A Nation Unrecognized- Where Dreams are Shaped by War
“Armenian”- The word itself is said with a sense of pride and responsibility from every individual born into the community. Every Armenian child; whether born in the homeland or into the diaspora, carries on the generational trauma of being marked as a “survivor.” We are shaped to pursue lifestyles that can best give back to our homeland. Those of us born into the diaspora are tasked with the responsibility of preserving our Armenian roots, our culture, and language while also learning how to adapt to a culture and nation that is not our own. Meanwhile, those like the children highlighted in Vruir Tadevosian’s short film “The Tales of the Blue Sky” are forced to endure the existing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh and Armenia- to which the world has turned a blind eye. These children have only known war since the day they were born while we have only seen our homeland on the brink of extinction just like our ancestors before us. The feeling of helplessness is endless. Thus, although we are people from different perspectives, we are born into the same community and share the same dream- a peaceful homeland.
Therefore, to be born Armenian, means you are now entrusted to carry on the legacy of your ancestors before you. We are a community with a long and rich history dating back to pagan times- known for being educated and tactful. However, we have also been a people under constant threat. The “grvaxndzor” (translation: the fighting apple) of the South Caucasus where enemies have sought to control Armenia for generations. Thus, Armenians are also recognized for their persistence and resilience. Our ancestors lived through the horrors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide when Turkey attempted to wipe out the Armenian race from the face of this Earth. Our people were forced to cross deserts with nothing but the clothes on their backs and scrambled to feed their malnourished children, yet we survived because our ancestors refused to let the Armenian race and language die out. As a result, we are a proud people- taught to always speak Armenian and give back to our homeland no matter how far away from it we may be; the “surviving” nation who stood against the test of time and persecution.
Nevertheless, this constant fear of persecution has not ceased to exist. Today, 120,000 Artsakh residents -innocent people- are facing ethnic cleansing as the Lachin Corridor remains blocked. The Lachin Corridor is the only mountain road that links Armenia and the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. We call it the “Kyanki Chanapar”- “the road of life” because for the people of Artsakh, it is their only life sustenance. Their entire existence is dependent on the trade that occurs between Armenia and Artsakh along that corridor. However, the Azerbaijani government has blocked that corridor and the imminent threat of immediate death upon crossing has left Artsakh residents trapped within the borders of their nation. Artsakh is barely recovering economically and socially from the damage inflicted upon the nation throughout the 40 Day War in 2020- when Azerbaijan attacked Artsakh without reasonable cause, and my brothers and sisters are at the brink of starvation as the United States idly stands by, “Urging” Aliyev to end the blockade. The people of Artsakh are facing ethnic cleansing- a humanitarian crisis.
Thus, Tadevosian’s intent in creating the short film “The Tales of the Blue Sky” is to bring in the perspective of the children forced to grow up enduring this humanitarian crisis. He depicts this image of the “blue sky”, synonymous with peace, as something the children of Artsakh can only yearn for. They have never known what it means to look into the sky and not have to worry about whether a bomb or missile will be flying through it. There are no sayings such as “reach for the sky” or “the sky’s the limit” in Armenian culture because there has never been a “blue sky” long enough for the children to admire and put all their hopes and dreams into. These children had to face reality far too soon. There was no room for them to “wish upon a star” when their lives are at risk on a daily basis. When the sound of bombs flying over their heads has become a normal experience.
War has stolen the most precious and innocent period of their lives. Their first lullabies were hummed to the tune of bombs flying over their homes, sealing their fate to fight a war they did not choose for themselves. To accept that no one is coming to their aid and learn not to fear because no matter how much they fear, it will not change the circumstances they are living in.
Thus, every child’s dream in the film has been shaped by war. Their dream careers are not to become a firefighter, police officer, movie star, or bus driver because they think it to be “really cool” as a child. Instead, each one of the childrens’ responses was a profession that they can use to contribute to their people and homeland.
One child yearned to receive a proper education to become a taxi driver so he can “take people wherever their heart desires- to far away places” away from war. Another child dreams to be “the best doctor to exist,” so he can heal all the injured people and save their lives; a testament to how death has impacted his perspective of the world. Meanwhile, another kid wishes to be a military pilot after his brother went missing in action during the 40-Day War, so he can be the one to find his older brother and seek vengeance on Azerbaijan for making him suffer.
However, it was the response of a seven year old boy when asked what he dreams to be when he is older that highlights how humanity has failed these children. He simply asks to be “happy and smart,” living in a peaceful nation, something no young child considers when choosing their “dream” profession. Children tend to choose a “cool” job because there has never been the need to want for peace. It is just assumed growing up as a non-war impacted child that happiness and peace are a given, fundamental right- no child has to yearn for it, yet these children do. Turkey and Azerbaijan see Armenians and Armenia as a barrier between restoring the old Ottoman Empire. Thus, these governments will not stop until Armenians no longer exist, forcing these children to grow up far too soon in a place where hope is just another word and dreams are shaped by war.
As an Armenian child living in the diaspora, I am not too different from my brothers and sisters in Armenia and Artsakh, for I share my people’s pain and suffering. We have also been shaped by generational trauma and current events, focusing on choosing career paths and lifestyles that will benefit our homeland. Always looking to give back while learning to carry on. However, sometimes, it is easy for us to get caught up in our own lives away from the homeland and become desensitized to the crisis our people are facing. It is not directly impacting us, so, by human nature, we tend to not do as much to bring about a change, but, eventually, everyone always comes back to their motherland. More Armenians are going into foreign policy and looking to gain positions in government to be able to influence and raise awareness towards the crisis in Armenia. We were given the gift to make a difference- to carry on our Armenian values and traditions while also receiving a proper education and choosing a career path that will allow us to raise awareness towards the crisis occurring in our homeland.
No child born and raised in the United States under clear, blue skies can unflinchingly speak of bombs flying over their homes as though it were a normal, daily occurrence. This conflict between Azerbaijan and the Armenians over contested territory stopped being political when innocent lives were put at risk, yet the world still turns a blind eye and dreams continue to be shaped by the failures of humanity.
