Arts & International Affairs: Volume 2, Number 2 | Page 51

Highs and Lows in Tajikistan
Lolisanam Ulugova
Lola Ulugova (Lolisanam) founded and directed Tajik Bio-Cultural Initiatives, a NGO dedicated
to Tajik arts and environmental issues. In 2013, she wrote and produced the nation’s first 3D
animation film, designed to promote awareness of environmental issues among children. Previously,
she produced several cultural DVDs archiving Tajik dance and biocultural diversity; was a Field
Production Manager on the documentary Buzkashi! By Najeeb Mirza (Canada); from 1999-2005
was the manager of Gurminj Museumin Dushanbe, an important museum of musical instruments;
has been involved in the administration of multiple government and NGO research projects and
publications in Tajikistan; and has been the organizer of several major art exhibitions. She holds
a Masters degree from the University of Turin, Italy and an undergraduate degree in Russian
Language and Literature. She has been Arts and Culture Program Coordinator at Open Society
Institute (OSIAF) Tajikistan since 2014. She co-produced “After the Curtain” along with Emelie
Mahdavian (USA).
Tajikistan is a beautiful country with glaciers, mountains, unspoiled nature,
vineyards, and apricot orchards. Local people revere national traditions,
which they pass on to younger generations. Before the October ����
Russian Revolution, modern Tajikistan did not exist, having been a remote
part of the Bukhara Emirate. After ����, the Soviets cultivated the Soviet
Tajiks, developed their taste for Western culture and arts, and created an
intelligentsia. Nowadays, Tajiks have a few theaters, concert halls, and tiny
conventional arts galleries.
Tajiks love dancing, playing musical instruments, and performing with
friends and family. However, most do not consider
these talents to be serious skills because they do not
value artistic practices as vehicles for development.
Culturally, this is a norm. Moreover, it is common
that girls can learn dance up to ��-�� years old but
not older. To have a female professional dancer
in respected families is a curse equal to housing
a prostitute at home. When boys learn dance,
especially when they become professional dancers,
they are labelled as gay, which is a socially maligned
group.
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