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TOP TEN PASTIMES AT L.A.'S NAVASARTIAN GAMES, THE 'ARMENIAN OLYMPICS'
Leslie Berestein Rojas
http://multiamerican.scpr.org/2011/07/top-ten-pastimes-at-l-a-s-navasartian-games-aka-the-armenian-olympics/
July 6, 2011
California
While others were attending cookouts and pool parties over the Fourth
of July weekend, Multi-American guest blogger Lory Tatoulian was
taking in the sports-related drama at the 2011 Navasartian Games,
what she describes as the "mini Armenian Olympics."
Legend has it that the games got their start as chariot races
and javelin throwing contests some 4,000 years ago on the Armenian
plateau. Today they're held in L.A., taking place each year over the
holiday weekend on the Birmingham High School campus in Van Nuys,
where more than 8,000 athletes of various ages compete in basketball,
volleyball, soccer and swimming during the three-day sports fest. The
less athletically inclined compete in events like ping-pong and chess.
There is also a substantial amount of food, music, and tens of
thousands of Armenian American attendees celebrating what Lory terms
"their cultural personhood."
Here she has compiled a list of her top ten favorite Navasartian
Games pastimes, most of them not related to sports:
1. The pressed soujoukh sandwiches (hot panini style spicy sausage
sandwiches with garlic spread). The garlic spread is also known as
an effective defense strategy when playing basketball.
2. Watching Armenian soccer moms engage in heated exchanges with
referees while jangling their Cartier jewelry midair and yelling
hyphenated Armenian-English insults.
3. The jewelry vendor that sells blue evil-eye charms that claim to
ward off the vile energy of gossipy neighbors or jealous friends.
4. Female basketball players shooting three-pointers, while sporting
Kim Kardahsian style smoky-eye make up and perfectly blown-out hair.
5. Beautiful wide-eyed kids with snow cone-stained lips walking around
with their parents who met at the Navasartian Games 15 years ago.
6. The variety of German luxury cars in the parking lot.
7. The Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza celebrating America's
independence, but with legendary Armenian singers Harout Pamboukjian
and Karnig Sarkissian performing Armenian patriotic songs.
8. Watching the Triple AAA Men's Division, 40-years-and-up teams doing
slam-dunks in spite of pot bellies and a variety of old injuries from
the 1988 Navasartian Games.
9. The impressive number of times you hear the word "bro" being called
out across the campus.
10. Grandmas sitting around tables, drinking coffee and playing the
most important sport of "match-maker" between their grandkids.
My personal favorite among these is #7. And the grandmas, who were
likely doing the same thing back in the chariot race days.
Lory is the author of Multi-American's guide to navigating the Armenian
American supermarket, part one and part two.
Leslie Berestein Rojas
http://multiamerican.scpr.org/2011/07/top-ten-pastimes-at-l-a-s-navasartian-games-aka-the-armenian-olympics/
July 6, 2011
California
While others were attending cookouts and pool parties over the Fourth
of July weekend, Multi-American guest blogger Lory Tatoulian was
taking in the sports-related drama at the 2011 Navasartian Games,
what she describes as the "mini Armenian Olympics."
Legend has it that the games got their start as chariot races
and javelin throwing contests some 4,000 years ago on the Armenian
plateau. Today they're held in L.A., taking place each year over the
holiday weekend on the Birmingham High School campus in Van Nuys,
where more than 8,000 athletes of various ages compete in basketball,
volleyball, soccer and swimming during the three-day sports fest. The
less athletically inclined compete in events like ping-pong and chess.
There is also a substantial amount of food, music, and tens of
thousands of Armenian American attendees celebrating what Lory terms
"their cultural personhood."
Here she has compiled a list of her top ten favorite Navasartian
Games pastimes, most of them not related to sports:
1. The pressed soujoukh sandwiches (hot panini style spicy sausage
sandwiches with garlic spread). The garlic spread is also known as
an effective defense strategy when playing basketball.
2. Watching Armenian soccer moms engage in heated exchanges with
referees while jangling their Cartier jewelry midair and yelling
hyphenated Armenian-English insults.
3. The jewelry vendor that sells blue evil-eye charms that claim to
ward off the vile energy of gossipy neighbors or jealous friends.
4. Female basketball players shooting three-pointers, while sporting
Kim Kardahsian style smoky-eye make up and perfectly blown-out hair.
5. Beautiful wide-eyed kids with snow cone-stained lips walking around
with their parents who met at the Navasartian Games 15 years ago.
6. The variety of German luxury cars in the parking lot.
7. The Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza celebrating America's
independence, but with legendary Armenian singers Harout Pamboukjian
and Karnig Sarkissian performing Armenian patriotic songs.
8. Watching the Triple AAA Men's Division, 40-years-and-up teams doing
slam-dunks in spite of pot bellies and a variety of old injuries from
the 1988 Navasartian Games.
9. The impressive number of times you hear the word "bro" being called
out across the campus.
10. Grandmas sitting around tables, drinking coffee and playing the
most important sport of "match-maker" between their grandkids.
My personal favorite among these is #7. And the grandmas, who were
likely doing the same thing back in the chariot race days.
Lory is the author of Multi-American's guide to navigating the Armenian
American supermarket, part one and part two.