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Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

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  • Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

    Just a topic to discuss, not like I think all people on this forum are like that.

    Alright, here is a deal. I am Armenian. Yes... I AM Armenian. No, I never been to Armenia. I do not speak Armenian.

    Long story... I'll make it short. My great grandfather was an anti-communist. One of the main anti-communist leaders in a country. Him, his family and 105 more families were packed in sheep wagons and sent to Kazakhstan. The set them free in the desert. Soldiers took my great grandfather (as well as 4 other anti-communists leaders) to the desert and killed them. My grandmother was a little girl, so she did speak Armenian. Later they settled in Kazakhstan. My grandmother grew up and gave birth to 8 kids, but they were forbidden to speak Armenian. She taught them secretly. That's how my father understands Armenian. Similar story with my mother.

    That's how I didn't get to learn Armenian.

    A couple of days ago I get a private message on YouTube by an ethical Armenian. HUGE message that talked about how I am not Armenian and it shames him that I am holding an Armenian flag proudly on my avatar (same one I have here).

    In his next reply he talked more positively and he actually told me "Aper jan". Heheheheh. Ok stop smiling, I am talking about something serious here

    Yet, he told me that one day when I will learn Armenian language and visit Armenia I will become a real Armenian (or how he expressed himself - a genuine Armenian).

    I found it funny. Anybody can learn Armenian and go to Armenia. Will it make him Armenian? No. I was born with 100% Armenian blood with no mixtures. I am dark skinned, dark hair, brown eyes, thick eyebrows, crooked scary Armenian nose. I have an Armenian name and last name. Sure I am not citizen of Armenia, but it doest make me "not Armenian".

    Although my family "lost" the language, we kept the culture, mentality, and traditions. I am trying to fix the language part, starting here. Sure, I will visit Armenia. It is my dream and I have lots of relatives there (but first I learn the language).

    I play duduk, how about that for a compromise =)? I am not good though, I am learning. and yes I never visited the country, but the flag I am holding in my hands represents me and I represent it.

    Point of this topic isn't me. I am not looking for your opinions of who I am - Armenian, or not. I know I am hay and that's the end of the story. I'd rather dedicate this topic to people like the one who messaged me on YouTube (it isn't just him, I've met a couple).

    What do you think? Is it right? Is it bad? Is it good? Would you support? or you have your own point of view?

    Please share. Thanks!
    Last edited by ervand; 05-25-2008, 04:44 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

    hmmm, get lost Mustang.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

      You are Armenian if you feel like it. And anti-communism is wrong.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

        anti-totalitarianism is wrong?

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        • #5
          Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

          No anti-totalitarianism isn't wrong.

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          • #6
            Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

            I think it's more of an self-identity issue, it's very hard to proclaim you're Armenian when you do not even speak the language. Language is one of the strongest things that binds an ethnic group. Plus never having gone to Armenia is a big minus. You're of Armenian decent as it seems, but I don't know if you can just identify yourself as "Armenian".
            Մեկ Ազգ, Մեկ Մշակույթ
            ---
            "Western Assimilation is the greatest threat to the Armenian nation since the Armenian Genocide."

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

              Ervand you are Armenian.
              More Armenian than the 90% of the Diaspora Armenians ... don't mention it again.

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              • #8
                Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

                As the user Armenian had brought it up, there are "types" of Armenians.

                One of the types include those Armenians living in the Diaspora who wish to prove themselves as real Armenians by doing better than their assimilated brethren who only cling onto themes like the genocide and our religious holidays that distinguish us from other religions. These types seriously think about and work to eventually repatriate with the homeland while bringing something productive with them to better it, though these individuals probably have the most trouble identity-wise with fitting into their host country because they do not want to be assimilated, and worse so, they are still waiting for that inner peace they'd feel after they finally settled into Armenia.

                I have felt like this for a long time, but one of the things that are stopping me from going all the way for repatriating (at least for the next few years) is my desire to explore the vast world that is my birth Country, Canada. I will feel empty if I leave this humongous country behind before exploring it properly, savouring every trip I take to the numerous towns in every province and territory, there is so much nature, so much landscape to see. I need to see it, and learn from it, so I can share it for the rest of my life with others, even if I never return here again. There are also many different kinds of people who live here from all over the world, and I sorely need to profit from absorbing all the knowledge I can of all the arts and skills I am interested in (they are wide in range and are quite numerous). In the meantime though, I am definitely interested in visiting Armenia and learning more and more about my culture.
                Last edited by jgk3; 05-25-2008, 03:10 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

                  You're Armenian. Go learn the language, respect your heritage, all that good stuff, and don't let other people bring you down.

                  Also..
                  "was born with 100% Armenian blood with no mixtures. I am dark skinned, dark hair, brown eyes, thick eyebrows, crooked scary Armenian nose."

                  That really has nothing to do with being Armenian....I don't have any of those traits (and neither do a lot of my friends) and I'm about as Armenian as they come.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Can I be Armenian too? Please, please?

                    Կարմիր Բ
                    What's so good about the communism and what's so bad about anti-communism? Communists and Stalin brought a lot of struggle to our people. If not communist my family would not go through what we've gone through and I would be born in Armenia.

                    Mos
                    Language will be learned because I want to and other reasons. Armenia will be visited (but first I got to learn the language) because I have many relatives over there and I myself want to visit it for many reasons. To me being Armenian is what my blood and heart belongs to.

                    Azad
                    Thanks. I know who I am, I just wanted to hear some opinions about people who think that I am not.

                    Thanks for replies, anybody else?

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