The carrier of our ancient and rich cultural heritage from past to future-ashug art

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Published on Thursday, 29 March 2018 11:07

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The lovable ashug art, which is considered to be a deep, rich art form, has developed from ancient times in Nakhchivan, one of the historical regions of Azerbaijan. The high development of culture throughout history and the existence of urban life enabled the ashugs to function extensively in Nakhchivan. The famous ashugs of their time - Agh Ashug Allahverdi Kosajanli, Ashug Suleyman, Ashug Jalil, Ashug Mammadjafar, Chobankarali Ashug Jafar, Ashug Mirzali, Ashug Hidayat, Ashug Abulfaz and others were the figures of Nakhchivan ashug environment.

We made a conversation with, specialist in folklore, professor Yusif Safarli in order to get detailed information about the rich history and present development level of ashug art. He noted that ashugs were known as ozan, dada, varsag, yanshag in ancient times. The "varsag" name of the ashugs was related to the name varsag tribes. “Yanshag” was mainly used in XIII-XIV centuries.

Folklore research shows that the art of ashug is an oral literature preserving artistic mentality of the Turkic people in the form of syllables metre from elementary to modern times. The outstanding representatives of this art such as Ashug Gurban, Ashug Abbas Tufarganli, Khasta Gasim, Molla Juma, Dada Turab, Ashug Valeh and others enriched ashug poems even more. The visit of Ashug Ali, Ashug Alasgar, including Ashug Huseyn Shamkirli to Nakhchivan, to organize meetings with local ashugs show that the art of ashug in this historic area had developed in XVII-XX centuries.

My interlocutor gave information about saz melodies created in Nakhchivan. He mentioned that “Aghir sharili”, “Orta sharili”, “Nakhchivan gulu”, “Nakhchivani”, “Jalili”, “Bash Jalili”, “Orta Jalili”, “Ordubadi” and other saz melodies are related to Nakhchivan. Ashug Jafar lived in Nakhchivan in 1922-1943. Ashug Sultan, Ashug Fatullah, Ashug Hasan, Ashug Gulu were his students. Outstanding ashugs lived in Shikhmahmud, Mazra, Payiz villages of Nakhchivan, as well as in Turkesh, Kuku, Bichanak villages of Shahbuz. Women ashugs Reyhan khanim, Gonchabayim khanim, Ashug Nobat were also very popular.

Speaking about Nakhchivan literary environment of the XX century, my interlocutor also spoke of other ashugs. He noted that Ashug Abbas Dahri who lived in Dasta village of Ordubad wrote goshma, tajnis, gozallama in  syllables metre. He emphasized that Ashug Nabat from Sharur was a well-known ashug in Azerbaijan's ashug art. Thus, the very ashug performed “Danishag” goshma by Samad Vurghun in the decade of Azerbaijani literature and culture held in Moscow.

Nowadays, Ashug Tural, Ashug Aydin, Ashug Shirin, Ashug Kamil and others from Nakhchivan preserve this art.

In the period of independence, the ashug art has entered a new stage,- said my interlocutor mentioning that inclusion of Azerbaijan ashug art into UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List is the result of high state care for ashug art in Azerbaijan.

At present, the activity of Nakhchivan Union of Ashugs is a vivid example of the survival and preservation of ashug art in the autonomous republic. Honored Artist of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, chairman of the Union of Ashugs Tural Bagirov informed us about the activities of the union and stated that after the Decree of the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic dated February 7, 2009 “On holding Folk days in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic”, Union of the Ashugs was established on December 25 of the same year and brought together the ashugs living in Nakhchivan. The union has more than 30 members at present. Tural Bagirov said there were also ashugs who wanted to join the union, providing a wide range place for saz melodies at various festivals held every year in Nakhchivan is a manifestation of the attention and care shown to the ashug art in this region,- he added.

Conducting of master classes and the activity of saz classes at children’s music schools, Nakhchivan Music College, Art Faculty of Nakhchivan State University encourages those who are interested in ashug art. Ashug Tural also emphasized that Nakhchivan ashugs perform concerts in different events in Baku, Ganja, Tovuz, Gazakh, Gadabay, Borchali, Goycha, Shirvan regions, in Turkey, Iran and other countries. This is of great importance for the promotion of ashug art.

Works on collecting, publishing and propagation of poems of ashugs living in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic   is one of the important factors in revealing the peculiarity of the ashugs in the region, its history and geography in the ancient land.

Today in the autonomous republic there is great state care for the art of ashug. It contributes to the development of the art of ashug, which is the carrier of the ancient and rich cultural heritage from past to future.

                                                                         Guntaj SHAHMAMMADDLI

                                                                            “Sharg gapisi” newspaper

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