Ashugh Jivani and Two of His Songs

Vahe H. Apelian

Ashugh means troubadour, a folk poet composing and singing with the local vernacular, that is to say in a language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people of his region. The songs have sentimental themes such as virtue, love of a person or a country and so forth. Ashugh Jivani  is one the best-known Armenian ashughs. Some of his songs resonate to this day. Those interested to know more about him may search the Internet.

Recently I became aware of the anecdote that went along with one of his song. The anecdote, whether true or not, made me reflective because it supplemented the image I had carved in my mind about him, as someone who is oblivious of his God given talent and remained humble, unassuming, mild mannered, sentimental engrossed in this thoughts and in harmony with the themes he sang.

The name of the song is “Kankaravor Unger – Քանքարավոր Ընկեր». I will have to admit that I had not heard the term “kankaravor” before. Consequently I consulted my all knowing online companion Nayiri Armenian Dictionary and Spellchecker. According to her, kankaravor means someone who is “ingenious, clever, having talents.” Obviously then, I thought, Ashugh Jivani must have dedicated this song to someone who is ingenious, clever, and has talents meriting Ashugh Jivani’s appreciation. 

But, it is not quite like that, according to the anectode associated with the song. 

The anectode pertains to Avedik Isahakyan (October 30, 1875 – October 17, 1957). According to the Wikipedia Isahakyan went abroad, attending Literature and History of Philosophy classes in the University of Zurich. He returned to his homeland in 1902. Upon returning from abroad, he found out that his beloved girl, Shushanik Matakyan, was marrying someone whom Avedik, resentful, claimed was not worthy of her. Ashugh Jivani and his group were invited to that wedding. Naturally Ashugh Jivani during the wedding festivity sang songs whose themes were love, frienship, and so forth celebrating their marriage. Isahakyan got very angry with Jivani for having praised the couple and belittled him at every occasion he could get for having sang in their wedding.  In one such occasion, where the intellectual elite had gathered for an event, Avedik Isahakyan saw Jivani attending it as well and is claimed to have said “what is this commoner (ramik – ռամիկ) doing here?”.

Insulted by the comment, it is said that Jivani wrote the song "Kankaravor Friend" (Talented Friend). In the song Jivani sings that his talented friend need not envy him because his presence is not threat to him. Jivani goes further saying that he is a villager, but his friend is urban; that Jivani sits on straw, while his friend on exquisite carpet. He continues on saying that he mounts oxen while his friend the finest horses, and finally   notes that Ashugh Jivani honors his friend and concludes saying Jivani’s hilltop is no match to his friend’s summit.

I have attached the link to the song and its lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDYPCoOdd70&list=RDXDYPCoOdd70&index=1

Քանքարավոր ընկեր, ինձ մի նախանձիլ,

Գոյությունըս գաղափարիդ վնաս չէ,

Դու քաղաքացի ես, ես գյուղական ծիլ,

Ւմ բանջարս քու հանճարիդ վնաս չէ։

Ես խըսիր եմ գործում, դու ընտիր գորգեր,

Իզուր ես նեղանում ինձնից, մարդ-ընկեր

Ես եզներ եմ լծել, դու նժույգ ձիեր,

Սայլապանս կառավարիդ վնաս չէ։ 

Քեզ սրտով հարգում ե, պատվում ՋԻՎԱՆԻՆ,

Դու միամիտ եղիր, գնա քու բանին,

Նա չի կարող հասնել այն աստիճանին,

Խեղճ բլուրս բարձր սարիդ վնաս չէ։

xxxxx

Ashugh Jivani is also known for his song titled “ Pari (kind), Keghetzig (beautiful), Arakini (virtuoso), Ungereh Martoun (man's friend).” 

The song is often sung in appreciating a commrade of a common cause. The Armenian language is gender neutral. Consequently the song can be sung on such occasions. But it is claimed that Jivani dedicated his song to his wife. The lyrics give credence to the claim. Jivani lived from1846–1909. It is not likely that in the patriarchal Armenian culture, especially among the ordinary people Jivani came from, would have used attributes he used as kind (pari), beautiful (keghetzig), virtuous (Arakini), ungereh Martou (friend of the man) in reference to a male friend. Although the word “man” is used in its genderless sense in the West as well, such as mankind, although purists nowadays resort to using humankind instead. Jivani’s attribute of a "friend to man" - "ungereh martoun", I believe, refers to  a male's female friend, rather than a male friend.

In the first two sentences of the song Jivani says, “the kind, beautiful, virtous friend of man, brightens his image like a sun”. He ends the song addressing himself and notes, “Ashugh Jivani, whoever has such a bosom friend, not a single strand of his hair will whiten”, and in middle he claims "if you devote your life to the good friend, still is  not enough."  The song remains popular.

I have linked to the song and attached the lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCHWkocvThc&list=RDnCHWkocvThc&start_radio=1&rv=nCHWkocvThc&t=18

Բարի, գեղեցիկ, առաքինի ընկերը՝ մարդուն,

Փայլեցնում է արևի պես պատկերը մարդուն,

Ինչ մարդ ունենա յուր մոտը հավատարիմ ընկեր

Ցերեկի նման անցնում է մութ գիշերը մարդուն։

Կյանքդ նվիրես ընկերի լավին, քիչ է դարձյալ,

Այնպես է հոգեկան լուսատու լապտերը մարդուն,

Ընկեր եմ ասում, հաստատակամ, ճշմարիտ ընկեր,

Որ բարձրացնե աստիճանը միշտ վերը մարդուն։

Թշնամիները յուր վերա գալած ժամանակը,

Կտրիճ, հարազատ ընկերն է սուսերը մարդուն.

Ով որ ունենա մտերիմ ընկեր, Ջիվան աշըգ,

Չի՛ սպիտակեր ամենևին մեկ հերը մարդուն։