Akyn is not just a singer. This is the creator of music that comes from the heart. One who reads his own verses to the chant to the sounds of dombra or komuz. It is believed that a true akyn always sings only his songs and tells the world about stories that happened in the world once - with him or with someone else. Do not confuse the creator with a simple singer - performer of other people's poems! Akyn is always an improviser, and even the most attentive listener will not immediately realize what the new story will be and what unknown songs the river song will take him to.
I sing about what I see, or a few words about creativity
An improviser poet and singer among the Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia - this is the definition given by the akyn “Wikipedia”. From these words one can easily understand that the hero of our article not only sings the traditional songs of his people, but also composes poems himself. However, she sings - this is not an exact definition of what the akyn does. The creator reads the created lines in a chant, falling into the beat of the sound of a dombra or komuz. These folk plucked instruments help the akyn to create that special atmosphere that attracts every true connoisseur of folk music of Central Asia.
Akyn is one who almost always improvises. The singer adjusts to the mood of the crowd and in his songs speaks about what is now relevant. Akyn can be found at festivities at the Kazakhs, Nogais, Kyrgyz. There, at the festival, sometimes a sort of competition of singers (aitys) was arranged. Gathered together, the akyns amused the people, alternately trying to ridicule each other in poetic form - and I must say, during these competitions sometimes very good songs were born. However, the master is able to sing about anything: about the house, about the holiday, about the people around. He can touch politics, ridicule the work of those in power, share his feelings and thoughts - all that is enough for imagination and that will be interesting to dear listeners.
Famous akyns
In Kazakhstan, they talk about such improvising singers:
- Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly.
- Makhambet Utemisov.
- Suyunbai Aronula.
- Serniyaz Zharylgasov.
- Birzhan-sal Kozhagulov.
- Jayau Musa Baizhanov.
- Dzhambul Dzhabaev and others.
In Kyrgyzstan, other names are called:
- Zhaisan Toktogulyrchy.
- Togolok Moldo.
- Toktogul Satylganov and others.
In Bashkiria, the akyns were called sesen. These singers read their poems to the sounds of a folk Bashkir instrument - a three-stringed dumbra.
Akyn is not only a poet and singer. Each of the famous creators has contributed to the development of music of one or another region. Unfortunately, the nomadic way of life was not conducive to keeping records, and it was not possible to save the works of the ancient akyns on paper. Most of the works of the great masters were lost.