6. Meykhanas and its similarities with other traditions.
In this part of the thesis, I wish to the draw reader’s attention to three genres with which I find meykhana has similarities. One is its similarity with the ghazel, which
applies to the visual appearance and the rhythm. Another is its performative similarities with other folk art genres, particularly with the ashiq genre, which is also a dialogic improvisation. Another performative similarity which can be mentioned is with local folkloristic traditions such as seasonal folk plays and ceremonies.
6.1 Ghazels and Meykhanas
For those familiar with Azerbaijani prosodic ghazels (mentioned in the introduction) they resemble meykhanas when one looks at them on paper. In addition, one can easily hear a resemblance in the rhythm and pronunciation between these two poetic genres. Since meykhana carries the characteristics of aruz meter in addition to rhyming qualities, meykhana can sound similar to ghazels (ghazels follow aruz meter). As already mentioned, the phonetic and syntactical system of Azerbaijani language, including the suffix system and the vocal harmony, also contributes to rhyming being beautifully achieved in poetry. Thus meykhana has in many cases been influenced by the compositional properties of ghazels. In fact, I have witnessed that meykhana in oral sources is sometimes referred to as ghazel. Performers are also called qəәzəәlxan (ghazel master), meyxana ustası (meykhana masters) qafiye ustası (rhyme master) and söz ustası (masters of words). Most ghazels can be uttered as meykhanas. But in order for ghazels to be meykhana they would have to be improvised. Besides, ghazels are mainly love poetry, which is not characteristic of meykhanas. In fact I have seen very few meykhanas about love.
To show the similarities between these two genres in written form, I present the following three beyts. The first two are beyts of ghazels and last one is a beyt of meykhana. I have purposely chosen these lines, in which the word meykhana occurs.
If the wine of taverns did not resemble your lips The face of taverns would not be rose-coloured93 Ləәbinəә bəәnzəәməәsəәydi meyi meyxanəәləәrin,
Laləәrəәng olmaz idi çohrəәsi meyxanəәrəәrin
93 Vahid 1964: 191
Yesterday night with my beloved in the gathering of conversation in the tavern We came to the point where we were intoxicated by the cups94
Dün gecəә yarım iləә söhbəәti-məәclis meyxanəәdəә Bir məәgama yetışdık məәst olduq peymanəәdəә Let us respect meykhana
Let us look up to meykhana95 Gəәlin eyləәyəәk hörməәti meyxanəәyəә Bəәsləәyəәgın rəәğbəәti meyxanəәyəә
Above we can see the common features in meykhana and ghazels: Two lines make one beyt, and these lines have to rhyme both in ghazels and meykhanas. Besides, the lines have to complete the logic of each other. If there are strophes following after that (the third, fourth, fifth), these also mostly rhyme (one can encounter exceptions to this pattern). The metric pattern (behr) used in the first line has to follow for the rest of the poem.
6.2 Ashiq and Meykhana Genres
Similarities with ashiq culture have been mentioned and also pointed out by my informants. Talking of ashiq we are concerned with professional folk music art (Беляев, 1971: 162), which meykhana also is, densely connected to an epic style of performance. While mass literature in Baku is meykhana, in the other cities of Azerbaijan it has been the musical poetry and riddle-natured dialogues of ashiqs.
While ashiq improvisations are melodic, accompanied with a string instrument, a saz, meykhana has been rhythmic, accompanied with finger snapping and idiophonic or percussion instruments. Although poetic dialogues mainly in the forms of riddles are widely used in ashiq art, in meykhana art those dialogues possess different
94 This lines are from the ghazels of Məәhəәmməәdəәli Şəәfai( 1890-1967)
95 From the interview dated October, 2010
peculiarities. Alongside with the folkloristic characteristics of meykhana, it has also inherited the features and elements of classical eastern metric poetry, as discussed above, which is an absent quality in ashıq art.
The similarities between these two traditions are improvisation, dialogue or battle, and also a sharp quickness. Both are rhythmic, humorous, poetic and improvisational battle traditions. The agonistic dynamics of contests in ashiq culture are represented by the riddles that are asked as an important part of the performance. In meykhana it is represented by the battles about the performers, i.e. who has the smartest, funniest and most up-to-date improvisation.
6.3 Games and Meykhana
Meykhana’s strong attributes of performance can also be analysed parallel with folkloristic ceremonies and festivities, which are based upon the mythological notion of performance. Within mythical thinking, the events are connected to the spiritual world and spiritual practices. Folk plays, games, performances related to seasonal ceremonies (in Azerbaijani: mövsüm məәrasimləәri) and family folk traditions dating back to ancient times are still popular today, especially in the spring celebrations of novruz. (For instance, the plays ‘Kosa-kosa’, ‘Qaravəәlli’.) Summarizing his thoughts about folk plays, Professor ƏӘfəәndiyev shows that the later stages of the development of folk plays are connected to life standards, daily life and elements of comical artistic creativity among other things96. These exact features are reflected in meykhana, and quite evidently in my opinion. In folk plays, participants wear various costumes and masks and perform various scenes. These scenes are traditionally complemented with dialogue, and even a little room is given for improvisation. These theatre-like forms of folk literature certainly can be compared to meykhana’s performative and entertainment qualities.
96 ƏӘfəәndiyev 1992: 100, 108