Arevatsag: the homeland of potatoes and plum vodka
If you have been to Arevatsag (Ghachaghan), you are likely to have heard “ջրչոր եղած ղաչաղանցի” phrase that means the people of Ghachaghan are anhydrous.
From Artsakh to Lori: starting life from zero
Twenty-two years ago, Vanyans left Yerevan for Tsaghkaberd village of the Kashatagh region in Artsakh, without anything, empty-handed. All these years, they settled and created their own farm, but due to the recent war, they now go back to square one.
Iza Evoyan: the only female cyclist of Arjut village
Learning to play musical instruments by herself, betting on stretching on a pole, working with a weaving hook, doing splits on a homemade rope, playing in the theater. This list goes on and on.
Fig heaven: Vazashen village
Once famous for its vineyards, the grape fields of Vazashen were left across the border after the 1990s war. Nowadays, the people of Vazashen have to be satisfied by their home yards.
Odzun: a village hanging from the clouds
Once you overcome the winding trails taking to Odzun village of the Lori region, it seems like you are about to touch the clouds. Just gaze at the tile roof houses lying somewhere high and the endless fields of wheat, corn, and sunflowers stretching till the rim of the gorge.
The United Kingdom of Marts
They have the most delicious barbecue, but pig breeding has slumped after the last cholera pandemic. They are known as Russian-speakers, but few speak the language nowadays. They count the inhabited houses not by the smoke coming out from the chimney but with laundry spreads.
The hospitable villagers of Yeghegnut
As soon as you step through the gate of one’s house in Yeghegnut village of the Lori region, the landlord rushes to invite you for a bite or a drink. Want it or not, here people won’t let you leave without a good treat.
World’s prettiest village: Zardanashen
Ask Zardanashen village kids of Artsakh where they are from, and they’ll unanimously reply with a delightful smile on their face -“We’re from the prettiest village in the world!”
A day in the life of Horom villagers
“Are there people who still bake bread in the tonir?”
“There are but very few. Let’s walk a bit. As soon as we smell a scent of freshly baked lavash, we will go towards it.”
Ashot Harutyunyan. From drawing to mixed martial arts.
Paints, brushes, parts of toy cars, engines, ping pong balls, ice-cream sticks, various chargers, and other weird and incredible items lay on Ashot Harutyunyan’s work desk.
Mets Ayrum: Lori’s Tower of Babel
On top of one of the mountains of the Lori region, stands a village called Mets (means big) – Mets Ayrum. During the 1980-90s, it became the new home for newcomers from Gandzak, Baku, Getashen, Kushch, Shahumyan, Erkej, Zhurnabad, and other habitats.
Suren Harutyunyan. Busy as a bee.
-Have you seen the Grand Canyon?
-Not really!
-Get in the car, you are going to see it, – says Suren, the Agritech program Instructor at the COAF SMART Center.
