Miri Maftun

Miri Maftun

Mir Maftun (Persian: میر مفتون) also written as Mir Maftoon, or Mehri Maftun is an Afghan musician. He was born in Zebak District, Badakhshan Province, around 1960s but exact date is not specified. Some other sources say he was born in the 1970s.[1]

He specialized in authentic instruments, principally the dambura (a two string lute), the harmonium and the ghaychak (a two string violin). He combines the music styles from the region of Badakhshan (Northern Afghanistan) with each other and mixes musical elements of different ethnic origins of other Central Asian region's as well. In the West, Maftun is mainly known as an instrumentalist; in Afghanistan he is known as a singer as well.[2][3]

His texts vary from romantic and humoristic to social critic. Maftun knew to survive in a country where music had been forbidden by the Taliban.[2] He performed in Europe as well, like in 2001 in Arnhem in the Netherlands.[4]

In 2001 he was honored with an international Prince Claus Award "for his musical talents and his role as a culture medium of the traditional music of North Afghanistan."[5][6]

Discography

Contributing artist

• 2005: Music From Afghan Badaksh
• 2010: The Rough Guide To The Music Of Afghanistan

External links

• Mehri Maftun (Massoud), solo

References

1. "Mir Maftoon". Soundcloud. Soundcloud. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
2. Prince Claus Fund, profile^[permanent dead link‍]
3. Zeer Wa Bum, The Folk music of Badakhshan & Takhar Archived December 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
4. Mehri Maftun in concert in Arnhem, with other Afghaan musicians like Mahjid Pansiri, Rachid Machinai, Gholam Saqi, 2001
5. Prince Claus Fund, Year report 2001
6. Trouw (11 December 2001) Afghaanse luitspeler een van de twaalf prijswinnaars Prins Claus Fonds (in Dutch)