Performer: Kohar choir
Songwriter: Fahrat the Ashugh
Earliest recording of these song:
Zartir Lao: 1890s
Ardyok Ovker En: Unknown
Also know as Araboyi Yerke (Արաբոյի Երգը), Kaj Araboyi Yerke (Քաջ Արաբոյի Երգը) and Mshetsi Yerke (Մշեցի Երգը). The song was dedicated to Arabo (Arakel Mkhitarian), who was a prominent member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and began to take arms against the Turkish soldiers and Kurdish bandits by creating his own armed battalions. He would become a folk hero among the Armenians of Mush and Sasun, and later on all of Armenia. However Arabo and his men would die fighting in a gorge near the town of Gop (Bulanikh) while he was returning to Sasun from the Caucasus.
The song itself slowly started to lose its connection to Arabo over the years, with many variants of the song being written, but eventually circled back to Arabo. It has been used popularly as a wake up call for Armenians to resist against the Turk, Kurd, or Azeri, but in recent years began to be politicized by certain factions in the government against the current government.
The song Ardyok Ovker En is a much more recent song about Aghbiur Serop. I will provide more information when I do more research about the song.
This KZread channel is anti-partisan. I do not support or endorse any political party or faction, be it the Dashnaktsutiun, Hunchakians, Communists, or any of the past presidents or leadership. I aim to preserve these songs and make them easier to access by consolidating them to one channel, as well as repopularizing some of the old, forgotten songs lost to time. If you have anything you want to share or want me to make a video, please let me know.
Footage source:
National Archives of Armenia
British Pathé
National Archives of the US
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