok, we'll have to agree to disagree.
You keep talking as if I don't know of what happened during the first Republic, or during the Soviet era, which is, to put it mildly, rather annoying.
I also did not refer to Mer Hayrenik as childish. I just said that having an anthem that can be sung by kindergarten kids (which is what another poster was saying, I forget who) is not the main criteria for choosing an anthem. You seem to have a nice way to put words in people's mouths.
Inch vor e, as a rousing, domestic piece of music (which is what I think the anthem should be), I think Khachaturyan's is much nicer.
This does not discredit the first Republic, or the (somewhat exaggerated) magnificence of its foundation (and yes, I have read about the foundation of the First Republic), it is just about the music.
I'd be thrilled if another musical masterpiece came up, but I wasn't too pleased with the little I heard from the 4 other candidates.
Im goghmes ayschap..al ge pavé..
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