Aparan Feast: Compatriotic Union organizes Old New Year festival as folklore clashes with fact
The New Year in Aparan, a small but significant town some 60 kilometers to the north of capital Yerevan, begins when the Armenian traditional musical instrument, zurna, is blown and kochari is danced in the town’s main square. And the New Year, on this day, means mid-January.
Feet voluntarily take people to a round dance, and appearing next to strangers, hand in hand with them, they make dance moves, twice to the right, then to the left.
Among those dancing are the country’s prosecutor-general, vice-premier, regional governments and town mayors. Within the same circle with the “officials” are ordinary Aparantsis. For a moment all complaints and problems that are usually addressed to state officials are forgotten when people meet them so closely.
The group of zurna players had come from Armavir, another province neighboring capital Yerevan, but from the west.
“When zurna is blown, you can’t stop it, people start dancing without waiting for you. The zurna awakens all your sleeping genes and you simply feel proud that you were born Armenian,” says Vachik Stepanyan, 85, one of the zurna players.
For the past 15 years the Nig-Aparan compatriotic union has organized the “Aparanian Winter” festival. On January 13 (this year it was on January 15, as January 13 was a workday) Aparantsis living in different provinces of the country converge in their native places to celebrate the Old New Year together.
Nig Aparan compatriotic union chairman Haykaz Navasardyan says that the motto of their organization is unity.
“Let’s stay united and we will do the best things,” he says.
Hospitality tables were laid at one part of the square as Aparan hosted different provinces with their traditional cuisine that included tonir lamb barbecue, khashlama, homemade wine, round gatas made in tonir. The traditional Armenian cuisine was presented there in its full richness.
“Happy New Year! This is not only a new year for Aparan, it is for all of us. And it is another occasion to have a closer communication with people. It will be good if such events become traditional also in other provinces of the republic,” said Aparat vice-mayor Zhora Yeremyan.
Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepyan, Local Government Minister and Vice-Premier Armen Gevorgyan and many other officials had approached the tables. And the clink of glasses was alternating with toasts and best wishes made for the commencing year.
After several glasses of wine conversation flows more freely and officials say some things they might not ordinarily.
Everything had already been prepared at the hospitality table of the Kotayk province. Workers of the regional administration said to ArmeniaNow: “Do you think it’s appropriate time for an interview? The ‘don’ is coming to our table.”
It turned out later that they were referring to Prosecutor-General Hovsepyan.
Hovsepyan offered congratulations on the Old New Year and said: “[I wish you] the most positive things, so that all of us have a happy life and know that happiness is in solidarity, love and peace!”
The locals could be easily distinguished from among those who gathered in Aparan’s central square. Andranik Martirosyan, an Aparantsi, said he was happy on that day, but sad on the rest of the days.
“True, we’ve had some drink, but it doesn’t matter, and it’s ok that we will now speak only the truth. We don’t have jobs, nor will we have any. We can hardly make our both ends meet to maintain our families,” he said.
And another Aparantsi, Volodya Mikayelyan, said that these festivals couldn’t shut the eyes of the Aparantsis.
“This is for them to have fun for themselves. They will eat and drink and go to Yerevan, and the Aparantsi will remain alone with his cares and problems. There is no employment, most of the young people have left their wives and children in their elders’ care and went abroad to earn money,” says Mikayelyan and continues: “They come to see in the New Year here and then again leave in spring. This is how the people in Aparan survive.”
Aparan’s deputy mayor Zhora Yerevmyan says that within the last several years the population in Aparan reduced from 10,000 to a little more than 7,500.
“The reason is the shortage of jobs. It’s a pity that many have left along with their families. And this situation is typical of the whole country and it’s a pity for our state, because 60-70 percent of those who have left do not have hopes to come back,” says Yeremyan.
Despite the complaints voiced by Aparantsis, who had become frank, the Aragatsotn province’s governor Sargis Sahakyan says that in conditions of the economic crisis gross production in the province in 2009 made about 46 billion drams (more than $120 million), which is the second best index for the republic. According to the date of the National Statistical Service, it is Aragatsotn that enjoys the lowest level of unemployment in Armenia.
But so-called “credit books” (of goods bought on credit) in shops speak more eloquently about the social situation in Aparan and the level of unemployment.
“We always have lists of buyers getting now and paying later, we’ve got plenty of such, we can’t do without it. They repay their debts somehow, with great difficulty,” says Anahit, a shop assistant. “But all the same, an Aparantsi is proud, is a person of integrity, honor and hospitality. We do not lose heart and find ways to quit difficult situations.”
The festival passions were slowing fading away. The town’s square was becoming empty again. The guests were going back to where they had come from, leaving behind the beautiful, proud and unshakeable town wrapped in a white shroud.
Feet voluntarily take people to a round dance, and appearing next to strangers, hand in hand with them, they make dance moves, twice to the right, then to the left.
Among those dancing are the country’s prosecutor-general, vice-premier, regional governments and town mayors. Within the same circle with the “officials” are ordinary Aparantsis. For a moment all complaints and problems that are usually addressed to state officials are forgotten when people meet them so closely.
The group of zurna players had come from Armavir, another province neighboring capital Yerevan, but from the west.
“When zurna is blown, you can’t stop it, people start dancing without waiting for you. The zurna awakens all your sleeping genes and you simply feel proud that you were born Armenian,” says Vachik Stepanyan, 85, one of the zurna players.
For the past 15 years the Nig-Aparan compatriotic union has organized the “Aparanian Winter” festival. On January 13 (this year it was on January 15, as January 13 was a workday) Aparantsis living in different provinces of the country converge in their native places to celebrate the Old New Year together.
Nig Aparan compatriotic union chairman Haykaz Navasardyan says that the motto of their organization is unity.
“Let’s stay united and we will do the best things,” he says.
Hospitality tables were laid at one part of the square as Aparan hosted different provinces with their traditional cuisine that included tonir lamb barbecue, khashlama, homemade wine, round gatas made in tonir. The traditional Armenian cuisine was presented there in its full richness.
“Happy New Year! This is not only a new year for Aparan, it is for all of us. And it is another occasion to have a closer communication with people. It will be good if such events become traditional also in other provinces of the republic,” said Aparat vice-mayor Zhora Yeremyan.
Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepyan, Local Government Minister and Vice-Premier Armen Gevorgyan and many other officials had approached the tables. And the clink of glasses was alternating with toasts and best wishes made for the commencing year.
After several glasses of wine conversation flows more freely and officials say some things they might not ordinarily.
Everything had already been prepared at the hospitality table of the Kotayk province. Workers of the regional administration said to ArmeniaNow: “Do you think it’s appropriate time for an interview? The ‘don’ is coming to our table.”
It turned out later that they were referring to Prosecutor-General Hovsepyan.
Hovsepyan offered congratulations on the Old New Year and said: “[I wish you] the most positive things, so that all of us have a happy life and know that happiness is in solidarity, love and peace!”
The locals could be easily distinguished from among those who gathered in Aparan’s central square. Andranik Martirosyan, an Aparantsi, said he was happy on that day, but sad on the rest of the days.
“True, we’ve had some drink, but it doesn’t matter, and it’s ok that we will now speak only the truth. We don’t have jobs, nor will we have any. We can hardly make our both ends meet to maintain our families,” he said.
And another Aparantsi, Volodya Mikayelyan, said that these festivals couldn’t shut the eyes of the Aparantsis.
“This is for them to have fun for themselves. They will eat and drink and go to Yerevan, and the Aparantsi will remain alone with his cares and problems. There is no employment, most of the young people have left their wives and children in their elders’ care and went abroad to earn money,” says Mikayelyan and continues: “They come to see in the New Year here and then again leave in spring. This is how the people in Aparan survive.”
Aparan’s deputy mayor Zhora Yerevmyan says that within the last several years the population in Aparan reduced from 10,000 to a little more than 7,500.
“The reason is the shortage of jobs. It’s a pity that many have left along with their families. And this situation is typical of the whole country and it’s a pity for our state, because 60-70 percent of those who have left do not have hopes to come back,” says Yeremyan.
Despite the complaints voiced by Aparantsis, who had become frank, the Aragatsotn province’s governor Sargis Sahakyan says that in conditions of the economic crisis gross production in the province in 2009 made about 46 billion drams (more than $120 million), which is the second best index for the republic. According to the date of the National Statistical Service, it is Aragatsotn that enjoys the lowest level of unemployment in Armenia.
But so-called “credit books” (of goods bought on credit) in shops speak more eloquently about the social situation in Aparan and the level of unemployment.
“We always have lists of buyers getting now and paying later, we’ve got plenty of such, we can’t do without it. They repay their debts somehow, with great difficulty,” says Anahit, a shop assistant. “But all the same, an Aparantsi is proud, is a person of integrity, honor and hospitality. We do not lose heart and find ways to quit difficult situations.”
The festival passions were slowing fading away. The town’s square was becoming empty again. The guests were going back to where they had come from, leaving behind the beautiful, proud and unshakeable town wrapped in a white shroud.