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The Armenian Weekly On-Line
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]
http://www.a rmenianweekly.com
The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 30; August 2, 2008
AYF Section:
1. The Music of the Movement
An Interview with 'Heghapokhagan' Singer Kristapor Arabian
2. This isn't a Trip to the Marriott!
By Taleen Mekhdjavakian
***
1. The Music of the Movement
An Interview with 'Heghapokhagan' Singer Kristapor Arabian
Kristapor Arabian is an active member of the Washington "Ani" AYF. Since the
age of eight, he has had a passion for singing heghapokhagan (Armenian
patriotic) songs and, today, is pursuing his ambition to perform and sing on
a professional level. We took a moment to sit down with Arabian and ask him
about his music and involvement in the community.
A.W.-What motivated you to seriously pursue singing heghapokhagan songs?
K.A.-What motivated me was all the stories I had heard while growing up
about the Lebanese Civil War and the involvement of my grandfather, Simon
Marsoubian, and my uncle, Hagop Marsoubian (Pasha), in the defense of the
Armenian community in Beirut. I was inspired by the examples of heroism they
set and, as a result, became drawn to songs about the Armenian revolutionary
movement.
I also saw how heghapokhagan songs and the stories that they tell us were
not capturing a lot of the younger generation like they used to. If
anything, I would love to get the message of these songs out to the youth
more prominently.
A.W. -What do you think it is about patriotic or revolutionary music
specifically that has captivated your attention and interest?
K.A.-Well, of course, in the beginning I didn't know much about the true
meaning of these songs, but as time went on I got more and more interested
in them. I began to actually study the music. I would sit down and read the
song as if it was a book and figure out the story. If I needed an Armenian
dictionary, it was always beside me just in case there were any words I
didn't understand.
But those stories and the way they are told throughout the song-detail by
detail-is what captivated my attention and interest. The fact is that these
songs have profound meaning and, if you listen closely, there is always a
certain message being sent out in every song.
A.W.-Which singers have influenced you the most?
K.A.-Karnig Sarkissian has had the biggest impact on my singing and is
definitely the one who has influenced me the most. When you listen to Unger
Karnig, I just think there is something beautiful there. The way the words
come out, the way they are sung, the way he makes you feel the pain and the
sadness that he is expressing while singing patriotic-revolutionary songs.
Actually, I would love to personally meet with him one day soon and just
take in some of his ideas and advice.
A.W.-When was the first time you performed in public? Can you tell us about
that experience and how it felt?
K.A.-I was at a pretty big family get-together and I was initially very shy.
It was my first time so the only thing that was going through my mind was,
"Are they going to like my voice? "What if they don't like it?" I drank
lemon juice and water all day thinking it would do something.
When I actually started singing, the feeling I got was a whole new
experience for me. I began feeling the music; I was feeling the pain and
sadness that our ancestors had felt during all that they had gone through.
Since then, that's the only thing I feel when I sing. When you're in that
state, there is nothing more you can do but sing from your heart.
A.W.-What is your favorite heghapokhagan song?
K.A.-My favorite song is "Trcheyi Mdkov Doun," also known as "Zinvori Mor
Yerke." The reason is because when a human being is born, the first thing
that they notice is their mother. I always think about the mothers of those
who gave their lives, such as the Lisbon 5, for example. If our martyrs were
to come down from heaven, what would be the first thing they would want to
do? I would think it would be to see their mother because to me there is
nothing in this world that has as much value as one's relationship with a
mother. Yes, a father has his own place in a child's heart too, but the bond
one has with a mother is something special and it's reflected in songs like
"Zinvori Mor Yerke."
A.W.-Obviously, for the AYF and ARF, heghapokhagan songs are an important
part of our organizational culture and history. How do you see the
relationship between your involvement in the AYF and your singing?
K.A.-Everything I do is for the Armenian people and the AYF/ARF. By singing
heghapokhagan, I feel I am informing more people about our history and
struggle. By showing my drive for our culture and people, I am hopefully
encouraging other youth to join these organizations.
A.W.-Do you have any upcoming performances? Where can people go if they want
to find out more about your singing?
K.A.-Yes, I am going to be singing on Oct. 11 at the AYF 75th Anniversary
Gala Weekend in Boston, along with Sevag Khatchadourian and the AYF All-Star
Band. I am also working on having a CD out soon and hopefully the Armenian
public will be hearing more of my singing in the near future.
A.W.-Are there any final words you want to give to our readers?
K.A.-I just want to tell the youth that it is important to stay connected to
Armenian culture and learn our history because without that we are nothing.
The richness of Armenian history is what inspired me to pursue my dreams and
I'm sure it can do the same for others. Always remember the youth is the
future!
To find out more about Kristapor's singing or to contact him for a future
event, email him at [email protected].
----------------------------- ------------------------------
2. This isn't a Trip to the Marriott!
By Taleen Mekhdjavakian
What would you do if everyday, at around 8 p.m., the water in your house got
turned off, or if you lived in an extremely hot city with no air
conditioning? These things may seem surreal to many Americans but to
Armenians it's a part of their everyday life. If you come to Armenia as a
tourist you wont experience this, so the best way is to either move here or
stay for more than a month. You will truly get to know Armenia this way.
Deciding to go on the AYF Internship this year was probably the best
decision I've ever made. Being in Armenia is an experience in itself, let
alone living in a different country with five strangers. The bond we all now
share can't be described in words.
This being our fourth week here, we've already formed routines. During the
week we got to our internship and, later on in the day, we usually go to
Armenian language classes or different lectures at the Birthright Armenia
office. After that, we tend to go out for dinner and, on the weekends, we go
on excursions. Our daily routines have truly become part of my life and I
can't imagine going back home. Armenia feels like the place I need to be.
Part of the reason I love it here so much is also because of my internship.
I work at Counterpart International, where I edit many of their documents
that have been translated to English. To make sure everything makes sense, I
also translate documents from Arabic to English. The people at the office
are great, they each have a story to tell, and it's just so different to
hear about each person's different background.
Weekends here are always the best because of our excursions. This last
weekend we went to see the temple at Garni, the only remaining pagan temple
in Armenia. It wasn't the first time I had been there, but this time I
actually learned the history behind why it was the only remaining temple and
I saw something I never thought I would see in Armenia.
There was a huge group of people standing around a goat, and the man
sacrificing the goat was dressed in a coat and had a necklace with the
infinity symbol on it. It turns out that there are still pagans in Armenia
and that day they were having a ceremony similar to a Christian baptism. I
couldn't believe what I was seeing. The man dressed in the cloak cut the ear
of a lamb off and then let a couple of drops of the bloody knife drip on the
baby's forehead. It was such an odd thing to see. I had no idea that there
were pagans in Armenia, let alone did I expect to see such a ceremony.
Well, we have just hit our half way mark of four weeks here in Armenia and
it is going to be hard for me to leave all this. It's not as easy to live
here but there is nowhere else I'd rather be.
Taleen Mekhdjavakian is a member of the Ocala "Keri" AYF and a participant
in the 2008 AYF-YOARF Summer Internship Program in Yerevan.
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]
http://www.a rmenianweekly.com
The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 30; August 2, 2008
AYF Section:
1. The Music of the Movement
An Interview with 'Heghapokhagan' Singer Kristapor Arabian
2. This isn't a Trip to the Marriott!
By Taleen Mekhdjavakian
***
1. The Music of the Movement
An Interview with 'Heghapokhagan' Singer Kristapor Arabian
Kristapor Arabian is an active member of the Washington "Ani" AYF. Since the
age of eight, he has had a passion for singing heghapokhagan (Armenian
patriotic) songs and, today, is pursuing his ambition to perform and sing on
a professional level. We took a moment to sit down with Arabian and ask him
about his music and involvement in the community.
A.W.-What motivated you to seriously pursue singing heghapokhagan songs?
K.A.-What motivated me was all the stories I had heard while growing up
about the Lebanese Civil War and the involvement of my grandfather, Simon
Marsoubian, and my uncle, Hagop Marsoubian (Pasha), in the defense of the
Armenian community in Beirut. I was inspired by the examples of heroism they
set and, as a result, became drawn to songs about the Armenian revolutionary
movement.
I also saw how heghapokhagan songs and the stories that they tell us were
not capturing a lot of the younger generation like they used to. If
anything, I would love to get the message of these songs out to the youth
more prominently.
A.W. -What do you think it is about patriotic or revolutionary music
specifically that has captivated your attention and interest?
K.A.-Well, of course, in the beginning I didn't know much about the true
meaning of these songs, but as time went on I got more and more interested
in them. I began to actually study the music. I would sit down and read the
song as if it was a book and figure out the story. If I needed an Armenian
dictionary, it was always beside me just in case there were any words I
didn't understand.
But those stories and the way they are told throughout the song-detail by
detail-is what captivated my attention and interest. The fact is that these
songs have profound meaning and, if you listen closely, there is always a
certain message being sent out in every song.
A.W.-Which singers have influenced you the most?
K.A.-Karnig Sarkissian has had the biggest impact on my singing and is
definitely the one who has influenced me the most. When you listen to Unger
Karnig, I just think there is something beautiful there. The way the words
come out, the way they are sung, the way he makes you feel the pain and the
sadness that he is expressing while singing patriotic-revolutionary songs.
Actually, I would love to personally meet with him one day soon and just
take in some of his ideas and advice.
A.W.-When was the first time you performed in public? Can you tell us about
that experience and how it felt?
K.A.-I was at a pretty big family get-together and I was initially very shy.
It was my first time so the only thing that was going through my mind was,
"Are they going to like my voice? "What if they don't like it?" I drank
lemon juice and water all day thinking it would do something.
When I actually started singing, the feeling I got was a whole new
experience for me. I began feeling the music; I was feeling the pain and
sadness that our ancestors had felt during all that they had gone through.
Since then, that's the only thing I feel when I sing. When you're in that
state, there is nothing more you can do but sing from your heart.
A.W.-What is your favorite heghapokhagan song?
K.A.-My favorite song is "Trcheyi Mdkov Doun," also known as "Zinvori Mor
Yerke." The reason is because when a human being is born, the first thing
that they notice is their mother. I always think about the mothers of those
who gave their lives, such as the Lisbon 5, for example. If our martyrs were
to come down from heaven, what would be the first thing they would want to
do? I would think it would be to see their mother because to me there is
nothing in this world that has as much value as one's relationship with a
mother. Yes, a father has his own place in a child's heart too, but the bond
one has with a mother is something special and it's reflected in songs like
"Zinvori Mor Yerke."
A.W.-Obviously, for the AYF and ARF, heghapokhagan songs are an important
part of our organizational culture and history. How do you see the
relationship between your involvement in the AYF and your singing?
K.A.-Everything I do is for the Armenian people and the AYF/ARF. By singing
heghapokhagan, I feel I am informing more people about our history and
struggle. By showing my drive for our culture and people, I am hopefully
encouraging other youth to join these organizations.
A.W.-Do you have any upcoming performances? Where can people go if they want
to find out more about your singing?
K.A.-Yes, I am going to be singing on Oct. 11 at the AYF 75th Anniversary
Gala Weekend in Boston, along with Sevag Khatchadourian and the AYF All-Star
Band. I am also working on having a CD out soon and hopefully the Armenian
public will be hearing more of my singing in the near future.
A.W.-Are there any final words you want to give to our readers?
K.A.-I just want to tell the youth that it is important to stay connected to
Armenian culture and learn our history because without that we are nothing.
The richness of Armenian history is what inspired me to pursue my dreams and
I'm sure it can do the same for others. Always remember the youth is the
future!
To find out more about Kristapor's singing or to contact him for a future
event, email him at [email protected].
----------------------------- ------------------------------
2. This isn't a Trip to the Marriott!
By Taleen Mekhdjavakian
What would you do if everyday, at around 8 p.m., the water in your house got
turned off, or if you lived in an extremely hot city with no air
conditioning? These things may seem surreal to many Americans but to
Armenians it's a part of their everyday life. If you come to Armenia as a
tourist you wont experience this, so the best way is to either move here or
stay for more than a month. You will truly get to know Armenia this way.
Deciding to go on the AYF Internship this year was probably the best
decision I've ever made. Being in Armenia is an experience in itself, let
alone living in a different country with five strangers. The bond we all now
share can't be described in words.
This being our fourth week here, we've already formed routines. During the
week we got to our internship and, later on in the day, we usually go to
Armenian language classes or different lectures at the Birthright Armenia
office. After that, we tend to go out for dinner and, on the weekends, we go
on excursions. Our daily routines have truly become part of my life and I
can't imagine going back home. Armenia feels like the place I need to be.
Part of the reason I love it here so much is also because of my internship.
I work at Counterpart International, where I edit many of their documents
that have been translated to English. To make sure everything makes sense, I
also translate documents from Arabic to English. The people at the office
are great, they each have a story to tell, and it's just so different to
hear about each person's different background.
Weekends here are always the best because of our excursions. This last
weekend we went to see the temple at Garni, the only remaining pagan temple
in Armenia. It wasn't the first time I had been there, but this time I
actually learned the history behind why it was the only remaining temple and
I saw something I never thought I would see in Armenia.
There was a huge group of people standing around a goat, and the man
sacrificing the goat was dressed in a coat and had a necklace with the
infinity symbol on it. It turns out that there are still pagans in Armenia
and that day they were having a ceremony similar to a Christian baptism. I
couldn't believe what I was seeing. The man dressed in the cloak cut the ear
of a lamb off and then let a couple of drops of the bloody knife drip on the
baby's forehead. It was such an odd thing to see. I had no idea that there
were pagans in Armenia, let alone did I expect to see such a ceremony.
Well, we have just hit our half way mark of four weeks here in Armenia and
it is going to be hard for me to leave all this. It's not as easy to live
here but there is nowhere else I'd rather be.
Taleen Mekhdjavakian is a member of the Ocala "Keri" AYF and a participant
in the 2008 AYF-YOARF Summer Internship Program in Yerevan.