CD Review- Deti Picasso

DETI PICASSO- Ethnic Experiments (Deep Movement)

Where do we start with this one?

The band Deti Picasso is from Russia. Two of the members are Armenian in lead singer Gaya Harutyunyan and brother/guitar player Garen Harutyunyan. The 2004 CD "Ethnic Experiments" is sandwiched in between two other releases, 2002's "Mesjac Ulybok" (CD Land Records), and their new 2006 release "Glubina" (Deep Movement). They are not considered "Armenian artists" in the sense that they cater to the Moscow rock/punk/experimental music scene and sing mainly in Russian. That's their bread and butter. Like many ethnic Armenians in Europe and North America, they presumably decided to dabble into their roots and as the CD title states, create "Ethnic Experiments". They have a cult following in Armenia and have given several very successful club concerts there, despite the general indifference toward rock music in the Homeland.

Whether I simply casually listen, review, or produce artistic risk-takers, there is a high degree of respect that is accorded to them right off the bat from me. I first heard an MP3 song (Im Gala) that was somehow sent to me via email in 2004 via Christina Sarkissian (the person who gave me a copy of Bambir- Quake while in the US) via Gor Mkhitarian. I had never heard Armenian music performed like this before. Yet, I was confused on whether I actually liked the music and needed more of a sample set. So, finally, after 2 years of looking around, I finally bought an authentic CD of "Ethnic Experiments" at the Avant Garde Folk Club on Pushkin this summer and have had time to ponder and absorb the music.

Presented as a loose concept album with the first track being dedicated to listening to a person waking up in the morning (or evening) and making a pot of coffee all while hearing the effect of a needle dropping on a record with LP scratches all while flutes, clarinets, and shvi's are being introduced. In general, musicians have to be careful when presenting a concept album as sometimes the side effects can detract from the main meal of music. See Prince's "The Sign Album" or Pete Townhend's "Pyschoderilect" as examples. Thankfully, Deti Picasso keeps the sideshow to a minimum while making its point. All of the brief interludes (track 7, secret hidden track at the end of the album) point toward a spiritual bond with their "ancient Armenian folk songs". I'll let you listen and decide to see if you think it's effective. I think it is, yet, maybe not as profound as the band intended it to be.

After the opening introductions, the band gets right down to business with one of the standout tracks on the album, Ai Nina (track 3) which features the nervous, edgy, and strangely beautiful voice of Gaya setting the stage for a somewhat epic version of the popular folk song. I can assure you it has never been played like this before, as toward the end of the song the band uses bone-crunching guitar licks and uninhibited vocal layers to finish off the the 5 minute crecendo. With quick breaks in the middle of the song fueled by the sounds of a cello, Deti Picasso create finesse in the eye of a storm. The ninth track, Ai Lele Yar is another bright spot proving the can handle a slow tempo while interpreting another folk song in a majestic and beautiful fashion. I had never imagined this song would ever be approached in this way. It's one of the reasons "Ethnic Experiments" is so appealing and effective.

Usually, producers like to front load an album with the best songs, leaving the filler toward the end before a strong finale. In this case, the best song on the album comes surprisingly third from the end with Merik. Again, based on a folk song, all main elements that Deti Picasso try to exhibit in the course of the album converge to form a masterwork of a song. It's all there, the angst, the finesse, the sound samples, the crecendo, the clarinet, and best of all, the passion. It is at this point in the album listening process, you begin to understand very clearly that this is a special band, and a special album.

Gaya's voice is not operatic, smooth, or even attractive. It is jagged, nervous, and urgent. She reminds me of Kristi Stassinapoulou or Savina Yannatou, both from Greece. A case can be made that she reminds of a raw Allanis Morrisette. In all cases, at first glance the voices aren't appealing. Yet, how they use it is very important. And, ultimately very effective. As for the rest of the band, they succeed in giving Gaya the neccessary color and punkish attitude needed for this all to work.

"Ethnic Experiments" is the type of album release in the Armenian language that happens once every few years. It startles you, and makes you think by going deeper into the approach than what is usually presented in a simple folk song. While anonymous artists come and go in Yerevan and in the Diaspora using folk music as a cheap vehicle to make money or springboard a career because they have no originality of their own, credit Deti Picasso for digging deep, and producing a delightfully flawed masterpiece of an album.

Now, this is real music.


3.5 out of 4 Stars

The only place I know that sells this CD is at www.narek.com if in the Diaspora. In Yerevan, please go to Avant Garde Folk Club and talk to Armine. Or, if all else fails, Armenia's resident rock music hipster Christina Sarkissian will always point you in the right direction.

For a You Tube taste of a cut from their first album, "Mesjac Ulybok", here is Yaman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiypPK2QJ7c

Paypal...

For those who were asking for a paypal account... my email for it is shooshigavakian@hotmail.com GOOD LUCK! :) ... and thank you :)

CD Review

AVIATIC- Arrival (BC/Stereotrain)

Gor Mkhitarian and I have a habit of sharing music with each other once in a while. A few months ago, he sent me a copy of the LA based Aviatic's debut CD release, Arrival. In true Gor fashion, the CD came unannounced. However, through Mr. Mkhitarian's recent independent CD releases, he has gotten to know the LA music scene pretty well. And, the lead singer of Aviatic Sebu Simonian did a guest vocal spot on Gor's new self titled CD.

I confess to not knowing much about Aviatic, except for the fact that Gor has talked them up for about a year. I paid little attention since I was off producing more classical stuff of late and was focused on educating myself on classical guitar and artists such as Segovia, Williams, Kanengiser, and Russell. However, my listening pattern has taken an interesting turn with sudden jolts of KT Tunstall, Imogen Heap, and Corinne Bailey Rae. Oh, I even was able to bribe my wife to attend an Asia reunion show at Avalon in Boston. Yes, it was strange, but, nostalgia comes in weird ways.

The last thing I have been in the mood for lately is power rock. But, ever since I heard Aviatic's "Goodbye Beautiful Day", I was curious to hear more. On a recent trip to NYC for a Iakovos Kolanian concert, I was able to give this album a full throttled listen. The 9 song demo was restored my faith in Coldplay/Duran Duran type music with Aviatic gunning for a major label recording contract.

"Goodbye Beautiful Day" was a Top 10 song on Yahoo Music, the only unsigned band to chart. Their song "Stroll" was on a TV movie fairly recently. Clearly, people are catching on. What I like about this CD is that all band members are completely focused on making dramatic rock anthems without the cheese. Simonian's voice has hints of Simon LeBon while drummer Barrett Yeretsian pounds away with conviction.

Overall, my favorite cuts are "Shine" and "Poor You", along with the obvious masterpiece "Goodbye Beautiful Day". The Aviatic's Arrival is guilty pleasure with the ability to rise above usual dumbed down pop. This is a clear case where the sum of its parts trump the individual parts. This is one of my favorite albums of 2006 and look for the Aviatic to hit it big in 2007/2008. You can quote me on that.

Other CD's I have received are Sonya Varoujian's "Janapar", and Element Band's "Yev Oh Phe". I also have Deti Picasso's "Ethnic Experiments". I can't say that they were all great, but, Deti Picasso's CD is the clear winner in terms of vision and originality.

These days, I am currently in flux in which way to take my record label, Pomegranate Music. However, I do have a potential offer on the table for a well known classical guitar duo from Italy/Switzerland that would be a nice departure from the more ethnic/folk stuff I have done in the last 5 years.

We'll see.

Magic GAS

Funny pun, but to summarize, this is what can be said about the bluesman Gaspard Ossikian live, named “Gas blues band” on the scene. Tested and approved, the fast journey to Lyon for seeing him live was 200% worthy !

Born in Erevan, son of the 1947’s Podeba and Rossia ships Armenian-french repatriates, back in France aged 4, and obviously born for singing and playing the blues: like many Armenians, the guy has a heavy past behind him that he clearly identified as the roots of his own why I sing the blues (a song of BB King).

While speaking about BB King, can be useful to mention that Ossikian has made the first part of the legend’s concert in 1988 at Cahors (in France), excusez du peu … the “49 blues band”, it’s the band of Gas and his old friend Fred Brousse. The band doesn’t exist anymore but the 2 friends are still deeply linked with the US Chicago blues via the Maurice John Vaughn Chicago blues ambassadors they both play in each time they perform in France.

So on the paper, Gaspard could reasonably be considered as an authentic bluesman, but the best proof is to see him on scene. A beautiful grave and rocky voice, a play of guitar extremely effective in all sobriety (the guitar truly sings !) and the rest of the band ensuring perfectly too (Luc Blackstone playing bass, Rachid Guissous on keyboard, Yannik Unari on drums).

As himself, his blues is not depressed at all, but more strongly living, and even dancing ! One of his composition is directly about his Armenian roots : a song called Magic Mountain (needless to say which kakat he’s singing about), veiling a deep mystery on the magic mountain of his childhood in Erevan. When he performed it last Friday night, he sung some parts in Armenian, so I guess that the mystery was even deeper for the other listeners as I was the only other hay of the place !

Never complaining about anything, the man rather prefer to enjoy life than be depressed, and that’s his conception of the blues “gerek, barek, khmetsek, vayelek ! ays ashkharin metch amen pan soud e!” this funny hay song IS blues for him.

He never managed to return to Armenia though his strong will of mixing his blues experience with the excellent musicians he heard from there. An “Armenian blues band” would be his dream. God bless your way Gas !

The Regular + a Turkey?

Hard to believe judging by the short sleeves and sandals we’re still wearing in Los Angeles, but a week from today is Thanksgiving and inquiring minds want to know what you are doing to celebrate?

For the last few years I have been working like a Turkey (wait, I guess Turkey’s don’t work very hard?) and the entire Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone in a flash. I would end up spending some time with various odar friends and neighbors who would invite me over.

I never trekked out to Queens or New Jersey to chill with the Armo’s. I’m all for going the extra mile, but there is always so much hoopla around it. Gotta make real edible contributions and carry it across subway lines that run on absurd hours wearing your holiday best. But, it was cool…I kinda liked getting out of the norm.

Odars make it easy. They order some things in, use paper goods, and don’t expect much out of guests:) Last year in a last minute hustle I thought I would make one family I was staying with cheese beoreg. Consequence to be so tired (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) it turned out horrible. I was (this) close to tossing it until the crazy Italians started gobbling it up (no pun intended). That left me scratching my head, but hey, whatever works.

I can make a pomegranate glazed braised lamb with a chocolate Grand Marnier soufflé with my eyes closed but I don’t really attempt the Armenian dishes – maybe I think it’ll never measure up to the old, “way Grandma used to make it”?

In any case, this year I do have some time on my hands so I was wondering how I should tackle this overshadowed holiday and started to wonder - how do you Armenians in the 21st Century celebrate Thanksgiving?

Do share:)

P.S. It’s all about Cal getting to the Rose Bowl this weekend!!

got a buck?

The Fight Against Rural Poverty

Moving on to new news. Today I received my Armenia Fund 2006 Telethon mailer. Per the usual, the annual campaign will take place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 23, 2006. Efforts this year will aid large-scale development initiatives in the Hadrut Region to "enhance the socio-economic standards of the 12,000 residents... as well as combat rural poverty". Project components to do this include Agricultural Development, Irrigation and Drinking Water Systems, Hospital and Emergency Care, and Education. For 15 years Armenia Fund has been working toward developing a sustainable infrastructure in Armenia and Karabakh with large-scale projects that it undertakes.

Broadcast scheduling varies. For more information click on http://www.armeniafund.org/.

Part Two - What is going on with us?

Here is where my little story goes on…

One night over drinks someone in our group somewhat casually interjected that "she hated being Armenian". Whoa. The comment stunned me but I was also equally surprised by my non- judgment of this girl. In fact, there was also a palpable sense of understanding among all Armenians in the group – I got a feeling that many of them had toyed with same kind of disappointment. In any case, I appreciated this girl’s honesty in expressing these feelings, I had personally just never heard it expressed with such a powerful word as “hate” from someone I know had been so dedicated to putting Armenians first. The comment clearly had accumulated angst and resentment associated with it that I figured I’d probe about when it didn't feel as threatening. However, it did serve to confirm my feeling that the laundry list of interpersonal issues within our community that aren't being addressed are permeating in unpleasing ways.

She graduated at the top of her class from one of the highest ranked law schools in the nation and started out her career working on cases that represented the underprivileged with special care toward Armenians. She has since moved on. We can't afford to have anyone, much less smart minds who are passionate about working with Armenians, turn their backs on us like this!

I am not familiar with all organizations but I have knowledge of my fair share and though there are a few that are admirable, I have seen many more that were damn pitiful – bright, energetic professionals who start out their careers with a passion for working toward the mission of our organizations are being met with truly unfair compensation and incredibly hostile environments with insurmountable expectations and no validation or reward. Many of them not only leave the organizations because they are highly marketable, but they are leaving and don't even want to look back. And, I won't say it but who do you think they are leaving behind? If you employ an Armenian it doesn't meant that, that person needs to donate their livelihood to you and take your shit. Who wants to use Hrya’s as an example but living in LA you work with them and every one of them know that the people who work with their organizations as journalists, teachers, fund raisers, and executives are among the most valuable to their community and damned are they if they mistreat these people. Yet, we don't think twice about what sort of affect these actions are going to have.

Now I come to a few comments I have read on the Repat blog recently. There were some comments made under New Anthem that were basically saying that Armenians in the Diaspora shouldn’t have a say in the things that takes place in Armenia, in this case with expressing feelings about Mer Hayrenik. One comment went so far as to say we don’t do much more for Armenia than donate $20 once a year during the telethon. I felt these comments did little more than create a Armenia vs. Diaspora divide. I am not saying that I or anyone outside of Armenia can even profess to know about what will serve the daily lives of the people in our homeland without living there for a significant period of time. But all those comments serve to do is instill another path which alienates us from each other and ultimately threatens to diminish the strength of who we are as Armenians. To tell me that I should have no say in our national anthem because I don’t live in Armenia and that I as the reader do nothing more for Armenia than donate $20 offends me. I personally have done much more and know lots of people who always bend over backwards to do what they can, but what if that is all we can do? Does that make us less worthy? We aren’t an X-Men cult with super powerful abilities that can affect great change single handedly. If all someone can do is donate a few bucks to the Telethon it should never be frowned upon or express a desire to restrict their connection to Armenia. And there is no need to degrade any effort, especially when there are Armenians throughout the US and even in the greater Los Angeles area who are really struggling.

I know the image everyone has of us is that we throw lavish parties and cruise around in our ridiculously expensive cars without a care in the world. Although this isn’t untrue, it is drowning out the voices of Armenians who are struggling and aren't clustered in the Glendale vicinity. Elders with no support or English skills are having a hard time navigating the social services systems to get the care they need, kids are being influenced by gangs and drugs with parent(s) who can hardly make ends meet as part of the white working poor of America. And are we so naïve as to think our households are immune from the perils of domestic violence? Yet which Armenia organization targets to aide them? In the US we are also grouped under the auspices of being “white” so don’t have a voice of our own to get the needed support.

Then more recently under the log about smooching in Armenia, the conversation evolved into comments that Harmick made that I found to be so poignant.

Here is my spiel (finally huh? lol): I think that the current generation of college students and newish graduates are leading the way for a new mentality of our American Armenians who are not nearly as forgiving as some of their predecessors for unethical behavior within their community. We can’t expect to raise them with idealistic views on how wonderful it is to be Armenian and how important it is that we don’t loose our language and culture yet screw them over in business, take advantage of the few who want to work in our organizations, and be tactless the way we treat one another. If they are working to live up to the high expectations and paying the social costs to not assimilate into white America they are expecting the same integrity in return. How often do we hear of people being taken advantage of for petty amounts of gain...yet the psychological damage is long standing and the message gets passed through to all of us.

Harmick perfectly exemplifies this in his comment when he expresses tolerance by saying “I understand Armenians often have a lack of tact, and usually have good intentions, but…”. This atomically puts him into my generation of thought. However, perhaps his younger sibling but certainly the emerging generations are not nearly as open to accepting this. Part of the problem is that they aren't going to go to war over it with the us either with their demands, instead they just quietly turn their back on who they are.

Ultimately we are building as many superficial divides as humanely possible that are doing nothing more than alienating us from each other and willfully giving up our power. Most of it is just human nature but we do have a say in how we are shaping our Diaspora for the future generations as individuals. Subconsciously we don't think twice about it because we think we will always have the unwavering support of our people. No matter what dialect we speak, the spices we use to make our food, or how our country of origin has influenced our lifestyle, the differences should be celebrated and indulged in rather than constantly using them against each other. It’s one thing for a half Armenian to have parents that prioritized teaching them to speak and be Armenian, or didn't for their own reasons. However how many times can that person overlook the way they get treated in our community? Especially, as Harmick also said, "it's the place you should be accepted". I don't think we can afford to even loose one person to negative experiences in any of our communities yet so many are quietly walking away and looking for the refuge they need elsewhere.

That's my piece. I'll get back to you in the next 50 years to let you konw how things are going:) Nancy Pelosi Speak of the House! Yay!!

PomegranateLand

Some good news for some Pomegranate Music CD artists in the last few days.

- Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia's "Six Fables" CD recently won 1st place that the Just Plain Folks Awards in the Category Best Classical Voice/Opera/Choral Album. www.jpfolks.com for more info.

- Gor Mkhitarian received 2nd place at the Just Plain Folks Awards for his song, The Light, off of the "Godfather Tom" CD. The category was Best Middle Eastern Song. He lost out to Andy. www.jpfolks.com for more info.

- Iakovos Kolanian's new album "Bohemio: Guitar Masterworks of Agustin Barrios" was nominated in the first round of Grammy Award balloting for "Best Instrumental Soloist" (without orchestra) category. Section 30, Category 101. There were 139 albums that made the first cut. Internal membership voting now begins with final nominees announced in December 2006. Winners to be announced in Feb 2007 at the Grammy Awards.

The Kolanian Tour finished on Saturday in Austin, Texas. After three weeks on the road, it was ready for Iakovos to go back to Greece and catch his breath. The tour encompassed Vancouver, Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Also, there were stops at NYC, Washington, DC, and Cambridge, MA. There were strong showings in terms of attendance at most cities, except Washington, DC. The nice feeling was having Iakovos present Armenian Folk Music for guitar to a general audience and guitar afficianados.

Now, it's time to totally focus on YerazArt, with a tour I am putting together for this Spring 2007. We will be featuring on new talented young artists from Armenia with a fresh perspective and program. We hope to get academic institutions involved in the process here in North America.

It happened a November 8th

Just found something WOW on my favorite daily website http://www.collectifvan.org/ : the éphéméride of the November 8th days through history. I guess it can be done for each day, but this list is quite interesting

2000 : in France, Sénat vote the law recognizing the Armenian genocide after Assemblée Nationale
2002 : UN’s resolution urging Saddam Hussein for Irak’s disarmament
1977 : Israel bombarding Palestinian camp in South Liban
1923 : in Germany, Hitler’s Munich putsh failed
Not to mention of course, the election of the democrats JFKennedy in 1960, and FD Roosevelt in 1932

So much of all those points have echoes today… History gives giddiness !

Oh, on a side note...

Remember to vote.

Politics is a dirty business and it doesn’t help that I’ve become incredibly skeptical about the degree of legitimacy in the voting process. I’m just as disillusioned as the next person about what difference it really makes. The issues on the table are overwhelming, and the plans we hear for a better future feel like a bunch of election year rhetoric. That said, our ability to safely part take in a system that can shift the weight of power is not to be taken lightly. People sacrafice their lives trying to attain some semblance of this. So, if for no other reason than out of respect for these comrades, I drive my tush to the polls and cast my ballot. And I hope you all consider this as well if you are inclined to skip it this year. When you decide that you have no choice but to vote, how you stand on the issues at hand become much clearer.

Peace.

Part One - What is going on with us?

I’ve had a few conversations recently and read a few comments left on the repat blog’s that I keep talking myself out of commenting on. I keep picturing the proverbial can of worms exploding if I attempted to start. But, whatever the draw, looks like I’m diving in…

It all started a few weeks ago when I was privy to a discussion between a racially mixed group of people, most of whom who were American born or have spent most of their lives in the US. A question was posed asking us to state our nationality and ethnicity - I thought, easy, American Armenian and was quick to announce my stamp which only lead to shock over the quick answers of the others as I heard "Latina, Mexican" "Japanese, Japan" "Latino, Spain" "Black, Jamaica" and on and on. Wait, I thought, these people are American, do they not know the definition of nationality? They did. Yet even given the fact that we agreed it wasn’t smart to disenfranchise themselves with being American, their answers still stood.

Turned out that America didn't make as much of an American out of them as it apparently has out of me. I do think that everyone who strongly associates with their race pays a price to do so, however after some thought I mostly felt (ignoring socio economic conditions) that it was easier to be most ethnicities in the US, than it was to be Armenian. Further I think that Armenians in America are cultivated to appreciate both aspects of our identity. In part of the Los Angeles Public School System I don't even think you need to say the Pledge of Allegiance anymore, whereas in my Armenian private school experience there was hardly a day that went by where we got away with not partaking in our morning rituals that often included the Hayer Mer, Star Spangled Banner, Mer Hayrenik, and the Pledge. And so, consequentially, I was also happy to identify myself as an American Armenian.

Blacks', Asians' and Latinos' have a choice to not want to be American. Not only because of their sheer numbers but their representation gives them so many avenue’s to find comfort in their community. However, as Armenians in the Diaspora we don't have the same luxury yet seem to be finding every way possible to alienate ourselves from one another and not looking forward into what affect it will have on the future.

There is a line of questioning among Armenians which is so annoying to me I refuse to partake in it. It’s the tedious conversation that invariably begins with a question along the line of “What kind of Armenian are you?”, “What kind of Armenia you would date?”, or “What kind of Armenian do you speak/do you speak Armenian?”. Ugh. Truthfully I think that it has gotten so out of hand it's disheartening to think that not only are we still not able to put these differences to bed but that the associated racialization of the Eastern and Western Armenian dialects with the categorization of Beirutahye’s, Hayastanci’s, Barsgahye’s, and the growing recognition of Amerigahye’s, grouping everyone else within these breakdowns, are not serving any purpose but to draw assumptions on our levels of Armenianness and know who we are going to accept and who we are going to ignore. It’s only aggravated further if you aren’t 100% Armenian. Recently I have opened my eyes to the divide between Tashnag’s and non-Tashnags, church associations in some communities, and the apparent divide between Armenia and the Diaspora. Everyone talks about their interests in travel because of the immersion in the culture that is different than our own. How come we can't indulge in these cultural differences when it comes to the variety that our backgrounds bring to the table. This is all well and good and something that maybe we just have to deal with until we develop lots of American born Armenians who have the same Armenian accent, cook with the same spices, and were born at Glendale Adventist Hospital but I wonder if we will be able to truly identify with being Armenian and care as strongly as we do now. Will we?

This is where the plot slightly thickens but I will have to get back to you with more insight. It's a perfect summer day (in November) in Los Angeles today so there is no use in trying to solve this in one sitting:)

SCREAMERS!

Wow... 2 blogs back to back... either I have way too much time on my hands (which is not the case), orrrrr I've just been sooo active that there is more to write about.. (this is probably it!).

So tonight I went to see "Screamers" the movie about the Armenian Genocide, which is part of the AFI Festival. Even though it's almost 1am, and I have to be awake and energetic in 5 hours for kindergartners, I feel as though I can't quite go to sleep if I don't get my thoughts about this documentary out of my mind (for now).

Basically, "Screamers" presents the Armenian Genocide - alongside the many other genocides committed in the 20th and 21st centuries... from many different angles. The underlying "chain" was System of a Down. The filmmaker follows the members of System of a Down, documenting how their music brings awareness to issues of human rights (especially the Armenian Genocide), while also giving historical background and eyewitness accounts of the Armenian Genocide. What's interesting is, that we follow SOAD while they tour to London, Amsterdam, Germany... and see how they've impacted the youth with their message. What I thought was also an integral part of the film, was that they included interviews with Hrant Dink, Sybil Edmunds, Samantha Powers and other human rights activists, who speak out about Genocide, Turkey, and what seemed to be of great focus in the film... "the politics of Genocide".

I won't say too much about the movie... you can go read the synopsis at the website. I'd like to talk more about my thoughts. Let me start off by saying that, as an active Armenian youth, I've seen my share of films/accounts/presentations/lectures/interviews-etc. regarding the Armenian Genocide. I have to say, that this particular film presented not only the stories of those who were speaking in the movie, but also of EVERY SINGLE descendent of EVERY SINGLE Genocide survivor. It talked about the passing on of this "heaviness of soul"... the impact of denial on the Armenian psyche (or any other person's)... and for a moment, I couldn't help remembering how that was a MAJOR theme in Egoyan's ARARAT.

The documentary showed horrific scenes from the genocides in Armenia, Germany, Cosova, Rwanda, and Sudan... and I was so frustrated seeing these images between the images of various American presidents or spokespeoople, who tried sooooo hard to avoid saying the word "genocide". At one point, their remarks were so ridiculous, the audience in the theatre laughed at how stupid they sounded, myself included! Who put these people there? WE DID!!!!??? I was also very frustrated, because I thought about how our daily lives pass with a blink of an eye... we go through the same robotic routine every single day... and how is it, that we don't take action about inhumane acts of violence that are taking place RIGHT NOW!!! How is it, that as Armenians, ... as descendents of the survivors of those very same injustices, we are not coming together to help stop that tragedy from repeating???? Why are we not pointing and yelling at the top of our lungs....? As a young Armenian, I remember looking at those clippings from the New York Times, or other American media, and wondering why the American public didn't do something about it? Why were we just another headline??? And yet.... now, IIIIIII belong to that public, and read the headlines....

Sure, we can sign a petition, send a fax or an email.... but somehow, that's not enough for me. Is it for you? And so... this movie says it best.... Everyone needs to become a SCREAMER! A SCREAMER is someone who doesn't sit around while people die in Darfur... a SCREAMER doesn't say, "well the past is the past" --- a SCREAMER does not forget... a SCREAMER demands justice.... a SCREAMER is someone like the members of SOAD...

a SCREAMER is -------you?

Untitled

For the past week or so, I've been having an internal debate about whether I should write this blog or not. In any case, I obviously decided to write... he he he (perhaps Nareg's blog was the final convincing I needed...)

So, a week or so ago, I went to a popular Hollywood venue, where the DJ is Armenian every Friday night. No, that doesn't mean we could dance to Tata, but it just means your requests will actually get played. :) It so happened that a group of us were there to celebrate my cousin's birthday and so... there were quite a few Armenians there. I'd like to also mention that there were also all sorts of different Armenian "groups" there, not belonging to our celebration. Now, we soon noticed that there was another birthday girl in the crowd - a "sev" girl with a lot of her friends there too.

Everyone was having fun... dancing, drinking, talking, laughing... but as I was standing there just looking out at the crowd on the dance floor... I noticed something. I noticed that the Armenian girls on the dance floor were dancing/talking/flirting with all these odar guys, and the Armenian guys were doing the same with any non-hye girl who was there. At first I was like... "huh?" What's wrong with this picture? And as I started to think about it more and more, I became somewhat unnerved.

Ok... am I racist? Too nationalistic? -- what?? Perhaps I'm some "phanatic", but the truth is, I didn't like what I was seeing. I thought about what all my friends had talked about at one point or another... about how Armenian guys feel free to do as they please, with whomever they please, but then when they've had their share, they marry a nice little Armenian girl. Or what about the Armenian girl who has fun with an odar, so that her community won't have meat for gossip?

I thought about how self-destructive this behavior was... and how it has only been getting worse and worse. Anyhow, I didn't come up with any solutions or conclusions... other than the fact that, I should write this blog, so that perhaps people could enlighten me about how wrong I am, orrrrrrr, they could see the light and help spread it.

That's all for now.... 46 days 'til Armenia....

TSUH! :)~