Fatima Kuinova
Encyclopedia
Fatima Kuinova is a Bukharian Jewish Shashmakom singer. She was named "Merited Artist of the Soviet Union".
Kuinova was born in Samarqand, Uzbek SSR, but moved to Stalinabad, Tajik SSR
with her seven brothers and two sisters when she was thirteen years old, after their father was jailed and murdered by the Soviet government for his mercantile prosperity. Her family were Bukharian Jews, and their last name was originally Cohen, but Fatima changed it to Kuinova to escape the persecution Jews faced under Stalin. During her childhood, she knew the famous Mullodzhanov family and was a friend to Shoista Mullojonova. Fatima was raised in Central Asia under Stalin's Soviet regime and spoke Russian, but she also learned Bukhori, which is a dialect of the Persian
Tajiki language. Her father was the cantor of the Bukharian Jewish synagogue and taught Fatima the music of her Bukharian Jewish heritage. Kuinova began singing in different festivals at a young age. She also sang for Stalin, who was ignorant of her Jewish faith.
Fatima became famous after performing for the soldiers during World War II
. In 1948, she was named "Honored Artist of the Soviet Union". After that, she began to study Shashmakom music and sang it throughout the Soviet Union and Central Asia. Kuinova became the lead singer of the Tajik State Philharmonic, with long-time friend Shoista Mullojonova. The two were widely recognized in the republic and were some of the Soviet Union's leading traditional performers. Both Fatima and Shoista were soloists in the Tajik Ensemble "Rubobistok" that performed on television and radio throughout the Tajik SSR, Central Asia and the USSR and traveled to sing in areas like Kiev
, Leningrad
, and Moscow
. She also went on tours to Europe
, Afghanistan
, and Iran
, where she sang for the Shah.
She immigrated to Queens
, New York
, USA in 1980 and settled in Rego Park, where she founded and was the lead vocalist for the Shashmaqom Music of the Bukharan Jews Ensemble. In 1992, Kuinova was a recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship
award, given by the National Endowment for the Arts
. In Queens, Fatima works with the Bukharian Jewish musical community and performs in numerous cultural and folk events in New York City
.
Kuinova was born in Samarqand, Uzbek SSR, but moved to Stalinabad, Tajik SSR
Tajik SSR
The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Tajik SSR for short, was one of the 15 republics that made up the Soviet Union. Located in Central Asia, the Tajik SSR was created on 5 December 1929 as a national entity for the Tajik people within the Soviet Union...
with her seven brothers and two sisters when she was thirteen years old, after their father was jailed and murdered by the Soviet government for his mercantile prosperity. Her family were Bukharian Jews, and their last name was originally Cohen, but Fatima changed it to Kuinova to escape the persecution Jews faced under Stalin. During her childhood, she knew the famous Mullodzhanov family and was a friend to Shoista Mullojonova. Fatima was raised in Central Asia under Stalin's Soviet regime and spoke Russian, but she also learned Bukhori, which is a dialect of the Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
Tajiki language. Her father was the cantor of the Bukharian Jewish synagogue and taught Fatima the music of her Bukharian Jewish heritage. Kuinova began singing in different festivals at a young age. She also sang for Stalin, who was ignorant of her Jewish faith.
Fatima became famous after performing for the soldiers during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1948, she was named "Honored Artist of the Soviet Union". After that, she began to study Shashmakom music and sang it throughout the Soviet Union and Central Asia. Kuinova became the lead singer of the Tajik State Philharmonic, with long-time friend Shoista Mullojonova. The two were widely recognized in the republic and were some of the Soviet Union's leading traditional performers. Both Fatima and Shoista were soloists in the Tajik Ensemble "Rubobistok" that performed on television and radio throughout the Tajik SSR, Central Asia and the USSR and traveled to sing in areas like Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. She also went on tours to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, where she sang for the Shah.
She immigrated to Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA in 1980 and settled in Rego Park, where she founded and was the lead vocalist for the Shashmaqom Music of the Bukharan Jews Ensemble. In 1992, Kuinova was a recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship
National Heritage Fellowship
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts...
award, given by the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
. In Queens, Fatima works with the Bukharian Jewish musical community and performs in numerous cultural and folk events in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.