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INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BAKHSHI ART: GLOBAL PROMOTION OF
ORAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
Taubemuratova Aziza Rakhat kizi
Nukus branch of the State Institute of Arts and Culture of Uzbekistan
Department of Folklore and Ethnography
Student of the 2nd year of the specialty "Baqshichilik va dostonchilik"
Abstract:
This article discusses the international recognition and promotion of the art of bakhshi,
a unique example of oral folk art. Within the framework of the International Festival of Bakhshi
Art, the epics of bakhshis expressing the national spirit, folklore means of expression of different
peoples, features of bakhshi schools and their harmony on the modern stage will be highlighted.
The article emphasizes Uzbekistan's role in preserving cultural heritage, passing it on to the
younger generation, and strengthening international relations through hosting the festival. The art
of bakhshi is evaluated not only as a musical performance, but also as a vivid expression of
historical memory, national identity, and cultural dialogue.
Keywords
: International festival, bakhshi art, oral tradition, dastan, national culture, national
spirit, folklore, Uzbekistan, Turkic peoples, master-student tradition, dastan art, folk art, bakhshi,
cultural heritage, modern stage.
Аннотация:
В данной статье рассматривается международное признание и
популяризация искусства бахши, являющегося уникальным образцом устного народного
творчества. В рамках Международного фестиваля искусства бахши будут освещены
дастаны бахши, выражающие национальный дух, фольклорные средства выражения
разных народов, особенности школ бахши и их гармония на современной сцене. В статье
особо подчеркивается роль Узбекистана в сохранении культурного наследия, передаче его
молодому поколению и укреплении международных связей посредством проведения
фестиваля. Искусство бахши ценится не только как музыкальное исполнение, но и как
яркое выражение исторической памяти, национального самосознания и культурного
диалога.
Ключевые слова:
Международный фестиваль, искусство бахши, устная традиция, дастан,
национальная культура, народный дух, фольклор, Узбекистан, тюркские народы, традиция
наставник-ученик, дастан, народное творчество, бахши, культурное наследие,
современная сцена.
Annotatsiya:
Mazkur maqolada xalq og‘zaki ijodining noyob namunasi bo‘lgan baxshichilik
sanʼatining xalqaro darajadagi qadrlanishi va targ‘iboti haqida fikr yuritiladi. Xalqaro
baxshichilik san’ati festivali doirasida baxshilarning milliy ruhni ifodalovchi dostonlari, turli
xalqlarning folkloriy ifoda vositalari, baxshichilik maktablarining xususiyatlari va ularning
zamonaviy sahnadagi uyg‘unligi yoritiladi. Maqolada O‘zbekistonning festivalga mezbonlik
qilishi orqali madaniy merosni saqlash, yosh avlodga yetkazish va xalqaro aloqalarni
mustahkamlashdagi o‘rni alohida ta’kidlanadi. Baxshichilik san’ati nafaqat musiqiy ijro, balki
tarixiy xotira, milliy o‘zlik va madaniy muloqotning yorqin ifodasi sifatida baholanadi.
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Kalit so‘zlar:
Xalqaro festival, baxshichilik san’ati, og‘zaki an’ana, doston, milliy madaniyat,
xalq ruhi, folklor, O‘zbekiston, turkiy xalqlar, ustoz-shogird an’anasi, dostonchilik, xalq ijodi,
baxshi, madaniy meros, zamonaviy sahna.
The art of bakhshi is a form of invaluable oral heritage that carries through the centuries the
history that remains in the memory of a people, the aspirations that live in their hearts, the epic
that resonates in their language, and their dreams. This art is not only a musical expression, but
also a manifestation of the people's spirit, worldview, historical memory, and cultural thinking.
The International Festival of the Art of Bakhshi, organized with the aim of introducing this
magnificent art form to the general public and bringing its valuable melodies to the world
cultural space, has become an important cultural event recognized on a global scale and uniting
different peoples around common values.
The main task of this festival is to preserve the traditions of bakhshi art as rare examples of
oral folk art, to pass them on to the younger generation, to stimulate the creative activity of
bakhshi-dastan performers from among the people, and, most importantly, to bring this art form
to the modern stage and turn it into a means of intercultural communication on a global scale.
Through the festival, the historical memory of the people is not only revived, but also enriched
with new stage styles in harmony with the modern world. Therefore, this festival is becoming a
symbol of its roots and harmony with the times for every participating nation.
Artists, bakhshis, researchers, and folklore enthusiasts from countries with bakhshi traditions -
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Mongolia,
China's Xinjiang region, and Russia's Siberian region - will participate in the festival. Each
nation is distinguished by its own bakhshi school, unique style, and performance culture. Uzbek
bakhshi is distinguished by the dramatic nature of epic expression, poetic language, and harmony
with music. Karakalpak bakhshi attracts attention with its serious epic melody, its unique style
between epic and song, and its ancient text. Kyrgyz manaschi, Turkish ozan, and Kazakh akynni
tradition are presented at the festival not as mutual rivalry, but in the spirit of understanding
friendship and common roots.
It is no coincidence that Uzbekistan hosts this festival. Because the musical and oral traditions of
the Uzbek people have been consistently developing for thousands of years, and the art of
bakhshi is one of the highest peaks of this development. Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya, Bukhara,
Khorezm, the Fergana Valley, and Karakalpakstan are famous for their bakhshis, dastans, and
dombra poets. Within the framework of the festival, their performances will be presented not
only as a stage performance, but also as a living expression of the people's spirit. In this regard,
the festival serves to widely cover the master-student tradition, the performance of epics, and the
school of bakhshis, which are characteristic of our culture.
During the festival, not only performances will be held, but also many cultural events, such as
exhibitions of folk applied art, international forums on epic studies, master classes for young
people, creative meetings with bakhshis, and an exhibition of national dishes. This transforms the
festival into a unique socio-legal reality at the crossroads of cultures. Especially, creative
meetings organized by bakhshis for young people and children, lessons on telling fairy tales and
epics bring them closer to this ancient tradition and help them understand their national identity.
The International Festival of Bakhshi Art, combined with modern stage equipment and
technologies, is becoming a high-level cultural space that gives viewers visual and aesthetic
pleasure and has the potential to become a bridge between ancient and modern art, folklore and
modern art. In it, the life, joy, pain, struggle, and pride of the people are sung to the sounds of
national instruments, through the heartfelt melody of the bakhshi. That is why this festival
annually attracts thousands of spectators, scholars, and art lovers.
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A bakhshi is not just a storyteller. He is a pure-hearted artist who deeply feels the dreams that
live in the hearts of the people, the pains that pass through their hearts, and the events forgotten
in history, conveying them to the people through his voice and instrument. It holds the rhythm of
the nation's heart. At the festival, these heartfelt melodies will resound on the same stage in the
performance of different peoples, bringing humanity closer to the sources of a single culture. The
performance of each bakhshi is a page of history, a breath of the nation, a dream of the people.
In this regard, holding the festival on an international scale is important not only for
introducing national art to the world, but also as a means of cultural diplomacy. Through the
festival, cultural ties between different peoples are strengthened, and dialogue in the spirit of
peace, friendship, and mutual respect is established. The festival also has great potential in the
field of tourism - foreign guests will not only enjoy the performances of bakhshis, but also get
acquainted with the hospitality, rich culture, and traditions of our people.
In conclusion, the International Festival of Bakhshi Art is a phenomenon that has become a
symbol of the emergence on the modern stage of the bakhshi tradition, which has lived with the
spirit of the people for centuries, the dialogue of cultures, and the unification of peoples. It
encourages people to rethink their history, their oral traditions, and their musical aesthetic views.
In every epic of the bakhshi, sung from the heart, lives the dream of the people. These dreams
resonate not only on stage but also in hearts. And therefore, the prestige, spirit, and significance
of this festival will continue to grow year after year.
References
:
1. Jorayev, M. (2012). The art of bakhshi and the traditions of epic poetry. Tashkent: Fan
Publishing House.
2. Islamov, S. (2020). Uzbek oral traditional creativity: genres and forms. Tashkent:
Akademnashr.
3. Qarshiboyev, A. (2019). Peculiarities of the Karakalpak bakhshi school. Nukus: Karakalpak
University Publishing House.
4. Hasanov, B. (2016). “International Bakhshi Festival - a platform for the dialogue of cultures”
// National Heritage Journal, No. 2, pp. 45–49.
5. Turaqulov, T. (2015). Musical poetic foundations of the art of bakhshi. Tashkent: State
Conservatory of Uzbekistan.
6. UNESCO. (2008). Intangible Cultural Heritage: Epic art of the Uzbek and Karakalpak peoples.
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