Armenian Revolutionary Songs
Encyclopedia
Armenian Revolutionary Songs (Armenian
: , Hay Heghapokhagan Yerker) are songs that promote Armenia
n patriotism
. The origins of these songs lay largely in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when Armenian political parties were established to struggle for the political and civil rights of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire
.
(est. 1887) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(est. 1890), took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This was caused by years of oppression from the Ottoman Empire
, especially under the rule of sultan Abdul Hamid II
. This was the period when Armenians began demanding their most basic rights and defending Armenian towns from Ottoman oppression. Certain armed Armenian patriotic groups formed to fight the Turkish oppression and defend Armenian towns from Kurdish
brigands. These volunteer fighters were called fedayees. In some instances, they were successful in defending Armenian locals, earning them popular support and elevating them to the status of heroes. This environment was thus ideal for the development of Armenian patriotic songs to support these freedom fighters.
and General Andranik
, who confronted the Turkish onslaught. They also talk about historical battles, successful guerrilla operations, heroic deaths, genocide
, among other sensitive topics.
The songs are generally heard at Armenian gatherings. It is also seen as a way to educate the newer generation of Armenians about their history through the songs.
Armenian revolutionary songs are very popular among the youth of the Armenian diaspora
, and are generally in reference to the members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
.
, George Tutunjian
, Nersik Ispirian, Harout Pamboukjian
, Berj Nakkashian, Samuel Vartanian, among others.
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
: , Hay Heghapokhagan Yerker) are songs that promote Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
. The origins of these songs lay largely in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when Armenian political parties were established to struggle for the political and civil rights of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
History
The Armenian revolutionary movement, initially led by the Social Democrat Hunchakian PartySocial Democrat Hunchakian Party
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party , is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia...
(est. 1887) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
(est. 1890), took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This was caused by years of oppression from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, especially under the rule of sultan Abdul Hamid II
Abdul Hamid II
His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
. This was the period when Armenians began demanding their most basic rights and defending Armenian towns from Ottoman oppression. Certain armed Armenian patriotic groups formed to fight the Turkish oppression and defend Armenian towns from Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
brigands. These volunteer fighters were called fedayees. In some instances, they were successful in defending Armenian locals, earning them popular support and elevating them to the status of heroes. This environment was thus ideal for the development of Armenian patriotic songs to support these freedom fighters.
Meaning
Some of the songs tell the stories of individual fedayees, such as Serob PashaSerob Pasa
Serob Vartanian, more prominently known by his nom de guerre Aghbiur Serob or Serob Pasha born Serob Vardanian was a famed Armenian military commander who organized a guerrilla network that fought against the Ottoman Empire during the latter 19th century.- Life as a...
and General Andranik
Andranik Toros Ozanian
Andranik Ozanian , Andranik Toros Ozanian , General Andranik , also as Antranik or Antranig was an Armenian general, political and public activist and freedom fighter, greatly admired as a national hero.-Early Age:Antranik Toros Ozanian was born in the church...
, who confronted the Turkish onslaught. They also talk about historical battles, successful guerrilla operations, heroic deaths, genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, among other sensitive topics.
The songs are generally heard at Armenian gatherings. It is also seen as a way to educate the newer generation of Armenians about their history through the songs.
Armenian revolutionary songs are very popular among the youth of the Armenian diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, and are generally in reference to the members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
.
Some Armenian revolutionary songs
Below is a list of several well-known Armenian songs (note that the English transcription of their Armenian names has been carried out in the Western Armenian dialect). Popular Armenian singers who currently sing these songs include Karnig SarkissianKarnig Sarkissian
Karnig Sarkissian is a popular Armenian singer born in Aleppo, Syria and a naturalized American citizen. He is well-known for his Armenian patriotic songs throughout the Armenian diaspora and a big supporter of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation .-Prison:In 1982, Sarkissian was convicted in...
, George Tutunjian
George Tutunjian
George Tutunjian was a singer of Armenian patriotic and revolutionary songs and life-long supporter of Armenian Revolutionary Federation .He started singing at the age of 22...
, Nersik Ispirian, Harout Pamboukjian
Harout Pamboukjian
Harout Pamboukjian , , is an Armenian American pop singer living in Los Angeles. His Armenian dance, folk and revolutionary songs make him a favorite among Armenians.- Early life :...
, Berj Nakkashian, Samuel Vartanian, among others.
- AdanaAdanaAdana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
yi Godoradzuh - Aksori Yerkuh
- Akhbers Ou Yes
- AntranigiAndranik Toros OzanianAndranik Ozanian , Andranik Toros Ozanian , General Andranik , also as Antranik or Antranig was an Armenian general, political and public activist and freedom fighter, greatly admired as a national hero.-Early Age:Antranik Toros Ozanian was born in the church...
Yerkuh - Artyok Ovker En
- Aryunod Trosh
- Asbedagan Sev Sadanan
- Avedis
- Baderazm Ek Knoum
- Barzeer Aghpyur
- Bedros Seremdjiani Hishadagin
- Dgherk, Chan Dgherk
- Dour Tzerkt Unger
- GharapaghiNagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
Azadootian Mardigner - Govgasi Katcher
- Hajno Goyamarte
- Hayots Mardigner
- Hampereh, Hokees, Hampereh (Odaroutiun)
- Hye Fedayeek
- Hunchagian Enk Menk
- Garegin Nzhdehi Hishadagin
- KedashenNaftalan (Azerbaijan)Naftalan is a sahar in Azerbaijan, surrounded by the rayon of Goranboy. It is on an agricultural plain near the Lesser Caucasus Mountains...
- Kevork Chavoush
- Kini Lits
- Leran Lanchin
- Lisbon 5 Dghots Yerkuh
- Menk Angeghdz Zinvor Enk
- Menk Bid Zohvink
- Mer HayrenikMer HayrenikMer Hayrenik is the national anthem of the Republic of Armenia. Adopted on July 1, 1991, it was also the national anthem of the Democratic Republic of Armenia , the first modern Armenian state....
- Mshag Panvor
- Papken SuniyiPapken SiuniBedros Parian better known by his nom de guerre Papken Siuni, was an important figure in the Armenian national movement, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation member and the leader, alongside Karekin Pastermadjian , of the 1896 Ottoman Bank takeover.- Early life :Bedros Parian was born in 1873 in...
Hishadagin (Bank Ottoman1896 Ottoman Bank TakeoverThe 1896 Ottoman Bank Takeover was the seizing of the Ottoman Bank in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, on 26 August 1896, by members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation...
) - Serop PashayiSerob PasaSerob Vartanian, more prominently known by his nom de guerre Aghbiur Serob or Serob Pasha born Serob Vardanian was a famed Armenian military commander who organized a guerrilla network that fought against the Ottoman Empire during the latter 19th century.- Life as a...
Yerkuh - Mshetsi Mor Yerke
- Seropin Yev Soseyin Yerkuh
- TroyiDrastamat KanayanGeneral Drastamat Kanayan , known as General Dro, Դրօ, May 31, 1884 March 8, 1956), was a politician, revolutionary, military commander of Hitler’s Armenian Legion of the Wehrmacht, the armed forces of Nazi Germany, and part of Armenian national liberation movement as a member of the A.R.F...
Hishadagin - Tsayn Muh Hnchets Erzerumi Hayots Lerneren
- Vana Godoradze
- Vana Kaghak
- Yelek Hayer
- Yerk Sarkis Gougouniani
- Yergar Mdatzoum
- Zartir Lao
- ZeitounSüleymanliSüleymanlı , Zeitun, Zeytun, Zeytunfimis or Zeytünfimis), is a town in the Kahramanmaraş Province, Turkey.-See also:* Zeitun Resistance by the Armenian militia in this town against the Ottoman Empire, on two occasions – events still highly controversial and seen in different ways in Armenian and...
tsiner
See also
- Armenian GenocideArmenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
- Armenian national awakening in the Ottoman Empire
- Timeline of Armenian national movementTimeline of Armenian national movementTimeline of Armenian national movement covers the activities of ethnic Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire to obtain the independence; the Armenian national awakening in the Ottoman Empire. The Armenian national movement was a distributed movement toward establishing Armenian national state...
- Hamidian MassacresHamidian massacresThe Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
Further reading
- Nalbandian, Louise. The Armenian Revolutionary Movement: The Development of Armenian Political Parties Through the Nineteenth Century. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1963.