Life of Yazidis in Armenia

(Short ethnogaphic essays on the life and life of Yazidis in Armenia)

The village of Nor Gehi is located in the Kotayk region of Armenia. A resident of the village  Thorn Kalashyan told about the life of the Yazidis of the province in Armenia. According to him, this is an Armenian-Yazidi village where more than 300 Yazidi families live. The total population of the village is approximately 3000 families. The village of Nor Gehi was founded more than two centuries ago. The first name of the village was called Chadron. The modern name of the village is Nor Gehi, which translates from the Armenian translation as "New Village".

-What do the villagers do for a living?

Thorn Kalashyan: - Residents mainly earn money by gardening and animal husbandry . Most of them go to Russia to work. Some of them found jobs in the city of Abovyan, which is a few kilometers away from us.

Tell us about education - Is there a school, how do children learn, and do graduates who continue their studies after school eat?

Thorn Kalashyan: - Children learn quite well. There are two schools in the village. Teachers are quite demanding and vigilant to students, but I note that with the help of vigilant parents, children learn even better. The village is too big, you don't have time to look at all, but a considerable number continue their studies after school.

"Are the girls still studying?"

Thorn Kalashyan: "I don't think so, maybe one or two out of a thousand.

"What's the reason?"

Thorn Kalashyan: "Marriage is the main reason. Another good reason is that our people do not accept this fact yet because of their traditions.

The school is taught by a native yazidi language?

Thorn Kalashyan: - Yes, our children learn their native language in schools. The Yazidi language teacher is very good in terms of teaching students their native language. This makes our children speak our language more intelligently, often without using Russian or Armenian words in their speech.

Preserved national cuisine?

Thorn Kalashyan: - Many of our national dishes have been preserved. My mother cooks a lot of delicious national dishes, for example, "Trsho" (sorrel soup based on sorrel leaves)," Ehnya gosht "(meat soup, similar to hashlama)," Grar " (soup-based on sour milk) and so on. My children greatly welcome these new dishes are periodically asked to prepare.

-Are there any government support programs?

Thorn Kalashyan: - State support programs apply to all citizens, without distinguishing between Nations. After several operations in the abdominal cavity, I have a second category of disability. I get a disability pension. The first two operations were made under the old government, before the velvet revolution in the country. At that time, there were no government programs for free surgery, but after the revolution, out of necessity, I had an operation under the state program for free, including all expenses in the hospital. Half of my medications are free, too.

Translated by David Babev