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    Emil Lazarian
  • 2 years ago
    • Categories: 2022

Western Armenian and Hamshen dialect meet in the ‘Grain of Light’

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 14:48,

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. The song titled Lusi Hadig [Grain of Light], a duet between Istanbulite singer Sibil, renowned for her performances of songs in both Eastern and Western Armenian, and Ayşenur Kolivar, who for many years has both performed and conducted research on studied the musics of the Eastern Black Sea region, has been released on all digital platforms.

[see video]
Composed and arranged by Ari Hergel, the Western Armenian lyrics of the song are by Lebanese Armenian poet Ashod Pakradouni, while its Hamshen dialect lyrics belong to Hamshen people writer Mahir Özkan.

The music video directed by Özkan Aksular for Lusi Hadig, which invites the world to ‘goodness’ in Western Armenian and Hamshen dialect, has been presented to the appreciation of viewers with English, Eastern Armenian, Turkish subtitles, as well as audio description and sign language options on the YouTube channel of Kalan Music, the producer.

This song brings together two different expressions of the same language that fell apart over time as they continued to live on in the same region, and also draws attention to the proximity of Western Armenian and Hamshen dialect, both listed by UNESCO as ‘definitely endangered languages’

Sibil, who has gained international recognition with her work in the field of Armenian popular music and Ayşenur Kolivar, who interprets the multiculturality of Eastern Black Sea in her own unique style, lend their voices to hope with Lusi Hadig, which ties the awakening of spring to the joy of Vardavar.

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS