Arts as an
Important Factor of a Successful Development of the Assyrian National Movement
Dr. Tamraz N. IVANOV
Sufficient number of serious publications
in various languages is dedicated to the arts of ancient Assyrians. As for the arts of
contemporary Assyrians, it is, owing to different reasons, a blank spot in arts
study. If by the middle of XIX century the Assyrians lived compactly in mountain
regions of the eastern part of Osman Empire and north-western
Persia and preserved their national traditions
and folk arts, already in the following years, in view of strengthening
persecutions in the above mentioned states, a process of, active migration and
scattering of Assyrians allover the world begins. These processes, to a variable
extent, promoted assimilation of the Assyrians and burying in oblivion national
traditions, which were created for thousand of years; A threat of loss of
national originality and historical heritage became real. The twentieth century
issued the challenge not only to the Assyrian nation, deprived of fits state system, not only to small nations, this problem also became urgent to big states.
Some nations at a state level are successfully trying to prevent pejorative
penetration of featureless pseudo-culture arid to preserve and develop their
national identity to a certain extent. It's more difficult for small nations,
which don't have economic, social and other active protective devices. Such
evolution of events poses to our nation a problem of preserving the things,
which have been accumulated for centuries.
Having analyzed life and activities of
the Assyrian Diaspora in Georgia for the last 100 years one may note for
certain the role of arts in raising national self ..:consciousness, unity of
nation, and rise of its economic and culturallev~18, authority. The Assyrians of
Georgia achieved this by creating and active functioning of an Assyrian
theatrical group in the organization of which great Fraidoon Atouraya and Varden
Bet-Warda took an active participation. Owing to theater, Assyrians got
acquainted with :master pieces of world dramatic art in the Assyrian language.
At Tbilisian stage characters of Shakespeare, Molier, Shiller, Gogol, Lermontov,
Shirvan-zadeh and also Tsagarelli and B. Arsanis spoke the Assyrian language.
An ensemble of song and dance contributed
a considerable mite to rise of cultural level, preservation and development of
Assyrian folk art. Organized by A. Tamrazov, Y. Mar Youkhanna and A. Grigofia,
the ensemble appeared to be a real school for upbringing youth in a spirit of
patriotism, love to native language and culture, unity of Diaspora, the unity
which our nation have lacked for more than 2000 years.
In late eighties of XX century the author
organized in Tbilisi an
Assyrian Culture Center (a
Center of Assyrian
Culture), which tried to embrace all sides of
the Assyrian art. The Center joined the best creative powers of that time and it
told upon effectiveness and publicity of the Center. Creative contacts with
Assyrian foreign organizations of the same profile went right. It seemed that
nothing foreboded bankruptcy. However, time and situation have done their part
and the Center of Culture ceased its existence. The Assyrian
community of Tbilisi gave preference to more trivial problems
of social character. And nevertheless, patriotism, enthusiasm and realization by
some people of the importance of preservation originality of Assyrian dances and
songs for descendants led to creation of two dance ensembles under the direction
of Rezo Rabbanov and Ludmila Bit-Kash, a number of talented young performers of
Assyrian song showed their worth. In our opinion, time for integration and
coordination of efforts of the Assyrians of the world to save the heritage we
still, fortunately, possess, came. It's possible if we establish a unified
Center International Foundation of Assyrian Culture -in the nearest one or two
years. Its organizational structure,' goals, objectives, ways of financing and
other things may be discussed at a special conference. We suggest that
participants of this meeting should discuss a question of expediency in forming
a working committee, which will prepare and hold an organizational meeting of
representatives of the Assyrian art allover the world.
Future generations won't forgive us our
inactivity and indifference to the questions of preservation and development of
our national property.
