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Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Ethnology Manuscript Copyright Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Ethnology Manuscript Copyright Satenik Mkrtchyan Formation of National Identity through Primary Education (Yerevan and Tbilisi Schools) To gain Ph.D. Degree in Anthropology Supervisor: Tinatin Gudushauri, Professor, Ph.D. in Ethnography, Ethnology, and Anthropology Tbilisi 2013 Content INTRODUCTION: THEORY AND METHODOLOGY ............................................. 4 Structure of the Dissertation ............................................................................................................. 4 Ethnicity ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Nation ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Education ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Socialization and Schools ........................................................................................................... 13 School Rituals and Ceremonies – ‘Spiritual Fuel for Schools’ .................................................. 15 Shared Symbols and Signs in Schools – ‘Unifiers of a Group’ ................................................. 15 History Teaching and Identity Construction in Schools ............................................................. 16 National Identity Related Literature: Armenia and Georgia .......................................................... 18 Working Definition of the Term Ethno-National Identity.............................................................. 27 Methodology and Empiric Data Collection .................................................................................... 28 ARMENIA ................................................................................................................... 30 General Education: National Curriculum, Textbooks, and Teachers ............................................. 30 Myth of Origin ................................................................................................................................ 35 Hayk Nahapet ............................................................................................................................. 35 Space and Territory ........................................................................................................................ 38 (Erebuni) Yerevan ...................................................................................................................... 38 Landscape and Geography ......................................................................................................... 40 Ararat and Aragats .................................................................................................................. 40 Sevan, Van, and Araks ........................................................................................................... 42 Flora and Fauna ...................................................................................................................... 43 Territory, Homeland, and the State ........................................................................................ 45 Language ........................................................................................................................................ 51 “I love you, Armenian language, you are as sweet as my mother is …” ................................... 51 Mesrop Mashtots: The Great Teacher ........................................................................................ 54 Religion .......................................................................................................................................... 56 Churches and Monasteries .......................................................................................................... 56 Garni Temple .............................................................................................................................. 57 Khachkars (Cross-stones) ........................................................................................................... 57 Christmas .................................................................................................................................... 59 Official Church Symbols and Holidays as Reflected in the Schools ......................................... 61 Food and Drink ............................................................................................................................... 64 1 Tonir and Lavash ........................................................................................................................ 64 History and Historical Figures ........................................................................................................ 66 The Hero Hayk ........................................................................................................................... 66 David of Sassoun ........................................................................................................................ 66 The Brave Vardan and the Battle of Avarayr ............................................................................. 68 Heroes: the Braves and the Talanted Sons of the Nation ........................................................... 69 Memory of the Armenian Genocide ............................................................................................... 70 Formulae and Image “Collections” of the Identity ......................................................................... 73 Formulae, Definitions and Instructions ...................................................................................... 73 Image Collections of the Identity ............................................................................................... 76 GEORGIA .................................................................................................................... 79 General Education: Statistics, National Curriculum, and Textbooks ............................................. 79 Space and Territory ........................................................................................................................ 84 Tbilisi, the Legend about Tbilisi, and the King Vakhtang Gorgasali ......................................... 84 Symbols of the State, “Our Homeland []”, and Areas of Georgia .......................... 88 Georgia: Diverse but United Country and the Areas of Georgia ............................................... 95 The Black Sea and the Myth of Argo ....................................................................................... 101 Georgians Live also outside Georgia........................................................................................ 103 Language ...................................................................................................................................... 106 The Georgian Language: “Our Ornate Georgian Language” ................................................... 106 Iakob Gogebashvili and the Dedaena ....................................................................................... 108 Religion ........................................................................................................................................ 109 Saint Nino ................................................................................................................................. 109 Christmas and Easter ................................................................................................................ 110 Alilo and Chant [] ....................................................................................................... 111 Churches and Monasteries ........................................................................................................ 112 History and Historical Figures ...................................................................................................... 114 Georgian Kings ......................................................................................................................... 114 Parnavaz ............................................................................................................................... 114 David the Builder and the Didgori Battle ............................................................................. 116 Queen Tamar ........................................................................................................................ 118 The King Erekle, the Krtsanisi Battle, and the Notion of Heroism ...................................... 122 Writers and Public Figures ....................................................................................................... 126 Ilia Chavchavadze................................................................................................................. 126 Shota Rustaveli and the Knight in the Panther’s Skin .......................................................... 129 2 Food and Drink ............................................................................................................................. 131 Toneh and Shotis Puri .............................................................................................................. 131 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