The Karakalpak Version of the Epic Ashyk Gharip
The following extract was recorded by me from the Karakalpak epic singer (baqsy) Genjebay Tilewmuratov (1929-1997) in 1983. The singer was accompanied by ghyjak-player Karimbay Tinibayew. Prof. Kabul Maksetov introduced the songs, with indications of the melody to which they were performed (in the present case, the Aruwxan melody).
On this singer see my Turkic Oral Epic Poetry: Traditions, Forms, Poetic Structure (New York, 1992), pp. 68-69. Transcriptions of his melodies are found in D. Allanazarov, Qaraqalpak xalıq sazları (Nukus, 2002).
Audio Sample:
Text:
(in the orthography of Modern KarakalpakUzbek, but preserving some dialect traits of the singer)
Eshit, G’a’rip, axu menen
zarımdı,
Yarım kelgenin’di
bila bilmedim.
Ta’rk a’yleyin namıs bilen
arımdı,
Yarım kelgenin’di
bila bilmedim.
5 Sen
häm kelerme dep ku’lmedim oynap,
Ha’siret qazanında pishpedim
qaynap,
Qanjar urma ta’nde janımdı
qıynap,
Yarım kelgenin’di
bila bilmedim.
Do’hmet a’ylep nahaq to’xpe
qanımdı,
10 Sen men dep ta’rk
ettim du’nya malımdı.
Sen yandırma
burun jang’an janımdı,
Yarım kelgenin’di
bila bilmedim.
Toy o’tken son’ keldim ko’shkim
astına,
Giyne a’ylep jan
almaqtın’ qastına,
15 Sa’nem o’zin taslar G’a’rip u’stine,
Ko’shki u’stinde taqat eta bilmedim.
Translation:
Hear, Gharip, my sighs and groans!
I could not know that you, my
beloved, has come back.
I will throw my honour and my shame
from me;
I could not know that you, my
beloved, has come back.
5 Wondering
whether you would come back, I did not laugh when I was playing;
Without cooking, I was boiling in
the pot of sorrow.
Don’t strike me with the dagger and
take my life!
I could not know that you, my
beloved, has come back.
Do not accuse me, who am innocent,
and shed my blood!
10 Giving myself up to you, I threw away
all my possession.
Do not light again my heart, which
has been burning since former times!
I could not know that you, my
beloved, has come back.
When the feast was over, I climbed to
the top of my palace.
In desperation, in order to take her life
15 Sanem will throw herself on Gharip.
I
cannot be patient any longer on top of the palace.
The photos of the singer were taken in his home in Nukus (Karakalpakistan) in 1990 (together with Amin Kurbanbaew of the University of Nukus, on the right).
Facebook
