Preserving the legacy of a fallen Armenian soldier in Tigran’s Song

August 10, 2021 Talar Keoseyan Literary Corner 3

I have always felt an intense bond to my homeland. That bond has grown even more over the years. When the 2020 Artsakh War broke out, I felt paralyzed. I wasn’t able to function. As a proud granddaughter of Genocide survivors, I have felt a deep connection to my homeland and my people my entire life. It doesn’t matter that I was born in Aleppo, Syria, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and now reside in California. My homeland, my people are always in my heart. As the war raged on, I was glued to social media and stayed in touch with family in Armenia. I felt so helpless as so many of my friends and family did. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t really focus on anything except what was happening to our beautiful Artsakh. I visited Artsakh in 2014 and fell in love. The Artsakh Armenian spirit, the warmth, the hospitality, the beauty of nature captivated my soul.  

One day, I came across a young soldier singing so eloquently to his mother that I broke down several times. This young soldier was Tigran Harutyunyan. I later found out that this young, brave soldier had passed on. I was devastated and couldn’t get his song or him out of my head. I mentioned it to my friend in Armenia. In a matter of a few days, she was in touch with Tigran’s sister Anna. I asked if I could write a children’s book because Tigran’s song had profoundly resonated in my soul. His essence and his life deserve to be seen and heard. During my conversations with his family, I learned about the kindness and dreams of our dear Tigo. I am forever grateful and indebted to our soldiers who protected their indigenous lands, homes and their families.

I wanted to write this book to introduce the world to this wonderful person. Tigran will forever be in the hearts, minds and souls of everyone he touched. Whether you knew him or not, his voice and his kindness will definitely resonate with your soul.  

May God rest the souls of our heroic soldiers. They will forever reside in our hearts. May we continue to educate the world that people have rights, that humanity isn’t dead, and people have the right to self-determination. Money should not overtake humanity to the point of petrodollars being used to silence the rights of indigenous people.  

I want the younger generation of Armenians to know that our heroes matter and they will never be forgotten. Tigran’s Song is written in Eastern and Western Armenian, as well as English and Russian all in one book. This book is a collaboration of love that transcended different continents. The collaboration of the book was possible with the help of the Harutunyan family, particularly Tigran’s mother Gayane and his sister, Anna. The formatting and interior design of the book was done by Armine Khachikian, the Eastern Armenian translation by Gohar Baroyan and Marina Avetyan, the Western Armenian translation by Liza Yessaian, the Russian translation by Tigran’s aunt Susanna Chacatrjan Khachatryan, the illustrations by Sara Nazely Guglielmo, and the cover design by Sosi Keoshgerian Boyajian. The book was published in Armenia by Armav Publishing.  

All net proceeds go to the Harutunyan family, which is establishing a scholarship fund to continue Tigran’s legacy. Books can be purchased by emailing Talar725@gmail.com or sending a direct message to @Hokees1111 on Instagram.

Tigran Harutyunyan
Talar Keoseyan

Talar Keoseyan

Talar Keoseyan is a mother, educator and writer.

3 Comments

  1. So proud of you, my dear Talar! You are an incredible writer who is so passionate about our heritage. Well done!
    With love,
    Veronica

    Reply

  2. Talar, you continue to make the Papken Suni Philadelphia AYF proud! From getting us awards for the most articles to your many books, we are so happy to call you a member of our alumni! Keep writing and honoring our heritage through your words! What a wonderful way to respect and memorialize this young man.

    Reply

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