Soz'e Jiger Wakhi Song 2019

Nazir Ahmed Bulbul (Sir Nazir) is a famous and well respected Wakhi poet who is also a school principal in Gojal, Hunza. His poetry is known throughout the Pamir region including Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and China. His profound writing style has a mystical aura that appeals to all who read his elegant prose. Bulbul uses rare vocabulary from the Wakhi language which makes his writing very unique and pleasing to the indigenous people of the valley. As we hear this haunting melody and watch the music video, we are pulled into a separate peaceful realm where we overlook our worldly stresses and listen to the mesmerizing tune giving literal voice to the poem and the poet. He composes his poem passionately about lost love, perhaps from his own beautiful, painful past experience. Many of us can relate to this deep and powerful emotion based on encounters in our own lives. He mourns as if death looms near when he alludes to the hereafter, expressing his immense anguish as his love is threatened because the lost beauty whom he adored is no longer his – yet he remembers her vividly. He hopes that his suffering in this court of love has not yet ended. Azrael, the angel of death, is asked to wait before he comes for him, for their love is still a possibility. His lover is crushing him with her stare – if looks could kill, this would be his end. He pleads with her to allow him to live his last few moments within the comfort of her embrace. The poet’s subtle smile in conclusion makes us brood over whether he ended up with his love after all – did the lovers finally come together? The smile he shares with us in the video tells us that there is always hope to survive even the most painful experiences, and life goes on. We are strong enough to overcome and will triumph.

There come certain times in our lives when we feel despondent, as if our life is trivial, worthless and a burden to others, but this is in reality farthest from the truth. Poetic works often explore the darker side of sad, difficult experiences in life as the poet writes here. Lost love, bullying, and harassment all are factors in mental health issues not only in the western world, but in all countries including our own. We need to be prepared to prevent emotional distress and mental illness. As tourism increases in the north, it is as if a passage to the western world reveals itself and we envision a different life for ourselves. When the traditional values clash with the western ones, confusion may result leading to emotional distress and instability. This should not be an outcome that is easily accepted – we must work hard to counter mental health issues resulting from this disharmony between cultures and values through use of preventative measures in schools and medical resources.

The creative process for this effort began with coordination by our team between the poet, musicians and singers. We filmed the video with the group while in Gojal and were amazed by the commitment and dedication shown by all involved. The beautiful poem by Bulbul was put to music composed by Sohail Rumi who has always admired his poetic work and was drawn back to the Wakhi culture and language as a result of Bulbul’s writing. Both Naveed and Rumi contributed their singing talent and are dedicated artists seeking to further their creative contributions to the local towns and villages of northern Pakistan.

“We know may be in pain and that the world and your loved ones would be better off without you - that they deserve someone better than you. But you are PERFECT. You are LOVED, WANTED, NEEDED – and we accept you as you are. We are here to listen to you without judgment. There is always hope in each and every situation!”