This has got to be one of the most haunting melodies I have ever heard. Armenian music has a lot of variation in mood, but it seems to me as though there is an underlying feeling of longing throughout many of the traditional tunes. I can't think of a better example of that longing than "Sareri Hovin Mernem." A song about waiting for the return of a lover, listening to the river and the mountains for a sign of his return. An unrequited love that burns deep. So beautiful. I can't get over it.
I am finally starting up the blog I made a promise to myself to get going before I came to Armenia. I have been here for over three months now, and I have less than two weeks left. Time has definitely flown by as it always seems to do. There is a ton to say about Armenia, but it is hard to know just where to start. I am going to try and share a little bit these next two weeks though, so stick around.
I will leave you with one more video today- a clip of a couple of the Birthright volunteers singing in Argentina. The Argentinians always end up singing wherever we go, in Spanish and Armenian, and it is super gorgeous. There are a ton of ancient churches in Armenia (first Christian nation, what up) and hearing their songs resonate in the centuries old spaces is a memory that will definitely stick with me for a while.
Music is culture. In a people that has been pushed around and displaced for so many years, I think it is important at least make an attempt to hold on to the culture of our ancestors. Even though my experience growing up was pretty far removed from anything Armenian, it has nice to be able to make a connection with the past here in Armenia. Alin and Talin say it better than me though, so check it out.
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