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Grandmother-grandfather keepsake

Grandmother-grandfather keepsake

Is originally from the Malibeyli village of Shusha. Was born in 1992 – in the year when Shusha was occupied by Armenian usurpers. Currently, works at the Shusha City Culture House. Of course, like many others, Sevinj Guliyeva also saw Shusha in pictures. But she has many memories of Shusha. She has many keepsakes from her grandparents. She says that it's good that her grandparents were able to get these things out of Shusha: "My grandmother Nazakat Zamanova and my grandfather Alakbar Zamanov grown me up. That's why they gave me the things they brought from Shusha as souvenirs.


For example, this mirror. Its history is very old. It is my grandmother's dowry. It has been in our family for 70 years. The mirror is heavy. I was asking my grandmother, why did you bring this? She said that her father made it, so it is a dear thing for her”.


Sevinj khanum keeps the jacket left by her grandfather: "Look at this knitted jacket... It's my grandfather's." At that time, my great-grandmother knitted for my grandfather. Do you see how it survived? As if the rope of that time were of good quality. But my grandfather never wore this jacket after leaving Shusha. That's why my grandmother kept it in a trunk so that if they ever came back, she would give it to my grandfather.

Kalagayi was a keepsake from my grandmother, and she gave it to me. She bequeathed that you will give it to your children. My father used to say that your grandmother never went out for a single day without wearing this dress. It was always on her head and shoulder. But as I grew up, I saw that she replaced the brown Kelaghayi with a black one. My grandparents were sad. They always said that the rest of our lives will continue after we return to Shusha. Unfortunately, they did not see it. They vished to see Shusha’s liberation so much”.   


Sevinj khanum also protects the lamp left by her grandmother. According to her, the lamp is at least 80 years old.

The pear samovar brought from Shusha is very old: “Pear samovar is very hard to find now. Usually these samovars were made in Shusha. My parents used Shusha a lot. I still use it in Baku. Every time I wake up, I remember my grandmother, my grandfather, the past days.”


The life story of the carpet left by Sevinj Guliyeva's grandmother is more interesting: “My grandmother was seriously ill. She was almost living her last days. She said keep this carpet as a keepsake from me. She said that she only opened it when she brought it from Shusha to let the air in. She didn't even spread it on the ground to keep it fresh. She said that will clean it when she return to Shusha. But she did not see those days. This carpet was my grandmother's dowry. It is more than a hundred years old. It is a real Shusha carpet, Shusha patterns. Hopefully, I will fulfill my grandmother's wish. I will spread it on the floor in liberated Shusha, in our house. I really wish I could go to my grandmother's house with these things. I have kept these things as the apple of my eye. My children will protect after me. God reunited us with Shusha. Now my biggest dream is to settle in my ancestral home again”.