Folklore music of Lezgi ethnic people as abandoned part of Azerbaijan national culture

Abstract

This study aims to examine the folk music traditions of the Lezgi people, one of the small ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan, by focusing on their cultural, functional, and ethnographic dimensions. The purpose of the research is to describe the historical origins, ritual contexts, musical structures, and the contemporary role of Lezgi musical heritage within the broader cultural setting of Azerbaijan. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative and descriptive approach and relies on three sources of information. First, a comprehensive review of literature on Lezgi folklore, ethnographic studies, music anthologies, historical material and academic publications was conducted. Second, ethnographic observations and previously collected field materials from regions such as Qusar, Zaqatala, Quba and Ismayilli were examined. Third, archival documents including folk songs, epic fragments, bayatis, lullabies, ceremonial songs, dialectal features and information on traditional instruments were analyzed through document analysis techniques. The findings show that Lezgi folk music has a multilayered cultural structure. The Lezginka dance, the Sarvili epic, heroic and lyrical songs, work songs and ritual genres carry both aesthetic and social functions. Traditional instruments such as the Chungur, Kfil, Taft, Chagan and Daldam are recognized as cultural symbols of Lezgi identity. The bilingual environment in which Lezgins live supports both the preservation of their musical tradition and its interaction with the wider cultural sphere of Azerbaijan. In conclusion, Lezgi folk music, with its historical continuity and capacity for cultural adaptation, contributes meaningfully to the multicultural musical heritage of Azerbaijan.

Keywords

• Azerbaijani culture
• Ethnography
• Folk music
• Lezgi folklore
• Multicultural heritage

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