On Sunday, July 3rd the Tekeyan Youth Group organized a summer BBQ event whose theme was based on the Vardavar celebrations. Kids and adults were invited to enjoy an outdoors barbecue and to splash each other with water, in a desire to revive the spirit of the ancient Armenian tradition of Vardavar. Dating back to pagan times, this festival is associated with Astghik, the goddess of water, beauty, love and fertility. Its name comes from the roses that would be offered to the goddess during the celebrations (Vart means “rose” in Armenian) and the fact that it was to be carried out during harvest time (the word Var meaning “rise”). To this day, it is celebrated 14 weeks exactly after Easter, and people from all ages are allowed to drench strangers with water. Although wildly popular in the Republic of Armenia, the Diaspora hasn’t kept the habit to feast on this particular date. The youth Group encouraged the community to join them in one of the most ancient Armenian traditions, and the event was indeed an enormous success. Tekeyan’s backyard became crowded with people of all ages, who ate, played, and enjoyed themselves on a beautiful day with friends and family.
J.T.
