The intangible cultural heritage of the Republic of Armenia
The Tradition of Celebrating the Anniversary of the Self-defense of Musa Dagh
Տոնակատարությունն ունի մի քանի անվանումներ` Մուսալեռի օր, Սուրբ Խաչի օր, Մուսալեռի հաղթանակի օր, Մուսալեռցիների տոն:
Մուսալեռան ինքնապաշտպանական մարտերն սկսվել են 1915 թ. օգոստոսի 7-ին։
Մուսա լեռան հերոսամարտին անդրադարձեր են եղել պատմական երկերում, իսկ ամենահայտնին Ֆ. Վերֆելի «Մուսա լեռան 40 օրը» վեպն է։
Մուսա լեռան տոնակատարությունն առաջին անգամ նշվել է 1916 թ. Պորտ Սայիդի Հայ բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միության Սիսուան վարժարանում, որի ընթացքում հիշատակվել են ինքնապաշտպանական մարտերի ընթացքում ընկած 18 զոհերը եւ մարտի հաղթանակը։ Հետագայում, տոնի ընթացքում Հայաստանում եւ արտերկրում պատրաստվող հարիսան համարվում է 18 զոհերի հոգու հանգստության մատաղ։
Տոնի գլխավոր խորհրդանիշը Մուսալեռան հերոսամարտը հավերժացնող հուշարձաններն են։ Առաջին հուշարձանը կառուցվել է Մուսալեռան Դամլաճըք բարձունքի վրա եւ խորհրդանշում է ֆրանսիական նավերի միջոցով իրականացված փրկությունը։
1976 թ. Հայաստանի Մուսալեռ համայնքում, բլրի վրա կառուցվեց տուֆակերտ հուշարձան-թանգարանը /ճարտարապետ՝ Ռաֆայել Իսրայելյան/։
1995 թ. Լիբանանի Այնճար համայնքում կառուցվեց հերոսամարտը հավերժացնող երրորդ հուշարձանը /ճարտարապետ՝ Ռոմիկ Ջուլհակյան/։
ՀՀ Մուսա լեռան հերոսամարտի հուշարձանն արծվի տեսք ունի, որը հսկում է Մուսալեռի բարձունքը, իսկ ճակատային մասում պատկերված է Կիլիկիայի Մուսա լեռան տարածքում կառուցված հուշարձանի փորագրությունը։ Թանգարանը բաղկացած է երկու հատվածից, որոնցից առաջինը հերոսամարտի մասին պատմող ցուցադրություն ունի, իսկ երկրորդում հիմնականում ցուցադրվում են 19-րդ դարի Կիլիկիայի մուսալեռցիների կենցաղն ու սովորույթները, տարազն ու տնտեսական զբաղմունքները: Թանգարանի դիմաց գտնվում է «հերիսատունը», որը կառուցվել է հարիսա պատրաստելու եւ բաժանելու համար։
1960-1970 թթ. մի խումբ մուսալեռցիների խնդրանքով Գինեւետ գյուղը վերանվանվել է Մուսալեռ։
Սկզբնական շրջանում տոնակատարությունը կազմակերպվում էր գյուղամերձ այգիներում: 1978 թ. հուշարձանի բացումից հետո այն ավանդաբար կազմակերպվում է հուշարձանամերձ տարածքում: Տոնը կազմակերպում է «Մուսալեռ հայրենակցական միությունը», մասնակցում են ոչ միայն մուսալեռցիներ, այլեւ ՀՀ տարբեր համայնքների բնակիչներ: Տոնը 2 օր է տեւում: Այն նշում են նաեւ արտերկրում բնակվող մուսալեռցիները (Եգիպտոս, Լիբանան, Թուրքիա, Ֆրանսիա, ԱՄՆ, Կանադա, Ավստրալիա):
Մուսա լեռան տոնակատարությունը սկսվում է Սուրբ Խաչի կիրակի օրվան նախորդող շաբաթ օրը, երբ կաթսաները լցվում են հաճարով ու մսով եւ դրվում կրակին: Այդ նպատակով Մուսալեռ հայրենակցական միությունն աշխատանքային խումբ է ձեւավորում։ Մուսալեռան հարիսան պատրաստում են միայն տղամարդիկ, որի ընթացքում ազգային ազատագրական բնույթի երգեր են երգում, հատկապես մուսալեռցիների «Հելե հելե հելե նիննո» երգը, որը նաեւ ընդունված է համարել մուսալեռան հարիսայի պատրաստման երգ։
Այդ արարողությունից բացի, մեծ խարույկ է վառվում, որի շուրջ սկսում են պարել եւ «դահոլ զուռնա» զարկել «գոս» կոչվող հարվածային գործիքով, որը հնչել է նաեւ Մուսա լեռան գագաթին՝ հերոսամարտերի օրերին:
Շաբաթ երեկո ողջ գիշեր երգ ու երաժշտություն է հնչում, պարում են մուսալեռցիների «Չալմը դանկը» դանակներով պարը: Տարածված է նաեւ մուսալեռան շուրջպարը։
Ինչպես Պորտ Սայիդում եւ Այնճարի առաջին տարիներին, այստեղ եւս տոնակատարության ընթացքում վրաններ են խփում Մուսալեռան հուշարձանի շուրջը եւ գիշերում։ Հաջորդ առավոտյան հարիսան օրհնելուց հետո, լցնում են ամանները եւ բաժանում։ Այն ընտանիքները, որոնք տանը հարիսա են եփած լինում, օրհնված հարիսայից տանում են տուն եւ լցնում իրենց պատրաստած հարիսայի մեջ։
Hazarashen
Hazarashen is a structure of an Armenian folk residential house, a pyramidal roof. It made it possible to cover relatively long flights with short logs or fours. Houses with a square plan are usually covered with the Hazarashen, and the central openings in the houses of other shapes are covered with a square. The weight of the roof is not borne by the walls, but by the four pairs of quadrangular or round columns made of logs, placed 1-1.5 meters from the corners of the house, which sit on stone pedestals. On the pillars are placed wooden pillars, which serve as a basis for the logs-riders placed along the length of the walls. Their corners are intersected by short logs, on which the next row of quadrangular logs rests. The gaps between the rows are covered with round or square cut logs or planks, gradually getting shorter. At the very top, an opening was left, an opening, on which cross iron bars were fixed. Erdik serves both for lighting, ventilation and removing smoke. From the outside, the rows of this ceiling are covered with hard, straw or reed, then with clay or solid earth. Hazarashen domes are more pointed and higher, they have the shape of a truncated cone. The main advantage of Hazarashen is that it is made with fewer and shorter wooden wheels or logs, hence its name, which means “made of thousands of pieces”.
Simple and complex versions of the Hazarashen cover were found in all regions of Historical Armenia: High Hayk, Javakhk, Shirak, Gegharkunik, Vaspurakan, Taron, Airarat, Vayots Dzor, Syunik, Artsakh and others.
During the centuries, the bearers of the knowledge of our ancestors about Hazarashen were the Armenian people, in particular, various community groups and individuals of the country, builders, as well as groups of intellectuals interested in the history of Armenian culture.
The groups that are the bearers of Hazarashen culture are decreasing day by day, the knowledge remains mainly in the memories of old people.
Traditional Horse Games
Horse games are games typical of Armenian folk culture. Various equestrian games are known: javelin games, equestrian competitions, horse races, chariot races, team and individual equestrian competitions, etc. For equestrian games, horses undergo special physical training, as a result of which strong steeds are selected. Horse games are a part of the history, culture, lifestyle of the Armenian people and an inseparable part of folk celebrations. In the past, they were played during folk holidays, pilgrimages, and weddings, as well as being a means of combat training for the youth. Horse games had a pronounced ritual function among us. In the folkloric culture of the Armenian people, in fairy tales, in the “Sasna Tsrer”, descriptions of horse games have been preserved, when the winner of the ritual contests, using his riding skills, wins the heart of the bride, including the kingdom of the latter’s father, or at least half of it.
Armenians had ancient traditions of horse breeding, as evidenced by the results of excavations in Teyshebaini, where skeletons of two breeds of horses were found. The mentions of Armenian and Greek historians, in particular about the Armenian cavalry, Ayrudzi, testify to the tradition. Naturally, Armenians also had a rich culture of horse games. According to ethnographer V. Bdoyan’s horse games were famous throughout the entire territory of historical Armenia. They were viable until the 30s of the 20th century, but they were gradually forgotten along with the industrial and urban developments. The memory of the tradition has been mainly preserved due to the existence of a horse racetrack operating in Yerevan, where until the 50s of the 20th century those games were shown. Then the horse games were restored in the 80s of the 20th century.
Now the tradition of horse games is endangered.
The main preserver of the element are the residents of Ashtarak and the “Ayrudzi” public organization.
Duduk and Its Music
The duduk, the Armenian oboe, is a double-reed wind instrument characterized by a warm, soft, slightly nasal timbre. It belongs to the category of aerophones, which also includes the balaban played in Azerbaijan and Iran, the duduki common in Georgia and the ney in Turkey.The soft wood of the apricot tree is the ideal material for the body of the instrument. The reed, called ghamish or yegheg, is a local plant growing alongside the Arax River.
The roots of Armenian duduk music go back to the times of the Armenian king Tigran the Great (95-55 BC). It accompanies popular Armenian traditional songs and dances of the various regions and is played at events, such as weddings and funerals. Although there are also famous duduk soloists, among them Gevorg Dabaghyan and Vache Sharafyan, the duduk is usually played by two musicians. One player creates the musical environment for the lead melody by playing a continual drone held by circular breathing, while the other player develops complex melodies and improvisations. There are four major types of duduk, varying in length from 28 to 40 cm. This variety allows the sound of the duduk to express various moods depending on the content of the piece and the playing context. The 40-cm long duduk, for example, is regarded as most appropriate for love songs, whereas the smaller one usually accompanies dances. Today, duduk craftsmen continue to create and experiment with different forms of duduks. Many Armenians consider the duduk as the instrument that most eloquently expresses warmth, joy and their history.
Over the last few decades, the popularity of Armenian duduk music has faded, in particular in the rural areas where it originated. The duduk instrument is played less and less in popular festivities, but more often as a staged performance by professionals, risking to threaten the music’s viability and traditional character.
Assyrian New Year Celebration
The Assyrians, having lost their statehood 2,500 years ago, survived thanks to oral speech and ethnic culture. Evidence of this is the New Year celebration that Assyrians around the world celebrate on April 1st. It’s called “khab nisan”. According to the legend, from the happiness of the beautiful love of Tammuz and Ishtar, everything on the face of the earth blossoms and brightens. On the 5th day of the holiday, the participants of the celebration bring the cart-ship, after which the holiday is still called Carnival. It marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.
The celebration ends with their wedding on April 1, which coincides with the Assyrian New Year. It marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.
The Assyrians celebrate that celebration with a communal sacrifice, which is distributed to all families equally, and, which is the most important protocol. Then the celebration continues with song and dance. The “Sheikhana” dance, to which the whole nation participates, can last up to two hours.
Every Assyrian considers it his duty to be at his birthplace, to celebrate that day, to participate in community events, which are diverse: concerts, parties, visits to relatives’ graves.
Such festivals also contribute to the preservation of the Assyrian language and to the appreciation of customs in society.
Yezidi Wedding Ritual
The Yezidi people are one of the oldest nations in the world with unique traditions and customs. The Yezidi wedding ceremony is one of them. The Yezidi wedding ritual is traditional and has been preserved to this day. It includes regular ceremonies, mutual visits and observance of customs. When an agreement is made, the boy’s parents, according to the order, go to the girl’s house to ask her parents for the girl’s hand in marriage. There is also another custom, when a “beshkert” (engagement) is performed at a young age with the consent of the parents of both parties. Although it rarely happens, it is believed that when the younger ones become adults, they should marry. The boy’s parents bring various ornaments for the girl when asking for her hand in marriage. Having reached an agreement, the boy’s parents and their relatives go to the girl’s parents after a few weeks, again taking jewelry and gifts. That ceremony is called “shirani” (at one time, “ghalim” was required on a girl’s head, which has now disappeared among Yezidis living in Armenia, because some young people from poor families could not get married because of it). After some time, they go to get the girl as a bride. An oath ceremony takes place when the fathers or close relatives swear by pressing their thumbs together in the presence of a sheikh or pir that they will preserve the unity of the family at all costs. It is an oath of loyalty and unbreakable alliance that Yezidis hold sacred. Apple is important at weddings, as a symbol of fertility.
Winemaking
There are many archaeological evidences of viticulture and winemaking in Armenia. The oldest refers to Areni Cave 1 of Vayots Dzor (4th millennium BC, 6000 years before us).
Wine has a long history in the Armenian highlands. In ancient Armenia, it was considered the drink of gods and kings. Armenian kings drank wine from silver cups. Traditionally, wine was made in the gardens or in the wine cellars adjacent to the residential complex. Grapes were poured into the sail of the upper part of the threshing floor, where the men crushed them with their feet (when sealing children, they applied maron to the feet of boys to crush wine, and to the hands of girls to knead dough). The brine flowed into a clay well made near the reef, called a gub, settled there, was partially filtered, and then flowed into underground limestone wells (takar) or vats. In these containers, the juice gradually matured, turned into a sweet pulp, and then, within forty days, turned into wine. Ripened wine was stored in cellars, buried in the ground or in above-ground vats, covering them with stone and clay lids, hermetically closing the cracks with clay plaster. The longer the wine stays, the more it matures, sweetens and thickens.
The opening of the festive ceremonies of the harvest is considered a period of blessing of grapes and wine. At present, a large winemaking industry has been formed in Armenia, which is continuously being improved. It is noteworthy that the traditional folk ways of winemaking have been preserved among home winemakers to this day. The implementation of the Areni Wine Festival is a manifestation of the continuity of the tradition.
Armenian Letter Art and Its Cultural Expressions
Inscribed in 2019 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Armenian letter art and its cultural expressions constitutes the centuries-old art of Armenian letters, Armenian scripts, the rich culture of decorating letters and its various uses. The element is based on the Armenian alphabet created in 405 AD by Mesrop Mashtots, following the ‘one-letter-for-one-sound’ principle. The element is also distinguished by its wide range of ornamental scripts, generally classified by their shapes; knots, birds, animals, people, and mythical or imaginary creatures. Since their invention, Armenian letters have not only served their primary function to create written heritage, but also as numbers, cryptographs, riddles etc. Today, the letters are also used in handicrafts. Armenian letter art has penetrated almost all layers of society, particularly folk art. The element is practised across the Armenian territory and is integral to the cultural identity of Armenian people. Its bearers and practitioners include artists, carpet weavers, embroiderers, sculptors, linguists, calligraphists, jewellers and others. Educational institutions at all levels are involved in transmitting the related knowledge and skills to future generations, and several youth centres accord great importance to teaching Armenian letter art. Since 2008, continuous support has been shown for the annual ‘Granshan’ international design competition, and the Armenian Apostolic Church is central to acquainting children and youngsters with the element.
Lavash: the Preparation, Meaning and Cultural Expressions of Traditional Bread
Lavash is a traditional thin bread that forms an integral part of Armenian cuisine. Its preparation is typically undertaken by a small group of women, and requires great effort, coordination, experience and special skills. A simple dough made of wheat flour and water is kneaded and formed into balls, which are then rolled into thin layers and stretched over a special oval cushion that is then slapped against the wall of a traditional conical clay oven. After thirty seconds to a minute, the baked bread is pulled from the oven wall. Lavash is commonly served rolled around local cheeses, greens or meats, and can be preserved for up to six months. It plays a ritual role in weddings, where it is placed on the shoulders of newlyweds to bring fertility and prosperity. The group work in baking lavash strengthens family, community and social ties. Young girls usually act as aides in the process, gradually becoming more involved as they gain experience. Men are also involved through the practices of making cushions and building ovens, and pass on their skills to students and apprentices as a necessary step in preserving the vitality and viability of lavash making.