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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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Navasard: 11 facts about the Armenian New Year you never knew about!
We Armenians love our pagan festivals: From Vardavar to Trndez to Boon Barekendan, even the most pious Christians will celebrate these “Christianized” holidays with glee. Yet, the most important date for our ancestors in the pre-Christian era is notably missing from our calendars today. Read on to learn about the ancient Armenian holiday of Navasard!
Wrestling: 8 facts you didn’t know about Armenia’s favorite sport
Football (or “soccer” as it is called in the English-speaking New World) may be the most famous sport in the world, but not in Armenia. Though this foreign import is gaining traction amongst Armenians, the most popular —and successful—sport in Armenia has been and continues to be, wrestling. Kokh, the Armenian national variant, is deeply rooted in the historical and cultural landscape of the country.
Here are eight exciting facts about this combat sport that has captivated Armenians throughout the centuries.
From duduks to dragons: Armenian references in 'Game of Thrones'
If you’ve ever watched a show or film and thought, “wow, that costume looks like taraz (traditional Armenian attire)” or “this soundtrack sounds super Armenian,” you’re not alone. There are many examples throughout Hollywood of Armenian references, characters, music, and even language. The wildly popular television series, Game of Thrones (GoT), takes place in a fantasy world, but derives many inspirations from real life places, icons, events, and people. As we gear up for the gripping season finale this Sunday, we thought we’d break down the show’s several subtle (and not-so-subtle) Armenian references. Whether fact or fiction, it’s all in good fun!
Beware of spoilers below!
Trndez/Tiarnundaraj: 9 things you didn't know about the age-old Armenian tradition
Have you ever witnessed the age-old Armenian tradition of jumping over a ceremonial bonfire in February? Perhaps you’ve participated the longstanding custom, but never understood the story behind it. The ritual has many names: Trndez, Tiarnundaraj, Derendez—but whatever you call it, it’s definitely one of the most fascinating—and potentially dangerous—Armenian traditions, still carried on today.
Hye Kin: The untold story of Armenian women’s resistance
Once important figures aside historic fedayis (guerrilla fighters), Armenian women are often left out of our stories of resistance. Delving into this history, we can see that they had major roles as writers, political activists, and revolutionaries, and that Armenian women continue in this tradition of resistance today. In Armenia’s regions under direct military threat, they are the backbone of a non-violent resistance movement supporting military action and forging new paths to Armenian strength and unity.
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From 2018 to 1918: Traversing through time in Tiflis
For centuries, Georgia (the country, not the U.S state) held a special place in the hearts of many Armenians. Her capital, Tbilisi (or “Tiflis” as it’s known to Armenians), was, not too long ago, a major center of Armenian cosmopolitan life, where Eastern Armenian culture, literature, and political life flourished. This summer, my family and I decided to check out what’s left of her Armenian past. In just a day and a half, we too fell in this love with this enchanting city, and realized that she still has so much more to offer.
A millennial’s guide to Western Armenia
Many lists float around the Interweb for everything from the "Top 10 Reasons to Recycle" to the "11 Best Pizza Toppings, Ranked." Though environmental conservation and delicious pizza are no doubt important, there also exist a range of topics that have not yet been explored, uncovered, or synthesized on the web. To date, no such user-friendly resource exists for visiting the western half of our historic homeland, which we commonly refer to as Western Armenia, but is located today within the confines of the Republic of Turkey. A land that, for over two millennia, teemed with Armenian culture has been all but relegated to our dreams, with few Armenians ever having visited the towns and villages of their ancestors in the past century. We hope to change that with this guide...and with your help!
