I was always in great spirits and full of anticipation on our visits to Mets Masrik. I had been welcomed to the community, eventually! During my early visits, I was, rightly, watched and observed with suspicion.
Why would a British/German come to our country, our village, at the height of Covid19 and just following the aftermaths of the 44-day in 2020?
It took patience to explain my vision for the project and also a great partner, Stepan Adamyan, who helped me bridge the cultural divide and was not only a great translator but also helping me understand the nuances this and all the other communities we visited, are facing.
Sunset over Mets Masrik
Mets Masrik sits at the edge of the mountain range that borders Azerbaijan, their hostile neighbour. Visiting the village for the first days just days after the ceasefire was signed, the atmosphere was still tense and trust had to be earned.
Arrival in Mets Masrik
This little boy, brother of ..., loved playing for the camera. He knew what he was doing and what most boys would do around his age: showing off!
Boy showing off his boxing skills, Mets Masrik
Capturing more B-roll and the boy learning to follow instructions (!), Mets Masrik
Identity Question: What matters to teenagers?
Enjoying a BBQ at Lake Sevan
I first met teenagers of Mets Masrik back in December 2020. At that time, many were volunteering by helping to organise food and clothing parcels for families in the community who had lost a loved one during the 2020 conflict. Times were very difficult but the spirit to help was palpable. An experience I will not forget.
The aid was organised by Focus on Children Now (FCN), an NGO based in Los Angeles, California. I had established contact with the organisation ahead of my travels but was not able to convince them to collaborate with me in the early stages. Only after I arrived in Yerevan and reached out to the US HQ again affirming that I was in town, they reluctantly, at first, gave me access to their local coordinator. Her command of English was not sufficient so I again relied on my fixer to help me to establish rapport.
The meeting went well - and we were invited to travel to Mets Masrik with them. My narrative to explore 'the good in the bad', with an emphasis on women and children, spoke to them.
The collaboration was emotional. The teenagers demonstrated a strong sense of self. Their understanding of their situation, the challenges lying ahead but also their rooted sense of community was instructive as was it enlightening.
Tasking the teenagers with identifying the one image on their phone that really matters to them
PE teacher singing a traditional folk song by the fireplace after a long day in the sun and following the interviews, Mets Masrik