Ashot Mkrtchyan “Avetis”

The rich heritage of Armenian ethnographic culture was methodically deleted from the nation’s memory and culture during the soviet period. Rural population, sometimes scientists strive to maintain that heritage. Despite those efforts the rites and traditional ethnography is gradually receding. People celebrate ritual events as traditional holidays without understanding the essence embedded in the rite. It is common knowledge that anything deprived of meaning is condemned to disappearing in course of time. In our case it’s Armenian ethnographic culture – folklore.
In our film “AVETIS” (“Announcement”) we have tried to restore and explain the lost or forgotten Christmas rites. A group of ethnographers, musicians and filmmakers have rehabilitated and presented them through carols, dances, games and theatre of shadows.