THE FOLK SONG “SARI GELIN” IN INFORMATION WARFARE: THE MELODY’S “PASSPORT,” ORIGIN DISCOURSE, AND SAFEGUARDING STRATEGIES

Abstract

This article examines “Sari Gelin,” one of the best-known items of Azerbaijani traditional music, not merely as a lyrical folk song but as a discursive phenomenon situated at the intersection of cultural heritage and information warfare. The study aims to move the debate from the emotionally charged question of “ownership” toward a scientific, ethical, and communication-oriented framework. The analysis proceeds along three lines: (1) the song’s semantic and etymological polysemy (especially competing readings of “sarı”) and how it increases susceptibility to manipulation; (2) the song’s archetypal structure (the “forbidden love” pattern), semiotic coding (collective agents of prohibition, objectification, and emotional markers), and synergetic dynamics (meaning production through repetition and the refrain as a memory mechanism), which together foster uni-versal reception while amplifying appropriation risks; and (3) the relevance of UNESCO’s Intan-gible Cultural Heritage (ICH) discourse as an ethical pathway for addressing contested attribu-tions. Methodologically, the article proposes the notion of a melody’s “passport,” systematizing indicators for responsible attribution: modal/melodic behavior, alignment with Azerbaijani mugham and ashugh performance aesthetics, early documentation (including notation history), and the continuity of living performance traditions. The article concludes that the most effective re-sponse to distortion and cultural appropriation is not an escalation of “ownership” rhetoric but safeguarding-oriented strategies grounded in documentation, transparent labeling, community participation, and ethical media practices.