Armenian traditions of humor and satire

. Armenians are proud of their rich tradition of humor and satire, as well as subtle and bold caricatures, having its roots in the medieval carnival, full of criticism, ridicule, and the grotesque.

The Armenian Carnival, “barikendan” dates back many centuries and traditionally took place before Lent. It was always focused on criticism and ridicule of the existing system, at times – of the rulers who ordered the capture of Armenian women and the destruction of Christian churches. One of the most common carnival plays was about a certain Khan-Pasha, which derided the Arab, Persian or Turkish invaders. 

A significant role in strengthening Armenia's image as a country where people love and appreciate humor was the games of the Club for the Lightheaded and Quick-witted. The Armenian teams of the Polytechnical Institute, Yerevan Medical Institute and “New Armenians” will long be remembered by the fans of the club.

Armenian anecdotes about a certain physician Mukuch from the town of Gyumri, about Vartanike, an Armenian analogue of the Russian Vovochka, and, of course, the questions and answers of Armenian Radio were popular across the Soviet Union. The Armenian Radio anecdotes were remarkable for their sharp satire and became the original form of protest against the Soviet leadership. Nowadays, the humor of these jokes is not as popular and relevant as it was at that time, but they stand as a monument to the national sense of humor of the Armenians.  

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for VK