Back to top

Meeting of the group of experts with the community of rhapsodes and bearers of Lahuta

On March 18th in Shkodër, the group of experts together with the community of rhapsodies and bearers of the art of making Lahuta, coming from Malësia e Madhe, Tropoja, Puka, and Lezha, organized a meeting on Lahuta. The initiative was undertaken by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation and with the support of the Albanian-American Foundation for Development.

The activity was funded by AADF as part of the preparation for Lahuta nomination to UNESCO and was led by the researchers and members of the group Dr. Armanda Hysa and Dr. Rigels Halili together with Academics Mr. Vasil S. Tole and Mr. Shaban Sinani, from the Academy of Sciences who referred the presentation “Lahuta today in Albania: Eposi songs, rhapsodes and the skill of making the instrument”.

The meeting was attended by the UNESCO ICH expert, anthropologist Mrs. Susane Ogge-Milou, who has supported from the beginning the work of the group of experts and the members of the local communities. Mr. Ilir Parangoni, Project Manager at AADF, and Mrs. Bendis Pustina from the Ministry of Culture attended the workshop.

At the meeting, several protective measures were proposed by the local community such as the protection with a special status of Rhapsodies and Lahuta craftsmen; encouraging the formation of new rhapsodes in the environment where the last rhapsodies live; the assumption of responsibilities by the local government in the regions where the rhapsodies still are to be found for financial support to them; completion of a map of the area where the traditional Lahuta is kept as well as some other protection measures.

hausarbeit ghostwriter