Young artists trained to revive old Khowar music, dance
CHITRAL, Sept 23: Training sessions for young artists were held in Chitral to revive, protect and promote age-old traditions of music and dance amongst the Kho tribe of Chitral.
The activity was undertaken by the Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism (CAMAT) through funding from USAID-SGAFP and implemented by the National Rural Support Proramme (NRSP).
Highlights of the programme included the display of art and training by senior artists in traditional dance and songs ‘Pasthok’, ‘Nohthik’, ‘Nandooshi’ and ‘Lukzhor’ for young artists of 4 villages—Harchin, Chuinj, Chapali and Khozh—of district Chitral
In separate programmes of five hours sessions, four senior artists trained 48 youngsters willing to perform the traditional dances in future. More than 400 people witnessed the training sessions and shows at different places.
Speaking on the occasion, CAMAT’s senior management stressed the need to impart the knowledge and skill of old traditions in music and dance to younger generation.
Master artists Nigahban Shah, Muhammad Razi Khan, Jabar Khan and Zargar Khan highlighted various steps of the traditional dances and songs.
They resolved to continue training younger generation in traditional arts and crafts so that the legacy of their forbearers is not lost in the modern technological age.
]]>
Like Abdul Bari many love to fire a salvo from their “Rapal” once in a while without doing some home work. Mr Bari suggests that CAMAT should take help from Dr Inayatullah Faizi etc etc. My dear Sir this CAMAT programme is headed by Dr InayatUllah Faizi. Its his ideas that are being implemented and it’s a good initiative.
This initiative taken by CAMAT is nothing but a well thoughtout strategy by the cunning CAMAT management to stuff their own pocket through such activities in the name of imparting trainings to the young artists or preserving the Khow culture. Baba Siyar, Baba Fatehuddin, Shujaul Haq, Mansoor, Sonoghuro Malang and not even single renowned Chitrali artist was trained by any organization like CAMAT. This is beyond comprehension why these NGO walas always run after foreign donors to fund them for these kind of things. The answer is very simple: It is the money which forces the people to exploit even the Chitrali music. It is so unfortunate. Paisa, paisa, paisa, paisa tan sum goro alor hei paisan, na acha ka na prushta ka but the lust for money never dies. The CAMAT was seen nowhere when some hipsters spoiled the Khowar music by singing beautiful Chitrali songs in a third class Pashto ‘dhun’. If you are so keen you should have taken some bold initiatives to prevent these so-called singers who declare themselves as graduate of NCA Lahore and are bent upon destroying the beautiful Chitrali music. A Pashtoon b
oy from Siwakht Lotkuh including two other guys from Lotkuh have simply made fun of Chitrali music. They do not know the ABC of Chitrali music, Khow culture and what to talk of preserving it. The lovely music of Chitral needs no graduation from NCA. It needs help of people like Dr Inayatullah Faizi, Baba Fatehuddin, Shujaul Haq, Afzalullah Afzal, Jahnder Shah Jahal, Mansoor Ali Shabab, Munawar Shah Rangeen, Durdana Khan alias Lithoro brar, and young poets like Azhar Ali Azhar, Shahiudllah Shahid, Zakir Muhammad Zakhmi, Iqbaluddin Sahar, etc. If CAMAT is sincere it must take action against people who have spoiled the Chitrali music instead of imparting training to youngsters which is an exercise in futality. What we need is action against boys who are making fun of Khowar music by distorting the historic songs. Otherwise I would request USAID/SGAFP to immediately stop funding to CAMAT as it is of no use. I never heard of any great artist from Khuz or Harchin. Yes Chuinj is acceptable because a large number of artists live there and someone from there should have been invited.
waw superb step by CAMAT and NRSP to preserve our real cultural dance…. otherwise we have started POM POM PIM PAM DAM DAM in our nice music. such steps will be helpful to save or heritage… i wish i could have participated in the program …..