Maintaining national unity has been a priority task for the Tajik government since the end of the civil war in 1997. Along with declaring 27 June, the day when the peace accord was signed, the Day of National Unity,319 the Tajik government announced Sadriddin Aini and Bobojon Ghafurov were awarded with the title of “Heroes of Tajikistan” on 8 September, 1997. 320 This is the highest state award in Tajikistan.321 By that time, these two figures were already uncontestably and unconditionally famous people within Tajik society. There was no shortage of knowledge and discourse about the services they had rendered to the Tajik nation. Even though those discourses were created during Soviet rule, narratives about their exemplary lives and deeds were equally acceptable in post-Soviet Tajikistan. President Emomali Rahmon was chosen by the parliament as the next “Hero of Tajikistan” on 11 December 1999.322 Since then three more people were awarded the title of “Hero of Tajikistan”. On 7 May 2001, Mirzo Tursunzoda, a famous Soviet Tajik poet and writer, received the title of Hero of Tajikistan.323 On 27 June 2006, the president bestowed the same honour on Nusratullo Makhsum and Shirinsho Shotemur. Members of the Tajik intelligentsia represented by the Academy of Science of Tajikistan, the Union of Writers, Union of Artists, Union of Musicians and Union of Theatre Actors wrote a letter to President Rahmon thanking him for perpetuating images of these Tajiks.324
The Tajik government exerts significant effort to promote the lives and deeds of these people by organizing a series of public events, meetings, conferences and publications, etc. For instance, in 1998, Tajikistan celebrated the 90th anniversary of Bobojon Ghafurov. A year before that, during the 29th session of the General Assembly of UNESCO in Paris in October-November, the government successfully lobbied for the inclusion of Ghafurov’s 90th anniversary to the list of anniversaries, historic events and eminent personalities to be celebrated by Member States and
319 The President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon argues that “In the history of states and nations of the world, there
are important events and dates, which as time goes by gains a [significant] role and place as national values, which teaches the nation to follow the path of respect and veneration and defend this asset and invaluable achievement. The Day of National Unity is one of those historic and fateful dates for the nation of Tajikistan.” See Emomali Rahmon, "Tabrikoti televizioni ba munosibati Ro'zi vahdati milli," 26 June 2013.
320 See "Az darichai Tarikh," Haqiqati Sughd, 2011?
321 See Article 2 of Law of Tajikistan on State Awards of the Republic of Tajikistan, 2001 322 "Az darichai Tarikh."
323 Ibid.
324 Abdufattoh Sharipov and Zarovuddin Sirozhov, Emomali Rahmonov: God Ariiskoi tsivilizatsii (Vnutrenniaia i
Associate Members.325This series of public events and celebrations culminated on 21 December
2008, with a grand ceremonial meeting.326 With similar jubilance the 120th anniversary of Sadriddin Aini was celebrated, the main event taking place on 15 April 1998, the writer’s birthday.327 A decade later, the government sponsored a similar series of public events, conferences and publications to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ghafurov and the 130th anniversary of Aini.328
Mirzo Tursunzoda’s 100th anniversary in 2011 was also celebrated on a similar scale and in a similar style. Upon the request of the Tajik government in 2009, the anniversary was included in the list of UNESCO’s 2010-2011 celebrations and anniversaries.329 The government financed the construction of the Museum of Tursunzoda in the city of Tursunzoda.330 On this occasion, the Tajik State Institute of Arts, named after Mirzo Tursunzoda, held a year-long series of events, including a poem reading contest, theatrical staging, seminars, meetings with the writers and poets, a book fair, as well as a conference, “Mirzo Tursunzoda: About Peace and Friendship.”331 Additionally, two public publishing houses took over the task of releasing Tursunzoda’s selected poems in Tajik and Russian, with English translations, as well as an edited volume of memories of Tajik and foreign writers and poets featuring Tursunzoda and two volumes of poems authored by Tursunzoda specifically for school children.332 Moreover, several national and local public gatherings took place. For instance, on 26 April 2011, there was a public event in Khujand city devoted to the 100th anniversary of Tursunzoda.333 On 12 May 2011, the Centre for Educational Development and the Academy of Education of Tajikistan hosted a conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Tursunzoda.334 On 11 October 2011, the Writers’ Union of Tajikistan organized a poetry evening devoted to Tursunzoda’s poems.335 To conclude the series of events, on 14 October 2011, a public ceremony, participated in by President Rahmon, was held.336
Similar events of remembrance were devoted to Nusratullo Makhsum and Shirinsho Shotemur. The government sponsored the celebration of Makhsum’s 125th anniversary in 2006 and 130th
325 see "Khronologii͡a sobytiǐ Nat͡sionalʹnoǐ Komissii Respubliki Tadzhikistan po delam UNESCO v 1991-2010 gg.,"
UNESCO, 2014, 2011.
326 See Zarifi, Emomali Rahmon - bunyonguzori siyosati khorizhi Tozhikistan.: 233 327 "Az darichai Tarikh."
328 See Mavzhuda Hasanova and Akmal Kadamov, "V Tazhikistane otmetili 130-letnii iubilei Sadriddina Aini," Asia-
Plus, 15 April 2008.
329 See "Khronologii͡a sobytiǐ Nat͡sionalʹnoǐ Komissii Respubliki Tadzhikistan po delam UNESCO v 1991-2010 gg.." 330 "V Tursunzade stroitsia muzei v chest' 100-letiia Mirzo Tursunzade," Avesta.Tj, 14 January 2011.
331 Liudmila Dubinina, "V TGII sostoiatsia iubileinyie meropriiatiia, posviashennyie M.Tursunzade," Khovar, 22
January 2011.
332 "Tazhikistan otmechaiet vek narodnogo poeta Mirzo Tursunzoda," Khovar, 12 October 2011. 333 "K 100-letiiu mastera slova Mirzo Tursunzade," Pressa.tj, 27 April 2011.
334 "Narodnomu pisateli͡u i poėtu Tadzhikistana Mirzo Tursunzade 100 let," 2014, no. 29 May 2014, 2011. 335 Avaz Iuldashev, "Tazhikistan otprazdnuiet 100-letnii iubilei Mirzo Tursunzade," Asia-Plus, 28 September 2011. 336 "E.Rahmon: Vsiu svoiu zhizn Mirzo Tursunzoda posviatil sluzheniiu narodu," Avesta.Tj, 14 October 2011.
anniversary in 2011. In particular, in 2006 President Rahmon unveiled Makhsum’s statue in the latter’s hometown.337 During the opening ceremony, President Rahmon stated that “remembering this selfless representative of Tajik nation is the duty of every proud citizen of Tajikistan.”338 In 2011, the Academy of Science of Tajikistan held a conference devoted to the 130th anniversary of Makhsum, during which a dozen Tajik historians remembered the role of Makhsum in the establishment of Tajikistan.339 Additionally, a book was published with the title “In the Onset of the History,” that included primary documents about Makhsum’s political activity and scholarly articles about him.340
The case of Shotemur’s remembrance perhaps bears the best evidence about Tajikistan’s efforts to promote the Heroes. On 25 February 2009, the government of Tajikistan adopted a special decree “About the Plan of Events on Preparation and Organization of the 110th Anniversary of Hero of Tajikistan Shirinsho Shotemur”.341 The organization committee established by this decree was assigned with “preparation and spreading of materials about Shirinsho Shotemur in mass-media, preparation, and publication of a collection of works about Shotemur written by local and foreign scholars and writers.”342 Moreover, within July-October 2009, the organisation planned to erect a monument of Shotemur in Khorog city park, restore his house and turn it into a museum, create a documentary, hold a conference called, “Shirinsho Shotemur and the Issues of Creation of a State of Tajiks”, as well as publish a book titled, “Wherever I am, I Want to be with Tajiks”.343 Along with the central government's decree, the head of the Gorno-Badakhshon Autonomous Region, Qodiri Qosim issued an order on the measures that would be taken to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Shirinsho Shotemur at the regional level. Among other events, Qosim planned to organize a conference with grandiose title “Shirinsho Shotemur and the Geopolitical Issues of Tajikistan from His Days to the Present.”344
Throughout 2009, the following notable events devoted to the commemoration of Shotemur took place. First, “Irfon”, the publishing house of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Culture, published a book titled “Shirinshoh Shotemur” edited by Qurbon Alamshoev and Haidarsho Pirumshoev.345 Second, the statue was installed in October in Khorog.346 Interestingly, President Rahmon issued
337 Sharipov and Sirozhov, Emomali Rahmonov: God Ariiskoi tsivilizatsii (Vnutrenniaia i vneshniaia politika Prezidenta
Tazhikistana).: 302
338 Ibid.: 302
339 "Konferentsiia v chest' 130-letiie Nusratullo Makhsuma v AN RT," Khovar, 1 July 2011. 340 Ra'no Nusratulloeva, "U istokov istorii Tazhikistana," Khovar, 4 July 2011.
341 "110-letiie Shirinsho Shotemura otmetiat v respublike na gosudarstvennom urovne," Asia-Plus, 12 March 2009. 342 Ibid.
343 Ibid.
344 Lutfisho Dodo, "Giromidoshti Sh.Shotemur," Khovar, 17 April 2009.
345 Beknazari Abubakr, "Ba istiqboli 110-solagii Qahramoni Tozhikiston," Khovar, 11 September 2009.
orders to replace the statue of Lenin with the statue of Shotemur.347 Third, the National Library of Tajikistan hosted a conference called “Shirinsho Shotemur – Hero of Tajikistan” on 16 October.348 Moreover, a month-long book fair, during which hundreds of books were displayed, was organized around the theme of “Sources on Shirinsho Shotemur’s Life and Deeds”. Finally, on 20 October, there was a public celebration, in which President Rahmon was a participant, devoted to the 110th anniversary of Shirinsho Shotemur.349 President Rahmon used the occasion to instruct the Ministry of Culture to open a corner of Shotemur in the National Museum of Tajikistan, and to erect a memorial tomb above his grave in the outskirts of Moscow. He also ordered the Agrarian University of Tajikistan to be named after Shirinsho Shotemur.350
It should be noted that Tajik scholars have expended much effort on discovering new primary sources on Shotemur’s life and political activity. This has contributed to the emergence of solid textual knowledge and discourse on Shotemur’s role in the establishment of Tajikistan. For instance, a book titled, “Shirinsho Shotemur in the History of Revival of Tajik Statehood” authored by Qurbon Alamshoev was published in 2013, and was reportedly dedicated to the 115th anniversary of Shotemur that was celebrated in 2014.351 It is also noteworthy that in August 2008 Qurbon Alamshoev discovered the so-called “second letter” authored by Shirinsho Shotemur and addressed to Joseph Stalin, leader of the USSR. The letter clearly demonstrates how hard Shotemur struggled against Uzbek pressure and defended the rights of the Tajiks to establish a state.352 A year later, two rare videos of Shotemur were discovered.353 There have also been efforts to depict Shotemur’s figure through literary works. Thus, a book compiling the literary works devoted to Shirinsho Shotemur was published in 2012.354
Other than the jubilees and celebrations, the government of Tajikistan has also undertaken other measures to promote images of the Heroes of Tajikistan. The most widespread additional measure is the proliferation of portraits of the Heroes in public schools, higher education institutions, public cultural venues and other public areas. Moreover, throughout Tajikistan there are cities, suburbs, streets, and institutions named after these Heroes. The Central Bank has also put the images of the Heroes on banknotes. Even planes are named after the Heroes.
347 "Rahmon Zhoi Leninro ba Shohtemur Dod," Millat, 23 October 2009., Zarinai Khushvaqt, "Paikari Shohtemur ba
Zhoi Lenin," BBC Tajik, 20 October 2009.
348 Takhmina Goibnazarova, "Nauchnyie suzhdeniia o Shirinsho Shotemure," Khovar, 15 October 2009. 349 "Chashni qahramon dar sathi oli surat girift," Zhumhuriiat, 20 October 2009.
350 Ibid.
351 Paǐrav Chorshanbiev, "V Dushanbe Izdana kniga o zhizni i deiatel'nosti Shirinsho Shotemur," Asia-Plus, 21
October 2013., Haidarsho Pirumshoev, "Shirinshoh Shotemur va Ehioi Davlatdorii Tozhikon," Zhumhuriiat, 6 February 2014., Faiz Mirasan, "Naqshi Sh.Shotemur dar ta'rikhi ehioi davlatdorii tozhikon," Khovar, 10 February 2014.
352 Lutfisho Dodo, "Maktubhoi Navi Shirinshoh Shotemur Ba Kreml," 28 August 2009.
353 See Mirzozhaloli Shohzhamol, "Nakhustin Video az Shirinsho Shotemur," Radioi Ozodi, 24 August 2009. 354 TojNews, ""Shohtemur dar Adabiioti Tozhik" nashr shud," TojNews, 1 November 2012. Firuza Davlatova,
Somon Air, the only air company in Tajikistan, has a fleet of Boeing airplanes that bear the names of the Heroes. As a representative of the company reported:
The board of directors and management of “Somon Air” have collaboratively decided that our newly acquired airplanes be named after the national heroes of Tajikistan. Thus, in March 2009, the second Boeing that landed in Dushanbe was named after Sadriddin Aini, the founder of modern Tajik literature. In May 2011, we bought another Boeing 737-700 and named it Shirinsho Shotemur; today another Boeing 737-900 arrived, and we have named it after Bobojon Ghafurov. By the end of the year we are expecting the arrival of Boeing 737-
300 – Nusratullo Makhsum.355
Without judging the success and quality of such measures, it is evident that promoting the Heroes is an important aspect of Tajikistan’s national identity politics. The state exerts a monopoly of power in this regard and chooses whom to promote as a Hero and how this will be done. Before analyzing why the state chooses to hail these particular people, it is worth mentioning how state keeps this rank of Heroes closed for other potential “candidates.”