Suren Oganessian Staff Writer The cycle of life on Earth revolves around the sea. Each breath we take, each bite we eat, is all thanks to the sea. It’s easy to forget this when one lives on the land. I only started thinking about it when I moved close to the sea. I walk to the beach again, past the ...

Tatevik Hovhannisyan Staff Writer Everyone needs an uncle—one who is always cheerful and willing to listen. Everyone needs an uncle like Uncle Rafael, from the newly released movie “Uncle Rafael.” Iranian-American actor, writer, and director Vahik Pirhamzei, who plays the main role of Uncle Rafael and also his son Hamo, is Armenian. The movie focuses on a charismatic old man, ...

Suren Oganessian Staff Writer Singer Narek Baveyan is among the emerging pop stars in Armenia today—one of the more unique artists on the musical scene. Baveyan’s musical style mixes traditional Armenian folk music with elements of rock and synth pop, and even polka. His upbeat track “Dzuk,” released in 2011, is a shining example of how well he is able ...

Emma Shaljyan Staff Reporter Dr. Stephan Astourian, Director of the Armenian Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley, presented a talk on “The Path to the Armenian Genocide,” on April 30, to conclude the Spring 2012 lecture series of the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State. During his lecture Dr. Astourian spoke about perspectives on the cultural, social, economic, ...

Armen Arikian • Staff Writer Khachkar: Symbol of Armenian Identity http://www.khachkar.am/en Main Categories: News, Endangered Khachkars, Origins of Khachkars, Typology & Chronology, Khachkar Functions, Main Components, Semantics, Relations, Gallery, Bibliography. Summary: Khachkars are Armenian works of art that feature detailed crosses, carefully engraved on an upright stone. Khachkars are a fundamental part of Armenian tradition, artistic expression, and history. However, ...

Why are you taking an Armenian Studies course? What did you find surprising or fascinating in the course? Tatevik Hovhannisyan Staff Writer Name: Daniel Hairabedian Year: Junior Major: Mechanical Engineering As an American-Armenian I yearned to make a connection between the homeland and myself. A fascinating aspect of Armenian history I learned about in the Armenian Studies 10 class is ...

Tamar Karkazian Editor With November fast approaching, and elections just around the corner, it seems fitting to discuss elections and issues and concerns of the people, not to mention rivalries. Yes, all these obviously relate to the presidential election, but these concepts and concerns can also be related to the dynamics within the Fresno Armenian community. Let us start at ...

Evelyn Demirchian Staff Writer “Evelyn Demirchian! This is Suzy H. from Yerevan Magazine-you’ve won a trip for two to Armenia!” I played back the voicemail at least four or five times before immediately dialing the number back to get confirmation that, yes, because I’d simply “liked” a post on Yerevan Magazine’s Facebook page I’d been entered, and had won, an ...

Marine Vardanyan Staff Writer September 26, 2012 should have been a joyous day for a lieutenant in the Armenian army, Gurgen Margaryan, as it would have marked his 34th birthday. Instead, the day held a somber atmosphere, as Armenians gathered at the Yerablur Military Cemetery in Yerevan, Armenia, to commemorate his life. Lt. Margaryan was brutally murdered in 2004, while ...

Ruzan Orkusyan Staff Writer New ASO executive members were elected at the first general meeting held on Friday, September 7, 2012. They look forward to a new year filled with innovative ideas and activities and are very eager to engage Armenian youth in the community. All agree that the goals for ASO are to bring the youth together, to raise ...