Haidouks

Groong has a story by Ruth Bedavian about the House-Museum of Poet-writer Avetik Isahakyan in Yerevan.

Isahakyan's House Museum is filled with memorabilia from his long and illustrious life. Display case after display case yields artifacts, photos, news clippings and personal belongings that all tell a rich story of this man, whose work is filled with respect for human dignity and is deeply rooted in the history, culture and suffering of his people. The artifacts not only tell his story, but that of his contemporaries and of the times in which he and his colleagues struggled to keep faith with their artistic integrity. It was to this home, the docent related, that Charentz made his last visit before being arrested. He appealed to Isahakyan to help his family and although Isahakyan attained prominent positions within the Soviet Armenian government, he was not able to save his friend.

Isahakyan played an active role in the creation of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, and was Chairman of the Writer's Union of the Republic of Armenia from
1944 until his death. In earlier years he was active in the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Dashnaktsutyun.

...helping to send arms and money to Western Turkey to help fight against
the Ottoman government. He subsequently was arrested and spent a year
in prison. It was upon his release from prison in 1897 (at age 22)
that he published his first book of poems entitled, Songs and Wounds.
He was soon arrested again for his activities `against Russia's Tsar'
and sent to prison in Odessa. Upon release, he went abroad studying
literature, history and philosophy in Zurich. He returned to Armenia
in 1902, but soon moved to Tiflis, one of the two centers of Armenian
intellectual activity at that juncture in history (the other being
Constantinople). He was one of five original members of the famous
`Vernatun' (Upper Room), a literary circle that met weekly at
Hovhannes Toumanyan's home in TiflisIsahakyan played an active role in the creation of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, and was Chairman of the Writer's Union of the Republic of Armenia from
1944 until his death. In earlier years he was active in the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Dashnaktsutyun.

The article also mentions that between 1899 and 1906 he wrote The Songs of Haiduks, an anthology of
poems that became the first creation within Classical Armenian Poetry
dedicated to the Armenian Freedom Struggle. Haidouk, seems to be the same Haidouk of the Taraf de Haidouks, a Romanian Gypsy band I listen to. The English translation of their name is Band of Gypsies, but Wikipedia suggests that "Haiduc" or "haidouk" is a word of Turkish origin, and means "gang of thieves".

Other sites seem uncertain of the origin of this word. If anyone knows, I'd be keen to hear. It sounds suspiciously Armenian.

Posted by Matt on July 21, 2004 | TrackBack | Email to a friend