THE GENERATION MATTERS: ARMENIAN FAMILIES IN TBILISI (A yard in Avlabari)
Keywords:
Ethnic minorities, Armenian Community in Tbilisi, Armenian-Georgian relations, ethnicity, integrationAbstract
This paper is based on a case study of three different Armenian families living in Avlabari district, Tbilisi. It explores how Armenian Families in Tbilisi have preserved their cultural heritage, the memories they have of their past life, and what they expect from the society in which they live in. Furthermore, it analyzes how they perceive themselves as Tbilisi natives rather than members of the Armenian diaspora community in Georgia. These families find that Georgia is a “homeland” whereas they consider Armenia as their “ancestral land.” Mostly, they practice traditions that are a mixture of Georgian and Armenian traditions, but there are some cases when participants have no knowledge of Armenian traditions, holidays, etc. Each family has its own story to tell, but they share several things that construct their self-perception – being born and raised in Tbilisi, particularly in Avlabari, which is known as the “most Armenian place” in the capital of Georgia. The article is based on fieldwork materials, Armenian and Georgian scholarly works, and some media sources. The data was collected through fieldwork conducted in Avlabari. The methodology employed included participant observation and in-depth interviews.
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