Feel yourself like at home - страница 9

By the way: again, that is a wisdom coming from the old times – an older person teaches a younger one to take care of their domestic animals prior to taking care of himself. It iso easy to understand this practice – if you eat yourself first, you might forget that your cattle is hungry; or if you would relax it will be more difficult to return to physical work soon afterwards..

This habit also works in other cases. For instance, while I was leading a group as an instructor for outdoor tourism I could not sit down myself to relax until every member of the team would find his proper place for camping, wood fires were arranged, and water for the tea was boiled.

Returning to our narrative: but what was it that confused me?

Well, there were many people worked diligently in those gardens, not only us. And all those, without an exception, with whom we interacted during long summer day, would always say a word incomprehensible for me: “Arma!”. And only after that they would add “Salam aleykum”, and continue the conversation if and when they could have a few free minutes for a short rest. At first, I nodded silently while busying myself with what chores I had, and did not pay attention to a small pause – as if the person who spoke to my cousins would expect something from me, too. It appeared that I had to respond by some word or a whole phrase. After several awkward pauses I decided to be smart and to return “Arma” to the next visitor by saying the same word. A confusion again!

My older cousin, exchanging condescending smiles (“What might you expect from city boy!”), undertook the initiative himself and answered “Barma”(!?).

Over three decades of time went over those gardens since, and most of the orchards were cut down due to an old age of the fruit trees. However, now I never forget to greet one with an “Arma!” if I pass a person is doing a difficult physical job. It does not matter if is he an acquaintance or a stranger.

This form of a greeting is used as an encouragement for intellectual work, as well, like wishing a success in one’s contemplations, or as a form of a friendly egging-on.

In the present days, “Arma” or “Armaveree” obtained a meaning “Don’t be tired!” or “Be tireless!” (in old times it was meant as “Help you God!”). And the exclamation “Barma”, or “Barbol” in return will mean “The same to you”. After that, you may add “Thank you for wishing!”. And only then a smooth passage will be accomplished to the generally accepted greeting “Salam valeykim” and the answer “Valeykim salam”.

Meanwhile, the case described above became for me the first intermediate, even if an important one, milestone in the process of discovering and investigating more closely different interpersonal relationships, behavioral reactions and interactions between my own people, – the process which still continues.

At an age well over thirty years, I noticed one aspect, which slipped away of my attention until that moment:

The greeting “Arma” is used frequently in the situations when a person is busy with his regular routine chores. It appeared that in a case when somebody would engage in a job that required sound physical effort during a long time, another form of distinctive greeting would be used. For instance, if a foundation is being built for a new house, or an irrigational ditch is being dug, or a bridge repair is been started, a competent person will always wish: “