Watch Serj Tankian's ‘100 Years’ Commemoration Video for the Armenian Genocide Centennial

Serj Tankian performing in "100 years". Source: Screenshot of the music video.

Serj Tankian performing in “100 years”. Source: Screenshot from the music video.

Serj Tankian is best known as the frontman of alternative metal/hard rock band System of a Down with whom he has been playing with since 1994. The band's relationship to the Armenian Genocide is a rather direct one: they're all Armenian-Americans and themselves descendants of survivors of the Genocide. Tankian himself has already distinguished himself as a passionate activist for a variety of causes, from criticizing the US prison system to environmental issues.

Needless to say, the struggle for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is particularly important to him. As he recently told Rolling Stones magazine, speaking of justice:

I think for us it's important for Turkey to know its own history in a truthful manner. It's not just about the genocide of the Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians, but what's going on now. There are no executable international agreements that have to do with stopping the genocide. Irrespective of a number of great U.N. bodies and even U.S.-based bodies in terms of genocide prevention, there's no binding resolution on any genocide or holocaust occurring. We still see them happening. I read in today's press that they discovered a mass grave in Deir Ezzor in Syria of ISIS massacres of this one tribe there, and it reminded me of all the bones that are under those sands in Deir Ezzor from the first genocide of the 20th century in the exact same place. If that's not symbolism, I don't know what is.

Global Voices was at the latest System of a Down concert, part of the band's “Wake Up The Souls” tour in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The band gave a free concert on April 23 (the night before the Official Centenary) in Yerevan's Republic Square which was attended by thousands of Armenians, as well as Georgians, Iranians, Ukrainians, among others.

Serj Tankian playing in Yerevan's Republic Square on the 23rd of April 2015. Photo by Joey Ayoub.

Serj Tankian playing in Yerevan's Republic Square on the 23rd of April 2015. Photo by Joey Ayoub. More Photos.

But if metal isn't your thing, don't despair. Tankian is a prolific artist. His video ‘100 years’ features Duduk (Armenian flute), Daouli (regional drum), Lyra (regional stringed bowed instrument) and Kanun (regional string instrument) musicians as well as guitar, piano and violin with him on vocals. This beautiful performance echoes the heavy history suffered by Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians.

As its description states: “the video is a somber commemoration to honor the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian victims of the first genocide of the 20th century.”

7 comments

  • felsefe site

    Don’t believe what you hear from the media! Investigate the truth. Having pity for a plot, that’s not enough to accuse people. They’re trying to gain benefits of Jewish people. Nothing more. Armenians are armed revolters and true genociders. See the other side of the story. See: factcheckarmenia.com

    • Serj Tankian is ‘the media’? His grandmother who was saved by a Turk and his grandfather who was saved by an American are ‘the media’?

      And the Jewish people didn’t ‘gain benefits’. When I think of benefits, I imagine a spa at a 5 star hotel, not being compensated for losing your loved ones and your land in a Genocide. Those who gained benefits were the Nazis who used their victims’ property and sold them to make money for themselves. Same for the Armenians.

      • felsefe site

        He’s a celebrity, not a historical document. Media or pop stars can’t solve this issue. Ther are a lot of court cases which cleares this is not a genocide. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/qa-legal-battle-armenian-genocide-150423090718509.html Listening to music isn’t enough to talk about it. Do some research.

        • The Al Jazeera Q&A piece is with a politician. Irrelevant. And I didn’t say he was a historical document. You said “Don’t believe what you hear from the media” and I responded that there was no media involved in this post. And then what happens? You cite the media. Follow your own advice and do your research. 100 years is more than enough of denial.

          • felsefe site

            Well done, you doubt about Al Jazeera, why not others? Wondering about something isn’t hard. Believing is easy. If you want the truth, you must investigate it.

             
          • I don’t “doubt about Al Jazeera” because it’s Al Jazeera. I examine the content, rationally. The Q&A is with a politician. His views on a historical event are irrelevant. It doesn’t matter what he thinks.

            The facts are not on the side of Denial, and I have lost my patience talking about this with you. I have nothing but disgust towards people who deny Genocides.

             
          • felsefe site

            Are you getting paid for this forgery? There are way more
            important problems of the world than this fake sorrow to gain benefits
            of Jews. How can you think that something is real because people have pity on it.

             

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