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Spring 2005 (13.1)
Reader's Forum
Remembering
the Giants
Thank you very much for your tribute: "Ismikhan Rahimov:
In Defense of My Mother Tongue", AI 12.4 (Winter 2004).
Back in 1960, I was one of Ismikhan's first students in his English
language classes at Azerbaijan State University. He had just
started to teach after being "rehabilitated" and released
from Stalin's prisons. Truly, he was a man of principles - full
of sincerity, nobility, knowledge and honesty. He loved Byron
and tried to teach us to love his poems and English literature.
A few years ago when I was in Baku, I went to visit him in the
hospital and we had a long conversation. Unfortunately, it was
my last meeting with him. He told me how proud he was that his
students had become contributing members of society and our nation,
and I told him how proud we were that we had him as our professor.
I believe that Ismikhan Rahimov was one of the most significant
figures in our contemporary history. We must remember him, with
gratitude for what he did and what he tried to do for the Azerbaijani
people. "Allah rahmat elasin" (May God rest his soul).
Dr. Fikrat
Abdullayev
Experimental Oncological Laboratory
National Institute of Pediatrics
Mexico City, Mexico
_________
Spiritual
Nourishment
I am writing this letter to thank you and say how grateful I
am for the wonderful work you are doing. I did not want to keep
the deep appreciation that I have for your work and for this
magazine inside of me. I want you to know that your work and
all your efforts are so much appreciated by your readers.
I first discovered your magazine in 1999, when I was studying
abroad. Your magazine served as my major link to home, my Motherland,
my Azerbaijan. I remember so eagerly waiting for every new issue
and then reading every page so carefully, afraid that I would
miss something so important, so dear to me, even a tidbit of
information about my Azerbaijan, my Baku.
Yesterday, I took a day off from work and had the luxury of spending
several hours reading and enjoying the new issue [Winter 2004].
I have become a devoted reader of your magazine and throughout
these years, I feel like I have been discovering my Motherland
over and over and over again. This wonderful journey never stops;
it is like Life itself - interesting, exciting, dynamic and eternal.
Reading your magazine truly enriches my soul - whether the articles
provide insight into the history of Ichari Shahar [Old City],
or our glorious Azerbaijani food, rich culture, traditions, or
whether they express the sorrow of our refugees, or make us see
and feel the happiness of adopted Azerbaijani kids who now have
homes and families abroad.
The richness of your magazine is very hard to describe in words,
it is a true source of fulfillment of soul. Azerbaijan International
helps me personally to become a better person and a better citizen
of my Azerbaijan.
Thank you,
Aysel Seyidova
Baku
_______
Jujalarim
More than 40 years ago when I was a child, I used to dance with
Jujalarim (1963-1973). Berta Adamovna Brailovskaya was our teacher.
I was one of only 10 girls who were among those chosen to go
to Hungary for the Children's Festival in 1968.
The following year, our group performed in Yugoslavia. It was
a very prestigious trip because the Soviet Union could send only
one group. We had to go to Moscow to compete and perform in front
of a panel of judges. Our group from Azerbaijan was chosen out
of hundreds of other groups from all over the Soviet Union. They
considered us the best. We were so proud!
Now that I live in Los Angeles, I've been searching to find information
about Jujalarim because so much of my life is tied to the history
of that dance group. These memories are so dear to me.
Just recently, I discovered the article about Jujalarim on your
Web site - AZER.com. When I listen to that song Jujalarim, I
close my eyes and I become 8 years old again. Thank you, again
and again for featuring Jujalarim because it was a magic moment
in my life!
Nadia Arkharova
Los Angeles
Editor's Note:
Search AZER.com for "Jujalarim". You'll find the article:
"Just for Kids: Ju-ja-lar-im - Our Little Chicks",
which tells the story about Sugra Baghirzade, who sang this song
at the Festival of the Decade of Azerbaijani Art in Moscow in
1959. Also available: photos, music notes, Azeri words in Azeri
Latin script, and in English transliteration. The English translation
is also there. Jujalarim is still popular as a children's song
today - nearly 50 years later.
Back to Index AI 13.1 (Spring
2005)
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