Comments on: Armenia: Return to Ferik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/ News, Photography, Blogs & Analysis Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:54:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Ani http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-10175 Ani Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:11:38 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-10175 FYI--Interesting that Turkey is suddenly discovering their minority populations: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/lifestyle/11289121.asp?scr=1 FYI–Interesting that Turkey is suddenly discovering their minority populations:

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/lifestyle/11289121.asp?scr=1

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9217 Onnik Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:03:38 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9217 Yeah, a real pity. Still, am hoping to go and attend the day of the dead with Nahro on Thursday. It's when residents of a village, including those who might have left to live elsewhere, assemble at the graveyard to remember family members buried there. Yes, I know, sounds quite morose, but attended one with Christine Allison, another Kurdologist who is researching the oral history traditions of the Yezidis, two years ago. http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/06/15/gone-but-not-forgotten/ Christine has already done the same with Yezidis in Iraqi Kurdistan. http://books.google.am/books?id=8B1g3YUhYU0C&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=christine+allison+kurd&source=web&ots=AA27FWD181&sig=HQ_RYj0I3BhNEbtwSmxsQBKNskM&hl=hy&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA13,M1 Christine is also hoping to put Ortachiya, the Yezidi village she's researching here in Armenia, online: http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/06/15/putting-ortachiya-online/ Yeah, a real pity. Still, am hoping to go and attend the day of the dead with Nahro on Thursday. It’s when residents of a village, including those who might have left to live elsewhere, assemble at the graveyard to remember family members buried there.

Yes, I know, sounds quite morose, but attended one with Christine Allison, another Kurdologist who is researching the oral history traditions of the Yezidis, two years ago.

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/06/15/gone-but-not-forgotten/

Christine has already done the same with Yezidis in Iraqi Kurdistan.

http://books.google.am/books?id=8B1g3YUhYU0C&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=christine+allison+kurd&source=web&ots=AA27FWD181&sig=HQ_RYj0I3BhNEbtwSmxsQBKNskM&hl=hy&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA13,M1

Christine is also hoping to put Ortachiya, the Yezidi village she’s researching here in Armenia, online:

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/06/15/putting-ortachiya-online/

]]> By: Myrthe http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9216 Myrthe Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:18:51 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9216 Too bad you couldn't make it to that wedding. I was looking forward to your story and pictures! I love the random aside about the dog and the cat. But then, you know I love dogs and cats. ;-) Too bad you couldn’t make it to that wedding. I was looking forward to your story and pictures!

I love the random aside about the dog and the cat. But then, you know I love dogs and cats. ;-)

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9186 Onnik Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:51:20 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9186 Was meant to go to a Yezidi wedding today, but had to cancel at the last minute. Anyway, some pics from the last Yezidi wedding I went to are at: http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/10/03/yezidi-wedding-armavir-region/ Was meant to go to a Yezidi wedding today, but had to cancel at the last minute. Anyway, some pics from the last Yezidi wedding I went to are at:

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/10/03/yezidi-wedding-armavir-region/

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9173 Onnik Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:48:05 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9173 And from Shamiram in 2004: http://www.oneworld.am/photojournalism/shamiram/index.html Well, lots of Yezidi coverage on my previous blog: http://oneworld.blogsome.com/category/yezidis/ And from Shamiram in 2004:

http://www.oneworld.am/photojournalism/shamiram/index.html

Well, lots of Yezidi coverage on my previous blog:

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/category/yezidis/

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9172 Onnik Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:39:28 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9172 Thanks, Ani. More here from Yezidi villages if you're interested. http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/09/08/ferik-portraits/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/06/yezidi-kids/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/06/more-yezidi-kids/ Anyway, am hopefully off to a Yezidi wedding tomorrow and also to attend the Shamiram festival in a week. The last pics from that event in 2005 and 2006 are at: http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/09/25/shamiram-aragatsotn-region-1/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/09/26/shamiram-aragatsotn-region-2/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-1/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-2/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-3/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-4/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-5/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-6/ Thanks, Ani. More here from Yezidi villages if you’re interested.

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/09/08/ferik-portraits/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/06/yezidi-kids/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/06/more-yezidi-kids/

Anyway, am hopefully off to a Yezidi wedding tomorrow and also to attend the Shamiram festival in a week. The last pics from that event in 2005 and 2006 are at:

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/09/25/shamiram-aragatsotn-region-1/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/09/26/shamiram-aragatsotn-region-2/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-1/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-2/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-3/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-4/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-5/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2005/09/25/yezidi-shamiram-festival-6/

]]> By: Ani http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9171 Ani Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:58:47 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9171 Anybody ever tell you that you take great pictures of children? ;) Anybody ever tell you that you take great pictures of children? ;)

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9170 Onnik Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:44:07 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9170 Ani, another red-haired Yezidi child, but this time from Tandzut. http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/10/01/tandzut-armavir-region/ Ani, another red-haired Yezidi child, but this time from Tandzut.

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/10/01/tandzut-armavir-region/

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9169 Onnik Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:38:40 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9169 BTW: Another issue is gas. The locals say that all the villages surrounding them have gas, but they do not. Some wonder if it's because they're the only totally Yezidi-inhabited village in the area. Hard to say, but they're not isolated from the others. Closest is a kilometer away. I was also rather surprised and perhaps somewhat alarmed to discover that the village head is an ethnic Armenian who apparently doesn't even live in Ferik. BTW: Another issue is gas. The locals say that all the villages surrounding them have gas, but they do not. Some wonder if it’s because they’re the only totally Yezidi-inhabited village in the area. Hard to say, but they’re not isolated from the others. Closest is a kilometer away. I was also rather surprised and perhaps somewhat alarmed to discover that the village head is an ethnic Armenian who apparently doesn’t even live in Ferik.

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9167 Onnik Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:16:20 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9167 Totally off the subject matter, when we visited the home of the woman second from last in the photos, I was amazed to discover a beautiful dog with such a friendly character. Usually dogs here are to be feared and especially in Yezidi villages where they are usually Gampyrs and used to protect sheep from wolves. This one was totally domesticated, however, and really lovely. Even had a companion-- a ginger cat. The worst that happened was when I was stroking the cat the dog came out and used its nose to just push the cat away so it could be stroked. First time I've come across that when most dogs in villages and even in Yerevan are those that you want to stay away from. Nice and very refreshing day. In my opinion, the Yezidis are a fascinating ethnic minority community that Armenians should be proud of. Certainly, they are as hospitable as most Armenian villages and it's always nice to encounter different cultures when you're in what is unfortunately a largely mono-ethnic country. For sure, without even the small amount of ethnic minorities we have, I just don't like the idea of Armenia being just for [ethnic] Armenians. Besides, this then raises another question. Should citizenship take precedence over ethnicity? In my opinion it should, but it is precisely the nature of this region which creates all the problems we have and instead takes the opposite approach. Totally off the subject matter, when we visited the home of the woman second from last in the photos, I was amazed to discover a beautiful dog with such a friendly character. Usually dogs here are to be feared and especially in Yezidi villages where they are usually Gampyrs and used to protect sheep from wolves. This one was totally domesticated, however, and really lovely. Even had a companion– a ginger cat.

The worst that happened was when I was stroking the cat the dog came out and used its nose to just push the cat away so it could be stroked. First time I’ve come across that when most dogs in villages and even in Yerevan are those that you want to stay away from.

Nice and very refreshing day. In my opinion, the Yezidis are a fascinating ethnic minority community that Armenians should be proud of. Certainly, they are as hospitable as most Armenian villages and it’s always nice to encounter different cultures when you’re in what is unfortunately a largely mono-ethnic country. For sure, without even the small amount of ethnic minorities we have, I just don’t like the idea of Armenia being just for [ethnic] Armenians.

Besides, this then raises another question. Should citizenship take precedence over ethnicity? In my opinion it should, but it is precisely the nature of this region which creates all the problems we have and instead takes the opposite approach.

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9166 Onnik Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:07:36 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9166 Ani, I met her family and all were dark so yes, she is Yezidi. Interestingly, it's been one of the most interesting things I've come across from time to time -- stunning red-haired and even freckled Yezidi kids. http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/02/more-yezidi/ http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/06/beritan-alagyaz/ Nahro says this is not unusual and for sure I've seen half a dozen. Don't know about what genetics might be lurking about (after all, compare blue-eyed Karabakh and Javakhk Armenians with here or reference to Armenians being blue-eyed and blonde), but anyway, nice to come across. Doesn't happen all the time, but interesting when it does. Certainly, like the blue-eyed fiercely blonde Molokan kids it provides a refreshing change from the dark. Ani, I met her family and all were dark so yes, she is Yezidi. Interestingly, it’s been one of the most interesting things I’ve come across from time to time — stunning red-haired and even freckled Yezidi kids.

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/02/more-yezidi/

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/05/06/beritan-alagyaz/

Nahro says this is not unusual and for sure I’ve seen half a dozen. Don’t know about what genetics might be lurking about (after all, compare blue-eyed Karabakh and Javakhk Armenians with here or reference to Armenians being blue-eyed and blonde), but anyway, nice to come across.

Doesn’t happen all the time, but interesting when it does. Certainly, like the blue-eyed fiercely blonde Molokan kids it provides a refreshing change from the dark.

]]> By: Ani http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9165 Ani Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:33:38 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9165 Just a question out of curiosity: Is the fair-haired girl also considered Yezidi? Or is she perhaps Circassian? The intelligence on these chlidren's faces glows, and it's a tragedy that they can't get a proper education... Just a question out of curiosity: Is the fair-haired girl also considered Yezidi? Or is she perhaps Circassian?

The intelligence on these chlidren’s faces glows, and it’s a tragedy that they can’t get a proper education…

]]> By: Onnik http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9164 Onnik Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:29:40 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9164 On a related note, I recently spent some time with Robert Leutheuser, an American photographer who documents the Kurds worldwide, and he sent an email from Tbilisi which backs up an observation I've had many times in the past. <blockquote>The Yezedis of Tbilisi seem to be very much more integrated into Georgian society and culture than those in Armenia, but I think this is part (maybe a very large part) a function of them being an urban population rather than a village population. </blockquote> Regardless, the stereotype of Yezidis in Armenia is not a generic one. It is related to whether they are a rural or urban population. Because of this, I'd really like to see some moves to support a few Yezidis to enter higher education or at least teacher training colleges. Anyway, Robert's work on the Kurds is at: http://www.beyondbordersphotography.com/ On a related note, I recently spent some time with Robert Leutheuser, an American photographer who documents the Kurds worldwide, and he sent an email from Tbilisi which backs up an observation I’ve had many times in the past.

The Yezedis of Tbilisi seem to be very much more integrated into Georgian society and culture than those in Armenia, but I think this is part (maybe a very large part) a function of them being an urban population rather than a village population.

Regardless, the stereotype of Yezidis in Armenia is not a generic one. It is related to whether they are a rural or urban population. Because of this, I’d really like to see some moves to support a few Yezidis to enter higher education or at least teacher training colleges.

Anyway, Robert’s work on the Kurds is at:
http://www.beyondbordersphotography.com/

]]> By: Armenian News, Analysis & Photography — Oneworld Multimedia :: Armenia: Return to Ferik :: September :: 2008 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9161 Armenian News, Analysis & Photography — Oneworld Multimedia :: Armenia: Return to Ferik :: September :: 2008 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:47:35 +0000 http://blog.oneworld.am/2008/09/18/armenia-return-to-ferik/#comment-9161 [...] full post accompanied by photographs is available on The Caucasian Knot. Posted by Onnik @ 3:45 pm. Filed under: Armenia, Minorities, Education, Blogging, Caucasus, [...] […] full post accompanied by photographs is available on The Caucasian Knot. Posted by Onnik @ 3:45 pm. Filed under: Armenia, Minorities, Education, Blogging, Caucasus, […]

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