Jaho Brahaj: Lahuta and the Albanian Epic are national heritage and not assets that can be certified through cadastral practices by the Ministry of Culture

The drafting of the lute file at UNESCO is being done by a state commission. But researcher Jaho Brahaj says that the file is being prepared without Kosovo. Expressing criticism of the Ministry of Culture, researcher Brahaj says that the heritage of our ethnic group is being mutilated. ""Lahuta in UNESCO" - Kosovo is divided, only Albania. These days it was publicly known that a state commission of the Ministry of Culture is preparing the file "Lahuta in UNESCO" without the Republic of Kosovo. The Lahuta and the Albanian Epic are national heritage and not assets that can be certified by cadastral practices from the Ministry of Culture. The preparation and submission to UNESCO separated only by Albania is a mutilation of the heritage wealth of our ethnicity", says the researcher Brahaj. For the work being done with the lute file, researcher Brahaj says that the Ministry of Culture should be more careful. Brahaj says that the ministry is rushing. "Political conditions and international factors more than ever these days give promises that the Republic of Kosovo will soon be accepted in international organizations, where the expected objective is Kosovo's membership in UNESCO. Why this rush of the Ministry of Culture in these days for the division and delivery of the separate file from Kosovo?", says the researcher Brahaj in his reaction.

Specialists oppose mutilation

Jaho Brahaj says that our and foreign researchers who have studied the lute and the Albanian Epic during the century. XX and onwards have always seen and treated it as a pan-Albanian property in their lands, regardless of the fact that it was the property of Albanians divided into different states. "Today that we are closer than ever to being with the Republic of Kosovo under equal international conditions as UNESCO members, disruptive steps are being taken to separate and leave, singling out the most precious asset of our ethnicity spiritual wealth, the treasure of our national identity", says Brahaj. In the following, the researcher Jaho Brahaj states that the lute player of Deçani and Rugova plays with the lute accompanying the music of the National Epic, as well as the lute player of Dukagjin and Tropoja, they have the same heritage for thousands of years. they have the same repertoire and the lute is also the same. "Who gives the right to the Ministry of Culture to mutilate it, dividing and dismembering it", continues Brahaj. The researcher Jaho Brahaj further states that even the luthier masters themselves will not accept it and calls on heritage specialists to oppose this mutilation, according to him. "We hope that the members of the State Commission, well-known specialists, will also take this position, that all Albanians expect their words and actions to be real and objective. According to the news from ATSH, on March 20, 2023, for the State Commission "Lahuta in UNESCO" we have the announcement: "The work started 12 years ago, with an initiative of the government of Kosovo, was not successfully completed not because of lack of preparatory work, but because Kosovo is not yet a member of UNESCO. This delay forced us to redefine not only the name, but also the list, this for objective reasons, because the legacy we are discussing is on the decline," says Brahaj. These days in Shkodër, the meeting of the group of experts was organized with the community of rhapsodes and inheritors of the art of making the lute, coming from Malësia e Madhe, Tropoja, Puka, Lezha and Mirdita.