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5 August 2013 /
The apricot is an important fruit for Armenians. It is almost sacred; it is even revered.
Anyone in Armenia who buys or moves into a house with a garden plants at least one apricot tree if there isn't one already. Souvenirs like rings and ashtrays made from apricot kernels, and apricot rakı produced from the first harvest aside, the oft-repeated assertion, "If you eat one apricot, you will get rid of nine diseases," or the phrase "keyfin kayısı" -- which literally translates as "you're as well off as an apricot" but means "you're looking happy" -- are the romantic aspects of this story.
Historically, in the third century BC, Akkadians called the apricot “armanu” (meaning Armenian), and Armenia “Armani” (the land of apricots). One of the ancient peoples of Mesopotamia, Arameans, called the apricot tree “Khazura Armenia” (the tree of the Armenian apple). After fighting Armenian King Tigranes the Great in the first century BC, Roman general Lucullus took several apricot saplings from Armenia to Rome. The Romans planted those saplings in their city and called the fruit the “Armenian plum” (Prunus armeniaca). The plant spread all over Europe from Rome. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, a leading botanist in the 18th century, finally decided that this fruit was not a type of plum, but a new species, and called it "Armeniaca vulgaris." In the 12th century, thanks to Ibn al-Awwam, apricot took an Arabic name: “tufah al Armani” (Armenian apple). Today, in scientific literature, apricot's Latin name remains "Prunus armeniaca."
In the Armenian language, the fruit has its own color, "apricot." This color is one of the three colors used in the flag of the Republic of Armenia, and at the same time the color is a sign of nobility. Thus, in old Armenian kingdoms, apricot-colored clothes could only be worn by nobles and in some periods only by kings.
Apricot is a fruit that has managed to remain relevant. The Raffi Hovannisian protests, which led many to ask if the Arab Spring was coming to Armenia, were later referred to as the "Apricot Revolution." Almost every year, farmers launch "apricot protests" to complain about the low price of the fruit. The last time apricots made it onto Armenia's agenda was just a few days ago, when Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan proposed establishing an "apricot museum.” It should be noted that Armenia is not on the list of top apricot producing countries -- of which Turkey is the leader.
The instrument Turks make from walnut branches and call “mey” is made from mulberry trees and called “balaban” by Azerbaijanis. In Dagestan, people make their famous instrument “yastı balaban” from cranberry trees. But this primitive instrument, called “duduk” in Armenia and played so magically by Armenian master Civan Gasparyan, is made from apricot branches in Armenia. In short, the love of apricots is entrenched in the souls of Armenians.
The "Golden Apricot" Yerevan International Film Festival, called "Voske Dziran" in Armenian, made its debut in Yerevan in June 2004. Atom Egoyan, who lives in Canada, has been acting as the chairman of the festival since 2005. He is the director of many films, including “Ararat,” which is banned in Turkey. The festival was opened in the traditional way, with apricots sanctified by the Armenian Apostolic Church being distributed by a priest to the audience in front of the "Moscow" movie-theater in the city center of Yerevan. Since 2004, Turkish directors have been attending the festival, and they take at least one award each year. Özcan Alper's "Sonbahar" (Fall) in in 2009, Hüseyin Karabey's "Benim Marlon ve Brandom" (My Marlon and Brando) in 2010, Serhat Karaaslan's "Bisiklet" (Bicycle), and Özcan Alper's "Gelecek Uzun Sürer" (Future Lasts Longer) in 2012, received various awards while Reha Erdem's "Kosmos" (Cosmos) was given the festival's top prize, the "Golden Apricot" in 2010.
This year's festival also brought two awards for Turkish directors: the Jury Special Prize for Yeşim Ustaoğlu's "Araf" and the "Silver Apricot" prize for Lusin Dink's "Saroyan Ülkesi" (Saroyan Land), a Turkish-Armenian joint production. And Azerbaijani director Elmar Imanov's "Kahvecinin Salıncağı" (The Swing of the Coffin Maker) also won the Jury Special Prize.
It is heartening to see posters of Turkish films in the streets of Yerevan as Armenians also have prejudices. The Turks' image for ordinary Armenians can hardly be associated with art-loving types. The Turks are seen largely as ferocious soldiers or foxy politicians, and more recently as shepherds. This mutual tendency not to know anything about the other side is a major psychological disorder in both societies. Possibly, few people know there is a festival called "Golden Apricot", or that Turkish directors win prizes from this festival every year. As a matter of fact, few people know what is happening inside as well.
This also applies to the other side. How many people know the fact that Turkish cinema, which we fail to call “Turkey's cinema”, was dominated by minorities before 1923, and virtually all actors in the first Turkish films were non-Muslims? Take a note of the names of the technical crew involved in the production of old Turkish films. You will realize that there were many "foreign" people. As for the players, few people know that the real name of Sami Hazinses, a popular children's actor, was Samuel Uluç, and the first name of our sweet butterball Adile Naşit was Adela. No one would remember Kirkor Cezveciyan. Yet, he is our Kenan Pars. How many people know that our Horoz Nuri, who would shout "Bedia," is Vahi Öz, but that his real name is Vahe Ozinyan. Turgut Özatay, Danyal Topatan, Nubar Terziyan, Anta Toros, Ani İpekkaya...
Historically, in the third century BC, Akkadians called the apricot “armanu” (meaning Armenian), and Armenia “Armani” (the land of apricots). One of the ancient peoples of Mesopotamia, Arameans, called the apricot tree “Khazura Armenia” (the tree of the Armenian apple). After fighting Armenian King Tigranes the Great in the first century BC, Roman general Lucullus took several apricot saplings from Armenia to Rome. The Romans planted those saplings in their city and called the fruit the “Armenian plum” (Prunus armeniaca). The plant spread all over Europe from Rome. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, a leading botanist in the 18th century, finally decided that this fruit was not a type of plum, but a new species, and called it "Armeniaca vulgaris." In the 12th century, thanks to Ibn al-Awwam, apricot took an Arabic name: “tufah al Armani” (Armenian apple). Today, in scientific literature, apricot's Latin name remains "Prunus armeniaca."
In the Armenian language, the fruit has its own color, "apricot." This color is one of the three colors used in the flag of the Republic of Armenia, and at the same time the color is a sign of nobility. Thus, in old Armenian kingdoms, apricot-colored clothes could only be worn by nobles and in some periods only by kings.
Apricot is a fruit that has managed to remain relevant. The Raffi Hovannisian protests, which led many to ask if the Arab Spring was coming to Armenia, were later referred to as the "Apricot Revolution." Almost every year, farmers launch "apricot protests" to complain about the low price of the fruit. The last time apricots made it onto Armenia's agenda was just a few days ago, when Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan proposed establishing an "apricot museum.” It should be noted that Armenia is not on the list of top apricot producing countries -- of which Turkey is the leader.
The instrument Turks make from walnut branches and call “mey” is made from mulberry trees and called “balaban” by Azerbaijanis. In Dagestan, people make their famous instrument “yastı balaban” from cranberry trees. But this primitive instrument, called “duduk” in Armenia and played so magically by Armenian master Civan Gasparyan, is made from apricot branches in Armenia. In short, the love of apricots is entrenched in the souls of Armenians.
The 'Golden Apricot' Festival
The "Golden Apricot" Yerevan International Film Festival, which will be held for the tenth time this year, takes its name from this love. After the famed director Sergei Parajanov's popular film "The Color of Pomegranates," the pomegranate had almost become the symbol of Armenian identity and Armenian cinema. This fruit was even used often in writing about the Armenian genocide, for example in Elif Şafak's "Baba ve Piç." Yet the founders of the festival didn't want it to be associated mainly with Parajanov, so they chose a more traditional and comprehensive fruit, the apricot, as the festival's symbol.The "Golden Apricot" Yerevan International Film Festival, called "Voske Dziran" in Armenian, made its debut in Yerevan in June 2004. Atom Egoyan, who lives in Canada, has been acting as the chairman of the festival since 2005. He is the director of many films, including “Ararat,” which is banned in Turkey. The festival was opened in the traditional way, with apricots sanctified by the Armenian Apostolic Church being distributed by a priest to the audience in front of the "Moscow" movie-theater in the city center of Yerevan. Since 2004, Turkish directors have been attending the festival, and they take at least one award each year. Özcan Alper's "Sonbahar" (Fall) in in 2009, Hüseyin Karabey's "Benim Marlon ve Brandom" (My Marlon and Brando) in 2010, Serhat Karaaslan's "Bisiklet" (Bicycle), and Özcan Alper's "Gelecek Uzun Sürer" (Future Lasts Longer) in 2012, received various awards while Reha Erdem's "Kosmos" (Cosmos) was given the festival's top prize, the "Golden Apricot" in 2010.
This year's festival also brought two awards for Turkish directors: the Jury Special Prize for Yeşim Ustaoğlu's "Araf" and the "Silver Apricot" prize for Lusin Dink's "Saroyan Ülkesi" (Saroyan Land), a Turkish-Armenian joint production. And Azerbaijani director Elmar Imanov's "Kahvecinin Salıncağı" (The Swing of the Coffin Maker) also won the Jury Special Prize.
It is heartening to see posters of Turkish films in the streets of Yerevan as Armenians also have prejudices. The Turks' image for ordinary Armenians can hardly be associated with art-loving types. The Turks are seen largely as ferocious soldiers or foxy politicians, and more recently as shepherds. This mutual tendency not to know anything about the other side is a major psychological disorder in both societies. Possibly, few people know there is a festival called "Golden Apricot", or that Turkish directors win prizes from this festival every year. As a matter of fact, few people know what is happening inside as well.
This also applies to the other side. How many people know the fact that Turkish cinema, which we fail to call “Turkey's cinema”, was dominated by minorities before 1923, and virtually all actors in the first Turkish films were non-Muslims? Take a note of the names of the technical crew involved in the production of old Turkish films. You will realize that there were many "foreign" people. As for the players, few people know that the real name of Sami Hazinses, a popular children's actor, was Samuel Uluç, and the first name of our sweet butterball Adile Naşit was Adela. No one would remember Kirkor Cezveciyan. Yet, he is our Kenan Pars. How many people know that our Horoz Nuri, who would shout "Bedia," is Vahi Öz, but that his real name is Vahe Ozinyan. Turgut Özatay, Danyal Topatan, Nubar Terziyan, Anta Toros, Ani İpekkaya...