Muallim Shakar demonstrates his musical instruments and talks about how and when he became interested in this profession.
Video produced by public organization «Gulu Giyoh» in collaboration with the Development Policy and PEIPSI CTC. Mulvoj, Ishkashim district. Dr. Davlatmamadov Shirinbek talks with Shakar Ibrohimov about musical instruments of Pamir.
Muallim* Shakar taught himself to play the musical instrument rubab. After retiring, he started to produce rubabs himself. Muallim Shakar has a large collection of vintage rubabs, and sometimes plays them, participating in various local events. The sound emitted by the instrument largely depends on the drum membrane rather than on the type of wood from which it was made. Muallim Shakar uses a small list of tools to create rubabs, nays and gizhaks. According to the master, working on musical instruments does not seem too complicated once the technique has been mastered. Most of the gizhak drums, a type of stringed instrument, are made from tin cans that once contained oil (humanitarian aid from the United States).
*Muallim is a respectful name for people who are masters in some sphere. A paraphrase is “teacher”.