Armenia and National Identity

A Little Background

Armenia is a country in the Transcaucasia region bordered by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. Their main language is Armenian, and their main religion is Armenian Apostolic by 98% of their country following. Armenia has a vast history and dates to being of the oldest civilizations. Armenia has been ruled by so many separate groups of people including the Mongols, Arabs and Turks all before the 19^th century. But when World War I took place and the Young Turks began to see Armenians as a threat, they began to get deported and executed.

This is when the Armenian Genocide had] started. Dating back to 1915-1916, this was the largest tragedy Armenia has been in and the effects of the genocide can still be seen today with the diaspora of the Armenian people. The number of Armenians who died from this can be totaled to between 600,000 and 1,000,000 people. The Yezidi people also got placed in Armenia in the 19^th century escaping much difficulty of their own and became a minority in the country. From there Armenia had joined the Transcaucasia Soviet Federated Socialist Republic up until 1936 and the United Socialist Soviet Republic until they finally gained independence in the 1990s. But all throughout this Armenia has upheld their identity as a country.

National Identity within Armenia

A National Identity can be defined as “a common culture, understanding of the past, and aspiration for the future that binds a group of people together and fosters a sense of belonging to a nation” (What is National Identity, 2022). Armenia’s culture consists of their religion, Armenian Apostolic, their language, Armenian, and their values and their traditions. Armenian Apostolic is extremely important when considering Armenia’s identity as they were one of the first regions to convert to Christianity in 300 CE. To this day, Christianity dominates the country with 98%. This is extremely relevant when considering their identity as most of the countries that surround Armenia are Islamic nations.

Because Armenia was one of the first to convert to Christianity, it plays a big role in their entire country and culture. There are over four thousand impressive and historical churches in Armenia which is a great amount comparing to their population of almost three million. Even if religion might not be present in every Armenian today, the history of Christianity and religion in Armenia connects to their traditions and deep in their roots. There are still many original ideas of religion as the Armenian Apostolic has many different concepts than others. With this religion it creates a common culture and binds the citizens of Armenia.

The language in Armenia is one of the most unique languages, classified in the Indo-European branch as the only language underneath. Created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 AD, the languages alphabet originally contains thirty-six letters with a vast history and is still being used today only within Armenia and by Armenians worldwide. This provides a sense of identity amongst the Armenian people who still bonded by this unique language and alphabet that they speak every single day as their main language of the country. When Armenia was under the Soviet Union, they were taught Russian in school as well as Armenian, but today only a small percentage, less than 1%, speaks Russian as their main language while over almost half the population of Armenia is fluent in Russian but Armenian language is still thriving. Many Armenians would agree with the statement that “the language is the foundation and paramount means of preserving the Armenian ethnicity.” (Arakelyan, 2015, pg. 8) and how there would be no culture without the language.

These factors contribute to the originality and uniqueness of Armenia especially because there are many countries who have been involved with Armenia like Russia and countries of the Middle East, which have inspired Armenian culture in their own way, but these parts can be classified as their own and historically makes Armenia what it is. When a group of Armenians were asked what if means to be Armenian, they responded with things like their Armenian values, such as family and friends, language, religion, massive, shared history of the country and their traditions. (Dan, 2020)

The Other

The Other can be defined as “the relationship between the nation and an internal significant other, in contrast, forms part of identity politics within a state.” (Triandafyllidou, 1998)

In Armenia, they are influenced by so many countries around them and when the Armenian Genocide happened there was a massive diaspora of Armenian people, there are now Armenians in Russia, Lebanon, and other countries. But Armenia has stayed with 99% of their population Armenian. Except, the largest minority group is the Yazidi people who had arrived in the early 20^th century. There are around 42,000 Yezidi population in Armenia today. Unfortunately, the Yezidi people have been through countless genocides within the past and are always getting displaced from one place to another but finally a percentage of the total Yezidi population worldwide have found a home within Armenia, and they will continue to grow. But currently, they are a very small population that does not have any impact on the traditions and values and language of Armenia. Although they are being taught their own language in their schools Ezdiki, there has not been much more. But nonetheless, these minorities are treated as threat.

Even as Yezidi people have also fought alongside the Armenians when dealing with the Nagorno-Karabkh conflict with Azerbaijan, over the region of land against the Azerbaijanian people, they are still not treated with respect because they bring their own culture and their own language. Even though the Yezidi population is so miniscule and supportive of Armenian issues- the minorities are not treated as regular citizens. In 2021, one activist decided to stand up for the Yezidi people and claimed they “faced discrimination, their rights were not protected, and they were unable to develop their culture, language, or practice their religion.” ((RFE/RL's Armenian Service, 2021)

 

References

Dan, J. (2020). Gen Z/Millennial Armenians talk about Identity and Culture [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy0_8AbZVHo&t=826s&ab_channel=JourneymanDan

Green, A. (2018, February 16). What is “Armenian” in Armenian Identity? EVN Report. https://evnreport.com/raw-unfiltered/what-is-armenian-in-armenian-identity/

‌ RFE/RL's Armenian Service. (2021, November 25). Armenian Yazidi Rights Activist Goes On Trial For “Incitement.” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty; Armenian Yazidi Rights Activist Goes On Trial For “Incitement.” https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-yazidi-rights-incitement/31578283.html

‌Triandafyllidou, A. (1998). National identity and the 'other'. Ethnic and Racial Studies.

What is an Armenian Christian? - What’s New on Goarch - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. (2015). Goarch.org. https://www.goarch.org/whats-new/-/asset_publisher/rlvS19snJYAk/content/what-is-an-armenian-christian-?inheritRedirect=false

What is National Identity | IGI Global. (2022). Igi-Global.com. https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/national-identity/43883

Yazidi bleeding hearts: The fragility of Armenia’s largest ethnic minority. (2020, October 25). The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/yazidi-armenia-ethnic-minority-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-b1203313.html

 

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