A Special Package to the Youth: Five in one Wakhi Songs from Passu, Hunza, northern Pakistan

By Fazal Amin Beg

It was back in October 2011 when late Dr. Boghsho Lashkarbekov of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow along with three of his colleagues visited Pakistan and more particularly Gilgit-Baltistan Region, and we did the field studies within linguistic and cultural realms on the Wakhi population in Ghizer and Hunza districts.
When we heard about the sudden death of Grandma Bibi Dawlat (sister of my maternal grandfather Muhammad Sayyab Khan) at Passu whom we had interviewed the previous day, we returned to this village from Gircha, a village in upper Gojal. During these days, we met with various people and also included two young men named Ayaz Karim and Naveed Akhtar, two creative and artistic friends of Passu, in a local hotel. It was wonderful to observe their artistic skills that were not in the limelight at broader scale.
Being young men, Ayaz and Naveed thus presented their romantic Wakhi songs to us with an enthusiasm on October 7 and I recorded them in audio form. Ayaz has a soothing and highly attractive voice and I trust he’d refine it further and become much popular among the respective communities and regions provided he continues his efforts in line with singing and poetry composition.Ayaz shared with me that the creative work of the content of the poetries were by him and his friend.
Altogether, both these friends presented six Wakhi poems to us: Four of them were sung by Ayaz Karim and two by Naveed Akhtar.although, on the Eagles World Channel, I’ve dropped one poetry sung by Naveed Akhtar due to the poor quality of audio recording and other genuine consideration, it should be noted that I’ve written it in Wakhi and made that particular poetry part of this publication in text at the end.
Without taking more time, from here onward, I’m sharing with you the five recorded songs in a songs package and hope the audience will enjoy listening and understanding their thoughts and articulation.

Click on the following link of Eagles World Channel and get access to the contents , the attractive voice of Ayaz Karim with the support of simple music of the drum.

Dem Ti Watan Wuz Qaydi (I’m a Prisoner in Your Homeland)
Ayoz Karim en

Dem ti watan wuz qaydi, kum’ri nẽs̃hetk ya pari
Ti winger z̃hũ ghafch armon disũv ma’r tu k̃hũ didor e

Gũl et gũlzor drem hazor, wakhti khũsh bahor en wezg
Z̃i ghafch tanho’t maz̃h likertk, dem k̃hũ dũnyo’t maz̃h likerk

Hamish z̃hũ tuk skem ti bar, skem z̃hũ z̃hũ pũzũv me kat̃ tu yem khingar
Chi’ret ko maz̃h e likerk, dem k̃hũ watan z̃e’ng qaydi e

Rem T Kitob-e Mulungem Likerk Maz̃h Yi Gũlob(In the Middle of Your Book, I’ve Kept a Rose)
Ayoz Karim en
Rem ti kitob-e mulungem likerk maz̃h yi gũlob
Ska gũlob palchem nivishetk tower k̃hũ zindagig̃h-e yod
Gũlob-e me car bũrbod tu
Da gũlobi z̃hũ zindaig̃h-e hol e
Gũlob-e car tu qabũl me s̃kend yem z̃hũ nozũk pũzũv
In the middle of your book, I’ve kept a rose ,
On the leaf of the rose, I’ve written your love,
Accept the rose gift and don’t break my sensitive heart.
Please, don’t destroy the rose,
In the rose, my life condition is imprinted,

Yem k̃hũ khũsh sũrat me disũv trem bar ozor
Ti kharidorev niyeng trem bar hazor
Ma’ri ũs̃hũk cem ti jon en, me kuy dũrzd yem ti jon ey
Tẽr Har Gẽna’p Wost Ti Qisa
Ayoz Karim en

Yem z̃hũ jon-e kash tu thũw k̃he trem k̃hũ c̃hez̃hm yem e dhũw k̃he
Yandi nũwiz da kũcha, tẽr har gẽna’p wost ti qisa

Ti g̃his̃her g̃is̃hwor wu wocem, da ti perg-e qator wu wocem
Car dẽ maz̃h en s̃hitika, tẽr har gẽna’p wost ti qisa

Z̃hũ jigar-e khũn en s̃harung tu kat̃ k̃he, ska k̃hũ puner yan yem z̃hũ nung tu kat̃ k̃he
Kũk̃hter yow-e disũva, tẽr har gẽna’p wost ti qisa

Da spreg̃h’v-e mulung k̃hat mũsh k̃he, ta’n maz̃h tayin khũsh k̃hũsh k̃he
Yandi giz ey banafsha, tẽr har gẽna’p wost ti qisa

Wirem Niyeng Dem K̃hũ Bogh-e Mulung
Navid Akhtar en

Wirem niyeng dem k̃hũ bogh-e mulung
Yem k̃hũ spreg̃h’ves̃h carem tayin e

Ya z̃hũ gũlobes̃h ne wiz’t ma’r nazar
Bidona rangi niv wũrek̃hk ko kumer

Yow tu ya z̃hũ bogh-e zinat tu
Har yũwer ca’n z̃i hasrat tu

Z̃i bikhabar kuy-e nazari pẽrvetk
Ya azhũ gũlobev biajal cẽ ma’n zetk

Da bahori yem da ti hes̃h wezde
Z̃hũ jon dẽ hazor khũshi’nes̃h wezde
Nivi yow ko kumer wũrek̃hk
Chi’ri k̃hat e z̃ereng mũlol k̃hetk

Wũrek̃hkem wuz z̃i wũswasa e
De har yi boghem kert yow sũma e

K̃hatem akes̃h wezde yem zamona e
Z̃hũ jon kuyer carem gila e

Dẽ zindagig̃h yow-e khũshig̃hem ne got
Ra gurep cereng orom yan gotem

Ra gurep yan yow-e spreg̃h kat̃it
Ozor ki kumer yow drek vite

Nasib nasti yow dem ti nasib
Akhtares̃h chi’r ko yan k̃hũn yow dish

Zindagig̃h Zindagig̃h, Hay Biram Zindagig̃h
Ayoz Karim en

Zindagig̃h zindagig̃h, hay biram zindagig̃h
Nomijoyes̃h lecer inson-e har khũshig̃h

Wost khohish ki z̃hũn be dawlat wost
Wost khohish ki z̃hũn be hũkmat wost
Dem ti noghosh safar en khabar wuz nasst
Zindagig̃h zindagig̃h, hay biram zindagig̃h

Skem k̃hũ lakht-e jigar thũwak’ri bowar
Gũl da pũob wocner boghbon’ri khabar
Hadem s̃hitik-e dũnyo tu’s̃h chiz car tũma
Zindagig̃h zindagig̃h, hay biram zindagig̃h

Maz̃h be niv ne dishetkk̃hũ pũz̃ũvem to’r blek
To’r kumer qabũl, tow ya sivand ya ra shet
Dem ti bimon dũnyo z̃hũn chiz chora
Zindagig̃h zindagig̃h, hay biram zindagig̃h

Hal’mes̃h Da Maykhona
Navid Akhtar en

Ti safari alag z̃hũ dũr, z̃hũ manz̃ili jidha
Saqiyi z̃hũ nung a, halemes̃h da maykhona
Wuz sharobes̃h pev’ma,hal’mes̃h da maykhona

K̃hũ vẽdeket rẽpak̃hk, ko kum’ret tu tak̃hk
Yem badnasib pũzũv’res̃h ko cereng got’ma
Wuz tumer ta’r k̃hanem, me car maz̃her gila

Skem oshiqi dũnyo’es̃h cereng car barosa
Dem maykhona-e bares̃h ko chizer car sũma
Oshiq-e nazarep ne got drem, yemi maykhona

Ey bogh-e bahor, ko rand tu ma’r qaror
Nis̃hetki ya z̃hũ yore dhetk ma’r k̃hũ didor
Tumer ta’r k̃hnam, me rand ma’r badh dũo

Ti dardi ma’r bowar a ye z̃hũ nozamin
Z̃hũmak-e rang sũrati ce khẽmetk rem zamin
Ce k̃hũ khũshruy nazar en yemsaqi-e tayin

Acknowledgement
The above songs I sincerely dedicate in memory of late Dr. Boghsho Lashkarbekov of Russian Academy of Sciences and his team of scholars that provided an opportunity for me to be in the field and got to know about two hidden talents among the youth of the area.
Special thanks to Ayaz Karim and Naveed Akhtar for their generosity in sharing their composed songs with us. In the same manner, I’m also grateful to Mukhi Salahuddin of Passu for his hospitality and sharing his knoweldge with us around different themes of discussion in his heavenly restaurant during the summer time .
As ever, I’m grateful to my nephew Mazdak Jibran Beg for all his help and support and particuarly developing the audios in video form and publishing them on Eagles World Channel after their editing.