Haytoug Talks

Armenian wine played a foundational role in the history of wine. Since ancient days Armenia has been famous for its wine-making traditions which are still kept in practice to this day. The fertile valleys of the Armenian Highlands are believed by many archaeologists to be the source of the world's first cultivated grapevines and neolithic wine production. Greg Nemet, an Armenian-American winemaker at Kareen Wine shares with us the story of Armenia’s winemaking origins, and its journey to the modern age. We discuss the blossoming Armenian wine industry in the Republic of Armenia, and the potential it holds to rival the iconic wines of the world. 

If you speak Western Armenian, you most likely speak the standardized Western Armenian language. This was not the case for the majority of Western Armenian history, as the process for creating a universally spoken and written Western Armenian for all Armenians in the Ottoman Empire only began to develop between the 18-19th centuries. In the final part of our Western Armenia series, we discuss with Jennifer Manoukian, a doctoral student in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA; who, why, and how Standard Western Armenian was made.

Hampig Sassounian was one of those who participated in a movement of targeted violence towards the Turkish state in the 70s & 80s; whose actions in Los Angeles made his name widely known in our community, and the greater diaspora. Resulting in him facing nearly a 40 year sentence in a California state prison. We wanted to get to know Hampig and to learn about his story and his plans moving forward, who after prison has now moved to Armenia, to start his life anew in the homeland.

We ask 5 Los Angeles based Armenian-American artists what their favorite Armenian song is.

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Tro Krikorian

Lara Sarkissian

Darone Sassounian

Krista Marina

Raffi Semerdjian

While traveling through Anatolia, a travel blogger who goes by Avara, stumbles upon the surviving legacy of the Armenian civilization. His curiosity quickly became fascination, as it led him to return and explore the ruins of Western Armenia a number of times since. Over the past few years, he has been documenting and sharing with the world through social media the remnants of our physical heritage, and the people he met along the way. In Part 3 of our Western Armenia Series, we interview Avara, to learn about his experience, and to hear about our lost homeland through the lens of an “Odar” (Non-Armenian).

One of the first things one will notice when visiting the Republic of Armenia, are the abundant amount of stray dogs. For Armenian-Americans, who come from a society where pets are basically worshiped, it is odd to experience a cultural attitude towards dogs that does not obsess over “man’s best friend”. Taking care of the stray dog population has been a challenge for a developing country like Armenia. Having an overwhelming stray population is not just an issue for the dogs themselves however, but is also a public health issue. Nairi Krafian, a specialist in animal science and biopsychology, founded an organization called Oknooshoon in 2017, which is the first initiative in the country to introduce therapy dogs to the Republic. The goal of which is to help shape a new understanding of what dogs have to offer the people, by training stray dogs for Canine Assisted Intervention (CAI) to assist vulnerable populations. Listen to our latest episode, where we discuss with Nairi all about the dogs of Armenia, and Oknooshoon’s challenges and hopes in redefining the perception and value of dogs in Armenian culture and society.

Science was supposed to be Armenia’s strength, its competitive advantage; a reputation that was inherited from its days in the Soviet Union. Today, we often hear Armenia regarded as the “Silicon Valley of the Caucasus”, as IT begins to develop rapidly in this small post-soviet state. However, while discussing with Tigran Shahverdyan, a scientist who specializes in autonomous systems, space exploration and robotics, about the current state of science and tech and all its dimensions, we gain a much needed perspective and update on the reality of these industries in Armenia. Learn about what Armenians need to do as a country and diaspora in today’s episode in regards to science and technology, and how they can contribute to a successful and sovereign Armenia.

Faith, power, and the relationship between church and identity. In the second part of our Western Armenia Series, we sit down with Daniel Ohanian, PhD candidate at UCLA. We explore the encounters between Western Armenians and Catholicism at the turn of the 18th century, discussing how and why some Armenians became Catholic and the reactions they received for doing so. Along the way, we meet two notable men: Abbot Mkhitar of Sepastia, who had a profound impact on Western Armenian identity up until today, and Avedik Vartabed of Tokat, who spent five years as a prisoner in France.

Get to know one of the Diaspora's greatest comedy entertainers, Arman Margarian, better known by his stage name, "Antic". His satirical videos and comedy stand-up have played a part in shaping our modern Armenian culture, reminding us of our rich Armenian sense of humor. Antic’s work brought Armenian comedy through new mediums, developing it for a new generation, as he became one of our community's earliest viral sensations. We had a fun time talking with Arman, as we got to learn all about his career as a comedic artist, and his life outside of comedy.

What is it like to return to your homeland, a century after genocide? For the first part of our Western Armenia series, we speak with Ani Hovannisian about her travels through Western Armenia, and about her most recent project. Ani is a director, producer, and filmmaker, who spent 7 years making the film, “The Hidden Map”. The film documents the journey of Ani, a granddaughter of genocide survivors, alongside Scottish explorer Steven Sim, who travel across Western Armenia discovering the hidden past of the Armenians who use to live there. The film will be shown over a thousand times all across the United States on your local PBS stations and affiliates in the month June 2022. Make sure to check out the links shared on our social media, to learn more about how you can see the film.

Chris J Khachadour, Haytoug Talk’s resident historian, returns to us today to focus on the history of another region of Historical Armenia, Nakhichevan. Like Artsakh, Nakhichevan is a region adjacent to the Republic of Armenia today. It’s that exclave south west of the ROA, that as a result of Azerbaijani control, no longer contains any Armenians, with no remnants of our history in sight, as all our heritage has been completely wiped out. And even though as Armenians, we can’t go to Nakhichevan today, see Armenians there, or our history any longer; this place, like all the other pieces of our homeland which we have lost through genocide, still lives in our hearts and minds. This is "The Story of Nakhichevan".

Nare Kupelian, is a practicing attorney in Southern California, who comes from a family that were often labeled as “Aghpar” while they lived in Soviet Armenia. “Aghpar”, which is a play on the Western Armenian pronunciation for brother, “Yeghpayr”, was used as a type of sarcastic slur for many Western Armenians who repatriated to Eastern Armenia in the mid 20th century. Nare’s family, along with thousands of other Armenians who had returned to Soviet Armenia at the invitation of Stalin, were optimistic about starting their new life in the homeland after decades of living in exile. Unfortunately, the expectations did not match the reality, scars of which can be seen until this day, in the Republic of Armenia, and perhaps among our friends in our communities in the diaspora, who may have a story to tell similar to the one you will hear today.

In 2005, Ardashes Kassakhian ran for the open Glendale City Clerk seat with the explicit goal of making elections in Glendale more transparent, accessible and secure. He was the youngest person ever elected to a Glendale municipal post in the city’s history. In 2020 Kassakhian ran for Council becoming the first City Clerk to be elected to Glendale’s City Council. And as of April 2022, it became his turn to take the reins, as the Mayor for the City of Glendale. We spoke with Mr. Kassakhian just before he was appointed Mayor to discuss the challenges of the Armenian community and the importance of activism. From ANCA-WR Director, to Glendale Mayor, Ardashes has been representing and fighting for the Armenian-American community for quite some time, and we were honored to hear his story and to share his experiences and wisdom with all of us.

For many people, food can be that initial exposure to a new culture. As a cultural pillar, cuisine when examined can tell us the story about those who developed it. In other words, the diversity and traditions of Armenian food is another way we can learn about who we are and where we come from. In 2019, Ara Zada along with his team published “Lavash” the cookbook, which set out to share with the world what people in the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh are eating and cooking today. Not just limited to recipes, but a book that included imagery and stories that help complete the essence of Armenian cuisine. We discuss with Ara about his travels, discoveries and impressions of the cuisine he came across, and what “Armenian Food” looks like in the 21st Century.

In this Haytoug Talks pre-season special, our hosts sit down with Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan from Burbank California's St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, to discuss Armenian Christmas. Unlike other Christian denominations, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ on January 6. Why is it celebrated on this date, and what makes the Armenian Christmas holiday and tradition so unique? We hope you enjoy, and have a very Merry Christmas!

Note: This episode is all in Armenian, which makes it all the more special. Keep an eye out for Season 2 which is just around the corner. 

Tune in to hear us reflect on our first official season! Thank you to everyone for listening. 

White phosphorus can melt through steel - you can only imagine the horrifically devastating impacts it has on the environment and its human victims. Though we may not be surprised at the long list of war crimes at the hands of Azerbaijani government, what is surprising is that despite the desolating power of white phosphorus, its use in war is not yet clearly recognized under international law. Here to fill us in on this terrifying fact is Fin DePencier, multimedia journalist who has been in Armenia since the peak of the war.

Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia, an indispensable piece of historical homeland that serves as a lifeline for Armenia’s survival. Syunik’s stunning landscapes and holy mountains go hand in hand with its rich history of royal dynasties, heroic battles and ancient landmarks. We invited our resident historian and good friend Christopher John Khachadour, who returns to the show to take us through the region’s story over the millennia. With the impending danger that Azerbaijan poses on Syunik since Artsakh’s occupation this past year, it’s time to learn about the story of Syunik.

Most of us have been on the receiving end of a constant unprecedented news stream this last year. But for those routinely providing this crucial information, it is a whole other feat. We spoke to Araksya Karapetyan about life in the newsroom, behind the screen - what brought her into the journalism and media space, what keeps her drawn to it, and how to keep up with its ever changing nature.

“Kef” (Party) music is a dance-oriented style of Armenian-American music that arose in the United States during the first half of the 20th century, as an expansion on the traditional and popular musical heritage of Ottoman Armenians. A generation later, Armenian-American musicians in the mid 20th century, while continuing to play their “Kef” traditional music, also began to experiment and fuse their musical traditions and styles with American Jazz, Country, Pop and all sorts of musical genres. Andrew Hagopian, a Master Oud player, will take us through our diaspora's musical pastime, as we explore examples of this Armenian-American cultural fusion, as well as some classic folk songs played on the Oud by Mr. Oud Jr.

Many traditions and customs of our ancestors have been lost or forgotten as a result of our dispossession from Armenia, or simply through time. Today we are uncovering one of these hidden traditions, hardly known to Armenians around the world - Harsneren, or “language of the bride.” Harsneren is the sign language developed and employed by newly wed Armenian women who historically, and still in many regions today, are not allowed to speak until granted permission by their husbands or husband’s family. Tune into our fascinating conversation with researcher Carla Kekejian on the first formal study of this incredibly impactful, yet consequential phenomenon.

Inspiration often comes through exceptional moments. In this case, it comes in the form of an exceptional human being - Mari Manoogian - the talented, 28 year old Armenian Michigan State Representative who is changing the game. We spoke to Manoogian about her recent accomplishments, the role of Armenian culture in her political identity, upcoming expectations for the Biden Administration and hopes on Genocide recognition coming this April 24th.

This past year saw a resurgence in conversations about race and power in the West; particularly here in the United States. We reflect with our guest Kohar Avakian, an American Studies Ph.D student at Yale University, on Armenian Racial Identity. Armenian identity is layered and complex, as our exile has forced us to become citizens of the world. Having an immense and beautiful diaspora also means having nuanced interpretations of what that Armenian identity looks like - most notably, Armenian racial identity. In the Cartozian Case of 1924, Tatos Cartozian was initially denied citizenship in the U.S, after physically arriving in court and being deemed not white. Upon contesting, he was given citizenship under the pretense that Armenians were majority Christian and the expectation that they would be able to assimilate right away. Important historical bookmarks like these help contextualize the evolution of Armenian racial identity and inform how we and others view our own identity, today.

Armenian Ethnic Folk Dance is making a comeback into our collective cultural consciousness. With this week's guest, Alex Avaneszadeh, we discuss how Ethnic Armenian Folk dance is more than just dance; it's an ancient form of expression that evokes the ethos of Armenian life and all it encompasses. The purpose of these dances are not only to be performed on stage, but to bond folks and compliment the spirit of life's many circumstances, from life and harvest to war and death.

To learn these dances from the comfort of your own home, you can find the link to signup in our social media bios. 

Back in November, three of our producers interviewed Rex Kalamian, assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings with nearly three decades of experience coaching in the NBA. From college hoops to coaching in the All-Star Game and the NBA Finals, Rex discusses his journey as the lone Armenian working in the NBA.

The Armenian language is a huge part of our identity, and is one that has evolved and shape-shifted to last thousands of years. Where is the language today? What is the reality of Armenian in the diaspora? We are joined with Deputy Director of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies, Dr. Shushan Karapetian in the studio to do a deep dive into the Armenian Language in the 21st Century.

Despite the world's commitment 72 years ago with the adoption of the United Nations convention to ensure the prevention of genocide, the atrocious crime continues to proliferate around the world, while many watch in silence. The media has a vital function to raise awareness and highlight these injustices - but as the recent conflict in Artsakh demonstrated, much more needs to be done. Our guest, ANCA-WR Communications Director Alex Galitsky, discusses how media plays that role, and why initiatives like the Impact Media Institute are crucial to preventing genocide. Our producer, Armen Shrikian, joins us for this conversation. 

A homeland is not just a place. It's memory, it's family, and together it tells a story beyond the land itself. The history of Artsakh is a prime example of the Armenian story and evolution. Our hosts guide us through this remarkable region's timeline from pre-history up until the 20th century. We invited historian Christopher John Khachadour to discuss with us the story of Artsakh.

A crisis thickened with a global pandemic, powerful dictatorships and a cry for peace. This episode features our interviews with Yeghia Tashjian, Gev Iskajyan, Gayane Parsegova and some of the Hunger Strikers from the AYF Hunger Strike in late October.