A Rushani Lullaby by Mirgulova Shirmo - Rushani
Mirgulova Shirmo, a Rushani speaker originally from Vamar in the Rushan region of Tajikistan, sings a Rushani lullaby. In th second video, she discusses the lullaby and its wider context in her life. Part of the Lullabies of New York Project, supported by the Brooklyn Arts Council. In Rushani with Rushani and English subtitles by Husniya Khujamyorova.
Rushani, sometimes considered a dialect of the closely related Shughni language, is spoken primarily in the Rushon area of the larger Pamir region in southeast Tajkistan. Rushani speakers, like other Pamiris, are highly mulitlingual, typically commanding Shughni, Tajik, Russian, and in some cases English (for instance in the small New York community).
This video was filmed in Mirgulova's apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Our session led to various discussions about the difficulties raising children with multiple languages, particularly endangered languages.
