Promoting Ancient Culture Through Music in Uzbekistan

"Some come from countries where playing music is a dangerous activity."

More than 60 countries participated in this year’s International Music Festival held in Uzbekistan.

It’s an annual event organised by the Uzbekistan government to promote ancient music from across the globe.

Some come from countries where playing music is a dangerous activity.

29-year-old Dawood Pazhman is practicing a song with his friends in a small hotel room.

“This song is basically about the love. In the song, the boyfriend is saying to his girl friend, why you are not coming to the village. You make me sad about that.”

They all come from a small village in northern Afghanistan. Music, he says, was never an easy choice.

“When I was a child and I tried to sing song with my father, Mujahidin came and asked, why are you doing this? Music is harram.  In Taliban if they know you are musician or singer, they will kill you.  My mother, everyone in my family was crying. I said I didn’t do anything wrong. And he saying, this should be the last time of singing.”

Dawood didn’t sing for more than 5 years, let alone perform in front of an audience, for fear of being killed. But here... he is in his element.

From folk music from the United States... to ancient musical instruments from Indonesia... in danger of extinction.

You can find many different kinds of traditional music here, says Irina Bokova, the general director of the UN cultural body, UNESCO.

“Together we believe intangible heritage is the source of creativity. Building on the past our vision is forward looking a vision of sustainability. Intangible heritage is one of our strongest essences to build the future we want for all. This is what we celebrate in’ Sharq Taronalari’.”

Orient Melodies, or Sharq Taronalari, as it’s known in Uzbek, is one of the largest cultural events in Central Asia.

Once every two years, hundreds of talented singers, dancers and musicians gather here in Smarkand to share their art.

Ancient music in some countries is dying... but here at the festival, it’s celebrated in a competition.

All musicians and singers compete for an award for the Best Folk Songs and Best Ancient Music.

“The festival actually helps musicians, artists and culture lovers to showcase their lost music together to the world and bring it back to life,” says Uzbek’s Munojot Yuldasheva who is n the judging panel.

“Musicians from South America, Europe, Africa and Asia are participating in the festival. They get a chance to inform people about their traditional cultures. And our award and the small amount of prize money, will encourage them to promote their local culture as much as possible.”

All the musicians can share their music here at Registan Square.

They don’t understand each other, but they all share a common language in music, says Galit Giat, a popular singer from Israel.

“Of course we don’t understand and we don’t need to understand the language. We just need to understand the language of music, just the way to express yourself, bring yourself and your music and that’s it. I think the heart is more important. When I was going up in the stage, I just tried to concentrate on the feeling that I want to give to the audience. I was speaking in my language and I felt that they really understood me.”

Thousands of people are dancing to the Israeli song... including 40-year old construction businessman Batoyor Ismolov. As an Uzbek, it’s the first time he’s listened to Israeli music.

“I can only speak Uzbek and Russian. Here I can listen to many languages through the music and songs. When I listen to it for the first time, I learn it by heart. And when I listen for a second time, I can sing along with them.”

Dawood and his team from Afghanistan won second prize in the music competition, out of a total of 60 countries. But back home, he can’t find a job as a musician. He now works in a finance department.

But music has become his true passion... he’s travelled to Tajekistan and to the United States to share his music to the outside world.

He wants to spread a message of peace through his music.

“When we meet the people, and people talk about us, where are you from? I say, from Afghanistan. They are shocked. They are thinking the bad way. OK! Afghan people are killing. We just prepare cultural show to show that Afghan is not like that. We sing the song about the peace, helping people coming together, be together.”

• Uzbekistan
• music festival
• ancient music
• Rajan Parajuli
• eng