This week's writing is coming in "out of order".
I had planned to do another one, but when something happens and I think it's worth it, why not stop?
On Thursday, Zafest, a festival initiated by Vlashent Sata since 2017, began in Shkodra.
In the courtyard of a typical Shkodra house like that of Oso Kukës, people of different ages came together for a first evening, which then followed with two more nights with a much larger audience at the Rozafa Castle. (You still have time to get to the third one tonight)
Personally, I have a lot of love for this cultural event, and I haven't stopped following and promoting it since the first time. (Although at the beginning of my pregnancy, I took the Theth route, which was truly terrible in those years.) That's enough for an introduction.
I'm going back to the first night of this year, the reason that prompted this article. Amid the heat and uncertainty about whether it would be okay, we decided to take our little girl with us (I was pregnant with her during the first edition, so the festival is just like her😊), and we set off for Shkodra with some dolls, a notebook, and a box of paints.
During the performance, we had the opportunity to listen to the sounds of Vlashenti accompanying the poetry of Ndre Mjeda, performed by Rafael Hoxhaj, see an exhibition by young people from twelve countries, participate in a conversation with Lorik Cana and Arbër Agalliu, about their documentary "Udha" dedicated to the Arbëresh people in Italy, and finally enjoy under a light breeze, which nature did not spare us, Petrit Çarkaxhiu's solo project (You'll do yourself a favor if you search for his work on YouTube).
I don't want to go into too much detail, this isn't really an article dedicated to the festival. But the festival is dedicated to the people, and that's where my attention stopped today.
It is not often that we witness conversations, music, films, photography, that prove humanity, and that lead the weight to the good. We often even ask why the hell in our country we are not managing to feel good as a society, why we are almost ashamed of the majority, or rather I should say not the real majority, but the one that gets the most voice and attention? Why when we are abroad we sometimes become more unpatriotic, and on other occasions we rush even within the country, so that our children do not speak the language of their parents? And we look for the blame for this in the government, in the institutions, in society in general…
So that night, all I took with me were these thoughts that I want to share with you today:
Things are simple #truthsaresimple. Before we complicate them, let's focus on the good we have inside and bring it to others, like captain Lorik Canaj, for example: patriot / talented / eloquent / clear / beautiful of the land / (do the order yourself 😊). After contributing to sports, he has chosen to promote Albanian culture and do this simply, without fanfare. To tell it simply, after having lived it in the first person and with the same human simplicity, to stop the story to congratulate Vllaznia… (the tranquility of a courtyard that was listening with all ears and eyes was "broken" by the cheering of Shkodra fans who were watching the next match at the nearby "Loro Boriçi" stadium).
Or like Vlashenti, Petriti, Rafaeli, Arbri…to mention those who took to the stage with their art…and then Arbana, Klodi…Olti..Ana, Arseldi, Tea…those who work hard behind the scenes, …or like those spectators of every age, who open their hearts to such art and conversation…all with the passion of someone who will give voice to goodness.
So take the good that you have inside yourself, take the opportunity to convey it to others. Don't wait for others, institutions, governments, be the transmitter of goodness, with as much as you have, with as much as you can. Don't leave yourself in the hands of others, and don't forget that "rather than waiting for someone else to do it for us, let's do it for ourselves" as Vlashenti says in one of his songs...
Pass on your goodness to your child, and you will feel better yourself. And perhaps in this way, each of us can do the greatest good, the most beautiful society, just like that group of spectators who filled their hearts, and sometimes even their eyes, that first night of Zafest.
…On the grass in the yard, my little girl not only had a good time…but enjoyed the “picnic” with a special soundtrack. Maybe she won't remember many things when she grows up, but I'm convinced that she will take the good taste with her, and God willing, she will seek it and multiply it again!
