Armenian Revolutionary Songs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Armenian Revolutionary Songs (Armenian: Հայ Յեղափոխական Երգեր) are songs that promote Armenian patriotism.

1 History
2 Meaning
3 Some Armenian Revolutionary Songs
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

The Armenian revolutionary movement, largely led by the Tashnagtsoutioun (ARF), took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was caused by years of oppression from the Ottoman Empire, especially under the rule of sultan Abdul Hamid II. This is the time period when Armenians began demanding their most basic rights and defending Armenian towns from Ottoman oppression. Certain armed Armenian patriotic groups formed to fight the Turkish oppression and defend Armenian towns from kurdish mercenaries. These volunteer fighters were called fedayees. These fedayees were successful in defending Armenian locals which made them gain popular support and elevate them to hero status. This environment was thus ideal for the development of Armenian patriotic songs to support these freedom fighters.

[edit] Meaning

Most of them tell the stories of individual fedayees who confronted the Turkish onslaught. They also talk about historical battles, successful guerilla operations, heroic deaths, genocide among other sensitive topics. They are generally heard at Armenian gatherings. It is also a way to educate the Armenian populace about their history through the songs.

Armenian revolutionary songs are very popular among the youth of the Armenian diaspora.