The Cradle (Lullabies) Songs in the Villages of Tirana

Abstract

This study intends to represent the importance of the cradle songs (lullabies) in the Albanian folklore. The stimulus to study this topic was the importance of the expression of feelings, thoughts, values, and the bond created between a mother and her child through these songs. This is the place and the moment where is created the melody of the soul which communicates the mother’s love to her child. We would like to point out some general characteristics of these songs and their resistance towards time and social changes. The language used in the verses of the lullabies used in this study is really simple, and there are not many figures of speech in them either. In these lullabies is expressed the mother’s desire for her child to be healthy, by comparing the baby to the dove, the brave men and the heroes. During the expeditions in different villages of Tirana, we found out that the habitants had forgotten almost completely these lullabies and we were only able to find these songs in the areas of Krraba and Vaqarr. In this study we have analyzed these lullabies in order to better understand their background and to reach some conclusions too. In our days the lullabies are disappearing because no body sings them any more. The social and cultural development, and also the progress of technology caused these songs to be forgotten.