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| Second book drive underway in Seattle Last spring, 7,000 books that had been sent through a project of the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association (STSCA) arrived in Tashkent (see Seattle TashkentNews, spring, 1995 issue). English texts, journals, dictionaries and general reading were featured. A variety of volunteers worked locally on this effort and Mercy Corps International provided the shipping out of the country and into Kazakhstan. PERDCA (Project for Economic Reform and Development in Central Asia) managed the distribution of the boo ks to libraries throughout Uzbekistan. These books were so enthusiastically received that the project's committee has decided to gather books for a second shipment. Mercy Corps has the means to ship another container if done by the end of December. Books in English assist the people of Uzbeki stan to learn the English language and understand more about Western thought. Such assistance is especially meaningful right now as this new country seeks more access to the world market. Besides gathering appropriate books, boxing them and getting them ready for shipping before Thanksgiving, the book project committee must raise about $2,000 to pay for the land transportation and handling. If you would like to help defray these costs and make the book project possible, a donation of any amount would be gladly accepted. Contributions of $50 to $250 would help us reach our goal quickly, as we do not have a lot of time, but smaller amounts w ould be gladly accepted. Please make out checks to: STSCA (books) and send your contribution to Gertrude Camp, treasurer, Seattle-Tashkent Book Project, 8624 Madrona Lane, Edmonds, WA 98020. There are other ways to help as well. The five-by-six-by-eight-foot storage locker we have rented is nearly full of books. We are eager to find warehouse space. Anyone with a lead on storage space, preferably without stairs, please call Joyce Doan (525-0 175). Along with the books, we are collecting 5-10 used DOS-based computers. Some will be given to PERDCA to help expand public access to e-mail. The rest we plan to place in Tashkent high schools for e-mail pen pals with Seattle and other American students. I f you have a used 286 or 386 PC that you are willing to part with, we would be happy to send it to Tashkent. PERDCA has agreed to assist in setting up the computers, establishing e-mail and training the students. If you are interested in helping sort, label and pack these books for shipment, contact Joanne Young (633-0752), or write jd2young@aol.com . Uzbek Puppet Theater to return to Seattle The Northwest Puppet Center is bringing the Uzbek National Puppet Theater back to Seattle this fall. They will be performing "Puppet Caravan on the Great Silk Road" November 1-19 in the Northwest Puppet Center's beautiful new theater in teh Mapleleaf nei ghborhood. There will be perfomrances during the week for school groups and on the weekends for the public. Many of the STSCA members my recall the Uzbek Puppet Theater's previous tour to Seattle in 1990 when they performed "The Adventures of Fatima". This show promises to be just as lively and colorful, giving Seattle audiences a glimpse of the rich culture o f Uzbekistan. NW Puppet Theater is looking for families to host one or two performers for three weeks and to help with publicity for this exciting show. Also, if you would like to be "tour guides" for the performers on their days off, or if you'd like to help make sur e their visit to Seattle is memorable in other ways, please call the Northwest Puppet Center. To purchase tickets or for further information, contact Chris or Stephen Carter (523-2579). Get a sneak preview of the NW Puppet Center at the STSCA quarterly meeting on Oct. 11! Interview with a Professor from Tashkent Board member Ilse Cirtautas hosted a very special guest this summer at the University of Washington. Muhammad Ali Ahmedov, an Uzbek poet, writer, historian and professor at Tashkent State University, spent his fourth summer in Seattle teaching cultivated Uzbek at UW's Central Asian Languages and Culture summer program. According to Professor Cirtautas, "Since 1947 University of Washington has had a strong program in Central Asian Studies. In the beginning, the Jackson School of International Studies (UW) offered courses through the Far East and Russian Institute. Since 1963 there have been book exchanges between UW and Tashkent State University. Given the circumstances of the last 70 years, with Soviet rule, where Uzbeks were supressed in school and taught less and less Uzbek, every Uzbek is overjoyed to find out that the language program at UW exists." In addition to teaching, Muhammad Ali typically writes the plays and songs for the students' summer party at the end of the term. The plays and songs are performed by the students in the language they've studied all summer, and he writes the parts for ea ch student at the level he or she has attained at the end of the course. Last year the performances were filmed and shown on Tashkent TV. Prof. Cirtautas was in Tashkent when Tashkent TV aired the program. "Everyone thanked me for promoting Uzbek. The pro gram (at UW) is recognized worldwide," she said. Muhammad Ali usually has the stories published after writing them for the student performance. This year, as in other years, Muhammad Ali didn't have much of a chance to explore Seattle, as he spent all his time with the students giving lectures on Uzbek culture, history, and the current political situation. He knew that most of the students would eventually go to Uzbekistan, and he tried to prepare them as best he could. Muhammad Ali said he was inspired by the students in Seattle by the questions they asked. Muhammad Ali began writing at age 15. Since then, he has written 16 poetic works; dastans Mashrab, Bumbazdaki Nur; Beshgul and Muhabbat; and The World Remaining, which details events surrounding the Dukchu Ishan movement. His latest historical novel, Sar badarlar, is set in the 14th century, at the time of Timur's youth. He has written several other essays on cultural historical and economic issues, and has done several translations. Muhammad Ali was Laureate of Uzbekistan Lenin Komsomol, and recipient of the Karakalpak ASSR Berdak State Prize. He is also an Uzbek Peoples Writer. Muhammad Ali is currently working on a notebook from America that he started the first year he came to teach in Seattle. He doesn't usually write on the spur of the moment but prefers to let his impressions sink in before he begins. He's hoping to be abl e to come back to teach again at UW, maybe even for more than a summer program. As for our sister city relationship with Tashkent, Muhammad Ali said, as translated by Prof. Cirtautas, "God has brought the two cities together. For the Uzbeks, it's a joy to see the beauty of Seattle. You have mountains, sea, forests; it's a paradise. To have such a place as a sister city is a gift of God. The beauty of the nature here is reflected in the friendliness of the people." Muhammad Ali, who attended a STSCA board meeting this summer, will write about the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association's serious charge to continue the relationship, and submit the writings for publication. After that, he said he will contact paople who have been in Seattle and promote the relationship. "Those people are grateful for their experience in Seattle and the success they've had as a result," he said. For more information about the summer language program or about the department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilization, contact Prof. Cirtautas (685-3800). Around the Sound... Ensemble Yalla, the Tashkent popular music group, has signed an agreement with Imagina Productions of Seattle for production and release of two or more CD recordings. The first album, titled "Beard of the Camel" will be released in October. This album fea tures 15 songs in Russian and Uzbek, including "Musical Teahouse," "Uch Kuduk" and "Tubiteika" known throughout the former Soviet Union from Yalla's recordings on the Melodia label. The members of Yalla, graduates of the Ostrovsky Theatrical Art Institute and the Ashrafi State Conservatory in Tashkent, are Uzbek. Their music incorporates traditional ethnic folk tunes and poetry of Uzbekistan and other Central Asian and Middle Easter n cultures along with contemporary pop and dance influences, into a unique international blend. They perform in more than 10 languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Nepalese and French as well as Uzbek and Russian. Formed in the early 1970s, Yalla has appeared on Soviet national television as well as around the former Soviet Union, and on concert tours in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, including featured appearances at the "Voice of Asia" festival. Yalla ha s been named "State Merited Chamber-Instrumental Ensemble" (a musical equivalent to poet laureate), and winner of the Lenin Komsomol Prize of Uzbekistan. Farrukh Zakirov, artistic director of Yalla and composer of many of their songs, was recently elected to Uzbekistan's national parliament. To order the new yalla CD "Beard of the Camel", ask for it at your local record store or contact Imagina Productions (206) 284-8381; fax (206) 284-9426; or e-mail: imagina1@aol.com Seattle-Tashkent E-mail Started A newly formed E-mail Committee with the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association is trying a new experiment in sister-city relations. We are now offering a Seattle-Tashkent e-mail connection service. This service will let people (1) acquire an e-mail p a pal in their sister city, or (2) get limited Seattle-Tashkent news by e-mail. Can you help us get the message out?. Because Tashkent distribution of our newsletter is limited, we would appreciate your passing this article to your Tashkent friends. Also, we have this article in e-mail format if you wish to distribute it that way. J ust write to bruceh@synapps.com and write as the subject: "Send E-mail Article". Acquire an International E-mail Pal Seattle and Tashkent residents, you can have an e-mail pal in your sister city! To get connected, just send the following e-mail: Address it to: bruceh@synapps.com. If you live in Seattle, write as the subject: "Seeking Tashkent Correspondents". If you live in Tashkent, write "Seeking Seattle Correspondents". In the body of your letter, write your name, gender, age, favorite subjects, and e-mail address. For exa m ple: "Susan B. Anthony, female, 175, women's issues, susanb@u.institute.edu". By return e-mail, you will receive a list of sister-city correspondents.
Also, your name and information will be put on a list that is distributed
to correspondents in your sister city. If you would like to receive occasional news from the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association by e-mail, send the following e-mail: Address it to: bruceh@synapps.com. Write as the subject title, "Send Seattle-Tashkent News". No message is necessary in the body of the e-mail. Last Update: 2 November 2005 Logo courtesy Mamoun Sakkal |
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