Today, the State music and drama theatre named after Nurmuhammet Andalib in Dashoguz city hosted the opening ceremony of the of the festival «Dünýäde ýaňlanýar ajap dessanym, toý tutýar Garaşsyz Türkmenistanym» with participation of local dastan bagshys. Heads and workers of the sphere of culture from all velayats of the country, the National Commission for UNESCO of Turkmenistan, workers of performing arts, art scholars, as well as representatives of mass media gathered there.
Dastans - an epic genre of national creativity. They narrated of the life of people life, its heroic way and dreams and historical events. These original works are not only the literary heritage, but also the national property. Dastans passed on from generation to generation-through storytellers-bards, reflex the outlook and patriotic spirit of people. In the modern period, study, preservation and popularisation of dastans have a great significance as an important goal to augment the interest in our national heritage in the world. Organization of the present festival in the northern region of the country where the art of bagshys prospers, also clearly attests to the fact.
The cultural program of the festival differs with richness of various events. Before the opening ceremony, its participants attended the exhibition devoted to the national heritage, history of performing traditions of bagshys and their continuity in the present period. An important place was given in the exposition to works by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Hero-Arkadag, which have become valuable works in wide popularisation of national culture in the world.
In the speeches made in the opening ceremony of the festival, due emphasis was made on the large scale work carried out in the new historical epoch thanks to consecutive efforts of Hero-Arkadag and the head of the state in the given sphere, undertaken steps to include the unique national property in the treasury of a cultural heritage of mankind. At that, the special attention was given to the significance of national performing art, including dastans in education of the youth in the spirit of primordial values of our people. It was pointed out that through such dastans as «Gorkut ata», «Görogly», «Şasenem-Garyp», "Leýli-Mechnun", «Ýusup-Ahmet», such qualities as devotion to one’s country, heroism, courage, friendliness and humanity were cultivated in the generations. The original feature of Turkmen dastans is the harmonious combination of verses and prose. Musical accompaniment and a special expressive manner of narration created by bards made them an integral part of rich national culture.
In 2011, Turkmenistan joined the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Since then our country has actively participated in the international efforts on fulfilment of its positions and inclusion of national values in the prestigious List of the given Organization. So, in 2015, the Turkmen epos «Görogly» was included in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. Inclusion of the Turkmen national art of singing and dancing kushtdepdi in 2017 as well as Turkmen national dutar making craftsmanship and traditional music performing art combined with singing into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021 were also important events. It testified clearly to international recognition of traditions of performance of dastans and art of bagshys, created by our people throughout centuries and approval of their special place in the universal culture.
In Turkmenistan, consecutive measures are implemented to pass on these original traditions to new generations. In the given context, modern cultural centres in all corners of the country and modernisation of their corresponding material and technical basis play an important role to discover young talents and improve their skill. Annual creative competitions promote increase of interest of the youth in the invaluable spiritual treasury and rich song and music culture of our people.
Speakers at the ceremony also underlined the importance of such books of Hero-Arkadag, as «Bakhshi -Harbingers of People’s Happiness», «Music of Peace, Music of Friendship and Brotherhood», «Culture -A Priceless Treasure of People» and «Turkmen culture».
The celebration proceeded with the concert of dastan singers arrived from velayats of the country. It provided an opportunity to be acquainted more closely with traditions of dastan performing, inherent in each region of our fatherland. The joint performance of the inspired song of the present happy epoch by them was accompanied by a prolonged applause of participants of the ceremony.
In the second half of day, in the rural culture centre «Altyn ýol» of the gengeshlik of Dilevar in Shavat etrap of Dashoguz velayat the scientific-practical conference «Dessançy bagşylar joşa gelende» was held. Papers of development of the art of bagshy and perfroemnce of dastans as well as enrichment of performing traditions in the present period were delivered in it.
As was underlined, bagshys are masters who by means of harmony of words and music lay a way to people’s heart. The bagshy as well as the performing art, national musical instruments – dutar and gyjak, are not subject to spirits of the times, they are, as before, a valuable heritage of our people. The art of bagshy like our language, - one of the most ancient kinds of creativity reflecting the historical life of people. As known, Turkmens are creative people, which have created original ancient culture, priceless heritage, and national cultural wealth and widely known fine traditions and customs in the world.
During the conference, the attention was also paid to outstanding mentors in performing art of dastans, the role of Turkmen dastans in motion picture arts and styles of their execution. Besides, storytellers-bards displayed a great skill by performing fragments from national dastans.
On the sidelines of the first day of the festival, its participants visited the museum of history and local lore of the velayat. The exhibits testifying to the rich history, originality of material and cultural heritage of the northern region of the country evoked a great interest. In the evening, all saw the play «Goly sazly, tili sözli Görogly» staged by the State music and drama theatre named after Nurmuhammet Andalip.
On the second day of the festival, an excursion to historical places of the region connected with the art of bagshys will be organised for its participants. Among them – the monument to Ashyk Aydyn pir often mentioned in national creativity, and the museum of bagshys in Dashoguz city. In funds of the museum created in 1992, numerous valuable exhibits and literature, concerning the song and musical art are stored. The concert with participation of dastan singers «Bagşy dessan aýdanda» will enable them to get acquainted closely with many-sided features of performance of products of one of the most ancient genres of national creativity.
On the margins of the festival, master classes of skilled musicians-bagshys will be held for young performers, the creative meeting devoted to the activity of famous art workers, who have left a deep trace in the national art of bagshy, and dastan will be organized. On the final day of the creative forum, under solemn conditions, diplomas and memorable gifts will be handed to its participants. As a whole, this festival will become a significant event in the cultural life of the country and a contribution to deep study and popularisation of national traditions of performance of dastans.
