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Photo credit: Norayr Kasper, "I Will Talk to You About Time." Fotoistanbul 2015.Join our community and receive regular updates!
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Hiraeth: Longing for home
Hiraeth (pronounced [hiraɪ̯θ][1]) is a Welsh concept of longing for home. "Hiraeth" is a word, which cannot be completely translated, meaning more than solely "missing something" or "missing home." It implies the meaning of missing a time, an era, or a person, including homesickness for what may not exist any longer. It is associated with the bittersweet memory of missing something or someone, while being grateful of that/their existence. It can also be used to describe a longing for a homeland, potentially of your ancestors, where you may have never been.
("Hiraeth," Wikipedia)
On the quest for Aurora Borealis: Finding heat and Ararat in Iceland
Winter is a time to bask in the stillness around us. From an eternally snow-capped mountain in the Armenian Highlands to the bright lights shining upon the Land of Ice, nature reveals itself in the most majestic and mystifying ways.
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Christmas at Heathrow: An airport connection to remember
During this time of year, we huddle by cozy fireplaces with loved ones and listen to soothing carols—but not always. I often tell people that my fondest Christmas Eve was spent in an airport coffee shop, whiling away the night with a stranger who passionately hated Christmas. How did I get there, you ask? Find out below...
'Pagan Songs': The first full, uncensored English translation of Varoujan's once taboo masterpiece
“Condemned as pornography for its eroticism, criticized by feminists for ‘objectifying women,’ and denounced by the Church as anti-Christian—Daniel Varoujan’s Pagan Songs survived a tumultuous reception when it was published in 1912 to begrudgingly become a classic of Armenian poetry.”
Famed Armenian poet Daniel Varoujan’s notorious work has finally been translated—in its entirety—into English, thanks to Hratch Demiurge. The volume also includes an extensive introduction, helpful notes, and appendices.
Now, if the opening of the book’s synopsis up top piqued your interest, be sure to read our exclusive piece by Demiurge, derived from the preface of his translation of Varoujan’s Pagan Songs («Հեթանոս երգեր» | “Hetanos Yerger”).
Then, check out the trailer of "Taniel" («Դանիէլ»), a 2018 multi-award-winning arthouse short film by British writer and director Garo Berberian, which tells the story of the last months of the poet's life before his murder during the Armenian Genocide at the age of 31. You can find it in our video section below!