by Emily Bagdasarian"Go ahead, destroy this race. Burn their houses and their churches.
See if they will not live again. See if they will not laugh again.”
-William Saroyan, prominent Armenian author and native of Fresno, California
If Saroyan’s vision of creating a new Armenia entailed the coming together of Armenians in order to maintain traditions and customs, then the Armenians of Fresno accomplish that beautifully.
Not only do Fresno-tsies continue to commemorate historical triumphs, like the escape of roughly 4,200 Armenians from Musa Dagh, they also maintain traditional agricultural rituals as well.
Consider the Prpoor festival; an eight hundred year old traditional Armenian harvest festival, which may be closely likened to the celebration of Thanksgiving by North Americans.
Prpoor is the Armenian term referring to the bubbling grape molasses which brews on the last day of the harvest of the grapes. For over fifty years, Armenians in the central valley have celebrated the harvest of the grapes. The tradition has been upheld at the homes of various community members.
This past summer, for the first time, the Armenian Cultural Foundation of Fresno presented, The Grand Armenian Festival: Prpoor! to the general public. This three day festival, taking place in the gardens of the California Armenian Old Age Home on September 21-23, featured performances by Nersik Ispirian, Seta Kharibian, the Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble, and the Hamazkayin Dance Group.
Maggie, regarded by many as one of the most successful new sensations in the Armenian Children Video and music industry, provided delightful entertainment to the children.
Of course, no Armenian festival could be complete without Armenians doing what we do best: eating! Patrons chose from a variety of kebabs, side dishes and homemade pastries.
The spotlight, however, was on the large black kettle of warm Prpoor brewing in the middle of the festivities. Traditionally, festival attendees enjoy the Prpoor off of leafs from the Bay tree.
As the organizers of the festival passed it around to everyone, I mustered up the courage to use a leaf as a fork, and ate the dark-colored gooey stuff. While it didn’t quite suit my new-age palette, sitting there with a group of childhood friends giggling about how awkward it is to eat with a leaf reminded me that I’m part of a community with a rich history and culture.
UCLA graduate Ani Garibyan says, “My friends and I came out to Prpoor because we wanted to meet Armenian tradition. Although we live in Glendale, and are surrounded by ‘Armenianness’, it was the ancient traditions we were looking forward to, and through Prpoor became better acquainted with.”
She adds, “Prpoor allowed me to see something that I had not quite encountered: the Fresno Armenians. They are truly a unique, proud and welcoming community”.
It was exciting to see that traditional festivities still have the power to attract such a great number of Armenians. Looking into the dense crowd of people eating Armenian food, speaking the Armenian language, and listening and dancing to Armenian music, I could not help but marvel at the creation of a new Armenia.
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