Saro Varjabedian, the Talented and Driven Cinematographer

Tales from Hotel Lux

Vahe H. Apelian

 

Whenever I hear or read the  name Saro mentioned, it reminds me not Saro of opera “Anoush”, but of Saro Varjabedian and the circumstances I met his maternal grandparents in Beirut, in Hotel Lux, the inn my father ran. They were on their to the United States with two young girls, who would become Saro's mother. 

It was one of those days when I exited from the old-fashioned elevator to the uppermost floor of the building whose two upper floors made Hotel Lux, which was pretty much known among the Armenians of the era for a few decades, and whose guests were mostly Armenians from all over.

 As I exited the elevator, I saw suitcases on the floor. It was not an unusual sight. Guests came with their suitcases and left them in the hallway until my father made the arrangements for their stay. I asked my father who were the guests and from where they had come. He told me that it’s an Armenian family from Bulgaria. I had noted earlier that the overwhelming majority of the guests were Armenians and they came literary from all corners of the world, from West to Far East and in between. This time around this family was from Bulgaria on its on  way to the United States. Like many Armenians from East Europe who managed to leave, they also  were relying on the sponsorship of ANCHA to immigrate to the U.S. ANCHA was the famed "Armenian National Committee to Aid Homeless Armenians". Its two pincipals were George Mardigian.and Suren Saroyan.

These families mostly came from Eastern Europe under Soviet yoke. They left the country literary penniless. My father had become a liaison and knew what to do. As soon as they settled in the hotel, my father presented them to the ANCHA’s office in Beirut. Over the years I had become privy of their ordeal. Some, as former landlords, had become the objects of despise and ridicule by their former tenants as nationalization had taken over their private businesses and holdings and had rendered them tenants of the state much like the rest of their former tenants. I remember a lady telling my parents they burnt all the cash savings they had and hid their valuable jewelry they had as they could not dare to spend their cash money, lest they would arouse suspicion, nor could they trust their jewelry even to the most trustful friend out of fear of not knowing if the person had become an informant by choice or by coercion. They presented the harsh reality of life behind the Iron Curtain.

This Armenian Bulgarian family stayed in the hotel until ANCHA completed the necessary documentation for their sejourn in Lebanon and covered the expenses for their stay in the hotel. After having their papers in order at the ANCHA's office, most of them left the hotel and rented a room. Many found employment mostly in Armenian held businesses until their immigration papers were completed. It is through their experiences that I came to first learn of Armenians taking advantage of other Armenians. This Armenian family's stay in the hotel lasted longer than usual. It is how I got to know them and their  daughter. Even though the family, later I found out, had two daughters but it’s the younger daughter I remember as their only child. Much like the rest they also migrated to the U.S. As was the case with most, they also stopped by to let my father know they will be leaving soon and bid goodbye. I remember to this day when this Bulgarian family let us know too that their immigration has been approved and they will heading to settle in New York. The image of an Armenian family settling in that big metropolis remained etched in my mind for many years and I would wonder how the Armenian family fared among the million inhabitants of that impersonal city.

Fast forward. After much reluctance our son Daniel agreed to attend Camp Haiastan. But it did not take long for him to make friends he met  as a camper and then as a counselor. Among them was his friend Saro. Both were in their early to mid-teens. Naturally they did not drive. After their camping session was over it was I who drove our son Daniel to Saro’s parents house on many Saturdays and picked him the next day on Sunday afternoon. During one of such visits I saw the whole family there including Saro's maternal grandparents. I got carried away conversing with his grandfather as I had already met his parents. One thing led to another and to my surprise his grandfather produced a journal he had kept about their journey to the United States. Lo and behold I came across my father’s name mentioned in his journal as he recounted their long journey to the New World. Suddenly it dawned on me that the young girl I met had gotten married to an Armenian also from Bulgaria and had formed a nurturing and hospitable family who graciously hosted our son’s stay in their house in Queens, New York. Their son now had become one of our son’s best buddies. It would not take much to surmise that I felt a strong kinship with the family and especially with Saro.

In 1995 my job took me to Cincinnati to our sons’, especially to our elder son Daniel’s dismay. It was his friends from the Camp Haiastan and from the Armenian Presbyterian Church that kept Daniel going with their frequent phone calls especially during our first year in Cincinnati. And it was Saro among them who paid him a visit a few months after our settling in Cincinnati. Parents of teenage sons know how determined and stubborn they can get. Saro had made a point of visiting Daniel taking a Greyhound bus to Cincinnati. It is a journey that on the average takes 18 hours with many stops in between. Needless to say any parent would agonize having their teenage son doing the trip by himself.  The year was 1995 and cell phones were not as readily available. Saro would arrive late at night in Columbus, OH and had to stay there for two hours to catch the next bus to Cincinnati. I assured Saro’s parents that I would drive to Columbus and pick him from there. I remember his father’s relief and what he told me, “at least now we can get some sleep !”. So we befriended Saro as a family. He accompanied us to Florida and another time to upstate Michigan for salmon fishing as Marie and I looked with contentment seeing their friendship.

Almost a quarter of century has passed since Saro’s visiting us in Cincinnati. Both remain good friends and visit each other. Through these years Saro embarked pursuing his dream of becoming a cinematographer. He just finished writing, directing and filming his first feature film “Respite”. Saro has photographed eight feature films, one feature documentary, and several web-series and countless short films. 

Saro’s grandfather passed away a few years ago. Saro dedicated a short film he produced to his grandfather. This is what he noted to me about that film he produced in Armenia. “My Grandfather loved his experience visiting Armenia,” wrote Saro, “but in real life he always wanted to go to Alaska. So after my grandfather passed away my grandmother, with my mom and aunt went to Alaska to fulfill his wish to visit Alaska. I thought it is so interesting that these three women got to have this bonding experience. And because of my interest in my ancestry I took that idea and had it happen in Armenia instead.” 

"After Water There is Sand," has been screened at several International film festivals, including the 2013 International Golden Apricot Film Festival, which is an annual film festival held in Yerevan; the 2012 International Pomegranate Film Festival, the 2012 Arpa Film Festival, which is one of the oldest international film festivals for independent cinema held in Los Angeles; the 2013 Boston International Film Festival; the 2013 International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles; and the 2013 Women and Minorities in Media film festival. 

Along with Armenia, Saro has also directed and filmed internationally, in Cuba, France, Lebanon, Mexico and India. He holds a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Columbia and has taught cinematography and directing at the New York Film Academy.

Saro’s accomplishments as a writer, director and cinematographer are too many to list here. Altough I attached a copy of his professional resume below, anyone interested may search him in the Internet and may read the professional accomplishments of this young, driven film writer, director and cinematographer Saro Varjabedian.

A copy of SARO VARJABEDIAN”S RESUME’

"Saro Varjabedian, a recent Film MFA graduate from Columbia University and of Armenian descent is an international Director and Cinematographer. Saro began his career in film working as a Freelance Cinematographer in New York. As a Cinematographer, Saro has photographed seven feature films, countless shorts, industrials, and music videos. He is most known for his work on the feature film “Elliot Loves” which has aired on HBO Comedy, HBO Latino, HBO Zone, HBO GO, Cinemax, and Hulu. His work on “Jesus Loves Yusef,” which was filmed in Lebanon, won Saro the Best Student Cinematography Award from the 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival. In addition, Saro has written over 20 articles on Cinematography practices which were published in StudentFilmMaker Magazine, has taught workshops on the latest camera technologies and cinematography principles, and has been invited to join the Tiffen Family of Cinematographers. Saro has recently finished principle photography as the cinematographer to the Independent feature films entitled “GoldStar” and “El Gallo” and the International French/Lebanese co-production feature entitled “The Traveler”.

Saro Varjabedian’s first short film as writer/director was “La Chambre De Motel” which went on to play at the 2008 New York International Latino Film Festival and 2008 WildSound Film Festival. In 2009, Saro directed and photographed the short film “Kosu” in India as part of fulfilling his requirements for the Columbia MFA film program. Kosu has won Honorable mention at the 2010 Pravasi Film Festival, screened at the 2011 Yes World India Film Festival, 2011 New York Indian Film Festival, and 2011 Arpa International Film Festival. In 2012 Saro wrote, directed and photographed his third short in Armenia entitled “After Water There Is Sand” for the purposes of fulfilling his thesis requirements for Columbia University. “After Water There Is Sand” has screened at the 2012 Pomegranate film festival, winning the 2012 PomGrant, screened at the 2012 Arpa Film Festival, the 2013 Boston International Film Festival, the 2013 International Family Film Festival, the 2013 Women and Minorities in Media film festival and the 2013 Golden Apricot International Film Festival. As of 2013, Saro has wrapped production on his fourth short film as director entitled “All That Glitters” and has directed three music videos. In 2014 Saro directed the TV pilot entitled, “The Ridge.” Saro is currently teaching directing at New York Film Academy while working on developing several  projects:"

Լիբանանահայ-Հրատարակչատուները-Այսօր

 

https://darperag21.net/լիբանանահայ-հրատարակչատուները-այսօր/

ԳՈՒՆԱԳԵՂ

Վահէ Յ. Աբէլեան

 Առաջին ակնարկով անտեղի ածական մըն է՝ եւ ես պիտի չթելադրէի վարչապետին այդ ածականը գործածած ըլլալ։ Որեւէ դասական հասկացողութեամբ քաղաքական մարդ հաւանաբար պիտի գործածեր «պատշաճ» բառը քան թէ «գունագեղ» ածականը։ Ահա, այս է որ յայտարարած եղած է վարչապետը Սեպտեմբեր 8-ին կառաւարութեան նիստին ՝ - «Ուզում եմ ասել, որ սեպտեմբերի 21-ին Հանրապետության հրապարակում տեղի է ունենալու մասշտաբային և գունագեղ տոնակատարություն։ Այդ տոնակատարությունն առաջին հերթին նվիրված է լինելու Հայաստանի անկախության, անվտանգության, ինքնիշխանության և Արցախի համար իրենց կյանքը զոհած նահատակների հիշատակին»։

Իսկ ես տակաւին ծանօթ չեմ ըլլալիք տօնակատարութեան յայտագրին։ Բայց պիտի չզարմանամ որ այդ ածականը առանցքը դառնայ Սփիւռքահայ կարգ մը թերթերու խմբագրականներուն եւ ինչեր եւ ինչեր պիտի հետեւցուին։

Բայց կը պատկերացնեմ որ վարչապետը ըսել ուզած է որ արցունքով չէ որ պիտի ողողենք «Հանրապետութեան Հրապարակ»ը եւ ոչ ալ  սեւով պիտի պատենք զայն Սեպտեմբեր 21 ին։ Խորքին մէջ այդ չէ՞ որ ազգովին կր շարունակենք ընել՝ երանելի տալով հայրենիքին համար զոհուածին, նահատակին։ Իսկ երանելիութիւնը արցունքով եւ սեւով չէ որ ազգովին կը նշենք կամ կրնանք նշել։ «Մեր Հայրենիքին» վերջին համարով մենք ենք որ կը շարունակենք երգել եւ ոչ թէ կրկնել այն ինչ որ Ամերիկացի զօրավարը ըսած է ամէն ճշմարտութեամբ որ պատերազմը թշնամիդ սպանելով կը շահիս ոչ թէ պատերազմին համար մեռնելով։ Իսկ մենք՝

Ամենայն տեղ մահը մի է

Մարդ մի անգամ պի՛տ մեռնի,

Բայց երանի՝ որ յուր ազգի

Ազատության կզոհվի։

Զգացականօրէն ես ալ տարուած եմ «Մեր Հայրենիք» հիմնովը (hymn)՝ չըսելու համար օրհներգը։ Հաւանաբար ժամանակն է որ մտածենք այդ երգին մասին եւ հարց տանք որ արդիօք ժամանակավրէպ չէ՞ այլեւս։

Բնականաբար չեմ առաջարկեր անտեսել այդ երգը՝ անշուշտ որ անուռանալի պատգամ մը ունի։ Բայց ոչ թէ պետականացնենք զայն։ Ամերիկայի պաշտօնական հիմնը “Star Spangled Banner”ն է։ Ահռելիօրէն դժոուար երգուելիք հիմն մըն է։ Կարդացած եմ առաջարկներ փոխելու զայն աւելի դիւրին երգուելիք երգով մը։ Բայց կը կասկածիմ որ այդ կարելի է ընել եւ կամ երբեւիցի պիտի ըլլայ։

Բայց Ամերիկան ունի ուրիշ ընդհանրացած երգ մը` «America the Beautiful”։ Մենք ընտանիօք անցեալ շուրջ 25 տարիներուն մաս կազմած ենք Ohio, Cincinnati քաղաքին մէջ գտնուող եկեղեցիի մը ուր մէկ այլ հայ ընտանիք կը յաճախէր որոնք նահանգը հաստատուած եղած են երկար ժամանակ է է վեր։ Հոն, պատշաճ պարագաններուն, այդ վերջին նշած երգն էր որ կ՚երգուէր ընդհանրապէս քան թէ պաշտօնական հիմնը։ Նոյն պիտի ըլլայ պարագան եթէ հիմնը վերատեսութեան ենթարկուի։

Պիտի առաջարկեմ ընթերցողներուն մտիկ ընել Սովետական Հայաստանի՝ Արամ Խաչատուրեանի երաժշտութեամբ պատրաստուած հիմնը ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zW2GNm9L6k )։ ԱՆշուշտ որ անոր բառերը պէտք է բարեփոխուին այնպէս ինչպէս բարեփոխուած է «Մեր Հայրենիք» օտարամուտ բնագիր բանաստեղծութեան բառերը։ Անուռանալիօրէն Արամ Խաչատուրեանին երաժշտութիւնը աւելի կենսունակ է եւ չունի «Մեր Հայրենիք» երգին մելամաղձութիւնը։

Անձնապէս կասկած չունիմ որ Սեպտեմբեր 21 ի Անկախութեան Օրին պիտի ըլլայ շատ պատշաճ յայտագիրը մը նուիրուած յիշատակելու համար Արցախի պատերազմեներուն նահատակուած հայ մարտիկները։ Արդէն մենք միշտ, միշտ աւելի պատշաճութեամբ թաղած ենք քան գնահատած եւ արժեւորած ողջը եւ առողջը։

 

 

 

 

 

Material Culture

Vahe H. Apelian

This blog is my review of one of Dr. Hagop Tcholakian’s book I received recently. But I opted to title the blog as I did because  at first glance, I thought the book was about the wealth of Kessab.  The title of the book is “Kessab Mateiral Culture”. Instinctively I had associated material with wealth. I suppose we associate culture with things that transcend the material. I wondered what definition would Google provide for what culture is. It did and I quote it: “Culture can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society. As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art.” Perhaps most of us little realize  that the quality of the paint, the brush, the canvas, the stone were no less inherent, along the artist,  to produce cultural masterpieces such as the painting of Mona Lisa or  the cathedral of Notre Dame.

Tcholakian’s book is about those necessities. He titled the first chapter “The Raw Materials – Հումքերը" and started the  chapter noting that: “The raw materials that constitute the material culture of Kessab are the stone (քարը), the wood (փայտը), the cane or the reed(եղեգը), the shoots of trees or bushes (ոստն), the straw (ծեղը), the clay (կաւը), the bone (ոսկորը), the leather (կաշին), the goat hair (այծի մազը),  the wool (ոչխարին բուրդը), the cotton (բամպակը), the silk hair (ապրշումը), the domestic and wild animal hides”. In other words, everything usable that its environment produced

Stone implements

The book starts with an introduction where Hagop Tcholakian glances over the historic material culture of Kessab and the need to have it documented for the future generations who naturally would want to know how their ancestors carved a living on that mountainous terrain. 

The book is comprised of two parts. The first part is textual and is 140 pages long. It starts from page 20 and end on page 160. The second part is a collection of photographs, an album, that starts on 162 and ends on 262, marking the end of the book. Each page in this latter section has two or more pictures which are captioned and are mostly in color and hence there are many, many of them, Hagop has collected over the years. There does not seem to be a landmark and a type of the implement used that is not presented in these pictures. There are also many pencil drawings in the textual part.

Wood Implements

The textual part of the books is comprised of six chapters. In the first chapter he elaborates on the raw materials, such as the type of the stones, their quarries, the uses of different types of the stones, such as the type the Kessabtsis call kuyruk. They are bluish, light weight, crushable stones that covered the roof tops of almost all the dwellings, save a few that were covered with bricks.  Each of the raw material listed is similarly elaborated in regard to their sources, and use, such as the clay admixture that was used to cover the inner walls as an excellent insulator.  

The remaining five chapter are the uses of these raw materials, such as the types of the houses built using them, in the second chapter. The different implements made from wood and the stones and the other raw materials, and also the public structures erected such the bridges, arched structures over the springs, mills, the wells  and many others. The third chapter is devoted to the spiritual structures be it churches, chapels, tombstones. The fifth chapter elaborates on the tools made with stone, clay, wood, and metal. The sixth and the last chapter covers weaving be it straw trays or carpets, needling, dressing and others.

Metal Implements

In his introduction Dr.Tcholakian noted that during the two decades preceding the terrorist onslaught on Kessab on May 21, 2013, Kessab experienced an economic boom and became a magnet for summer vacation in the Arab world from as far as from Saudi Arabia, where families could roam on the outdoor safe and secure and without any harassment as to the type of dress the women wore and enjoyed the unmatched genuine hospitality of the Kessabtsis. Among such vacationers were the Syrian president and his family.

During that period Kessabtsis experienced a cultural revival. The old stone or wooden implements were reintroduced and were placed in the restaurants and in public places. The cement that had covered the outdoor walls were removed from many houses to have the original stones exposed. There was a drive to collect all artifacts of the old. Notable among them was the collection organized by the Father Nareg Louisian of the St. Mikael Armenian Catholic Church. He had them collected in the church complex and had named the sizeable collection he had gathered a Cilician Museum.

The March 21, 2013 onslaught put an end to the boom and the cultural revival. During their two and half months of occupation the terrorists sacked, torched houses, the stores in the market, desecrated churches and graves, and hauled everything they could lay their hands on to Turkey. The things they could not haul, they destroyed in one way or another.

Straw Trays

What remains from the past now is safely tacked away mostly in books. This illustrious son of Kessab almost single handedly salvaged the history and the material culture of Kessab. Along this book, he authored the exhaustive study of Kessab in three volumes, and in other books about the dialect of Kessab and its folk culture. He also documented for history those three harrowing terrorist onslaught days and titled the book similrarly.

The attached link (http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2021/09/hagop-tcholakian-eminent-scholar-and.html) sheds light on the diverse and extraordinarily prodigious literary  output of Dr. Hagop Tcholakian. 

“Kessab Material Culture” was published in Yerevan in 2020. The publication of the book was sponsored by Mrs. Makrouhi Agkhacherian Kortian (Մաքրուհի Աքվաչերեան Քորթեան) from Australia, in memory of her Kessabtsi husband Hagop Kortian (Յակոբ Քորթեան). A picture of the couple graces the book.

 

 

The Armenian Islamic Tribe in Syria

The Turkish incursion in Syria along its long border reminds of the Armenian Islamic tribe the late Kevork George Apelian had uncovered and reported first and wonder about the fate of this 25,000 strong tribe.

The Armenian Islamic Tribe - Part I

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-armenian-islamic-tribe-part-i.html 

The Armenian Islamic Tribe - Part II

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-armenian-islamic-tribepart-ii.html

Hagop Tcholakian: An Eminent Scholar and Linguist

Apo Boghigian noted on his Facebook page today that he will interview on the CivilNet, the eminent scholar and linguist Dr. Hagop Cholakian regarding the Armenian government’s legislative initiative for the preservation of the Western Armenian language.

Dr. Hagop Tcholakian 

Dr. Hagop Cholakian is an Armenian history specialist (Ազգագրագետ ),  poet (բանաստեղծ), literary critic (գրականագետ), and a linguist (լեզվաբան). Apo Boghigian also attached to his posting, a brief biography of the eminent scholar 

Dr. Hagop Cholakian was born on October 16, 1947, in the village of Kaladouran in Kessab, Syria. He received his primary education in Kessab and his secondary education in Anjar, Lebanon. He was admitted to the State University of Armenia in Yerevan and in 1973 and graduated from its philological department (բանասիրական ֆակուլտետը) . In 2002, he was accepted as a candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in history and received the credential in 2016.

From 1973 and onward he embarked in academia for a career. In 1973 he started teaching in Armenian schools in Anjar and in Beirut, Lebanon. From 1976 to 2012 he taught Armenian schools and Armenian institutions of higher learning in Aleppo, Syria, including the famed Karen Yeppe Jemaran, in the Mekhatarian Institute of Armenian Studies (1982-88),  and in the Hamazkayin Center for Armenian Studies (1996-2012). In 2013 he moved to Kessab with his family because of the raging civil war in Syria that was ravaging Aleppo. In Kessab he experienced the March 21, 2013, assault by extremists on Kessab from Turkey. In 2014 the family moved and settled in Yerevan, Armenia. 2015 he was associated with the Republic of Armenia National Academy of Sciences as a researcher and lectured in the Armenia’s State University in Yerevan.

Dr. Hagop Cholakian’s interests have been wide. He is the author of the following books

«Հալէպի պարբերական մամլոյ համառօտ նկարագրութիւն» (1978) – “Brief description of Aleppo (Armenian) periodical press”

«Քեսապի ժաղավրդական երգարուեստը» (1980) – “The Kessab Folk Song Art”

«Ցամքած աղբիւրը նորէն կը բխի» (1981) – “The dried fountain springs up again”

«Քեսապի բարբառը» (1986, 2009) – “"The dialect of Kessab"

«Միջգաւառական անեքթոտներ» (1988, 2005) – “"Inter-provincial/regional anecdotes"

 «Արցախեան ինքնաճանաչման բանաստեղծութիւնը» (1990) – “ Artsakh Poetry”

«Քեսապ» (հատոր Ա, Բ, 1995, Գ, 2004) – “Kessab” in 3 volumes

«Հայերէնի աւանդական ուղղագրութիւն» (2000) – “"Traditional Armenian orthography"

«Քարէն Եփփէ հայ գողգոթային եւ վերածնունդին հետ» (2001) – “Karen Yeppe with the Armenian Golgotha and its Revival”

«Անտիոքի մերձակայ Ռուճի հովիտի հայերը. պատմական-ազգագրական ուսումնասիրութիւն» (2006) – “The Armenians of the Cilician Valley near Antioch. Historical-ethnographic study”.

«Քեսապի երեք օրերը» (2014) – “"The three days of Kessab"

«Աւանդական ուղղագրութիւն. կանոնակարգ եւ խնդիրներ»,  (2016) – “"Traditional orthography. regulations and issues "

«Արեւմտահայերէնի քերականութիւն. կանոնակարգ եւ խնդիրներ», (2017) – “"Grammar of Western Armenian. regulations and issues "

“Քեսապի Նիւթական Մշակոյթը» (2020) – “Kessab Material Culture). 

«Օսմանեան Բանակի Զինուոր Սարգիս Հանէեանի Վկայութիւնը», (2020) – “The Testament of Ottoman Army Soldier Sarkis Hanneyan” 

«Սուրեահայ Դպրոցի Պատմութիւն» Երկու հատոր, (2021) – “The Story of Armenian Schools in Syria”, two volumes. 

He has compiled six textbooks for Diaspora Armenian primary and secondary schools: "My Armenian Textbook" ( «Հայերէնի դասագիրքս» ), (1989-94), "Andastan" (2009-13).

*****

 

Բնագիր Տեղադրութիւնը

 Վաղը, ժամը 11ին, Սիվիլնեթէն հարցազրոյզ պիտի ունենամ պատմական գիտութիւններու դոկտոր Յակոբ Չոլաքեանին հետ (Քեսապ ծնած, 2014էն ի վեր Հայաստան ապրող)՝ կառավարութեան ծրագրի մէջ ներառնուած Սփիւռքի բաժնի մասին ընդհանրապէս եւ Արեւմտահայերէնին «յատուկ կարգավիճակ տալու օրէնսդրական» նախաձեռնութեան մասին մասնաւորապէս։ Սիվիլնեթ այս հարցազրոյցով սկիզբ կը դնէ «Զարկերակ»ի կողքին «Տրոփ» ծրագրին։ Կը խնդրեմ ձեր անմիջական անդրադարձը՝ հարցազրոյցի վարման, բովանդակութեան եւ ընդհանրապէս ընթացքի մասին։ 

 Հարցազրոյցը ուղիղ եթերով չէ։ Սփռումի ժամը կը հրապարակեմ առանձին։

Ստորեւ դոկտ. Չոլաքեանի կենսագրական հիմնական տուեալները.

Ազգագրագետ, բանաստեղծ, գրականագետ, լեզվաբան

Ծնվել է 1947թ. հոկտեմբերի 16-ին, Սիրիայի Քեսապի գավառի Գարատուրան գյուղում: Նախնական կրթությունն ստացել է Քեսապում, միջնակարգ ուսումը՝ Լիբանանի Անջար քաղաքում։ 1973թ. ավարտել է Երևանի պետական համալսարանի բանասիրական ֆակուլտետը։ 2002թ. ստացել է պատմական գիտությունների թեկնածուի, 2016թ.՝ դոկտորի գիտական աստիճան։ 1973-2014թթ ապրել և կրթական գործունեությունը ծավալել է Սիրիայում և Լիբանանում: 1973թ-ից դասավանդել է Անջարի և Բեյրութի վարժարաններում, 1976-2012թթ՝ Հալեպի Ազգային Կարեն-Եփփե ճեմարանում, 1982-88թթ՝ տեղի Մխիթարյան հայագիտական բարձրագույն դասընթացներում, 1996-2012թթ՝ Հալեպի Համազգայինի հայագիտական կենտրոնում։ 2014թ. Սիրիական պատերազմի պատճառով՝ Քեսապից տեղափոխվել է Երևան և 2015թ-ից գիտական գործունեություն ծավալել ՀՀ ԳԱԱ հնագիտության և ազգագրության ինստիտուտում: Դասավանդում է նաև Երևանի պետական համալսարանում: Հեղինակել է պատմական-ազգագրական, մատենագիտական, գեղարվեստական, լեզվաբանական աշխատություններ, դպրոցական դասագրքեր: Հրատարակվել են նրա «Հալէպի պարբերական մամլոյ համառօտ նկարագրութիւն» (1978թ.), «Քեսապի ժաղավրդական երգարուեստը» (1980թ.), «Ցամքած աղբիւրը նորէն կը բխի» (1981թ.), «Քեսապի բարբառը» (1986թ., 2009թ.), «Միջգաւառական անեքթոտներ» (1988թ., 2005թ.), «Արցախեան ինքնաճանաչման բանաստեղծութիւնը» (1990թ.), «Քեսապ» (հատոր Ա, Բ, 1995թ., Գ, 2004թ.), «Հայերէնի աւանդական ուղղագրութիւն» (2000թ.), «Քարէն Եփփէ հայ գողգոթային եւ վերածնունդին հետ» (2001թ.), «Անտիոքի մերձակայ Ռուճի հովիտի հայերը. պատմական-ազգագրական ուսումնասիրութիւն» (2006թ.), «Քեսապի երեք օրերը» (2014թ.), «Աւանդական ուղղագրութիւն. կանոնակարգ եւ խնդիրներ» (2016թ.), «Արեւմտահայերէնի քերականութիւն. կանոնակարգ եւ խնդիրներ» (2017թ.): Կազմել է վեցական դասագրքեր՝ սփյուռքահայ նախակրթարանի, միջնակարգ և երկրորդական վարժարանների համար՝ «Հայերէնի դասագիրքս» (1989-94թթ), «Անդաստան» (2009-13թթ): Apo Boghigian.

 

“Յաղթելու Ենք” - «We Shall Prevail»

Vahe H. Apelian

 

During the 44-days war, which basically was Armenia’s military response to the TurkaBaijan’s aerial and land blitzkrieg, the PM of Armenia came with the following battle cry,  “Յաղթելու ենք”. The translation of which is “We Shall Prevail”.

Regretfully, as we all know, Armenia lost the war against far superior military alliance of Turkey and Azerbaijan. The alliance was aided by hordes of mercenaries from Syria, Pakistan. There were other nations who militarily aligned with the Turks and Azeris, against Armenia although they did not take active participation in the war, such as Ukraine and Pakistan and maybe others as well. Armenia militarily confronted the unprovoked attack unliterally. No country came to its aid.

After the disastrous defeat, many factions in Armenia resorted  to ridiculing the PM’s choice “Յաղթելու Ենք” -  «We Shell Prevail» for battle cry claiming that it was misleading. Strangely some factions of Armenians in the Diaspora, who understandably did not take part in the battle, started echoing the same ridicule.

The claim that the battle cry was misleading is driven politically because  “Յաղթելու Ենք” -  «We Shell Prevail» was not and linguistically cannot be taken as a  public assurance that Armenia was posed to prevail in the war.

Much like in English, “shall” does not necessarily imply assurance, although it can but should be read in context.

Shall  refers to something that one intends to do.  It can also refer to something that is bound to happen but that does not mean that it necessarily will,  such as when we say:  “we shall be landing at such a such time.” One can bring many other such examples such as “the president shall be in office until 2024”. That does not mean that the president will be in office until the said time. 

I have taken a strong aversion against those who resorted ridiculing the PM’s “Յաղթելու Ենք” or “We shall overcome”  battle cry, and I wonder, what would have been their choice for a battle cry. 

Although many echoed the ridicule and continue to do so,  but  so far, no one has proposed any other,  even as a hindsight.  

On a further note, Krikor Kradjian recently noted in his email to his friends that the Soviet forces had adopted the same slogan - “Յաղթելու Ենք” or “We shall overcome” -  in their fight against the Nazis in the second world war during which, it is claimed that the Armenians lost disproportionally many more, some  300,000 combatants staking the viability of Armenia as a sovereign state. The Armenians refer to that war as the Great Patriotic war

Armenia celebrates the event to this day  on May 9^th as the Victory Day. Quoting Wikipeida “On May 9th Russia and a handful of former Soviet Union republics celebrate Victory Day, which marks the day after Nazi Germany surrendered and Soviet forces took control of Berlin, bringing the second world war (also referred to as 'The Great Patriotic War' in Russia) in Europe to an end.”