Zeal and zest in literature of Gilgitians is comparably generative than the rest of the country, according to Professor Dr Syed Sohail Iman, the dean of faculty of social sciences at the Karakoram International University (KIU), Gilgit.
He stated this while addressing a discourse on “Malangay Samutari: The collection of Malang Poetry”, a book compiled by Israrud Din Israr and published by Shina Language and Culture Promotion Society (SLCPS), at KIU Gilgit.
During the ceremony, three research papers on the book were presented by local scholars and later Malang’s ghazals were sung.
The first paper, written by KIU Gilgit Lecturer Fouzia Mansoor, stated that while earlier Shina poetry is characterized by exaggeration, mockery and illogical ideas, the author has tried his best to keep Shina poetry from low and vulgar ideas by introducing new concepts.
In the second paper, renowned social scientist Aziz Ali Dad maintained that Malang subjectivity relies on figure and symbol that belong to the mythical past of Shamanism, of which Shaman Khameto is a prominent representative form and from which archetypes of Shina cosmology emergence and influences languages and culture of Gilgit.
The third paper by Government Degree College Gilgit Lecturer Ishtiaq Ahmed Yaad states that the book (Malangay Samutari) determines the poetic tradition in Shina by grasping the literary history of classical and contemporary poetry.
While addressing the ceremony, Shamim Zia, chairperson of the department of modern languages at KIU said that the mission of his department and that of SLCPS is the same.
German Linguist Dr Beate Reinhold appreciated the role of SLCPS for the promotion and preservation of Shina language and culture.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2012.
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