Tonraton ( Armenian Թոնրատոն , literally. “ Tonir holiday” ) or the Tonir Festival ( Armenian Թոնիրի փառատոն ) is the Armenian national annual culinary festival of dishes prepared in tonir . It takes place annually on August 11-12 in the region of Gegharkunik [1] , and coincides with the first day of the month of Navasard (new year according to the ancient Armenian calendar) [2] [3]
| Tonraton | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Founders | “Development and preservation of Armenian culinary traditions” |
| Dates | 2012 - p.t |
| Location | |
| City of | Tsakhkunk ( Gegharkunik region ) |
| A country | Armenia |
Tonir
Tonir ( Tundyr ) - an ancient Armenian stove in the ground, with clay-coated edges, at the bottom of which a fire is kindled. Food was cooked in it, and with it it was heated at home. In addition, it was used for medicinal purposes. In settlements where there were no church buildings, priests had the right to conduct a wedding ceremony in front of the toner. From the pre-Christian period, the Armenian toner was considered a symbol of the sun in the earth. It was believed that bending over the toner while baking bread, Armenian women bowed to the sun [4] .
History
The Tonir Festival Tonraton was organized in 2012 [5] at the initiative of the Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions organization in order to preserve and restore traditions, as well as forgotten recipes of Armenian cuisine. Traditionally, the festival takes place in August, on the first day of the month of Navasard, that is, in the “New Year” according to the ancient Armenian calendar [2] . As part of the holiday, dishes prepared in tonir are provided to the jury and guests of the event [3] .
The first festival was held from August 11 to 12 on the Navasard holiday (the first day of the ancient Armenian calendar) in the village of Tsakhkunk in the Gegharkunik region [6] [7] . Eight stoves were built in the village, the number of which will increase every year. In addition to traditional Armenian tinting, it is also planned the appearance of Persian, Indian, and the peoples of Central Asia and the Caucasus [8] . In 2013, an application for inclusion in the UNESCO UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list “Lavash: making traditional bread, significance and cultural manifestations in Armenia” noted that the Pan-Armenian national “Tonir Festival” is one of the Armenian festivals where traditional Armenian lavash is baked and the rituals associated with it [9] .
Notes
- ↑ Arev Samuelyan / Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia / REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY.Original textThe NGO "Development and Preservation of the Armenian Culinary Traditions" is one of the wellknown organizations in Armenia which has great proficiency in organizing various festivalsdedicated to promoting traditional cuisine. Building on their experience and expertise, the "Breadin the Mountains" festival is planned in 2013. The same year will be organized also a "TonirBakery" event in Gegarkunik province of Armenia
- ↑ 1 2 Tigran Harutyunyan. Navasard . Armenian Museum of Moscow and the culture of nations (August 11, 2016). Date of treatment September 3, 2017. [1]
- ↑ 1 2 11.4 TANDOOR . Culinary Operations . Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University. Date of treatment September 6, 2017. Original textFrom ancient times till now the Tonir was worshiped by the Armenians like other sun symbols and it is known as a symbol of Sun in the ground.
Ancient Armenians madeTonirs in resemblance with the setting sun “going into the ground” (Sun being the main deity). The underground, clay Toniris one of the first tools of Armenian cuisine, as an oven and as a thermal treatment tool. Everything that is made in pots and in Tonir has Armenian origin, but only Armenians had underground Tonir. Other nations have borrowedthe Tonir from Armenians and are usingit nowadays, but only Armenians are aware of the ritualmeaning of the Tonir. Armenians were already using the tonir thousand years ago. In the stage of sun worshipping, the Tonir is considered to be the symbol of sun on the earth. Pagan Armenians have similared tonir with sunset. Every time Armenian women are baking bread or preparing food, they bent down before the Tonir, which also meant worship for deity.
Unlike other people, who also may have something like the Tonir to bake bread, the Armenian Tonir has been used for different purposes. The Armenians cooked meals in the Tonir, they used the Tonir to heat the house, moreover, it was perfect for medical purposes, for example, to warm and cure the sick and afficted. Obviously, the traditional tonir has a great medicinal effect. In ancient times it has been located in the center of the house, which was symbolizing the permanent providing of sun heat in the house. They were putting “kursi” on the Tonir, were covering it with a carpet and they were putting their feet under the ”kursi” in cold days. The Tonir had also a nonbacterial effect, as they have used the cow's dung, as a fuel, which has been familial for its medicinal traits since ancient times. Formerly, the Tonir hasn't only an impotant meaning in Armenian cuisine, but also in lifestyle. In traditional families the Tonir has always been identified with “home”. It is no secret, that in ancient times Armenian families have lived under one single roof, where, as a rule, in the center of the large room wasa Tonir. It was the base of the Armenian family, where they were not only baking bread and preparing food, but also proceeded Armenian family's life in good, old times around it. They were marrying, baptizing a child and even healing near the Tonir. The members of the family were gathering around it at dinner time, or during the parties and the rest. In the Armenian Highlands they have baked bread 3-2 milleniums before the birth of Christ. That confirms the clay ovens (tonir) and the relics of bread, which have been discovered in a variety of old places. During the excavations of Artashat city, Armenia, there have been discovered tonirs of that same period.
Though the rules of life style have changed in time, the custom of baking Lavash, bread, gata and making a lot of food in a Tonir has remained unbreakable.
Smoke of tonir is continuing to stay the symbol of peace, unification and strengthening ofArmenian family and home.
Since 2012 “Tonraton” –the Food Festival has been held in Armenia. On August 11, for the Navasard holiday (the old Armenian “New Year”, which was dedicated to Armenian pagan gods), featuring dishes cooked in this fore father of the modern oven - ↑ Culinary traditions of other nations can be adopted, but not appropriated . News-Armenia (September 24, 2012). Date of treatment April 15, 2013. Archived April 22, 2013.
- ↑ The sun on the ground / TourInfo Magazine / Vol 13-128 June 2015 Original textSince 2012 “Tonraton” - the Food Festival has been held in Armenia and on August 11, for the Navasard holiday (the old Armenian “New Year”, which was dedicated to Armenian pagan gods), it is featuring dishes cooked in the very forefather of the modern oven. There are probably many Armenian ancient sun symbols but surely very few people know that the Armenians also had the sun symbol on the ground. How much it would be surprising but that symbol is the Armenian “tondir”.
- ↑ The Tonir Festival will be held for the first time in Armenia . News-Armenia (May 16, 2012). Date of treatment April 15, 2013. Archived April 17, 2013.
- ↑ First "Tonraton" . The voice of Armenia (May 17, 2012). Date of treatment April 15, 2013. Archived April 22, 2013.
- ↑ Karina Gazaryan. Armenians revive Navasard . yerevan.ru (August 3, 2012). Date of treatment April 15, 2013. Archived April 22, 2013.
- ↑ Arev Samuelyan / Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia / REPRESENTATIVE LIST OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY. Original textThe propagation of traditional ways of baking lavash is included in the programs of severalorganizations which aim at enhancing the economic and cultural potential of certain publicgroups; for example, the "Jinishian Memorial Fund" in 2010-2011 in the Armavir province ofArmenia organized a "Social-Cultural Development of an individual through the traditionalnational values" program, and 60 young people (14-25 years old) from the vulnerable socialgroups attended the courses of the national cuisine. Since 2010 the NGO "Preservation and Development of Armenian Culinary Traditions," has been offered a series of events on Armeniannational cuisine: "Tonir Festival," "Bread in the Mountains," and "Barbeque Festival," where lavash baking, serving and rituals take place