Abused Plain Tree Legend or the Unpunished Destruction of the Armenian Identity

The whole nature of Armenia is marked by an ancient culture that identifies the Armenian ethnos with the location under an intentionally forgotten name, Armenian Highlands. Everything that recalls the presence of the ancient Armenians is being deliberately destroyed, including the Armenians themselves.

There is no doubt that this is done purposefully because no one has been held responsible for such destructions for centuries. Not only that, they did not pay for the physical extermination of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915. Nobody is paying for the destruction of cultural monuments and values belonging to Armenia.

But this happens not only in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the UK, or anywhere else in the world, where there is any reminder of Armenians, be it a tombstone or a museum artifact.

Exactly the same situation is in Armenia itself, in which nature is destroyed – ancient forests are cut down and ancient species of animals and birds are exterminated.

The capital of Armenia, Yerevan, has practically gone “bald” because of the heavy tree cutting, which does not stop for a minute. An example of this is the last “haircut” of trees in the area of elite buildings right in front of the Victory Park in Yerevan.

Under the guise of just removing dried up trees, almost the entire forest massif of Yerevan is being cut down. All the luxurious vegetation is being destroyed in the capital of Armenia. And it’s not only about nature but traditions and legends as well.

Anushavan Sosanver was considered the embodiment of the plane tree or the sacred grove of plane trees near Armavir (the capital and religious center of the ancient Kingdom of Van). People addressed Anushavan Sosanver for the prediction of the future. Judging by the etymology of the name, Anushavan Sosanver was associated with the cyclical nature of vegetation.

It’s bad that the Turks still do not pay for the Armenian Genocide. It’s bad that today, the aggression of Azerbaijan is encouraged by the closest “ally” of Armenia, Russia. It’s bad that the Armenian artifacts are exhibited in world museums, but no one ever talks about their origins.

But the worst thing is that a huge number of individuals who call themselves Armenians destroy the Armenian identity right under our eyes, right here in Armenia and in our city of Yerevan, the oldest capital of the world. All that is done with a mentality of nomads, with impunity.

by Վիգեն Ավետիսյան