The 'Ardziv' Has Landed: Cynthia Erickson Arrives in Armenia

I choose to compare Cynthia to an eagle for its nobility, freedom, and transcendence. High soaring eagles are said to touch the face of God, and Cynthia’s work in Armenia is sure to please God. The coat of arms of Armenia has a gold eagle and lion, and the one for the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh bears an eagle, as does those of many countries. Labeling her an ardziv it. I love the people of Armenia, loved the work, and my teammates, but not the hot Armenian summers!” she says.

It would have been unfortunate had I not met her at the 2010 Vasbouragan Convention in Detroit and thereafter at my insistence revealed her to the public. She is a quiet, modest heroine who seeks no publicity or fame, a rarity in these times of self-promoters.

Cynthia, now of St. Paul, Minn., grew up on a farm in Wimbledon, N.D. Her Armenian blood lines go back to Palu and Van, the birthplace of her Armenian Genocide survivor grandparents. She describes herself as “unique,” as well she should. What motivates this woman from the American plains to have such a close love for the homeland?

She had a close and loving relationship with her grandmother Khashkhatoun Bargamian Abrahamian, who told her about her life in Armenia. She taught Cynthia to crochet and knit, and the Armenian alphabet. Being Armenian was a common thread in their lives. She belonged to the Armenian Cultural Organization of Minnesota and the Armenian Dance Ensemble.

Cynthia has made many trips to Armenia, building houses for Habitat for Humanity before joining the Fuller Center for Housing. Family members have frequently accompanied her, including her first-generation Armerican-born mother Viola (Abrahamian) Reimers, father Laurence, and Aunt Cathy Igielski. This time her son Mitchell was with the group.

Cynthia and her team of nine arrived in Armenia on May 16. It included eight from Minnesota and one from New York, and ranged in age from 19-72. She invited me to come along this year, but someone has to stay home and write about the good deeds of others.

Cynthia writes that they are working in the Vanadzor area in the northern part of the country. She says, “Everyone is a good worker. Three volunteers are half-Armenian, two are one-fourth Armenian, and all the rest have no Armenian heritage, so we have some very educational discussions about Armenian history, the genocide, Armenian food, and games.

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The 'Ardziv' Has Landed: Cynthia Erickson Arrives in Armenia
The 'Ardziv' Has Landed: Cynthia Erickson Arrives in Armenia

The coat of arms of Armenia has a gold eagle and lion, and the one for the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh bears an eagle, as does those of many countries. Labeling her an ardziv (eagle, in Armenian) is a compliment. “I finally found my mission in life.



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Free Template TutorialsDesigning a Fun Family Coat of Arms

Armorial bearings, or coats of arms, take us back to the glamour of the middle ages. In days of old, knights displayed heraldic devices on their horses' caparisons, their servants' liveries, and on their banners and shields. As war medals are awarded today, so coats' of arms and other heraldic devices could be awarded to knights for their service in battle. But the primary role of coats' of arms was identification in battle - the bright, vibrant colors and symbols identified the knight to his men, and his flying banner was a rallying point for them.

Heraldry refers to the study of coats of arms, and takes its name from the Heralds, who were the special ambassadors and messengers of feudal times. They were employed by all great lords, and by the king. Because Heralds traveled freely around the country, they were also the armorial officials. They granted armorial bearings. At tournaments, it was the Heralds' job to check that no knight appeared in the tournament lists displaying the heraldic devices of another. In battle, it was the Heralds' job, on both sides, to identify the living and the dead, and to declare the winner.

Many families today seek a connection with their ancestors through their coat of arms. However, obtaining an official right to display a true coat of arms - i.e. an armorial bearing that was granted to your ancestor - can be a long and tedious process. And for many people, they may not even have an ancestor who was granted an official coat of arms in the first place.

But that doesn't mean you can't have some fun designing your own coat of arms. Of course, it will never be recognized by any government or College of Heralds (the folks charged with keeping track of official armorial bearings), but it can be a fun family project nonetheless.

If you have an artistic bent, design your own coat of arms using art from one of the dozens of heraldic clipart libraries online. To make your fun family coat of arms look authentic, you'll need two basic components: the field, and the charges (also known collectively as "the shield")

Over time, the coat of arms has come to simply mean the shield we so often think of when imagining a classic coat of arms. The color that the shield is painted is called "the field." Any item which was painted onto the field of the shield was called "the charge." Therefore, if a shield has a lion painted on it, it's said to be "charged with a lion."

Common charges on shields included animals, mythical beasts, birds, plants, flowers, and inanimate objects. Charge your own coat of arms with any symbol which has meaning for you. The Knebworth House site at http://www.knebworthhouse.com/schools/coatofarms.htm has an excellent brief guide to designing a coat of arms, and even provides an outline of a coat of arms for you to print out.


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Design Your Own Coat of Arms, An Introduction to Heraldry

Design Your Own Coat of Arms, An Introduction to Heraldry

Design your own personal coat of arms.

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