AZERBAIJANI ASHIG ART AS A NATIONAL VALUE

Abstract

The roots of Azerbaijan’s rich spiritual history affirm our ancient connection to this land. The unique forms of creativity that lie at the foundation of our ancestors’ outlook on the world, life, nature, and humanity express the inexhaustible depth of their spirit — their belief in, admiration for, and even outrage at existence itself. It was through this worldview that the continuous warrior spirit of our forefathers was forged. This combative spirit was fueled by a profound understanding of reality.

Our ancestors, the creators of the homeland, transcended the ruthless norms of the ancient world and placed the essence of human existence above all. They affirmed their being in the Turkic language, folklore, culture, and across various fields of art, particularly in music.

This affirmation was not temporary, but enduring. One of the key pieces of evidence of this continuity is the unique art of ashig. The rich observation of life, deep musical perception, performative mastery, vibrant styles, and endless means of self-expression in ashig art confirm its roots in the Turkic spirit. In the sound of our "Ana Saz" (Mother Saz - musical instrument), one hears the suffering and invincibility of the ancestors, their reverence and rivalry with nature — with the mountains, sky, earth, springs, roads, trees, and forests. They praised them, saw them as part of themselves — as extensions of their own soul.

From this spirit emerged new and unprecedented performances, each distinct and never repetitive. These performances reflect the timeless endurance of human character, the noble sorrow of resilience, and boundless joy that could not be contained by earth or sky. Ashig art, which gave rise to such a tradition, stands as both the creator and the guardian of the national spirit — as embodied in the figure of the ashig. To possess this spirit is to attain immortality.

The ashig is the master of this art. There is no saz without an ashig, and no ashig without a saz.

Ashig art, in its entirety, is among the unifying and expressive sources of our national identity and inexhaustible strength. It represents the spiritual unity of the nation in all its dimensions.

As ancient as it is, Azerbaijani ashig art also holds a vision for the future. This vision is sustained by the national spirit, and while this spirit is abstract, it undoubtedly has concrete bearers.

Azerbaijani ashig art is a national (folk) value. Not everything can be called a value. A national value is the expression of national spiritual wealth. Thus, in a broader sense, our saz tradition can be considered a national value.

By saz tradition, we mean the full and multifaceted expression of ashig art and its practitioners. Of course, its essence is most clearly understood through saz melodies themselves. To be a “value” means to reflect the characteristic qualities of the nation. In ashig art, one can observe the unity of the strength and subtlety of our Turkic ancestors. This quality becomes especially apparent in the melody Yanig Karam.

The study also explores the philosophical essence of melodies such as Misri, Qarachi, and Dilgami, emphasizing the unifying and value-preserving role of epic traditions. The synthetic nature of ashig art is discussed, along with the necessity of creating new saz melodies to ensure the continuation of this unique national value in the future.