![Rus Stamp Sayat Nova](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Rus_Stamp_Sayat_Nova.jpg)
An ashik ( az,
aşıq, ; tr,
âşık; fa,
عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy,
աշուղ; ka,
აშუღი)
is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a
dastan
Dastan ( fa, داستان ''dâstân'', meaning "story" or "tale") is an ornate form of oral history from Central Asia, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
A dastan is generally centered on one individual who protects his tribe or his people from ...
(traditional epic story, also known as ''
hikaye'') or a shorter original composition—with a long-necked lute (usually a
bağlama or ''saz'')
in
Turkic (primarily
Turkish and
Azerbaijani cultures, including
Iranian Azerbaijanis)
and non-Turkic cultures of
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...
(primarily
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
and
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
).
In
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
, the
modern ashik is a professional musician who usually serves an apprenticeship, masters playing the bağlama, and builds up a varied but individual repertoire of
Turkic folk songs.
[Colin P. Mitchell (Editor), New Perspectives on Safavid Iran: Empire and Society, 2011, Routledge, 90–92]
The word ''ashiq'' ( ar,
عاشق, meaning "in love" or "lovelorn") is the
nominative form of a noun derived from the word ''ishq'' ( ar,
عشق, "love"), which in turn may be related to the
Avestan ''iš-'' ("to wish, desire, seek"). The term is synonymous with in
Turkish and
Azerbaijani, which it superseded during the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries.
Other alternatives include ''saz şair'' (meaning "saz poet") and ''halk şair'' ("folk poet"). In
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
, the term
gusan, which referred to creative and performing artists in public theaters of
Parthia
Parthia ( peo, 𐎱𐎼𐎰𐎺 ''Parθava''; xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭕𐭅 ''Parθaw''; pal, 𐭯𐭫𐭮𐭥𐭡𐭥 ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Med ...
and ancient and
medieval Armenia
Medieval Armenia refers to the history of Armenia during the Middle Ages. It follows Ancient Armenia and covers a period of approximately eight centuries, beginning with the Muslim conquest of Armenia in the 7th century. Key events during this p ...
, is often used as a synonym.
History
![Сефи 1-й 1629-42](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Shah_Ismail_I.jpg)
The ashik tradition in Turkic cultures of
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
,
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
and
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
has its origin in the
Shamanistic
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiri ...
beliefs of ancient
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are a collection of diverse ethnic groups of West, Central, East, and North Asia as well as parts of Europe, who speak Turkic languages.. "Turkic peoples, any of various peoples whose members speak languages belonging t ...
.
The ancient ashiks were called by various names such as
bakshy
The ''bakshy'' or ''bakhshi'' ( fa, بخشی, baxši ) are traditional Turkmen musicians. Historically, they have been traveling singers and shamans, acting as healers and spiritual figures, and also providing the music for celebrations of weddi ...
/bakhshi/Baxşı,
dede (dədə), and uzan or ozan. Among their various roles, they played a major part in perpetuation of oral tradition, promotion of communal value system and traditional culture of their people. These wandering bards or troubadours are part of current rural and folk culture of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
, and
Iranian Azerbaijan,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, the
Turkmen Sahra
Turkmen Sahra ( fa, ترکمن صحرا) is a region in the northeast of Iran near the Caspian Sea, bordering Turkmenistan, the majority of whose inhabitants are ethnic Turkmen. The most important cities of Turkmen Sahra are Gonbad-e Kavus, Aq ...
(Iran) and
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
, where they are called ''
bakshy
The ''bakshy'' or ''bakhshi'' ( fa, بخشی, baxši ) are traditional Turkmen musicians. Historically, they have been traveling singers and shamans, acting as healers and spiritual figures, and also providing the music for celebrations of weddi ...
''. Thus, ashik, in traditional sense, may be defined as travelling bards who sang and played saz, an eight or ten string plucking instrument in the form of a long-necked lute.
Judging based on the
Turkic epic
Dede Korkut
The ''Book of Dede Korkut'' or ''Book of Korkut Ata'' ( az, Kitabi-Dədə Qorqud, ; tk, Kitaby Dädem Gorkut; tr, Dede Korkut Kitabı) is the most famous among the epic stories of the Oghuz Turks. The stories carry morals and values signifi ...
, the roots of ashiks can be traced back to at least the 7th century, during the heroic age of the
Oghuz Turks. This nomadic tribe journeyed westwards through Central Asia from the 9th century onward and settled in present
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
,
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
Republic and North-west areas of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. Naturally, their music was evolved in the course of the grand migration and ensuing feuds with the original inhabitants the acquired lands. An important component of this cultural evolution was that the
Turks
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
embraced Islam within a short time and of their own free will. Muslim Turk
dervish
Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from fa, درویش, ''Darvīsh'') in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage i ...
es, desiring to spread the religion among their brothers who had not yet entered the Islamic fold, moved among the nomadic
Turks
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
. They choose the folk language and its associate musical form as an appropriate medium for effective transmission of their message. Thus, ashik literature developed alongside
mystical
Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in u ...
literature and was refined starting since the time of
Turkic Sufi Khoja Akhmet Yassawi
Ahmad Yasawi ( kk, Қожа Ахмет Ясауи, Qoja Ahmet Iasaui, قوجا احمەت ياساۋٸ; fa, خواجه اَحمدِ یَسوی, Khwāje Ahmad-e Yasavī; 1093–1166) was a Turkic poet and Sufi, an early mystic who exerted a pow ...
in early twelfth century.
The single most important event in the history of ashik music was the ascent to the throne of
Shah Isma'il (1487–1524), the founder of the Safavid dynasty. He was a prominent ruler-poet and has, apart from his
''diwan'' compiled a
mathnawi
Mathnawi ( ar, مثنوي ''mathnawī'') or masnavi ( fa, مثنوی) is a kind of poem written in rhyming couplets, or more specifically "a poem based on independent, internally rhyming lines". Most mathnawī poems follow a meter of eleven, or o ...
called Deh-name, consisting of some eulogies of Ali, the fourth Caliph of early Islam. He used the pen-name Khata'i and, in ashik tradition, is considered as an amateur ashik . Isma'il's praised playing
Saz as a virtue in one of his renowned
qauatrains;
Bu gün ələ almaz oldum mən sazım --- (''Today, I embraced my Saz'')
Ərşə dirək-dirək çıxar mənim avazım --- (''My song is being echoed by heavens'')
Dörd iş vardır hər qarındaşa lazım: --- (''Four things are required for the life:'')
Bir elm, bir kəlam, bir nəfəs, bir saz. --- (''Conscience, speech, respiration, and Saz.'')
According to
Köprülü's studies, the term ''ashik'' was used instead of ''ozan'' in Azerbaijan and in areas of Anatolia after the 15th century.
After the demise of Safavid dynasty in Iran, Turkish culture could not sustain its early development among the elites. Instead, there was a surge in the development of verse-folk stories, mainly intended for performance by ashiks in weddings. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union the governments of new republics in Caucasus region and Central Asia sought their identity in traditional cultures of their societies. This elevated the status of ashugs as the guardians of national culture. The newfound unprecedented popularity and frequent concerts and performances in urban settings have resulted in rapid innovative developments aiming to enhance the urban-appealing aspects of ashik performances.
Ashugh music in Armenia
![Armenian ashugh school in Yerevan of Djivani](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Armenian_ashugh_school_in_Yerevan_of_Djivani.jpg)
A concise account of the ashik (called ''ashugh'' in
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
) music and its development in Armenia is given in ''
Garland Encyclopedia of World Music
''The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music'' is an academic reference work. It was initiated by editors at Garland Publishing in 1988 as a 10-volume series of encyclopedias of world music. The final volumes appeared in 2001, but editions have since ...
''.
In Armenia, the ashugh are known since the 16th century onward, acting as the successors to the medieval
gusan art. By far the most notable of the ashugh of all was
Sayat Nova
Sayat-Nova (Armenian: Սայեաթ-Նովայ ( сlassical), Սայաթ-Նովա ( reformed); ka, საიათნოვა; ; ; born Harutyun Sayatyan; 14 June 1712 – 22 September 1795) was an Armenian poet, musician and '' ashugh'', w ...
(1712–95), who honed the art of troubadour musicianship to crowning refinement.
Ashik music in Iranian Azerbaijan
![Ashik Rasool Qorbani](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Ashik_Rasool_Qorbani.jpg)
During the
Pahlavi era Ashiks frequently performed in coffee houses in all the major cities of east and west Azerbaijan in Iran.
Tabriz
Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
was the eastern center for the ashiks and
Urmia
Urmia or Orumiyeh ( fa, ارومیه, Variously transliterated as ''Oroumieh'', ''Oroumiyeh'', ''Orūmīyeh'' and ''Urūmiyeh''.) is the largest city in West Azerbaijan Province of Iran and the capital of Urmia County. It is situated at an al ...
the western center. In
Tabriz
Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...
ashiks most often performed with two other musicians, a
balaban player and a
qaval player; in
Urmia
Urmia or Orumiyeh ( fa, ارومیه, Variously transliterated as ''Oroumieh'', ''Oroumiyeh'', ''Orūmīyeh'' and ''Urūmiyeh''.) is the largest city in West Azerbaijan Province of Iran and the capital of Urmia County. It is situated at an al ...
the ashik was always a solo performer. After the
Islamic revolution music was banned. Ten years later, ashik Rasool Ghorbani, who had been forced to make a living as a travelling salesman, aspired to return to the glorious days of fame and leisure. He started composing songs with religious and revolutionary themes. The government, realizing the propaganda potential of these songs, allowed their broadcast in national radio and sent Rasool to perform in some European cities. This facilitated the emergence of the ashik music as the symbol of Azeri cultural identity.
In September 2009,
Azerbaijan's ashik art was included into
UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The foundations of ashik art
Ashik art combines poetic, musical and performance ability. Ashiks themselves describe the art as the unified duo of saz and söz (word).This duo is conspicuously featured in a popular composition by
Səməd Vurğun
Samad Vurgun ( az, Səməd Vurğun ; born Samad Yusif oghlu Vekilov;, . March 21, 1906 – May 27, 1956) was an Azerbaijani and Soviet poet, dramatist, public figure, first People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1943), academician of Azerbaijan N ...
:
Binələri çadır çadır --- (''The peaks rise up all around like tents'')
Çox gəzmişəm özüm dağlar --- (''I have wandered often in these mountains'')
İlhamını səndən alıb --- (''My saz and söz take inspiration'')
Mənim sazım, sözüm dağlar. --- (''From you, mountains.'')
The following subsections provide more details about saz and söz.
Musical instruments
![Stamp of Azerbaijan 482](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Stamps_of_Azerbaijan%2C_1997-482.jpg)
Mastering in playing saz is the essential requirement for an ashik. This instrument, a variant of which is known as
Bağlama, is a
stringed musical instrument and belongs to the family of long-necked lutes.
Often performances of ashiks are accompanied by an ensemble of
balaban and
qaval performers. During
Eurovision Song Contest 2012
The Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was the 57th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, following the country's victory at the with the song " Running Scared" by the duo Ell & Nikki. It was the first time Azerb ...
all three instruments were symbolically played as a cultural symbol of the host country,
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
.
Poetry genres
The most spread poetry genres are gerayly, qoshma and tajnis.
Ethical code of behaviour and attitude for ashiks
The defining characteristic of ashik profession is the ethical code of behaviour and attitude, which has been summarized by
Aşiq Ələsgər in the following verses;
Aşıq olub diyar-diyar gəzənin ----(''To be a bard and wander far from home'')
Əzəl başdan pürkəmalı gərəkdi --- (''You knowledge and thinking head must have.'')
Oturub durmaqda ədəbin bilə --- (''How you are to behave, you too must know,'')
Mə'rifət elmində dolu gərəkti --- (''Politeness, erudition you must have.'')
Xalqa həqiqətdən mətləb qandıra --- (''He should be able to teach people the truth,'')
Şeytanı öldürə, nəfsin yandıra --- (''To kill evil within himself, refrain from ill emotions,'')
El içinde pak otura pak dura --- (''He should socialize virtuously'')
Dalısınca xoş sedalı gərəkdi --- (''Then people will think highly of him'')
Danışdığı sözün qiymətin bilə --- (''He should know the weight of his words,'')
Kəlməsindən ləl'i-gövhər tokülə --- (''He should be brilliant in speech,'')
Məcazi danışa, məcazi gülə --- (''He should speak figuratively,'')
Tamam sözü müəmmalı gərəkdi --- (''And be a politician in discourse.'')
Arif ola, eyham ilə söz qana --- (''Be quick to understand a hint, howe'er,'')
Naməhrəmdən şərm eyleyə, utana --- (''Of strangers you should, as a rule, beware,'')
Saat kimi meyli Haqq'a dolana --- (''And like a clock advance to what is fair.'')
Doğru qəlbi, doğru yolu gərəkdi --- (''True heart and word of honour you must have.'')
Ələsgər haqq sözün isbatın verə --- ('' Ələsgər will prove his assertions,'')
Əməlin mələklər yaza dəftərə --- (''Angels will record his deeds,'')
Her yanı istese baxanda göre --- (''Your glance should be both resolute and pure,'')
Teriqetde bu sevdalı gerekdi --- (''You must devote himself to righteous path.'')
Ashik stories (dastan)
![The Soviet Union 1989 CPA 6091 stamp (Koroghlu, Azerbaijan epic poem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/The_Soviet_Union_1989_CPA_6091_stamp_%28Koroghlu%2C_Azerbaijan_epic_poem._A._Gadzhiev%29.jpg)
was the first to introduce the word hikaye into the academic literature to describe ashik stories. According to Başgöz, hikaye cannot properly be included in any of the folk narrative classification systems presently used by Western scholars. Though prose narrative is dominant in a hikaye, it also includes several folk songs. These songs, which represent the major part of Turkish folk music repertory, may number more than one hundred in a single hekaye, each having three, five or more
stanzas.
As the art of ashik is based on oral tradition, the number of
ashik stories can be as many as the ashiks themselves. Throughout the centuries of this tradition, many interesting stories and epics have thrived, and some have survived to our times. The main themes of the most ashik stories are worldly love or epics of wars and battles or both. In stark contrast to the conservative medium of Islamic societies where most stories take place, the heroine's rule is always as important as the hero's. In contrast to the doctrine of
Islam, there is no objection to the heroine publicly singing.
In the following we present a brief list of the most famous hikayes:
*
Shah Ismail
Ismail I ( fa, اسماعیل, Esmāʿīl, ; July 17, 1487 – May 23, 1524), also known as Shah Ismail (), was the founder of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, ruling as its King of Kings (''Shahanshah'') from 1501 to 1524. His reign is often c ...
, the founder of the
Safavid empire, is the
protagonist of a major hikaye. Despite the apparent basis in history, Shah Ismail's hikaye demonstrates a remarkable transformative ability. Feared as a ruthless despot during his lifetime, Shah Ismail becomes a poetic maestro in the hikaye, with his sword replaced by his saz, which is the weapon of choice for Shah Ismail's new persona of folk hero.
* The Warrior of The North. A Romantic Action Epic about bard named ashik in Constantinople in the 16th Century where he faces political and military problems and saves many people. In the end, he marries his soul mate, Nuur, but dies the same day in an attempt to save her from Hardun The Evil.
* The
Epic of Köroğlu
The ''Epic of Koroghlu'' ( az, , tr, ; tk, , uz, ) is a heroic legend prominent in the oral traditions of the Turkic peoples, mainly the Oghuz Turks. The legend typically describes a hero who seeks to avenge a wrong. It was often put to ...
is one of the most widespread of the Turkic hikayes. It is shared not only by nearly all Turkic peoples, but also by some non-Turkic neighboring communities, such as the
Armenians
Armenians ( hy, հայեր, '' hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diasp ...
,
Georgians,
Kurds ug:كۇردلار
Kurds ( ku, کورد ,Kurd, italic=yes, rtl=yes) or Kurdish people are an Iranian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Ira ...
,
Tajiks
Tajiks ( fa, تاجيک، تاجک, ''Tājīk, Tājek''; tg, Тоҷик) are a Persian-speaking Iranian ethnic group native to Central Asia, living primarily in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Tajiks are the largest ethnicity in Taj ...
, and
Afghan
Afghan may refer to:
*Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia
*Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity
** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...
s. Although the hikaye's path of transmission is not yet fully understood, most researchers agree that it originated in the south
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
region, most likely
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
. In the
Azeri
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
version, the epic combines the occasional romance with
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...
-like chivalry.
Köroğlu, is himself an ashik, who punctuates the third-person narratives of his adventures by breaking into verse: this is
Köroğlu. This popular story has spread from Anatolia to the countries of Central Asia somehow changing its character and content.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
i composer
Uzeyir Hajibeyov
Uzeyir bey Abdulhuseyn oghlu Hajibeyov ( az, Üzeyir bəy Əbdülhüseyn oğlu Hacıbəyov; russian: Узеир Абдул-Гусейн оглы Гаджибеков, translit=Uzeir Abdul-Guseyn ogly Gadzhibekov; September 18, 1885November 23, 19 ...
has created an opera by this name, using the ashik stories and masterfully combined some ashik music with this major classical work.
*
Ashiq Qərib,
Azeri
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
epic, made famous by
Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (; russian: Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ˈjurʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈlʲɛrməntəf; – ) was a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucas ...
, is another major story of a wandering ashik who began his journeys with worldly love and attains wisdom by traveling and learning then achieving sainthood. The story of
Ashiq Qərib has been the main feature of
a movie with the same name by director and producer
Sergei Parajanov
Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...
. In early 1980s narrated and sang the story in a one-hour-long TV program, the cosset record of which was widely distributed in Iranian Azerbaijan and had a key impact on the revival of ashug music.
* Aşıq Valeh is the story of a debate between (1729–1822) and Aşıq Zərniyar. Forty ashiks have already lost the debate to Aşıq Zərniyar and have been imprisoned. Valeh, however, wins the debate, frees the jailed ashiks and marries Zərniyar.
Verbal dueling ( deyişmə)
In order to stay in the profession and defend their reputation ashiks used to challenge each other by indulging in verbal duelings, which were held in public places. In its simplest form one ashik would recite a riddle by singing and the other had to respond by means of improvisation to the verses resembling riddles in form. Here is an example:
Famous ashiks
21st century
* , born in
Sheykh Hoseynlu
Sheykh Hoseynlu ( fa, شيخحسينلو, also Romanized as Sheykh Ḩoseynlū; also known as Shaikh Husain, Sheykh Ḩasanlū, Sheykh Ḩoseyn, and Shikhuseyn) is a village in Minjavan-e Gharbi Rural District, Minjavan District, Khoda Afarin Co ...
, has significantly contributed to the revival and development of ashik music. His book on the subject attempts to adapt the ashik music to the artistic taste of the contemporary audience.
*, born in
Baku (1981), is a popular professional ashik who teaches at the
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
State University of Culture and Art. She is committed to the survival of the ashik tradition.
* Zulfiyya Ibadova, born in 1976, is a passionate and vibrant performer with a strong individual style. She has written a great deal of original music and lyrics, and likes combining the Saz with other instruments.
* , born in 1972, is a master Saz player. He teaches at the
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
State University of Culture and Art.
20th century
*
Ali Ekber Chichek,
Ashik Ibreti,
Ashik Khanlar,
Ashik Mubarak Yaafar,
Muhlis Akarsu
__NOTOC__
Muhlis Akarsu (20 February 1948 – 2 July 1993) was a Turkish folk singer and Bağlama player. He was killed, along with 34 others, during the Sivas massacre in Sivas, Turkey when a group of Islamist rioters set fire to the hotel ...
,
Ashig Adalet, ,
Davut Sulari, , , , ,
Ashik Seyit Meftuni
*
Neshet Ertash, was born in 1938 in
Kirshehir, and started playing
baglama since he was 5. He died on 25 September 2012 in
Izmir. The opening
quatrain of his composition, Yalan Dünya, is as the following:
Hep sen mi ağladın hep sen mi yandın, --- (''Did you cry all the time, did you burn all the time?'')
Ben de gülemedim yalan dünyada --- (''I couldn't smile too in untrue world'')
Sen beni gönlümce mutlu mu sandın --- (''Did you think I was happy with my heart'')
Ömrümü boş yere çalan dünyada. --- (''In the world which stole my life in vain"'')
*, born in
Oti Kandi
Oti Kandi (w:fa:آتیکندی, آتیکندی, also Romanized as Otī Kandī; also known as Owtū Kandī) is a village in Seyyedan Rural District of Abish Ahmad District, Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan provin ...
in
Qareh Dagh, is the legendary ashik who was exiled to
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
due to his revolutionary songs during the brief reign of
Azerbaijan People's Government
The Azerbaijan People's Government ( az, آذربایجان میللی حکومتی - Azərbaycan Milli Hökuməti; fa, حکومت خودمختار آذربایجان) was a short-lived unrecognized secessionist state in northern Iran from Nov ...
following the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Hoseyn Javan's music, in contrast to the contemporary poetry in Iran, emphasizes on realism and highlights the beauties of real life. One of Hoseyn's songs, with the title "Kimin olacaqsan yari, bəxtəvər?", is among the most famous ashugh songs.
* was born in 1932 in
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
. In early eighties Kamndar performed shortened version of famous hikayes intended for contemporary audience. These performances were effective in the revival of ashik music.
* , recognized as the godfather among the masters of ashugh music, was born in 1933 in
AbbasAbad. Rasool started his music career in 1952 and by 1965 was an accomplished ashik. Rasool had performed in international music festivals held in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
Japan,
China,
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
,
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Australia,
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
,
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
and
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
. Rasool has been awarded highest art awards of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, and will be honored by government during the celebration for his 80th birthday.
*
Ashik Mahzuni Sherif,(17 November 1940 – 17 May 2002), was a folk musician, ashik, composer, poet, and author from
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
.
His had an undeniable contribution in popularizing ashik music in intellectual circles. The opening
quatrain of his composition, İşte gidiyorum çeşm-i siyahım, is as the following:
İşte gidiyorum çeşm-i siyahım --- (''That's it, I go my black eyed'')
Önümüze dağlar sıralansa da --- (''Despite mountains ranked before us'')
Sermayem derdimdir servetim ahım --- (''My capital is my sorrow, my wealth is my trouble'')
Karardıkça bahtım karalansa da --- (''Withal my blacken fortune darkened"'')
*
Ashik Veysel (25 October 1894 – 21 March 1973). The opening
quatrain of his composition, ''Kara Toprak'' ("Black earth"), is as the following:
Dost dost diye nicesine sarıldım --- (''I expected for many people to be real friends'')
Benim sâdık yârim kara topraktır --- (''My faithful beloved is black soil'')
Beyhude dolandım boşa yoruldum --- (''I wandered around with no end, I got tired for nothing'')
Benim sâdık yârim kara topraktır --- (''My faithful beloved is black soil"'')
19th century
*
Ashik Summani,
Ashig Aly,
Molla Juma,
Ashig Musa,
*Ashiq Basti (1836–1936), is one of the most outstanding female representatives of the art of Ashig in nineteenth century Azerbaijan. She was born in the Loh village of the Kalbajar region. She had a deep knowledge of Azerbaijani folk literature and was able to recite poems of her own at these folk ceremonies. She also learned to play the saz. Basti was known to be an active member of 'Gurban Bulaghi', a famous literary gathering of her era. She fell deeply in love with a shepherd sometime between the age of seventeen and eighteen. Her first love, however, was killed by a nobleman in her presence. Having helplessly witnessed this scene, Basti was thrown into a state of mental turmoil by this tragic incident. In her poems, Basti refers to her sweetheart as Khanchoban. In her lifetime, an epic story called 'Basti and Khanchoban' was created to deal with her ill-fated love. She avenges the nobleman who had killed her beloved by cursing him in her poems. Basti lost her eyesight from her endless weeping and she grew old well before her time. She was called 'Blind Basti' and a saying was created about her: 'Even the stone was crying when Basti cried'. However, she lived a long life and died in 1936, at the age of one hundred.
![Stamp of Azerbaijan 518](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Stamps_of_Azerbaijan%2C_1998-516.jpg)
*
Ashig Alasgar
Ashig Alasgar ( az, Aşıq Ələsgər; 1821 – 7 March 1926) was an Azerbaijani mystic troubadour (Ashik
An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a si ...
, perhaps the most renowned Azerbaijani ashik of all ages, was born in 1821 in
Gegharkunik Province
Gegharkunik ( hy, Գեղարքունիք, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is Gavar.
Gegharkunik Province is located at the eastern part of Armenia, bordering Azerbaijan. It includes the exclave of Artsvas ...
(Գեղարքունիքի մարզ) of the present day
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
to an impoverished family. At the age of 14 he was employed as a
servant boy and worked for five years, during which fell in love with his employer's daughter, Səhnəbanı. The girl was married off to her cousin and Alasgar was sent home. This failed love urged young Alasgar to buy a
saz and seek apprenticeship with Ashik Ali for five years. He emerged as an accomplished ashik and poet and in 1850, unwillingly, defeated his master in a verbal dueling. The rest of Alasgar's productive life was spent training ashiks and composing songs until his death in 1926. Here, we present the opening verses of one of Alasgar's finest compositions, titled Deer (''Jeyran''). The song has been recently performed by
Azerbaijan's beloved traditional singer Fargana Qasimova.
Alim Qasimov
Alim Hamza oghlu Qasimov ( az, Alim Həmzə oğlu Qasımov; born August 14, 1957) is an Azerbaijani musician and one of the foremost mugham singers in Azerbaijan. He was awarded the International Music Council-UNESCO Music Prize in 1999, one of ...
offers the following commentary on this popular song: "In Azerbaijan, jeyran refers to a kind of deer that lives in the mountains and the plains. They’re lovely animals, and because their eyes are so beautiful, poets often use this word. There are many girls named Jeyran in Azerbaijan. We hope that when listeners hear this song, they’ll get in touch with their own inner purity and sincerity."
Durum dolanım başına, --- (''Let me encircle you with love,'')
Qaşı, gözü qara, Ceyran! --- (''Your black eyes and eyebrows, Jeyran.'')
Həsrətindən xəstə düşdüm, --- (''I have fallen into the flames of longing,'')
Eylə dərdə çara, Ceyran! --- (''Help me to recover from this pain, Jeyran".'')
.......
![ArmenianStamps-115](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/ArmenianStamps-115.jpg)
*
Jivani ( hy, Ջիվանի, 1846–1909), born Serob Stepani Levonian (Սերոբ Ստեփանի Լևոնյան), was an
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
n ashugh (or ''gusan'') and
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...
. Jivani's compositions mostly deal with social issues. An example:
''THE mournful and unhappy days, like winter, come and go.
We should not be discouraged, they will end, they come and go.
Our bitter griefs and sorrows do not tarry with us long;
Like customers arrayed in line, they come, and then they go.'' ...
18th century
*
Sayat-Nova
Sayat-Nova ( Armenian: Սայեաթ-Նովայ ( сlassical), Սայաթ-Նովա ( reformed); ka, საიათნოვა; ; ; born Harutyun Sayatyan; 14 June 1712 – 22 September 1795) was an Armenian poet, musician and ''ashugh'', w ...
*
Khasta Qasim
Khasta Qasim ( az, Xəstə Qasım, : 1684–1760) – was an Iranian Azerbaijani poet of Azerbaijani literature. Khasta Qasim was one of the best Azerbaijani-language poets; he was also a mystic, ''ashik'', and philosopher in the era of Afsharid ...
, (1684–1760) was one of the most popular folk poets in Azerbaijan. Khasta, which he chose for a pen-name, means "one in pain".
*
Dadaloğlu
Dadaloğlu (Veli) (1785 ?–1868 ?) was a Turkish Ottoman (bard), a folk poet-singer, known as ''Ozan''.
Background
Two distinct literatures existed in the Ottoman Empire. Literature of the palace, so called divan literature used Ottoman Turk ...
17th century
*
Naghash Hovnatan
Naghash Hovnatan ( hy, Նաղաշ Հովնաթան; 1661, Shorot, Nakhijevan, Safavid Iran – 1722, Shorot) was an Armenian poet, '' ashugh'', painter, and founder of the Hovnatanian artistic family. He is considered the founder of the new Ar ...
was an
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...
, ''ashugh'',
painter, and founder of the
Hovnatanian
The Hovnatanyan family ( hy, Հովնաթանյաններ, ''Hovnat'anyanner'') was a prominent Armenian family of painters. They include five generations from 17th to 19th centuries. Hovnatanyans are originally from the village of Shorot, Yern ...
artistic family. He was born in 1661 in the town of
Shorot,
Nakhijevan. He is considered the founder of the new Armenian
minstrel
A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer ...
school, following
medieval Armenian lyric poetry.
*
Kul Nesîmî
Kul Nesîmî, or simply Nesîmî, real name Ali was an Ottoman Alevi-Bektashi poet, who lived in the 17th century in Anatolia.
Very little is known about this poet except that certain political events found an expression in his poetry, such as ...
,
Aşıq Abdulla,
Sarı Aşıq
*
Karacaoğlan
Karacaoğlan was a 17th-century Anatolian Turkish folk poet and ashik. His exact dates of birth and death are unknown but it is widely accepted that he was born around 1606 and died around 1680. He lived around the city of Mut near Mersin. His ...
is a 17th-century Ottoman folk poet and ashik, who was born around 1606 and died around 1680. The opening
quatrain of his composition, Elif, is as the following:
incecikten bir kar yağar, --- (''With its tender flakes, snow flutters about,'')
Tozar Elif, Elif deyi... --- (''Keeps falling, calling out "Elif… Elif…”'')
Deli gönül abdal olmuş, --- (''This frenzied heart of mine wanders about'')
Gezer Elif, Elif deyi... --- (''Like minstrels, calling out "Elif… Elif…”'')
*
Ashik Abbas Tufarganly was born in the late 16th century in
Azarshahr
Azarshahr ( fa, آذرشهر; also Romanized as Āz̄arshahr, Âzaršahr, Azərşəhr, or Āz̄ar Shahr; also known as Tufarqan (Persian: توفارقان), also Romanized as Dehkhvāreqān) is a city and capital of Azarshahr County, East Azerba ...
. According to a popular ashik hikaye, known as
Abbas və Gülgəz, he was a love rival of
King Abbas. The facts about Ashik Abbas's life are mixed with the myths of the said hikaye. Ashik Abbas's compositions have survived and are still song by contemporary ashiks. A famous song starts as the following:
Ay həzarət, bir zamana gəlibdir, --- (''Oh brothers and sisters, what have we come to:'')
Ala qarğa şux tərlanı bəyənməz --- (''The jay hates the eagle as never before.'')
* Gevherî, Turkish Ozan from Afshar tribe.
Başına bir hal gelirse canım, --- ''If something happens to you,''
Dağlara gel dağlara, --- ''Come to the mountains,''
Seni saklar vermez ele canım, --- ''She will embrace you as her own,''
Seni saklar vermez ele. --- ''Never hands you in to the strangers.''
........
16th century
*
Shah Ismail Khatai, (1485–1524) was the founder of the
Safavid dynasty (1502–1736). Writing under the pen name of
Khatai, he produced a large volume of lyric poetry in
Azerbaijani language. Khatai's poetry is graceful and polished and his language closely approaches to folk idiom:
''Winter's shaken off, and spring arrives!'' --- ''Rosebuds waken, garden plot revives,''
''Birds all trill in aching harmony'',--- ''Love's a thrilling flame, disturbing me.''
''Earth is dressed in furry, downy green'', --- ''Whispers press the silence once serene, .......''
*
Aşıq Qərib
*
Nahapet Kuchak ( hy, Նահապետ Քուչակ) (died 1592) was an
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
medieval
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...
, considered one of the first ''ashughs''. He is best known for his ''hairens'' (հայրեն), "couplets with a single coherent theme." Kuchak was probably born in the village of Kharakonis, near the city of
Van. He later married a woman named Tangiatun. The poet lived his entire life near the
Lake Van
Lake Van ( tr, Van Gölü; hy, Վանա լիճ, translit=Vana lič̣; ku, Gola Wanê) is the largest lake in Turkey. It lies in the far east of Turkey, in the provinces of Van and Bitlis in the Armenian highlands. It is a saline soda lake ...
area until his death in 1592. Kuchak was buried in the cemetery of Kharakonis St. Theodoros Church and his grave became pilgrimage site.
*
Pir Sultan Abdal
Pir Sultan Abdal (born Haydar) is an important religious figure in Alevism, who is thought to be of Turkmen origin and to have been born in the village of Banaz in present-day Sivas Province, Turkey. He is considered legendary among his follower ...
(ca. 1480–1550) was a Turkish
Alevi
Alevism or Anatolian Alevism (; tr, Alevilik, ''Anadolu Aleviliği'' or ''Kızılbaşlık''; ; az, Ələvilik) is a local Islamic tradition, whose adherents follow the mystical Alevi Islamic ( ''bāṭenī'') teachings of Haji Bektash Veli, w ...
poet and ashik. During the time, Pir Sultan Abdal with the villagers, went against injustice, and was hanged by the Sivas governor Hızır pasha, who was once his comrade. The opening
quatrain of his composition, THE ROUGH MAN, is as the following:
Dostun en güzeli bahçesine bir hoyrat girmiş, --- (''The rough man entered the lover's garden'')
Korudur hey benli dilber korudur --- (''It is woods now, my beautiful one, it is woods,'')
Gülünü dererken dalını kırmış --- (''Gathering roses, he has broken their stems'')
Kurudur hey benli dilber kurudur --- (''They are dry now, my beautiful one, they are dry'')
*
Ashiq Qurbani
Ashik Qurbani or Kurbani ( az, Aşıq Qurbani) is one of the most prominent ashiks of all times.
Qurbani, or was born in 1477 in Iri village (today this place is on the territory of Jabrayil District of Azerbaijan). He was a contemporary of Shah ...
was born in 1477 in
Dirili. He was a contemporary of
Shah Ismail
Ismail I ( fa, اسماعیل, Esmāʿīl, ; July 17, 1487 – May 23, 1524), also known as Shah Ismail (), was the founder of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, ruling as its King of Kings (''Shahanshah'') from 1501 to 1524. His reign is often c ...
and may have served as the court musician. His compositions were handed down as gems of oral art from generation to generation and constitute a necessary repertoire of every ashik. A famous qushma, titled Violet, starts as the following:
Başina mən dönüm ala göz Pəri, --- (''O my dearest, my love, my beautiful green-eyed Pari'')
Adətdir dərələr yaz bənəvşəni. --- (''Custom bids us pluck violets when spring days begin'')
Ağ nazik əlinən dər dəstə bağla, --- (''With your tender white hand gather a nosegay,'')
Tər buxaq altinə düz bənəvşəni... --- (''Pin it under your dainty chin.....'')
15th century
*
Kaygusuz Abdal, was born in the late 14th century into a noble and aristocratic family of the
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
n province of Teke and died in 1445. He traveled throughout the Middle East and eventually came to
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...
where he founded a
Bektashi
The Bektashi Order; sq, Tarikati Bektashi; tr, Bektaşi or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi mystic movement originating in the 13th-century. It is named after the Anatolian saint Haji Bektash Wali (d. 1271). The community is currently led by ...
convent. Kaygusuz's poetry is among the strangest expressions of Sufism. He does not hesitate to describe in great detail his dreams of good food, nor does he shrink from singing about his love adventures with a charming young man. A tekerleme by Kaygusuz sounds like a perfect translation of a nursery rhyme:
kaplu kaplu bağalar kanatlanmiş uçmağa.. ---- ''The turturturtles have taken wings to fly'' ...
*
Imadaddin Nasimi
Alī Imādud-Dīn Nasīmī ( az, Seyid Əli İmadəddin Nəsimi سئید علی عمادالدّین نسیمی, fa, عمادالدین نسیمی), often known as Nesimi, was a 14th-century Azerbaijani Ḥurūfī poet. Known mostly by his ...
, born 1369 and skinned alive in
Aleppo in 1417, was an
Azerbaijani or
Iraqi Turkmen
The Iraqi Turkmens (also spelled as Turkoman and Turcoman; tr, Irak Türkmenleri), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, Turkish-Iraqis, the Turkish minority in Iraq, and the Iraqi-Turkish minority ( ar, تركمان العراق; tr, Irak Türkleri ...
Ḥurūfī poet. His quatrains are very close to ashik
bayati
{{About, a form of Azerbaijani folk poetry, other uses, Bayat (disambiguation)
Bayati ( az, Bayatı) is one of the oldest forms of Azerbaijani folk poetry. A bayati consists of four lines, each of which has seven syllables. The rhyme scheme is a ...
.
13th century
![200 Türk Lirası reverse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/200_T%C3%BCrk_Liras%C4%B1_reverse.jpg)
*
Yunus Emre
Yunus Emre () also known as Derviş Yunus (Yunus the Dervish) (1238–1328) (Old Anatolian Turkish: يونس امره)
was a Turkish folk poet and Islamic Sufi mystic who greatly influenced Turkish culture. His name, ''Yunus'', is the Muslim ...
(1240–1321) was one of the first Turkish poets who wrote poems in his mother tongue rather than
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
or
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
, which were the writing medium of the era.
Emre was not literally an ashik, but his undeniable influence on the evolution of ashik literature is being felt to the present times. The opening
quatrain of his composition, Bülbül Kasidesi Sözleri, is as the following:
İsmi sübhan virdin mi var? --- (''is The Father's name your mantra?'')
Bahçelerde yurdun mu var? --- (''are those gardens your home?'')
Bencileyin derdin mi var? --- (''is your plight just as mine?'')
Garip garip ötme bülbül --- (''don't sing in sorrow nightingale'')
See also
*
Ashiqs of Azerbaijan
The art of Azerbaijani Ashiqs combines poetry, storytelling, dance, and vocal and instrumental music into traditional performance art. This art is one of the symbols of Azerbaijani culture and considered an emblem of national identity and the gu ...
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Aqyn
Akyns, or aqyns ( kk, ақын, ky, акын, ; both transcribed as ''aqın'' or ''اقىن''), are improvising poets and singers in the Kazakh and Kyrgyz cultures. Akyns differ from the or , who are song performers or epic storytellers.
In so ...
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Bakshy
The ''bakshy'' or ''bakhshi'' ( fa, بخشی, baxši ) are traditional Turkmen musicians. Historically, they have been traveling singers and shamans, acting as healers and spiritual figures, and also providing the music for celebrations of weddi ...
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Dengbêj
Dengbêj is a Kurdish music genre and/or a singer of the music genre Dengbêj. Dengbêjs are singing storytellers. There have been many terms to describe Dengbêjs throughout history, but today Dengbêj is the best known, and also several singing ...
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Gusans
Gusans ( hy, գուսան; Parthian for poet-musician or minstrel) were creative and performing artists - singers, instrumentalists, dancers, storytellers, and professional folk actors in public theaters of Parthia and ancient and medieval Arme ...
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Khananda
A khananda ( az, xanəndə ; fa, خواننده; alternative spellings in English: khanende, khanande, khanandeh) is a name generally given to singers of mugham, an Azeri folk music genre. The word is of Persian origin and means "singer". Wh ...
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Ishq
Ishq ( ar, عشق, ''‘išq'') is an Arabic word meaning "love" or "passion", also widely used in other languages of the Muslim world and the Indian subcontinent.
The word ''ishq'' does not appear in the Quran, which instead uses derivatives o ...
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Ashik Kerib and
Ashiq Qarib
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Epic of Koroghlu
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Epic of Manas
The Epic of Manas ( ky, Манас дастаны, Manas dastanı, ماناس دستانی), is a traditional epic poem dating to the 18th century but claimed by Kyrgyz tradition to be much older. Manas is said to be based on Bars Bek who was ...
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The Color of Pomegranates
''The Color of Pomegranates'' is a 1969 Soviet Armenian art film written and directed by Sergei Parajanov. The film is a poetic treatment of the life of 18th-century Armenian poet and troubadour Sayat-Nova. It has appeared in many polls as one of ...
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List of Turkic-languages poets
Notes and references
Further reading
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External links
Details of the film ''Ashik Kerib'' by Parajanov"ĀŠEQ" (''Iranica Encyclopedia'')"Asik" in Turkish Oral Narrative
Videos
{{Turkish literature
Armenian music
Azerbaijani music
Turkish music
Music of Georgia (country)
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Poets
Ashiks