Today, at the age of 95, the emblematic doyen of AFA-Rugova, Rrustem Bajram Nikçi, has passed away.
Today, at the age of 95, the legendary doyen of Ansambli Folklorik Autokton Rugova has passed away.
Rrustem Bajram Nikçi
02.03.2026
For more than 60 years, with a yatagan and rifle in his hands, on national and international stages, he gave life to the Rugova dance.
With the lahuta, singing the heroic and legendary epic of the Kreshniks, he brought to life the brave men and heroes of this land who survived for centuries in these territories. He sang about their battles and, above all, about preserving the values of the spiritual heritage of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers.
He was an example of nobility, generosity, and manliness.
The ensemble has been impoverished by his departure, but we are proud that we had him and honored by the works he left us — an example of how to love the homeland, how to dance, how to sing, and with the legacy of how these cultural heritage values of the Rugova ethnoregion should be preserved.
He will remain in the unforgettable memory of the Rugova people, friends and companions.
EN 
SQ