Wakhi food and music enthrals twin city residents
by Najeeb ullah Naveed
Islamabad, December 10: It was the second day of Wakhi cultural festival 2009 at Lok virsa Islamadad. A large number of residents of the twin cities and people from all parts of Hunza and Gilgit-Baltitan witnessed the proceeding of the day.
Many interesting programs were staged today and visitors expressed great interest in various stalls. The stalls related to Wakhi cuisine and handicrafts were frequented by visitors.
Among the cuisine stalls Molida was very popular among the visitors .the visitors enjoyed the taste of Quruth and felt the warmth of Apricot oil in the chilly weather of Islamabad.
Besides the hand Wakhi carpet weaving and wallet making were visited and lauded by the visitors. The stall run by wazir aman holds various products made from seabuk thorn including jam, dried seabuk thorn and juices. These products are considered very important on medical ground as experts believe that their use can be helpful to reduce the risk of cancer and also can be a potential cure for cancer patients.
The hall mark of toays programs werequfuz palying and singing of lus by an elderly lady sultana arman. Qufuz is a musical instrument cositing of a single sting which was used in ancient times ingoajl whreas lus is a gener of music through which the singer eulogies any deceased fellow or relative. Another important item presented today was the famous Wakhi lus Sinisai by a group of elderly ladies led by Meam sultana from Gojal Hunza.
The visitors were exhilarated with the tunes of Rubob, qufuz, Duf and Dudang. The enchanting voices of Fazal RehMan Shirin Sudo ,Ali Ahmed Shani ,Hyder Murad, Tariq, Zia and Rehmat Karim kept them dancing and enjoying the whole day.
Anisa a student of arts at F7/2 College said she was really inspired by the uniqueness and tranquility of Wakhi Culture. She took special interest in the works of craftswomen and asked about the role of women in Wakhi society. She was impressed by the positive and constructive role of women in Wakhi culture; she expressed her astonishment for the extraordinary talents of Wakhi women particularly mentioning the playing of qufuz and singing of lus by an elder Wakhi lady Sultana Mehraban.
Another visitor Naseem Shah, a renowned social worker from Islamabad, expressed his gratitude for the festivities and stalls satged in the festival. He said that he wished to visit Hunza and Gojal to observe the cultural activities and life styles of Wakhi people in their own region. He said that he found wakhis among one of the most forward looking and peace loving ethnic groups of Pakistan.
A seminar on Wakhi language and a Wakhi Mushaira are highlights of tomorrow’s program.
Wonderful coverage of Wakhi Festival. well done pamirtimes.Keep it up.
Wakhi Festival is rocking.
We watched the first day’s news on geo and other channels. That was wonderful.
The stalls there at the festival are very interesting especially that of Gojali wakhi cuisine, plos weaving and handy crafts. This will be helpful to boost the newly established tourist industry in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The products of seebuk thorn are a good and innovative initiative.
The performers are also doing their best especially singers and elder group of dancers.
Thanks Noor our media team has really done great job under your supervision,the electronic and print media is giving a good coverage to the festival,which is very encouraging.
Visitors are enjoying the festival as it is a unique culture in the globe.
HAVE A NICE ALL ON THE FESTIVAL
Great job. Well done the team Pamirtimes. keep up the nice job.
Its really a nice thing that you are promoting the hidden aspects our unique culture and promoting the positive image of our region. it will have healthy impacts on the development and image of Gilgit-Blatistan.
thanks also to the management of lok Virsa for this great job.
I would like to congratulate GECA team for there marvelous efforts. Despite many difficulties and challenges and resource limitations Team GECA has finally managed to execute this national level festival after being at least 5 time postponed due to law and order situation . As part of GECA I know the difficulties and challenges which this new team has faced to organized this program. I hope GECA will continues his tradition of good work in the future also. All my prayers and good wishes with GECA.
Yaqub Ali
UNDP Gilgit
Wonderful coverage of Wakhi Festival. well done pamirtimes.
Wakhi Festival is rocking.
We watched the first day’s news on geo and other channels in the Wakhun Afghanistan. That was wonderful.
The stalls there at the festival are very interesting especially that of Gojali wakhi cuisine, plos weaving and handy crafts. This will be helpful to boost the newly established tourist.
Thanks from Sarfraz khan.
Operation Director
Central Asia Institute Pak & Afgh
The performers are also doing their best especially singers and elder group of dancers.
Congratulation to all of Wakhis all around the world enjoy the festival and keep it up.
Ali Aman Gojali
Tajikistan
A History now ! Thank you LokWirsa and thank you Organisers. Such initiative can become the source of inspiration to small communities like the Wakhis of Pakistan to work for the promotion and preservation of their culture and contribute to the preservation and promotions of human culture.