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"Tef" Palushi, the icon of cartoon, satire and humor from Shkodran

2024-07-18 22:48:00, Kulturë Albert Vataj

"Tef" Palushi, the icon of cartoon, satire and humor from Shkodran

Shtefan Palushi

Shkodra has inherited a rich tradition of humor, satire, barcaleta, banter, sarcasm, caricature, and everything that the mind and soul in a need to face evil and free from all limitations, creates laughter, lives with it used as an antibody. All those who were lucky enough to have the art of laughter, and not only, as name, life and work, became part of the city's memory, became its identity representatives, became eternal Shkodra and Shkodra people everywhere they are . Among the names, those who exalted the tradition of humor, Shtjefën Palushi-Tefa is the most special.

Shtjefën Palushi-Tefa is so embedded in the memory of Shkodra, that every barcalet, every immediate joke, every comic event, every grotesque episode, every fable, or every laugh, is connected with his deeds, with what he said, with the way he chose to remain immortal.

He was not exactly a cultivated humorist and performer, a personality whose life and work would go through a professional growth. He was a born comic, because he was protected and cooked in a place like Shkodra. In a city that "One of the greatness or the many values ??that the city of Shkodra has, is popular humor. At any time and in any situation, the citizen of Shkodra tried to face the problems of the day with humor, or with some "harmless game", invented on the spot.

Shtefan Palushi

Even among the great hardships of life under the dictatorship, in family and natural disasters (earthquakes, floods), in financial or economic catastrophes such as pyramid schemes, the closing of enterprises and their privatization, at the time of exodus or visa fraud, at the time of violent riots of 97, after some wild electoral campaign or mitungu, after long blackouts, in the ground and without water, the city has breathed through the humor that emerged from the idle spirit of its citizens... they melted Pjetur Logoreci.

He made those who could not cry laugh. He dared to make fun of the state, indirectly mocking those who didn't "talk to each other". Not only that, during the two decades of the long agony of the dictatorship, as if to lose track, or to make no one responsible, the anti-communist barsaletas were attributed to Tef Palushi. Even the omnipresent eye and ear of the dictatorship, was not so alert to catch with "leek in hand", those who in some way attacked the power, criticized and flogged phenomena and characters, and "threw them without getting wet", said that Tefa said it.

Even today, after 39 years that he is no longer alive, the need to laugh out loud, to make jokes and make fun of, to make sarcasm and make fun of, to tell jokes and to think hard, to created a situation and experienced a laugh, Tefa is still alive. The message of the barsolets, once banned by communism and disturbing for the politicians of democracy and everyone who pretends to be a "boyfriend", is that humor, those particles of spiritual fun and freedom from any limitation.

Shtefan Palushi

He began his comic feats with ear-to-ear whispers, mouth-to-mouth transmission, and why not also by enriching it in every interpretation that was given to a particle that came out of Tefa.

His art was original, as it was so direct, immediate and piercing, his sarcasm, joke, play, irony, cynicism, laughter "with the left belly with the hand". Said or not, many of the barcalets attributed to him are definitely his, because such was the humor he made, such was the laughter he gave us, how he transformed humor, this magic of liberation from turmoil and bitterness, a synonym of his name, of the right we have to laugh.

We were lucky enough to be rewarded with so many laughs. Shkodra was generously enriched by the spirit, mind, pen, voice, virtuosity and grace of a beauty that sparkles in our faces with the laughter of Pjeter Gjin, Bik Pepa, Gjosho Vasije, Tano Banushi, Paulin Prekës, Gëzim Krujës, Paulin Selim, Mergim To Muhje or Nexho Shaban, etc., etc... who remained immortal with what they left us as wealth, even though for a time we had few things, but a lot of heart to ignite the spirit of beauty, the sparkle of laughter. Among them, Tefa was and remained a star in the galaxy of humor, the one who has remained in memory and generously spreads the table of laughter, joy, at thanksgivings, weddings, parties, but also in silence.

Shtefan Palushi

Shtjefën Palushi-Tefa was also a unique cartoonist! "Besides working at the Fabric Factory and designing scenographies for various shows, Tef Palushi also possessed another rare talent. He was exceptional at conceiving and sketching cartoons. This was a gift that would soon overcome Shkodra and knock on the doors of the well-known humorous magazine "Hosteni". Within the framework of the time, but with some extraordinary finds, the late 1970s and early 1980s of the last century find Taf Palushi one of the most favorite cartoonists of this magazine, at least judging by the works selected for the cover .”

Concluding this memory-homage for a small man in stature but a giant in his work, I remember that Shtjefën Palushi was born in Shkodër on June 28, 1943 and passed away on July 18, 1985 at the age of 41. He never married, and left no heirs, as his poor health did not allow him. Although life was not at all generous with his health, he took "revenge" on it by living a little, but this did not stop him from building his immortality in a high temple of memory. Generations that have gone, those that are and those that will come will find it impossible to forget "Tef Palushi", this name that could not be just a name, but synonymous with a humor phenomenon. He was born, lived and gave you eternity with a beautiful soul and infinity adorned with laughter.