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Heritage
DANCES OF KARACHAY PEOPLE LIVING IN TURKEY
Author:
City
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Baku
Country :
Azerbaijan
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Another dance that is very popular among all the Caucasian peoples is called “Tüz Tepseu” or “Suzulup” by Karachay–Balkars, “Khafa” and “Zafak” by Adiges and “Honga Khaft” by Asetinians. The popularity of this lyric dance comes from its function of giving a chance to young people to meet with each other. Many other examples can be given about the dances that Caucasian peoples share. How ever, there are some dances that are performed by only certain tribes and might not be shared as widely among the others. For example, “Tepena or “Chepena” dance is only performed by Asetinians and Balkars. The reason for this might be the same ancestors that they come from; as they both are descendent of Alan origin. Similarly, the other tribes also have their own dances that they perform only among themselves. 8
Like in many other traditionally oriented societies, dance was and still is an important part of everyday life. How ever, through the years some dances have been forgotten and some are already lost in the history. More over, they have changes in their functional value. Contrarily, many of them which are still being performed today still have the traces of the past. Also, due to long separation of the society, today there are some dances that are being performed in Turkey but not in Karachay-Cherkessia; some dances are performed there but not in Turkey.
According to information taken from M. Tekin Koçkar who is a co-presenter and a field consultant of this Project, today Karachay – Malkar (Balkar) Dances can be categorized in four groups. The first groups of dances are the preislamic dances which have not been performed for more than a century and have been forgotten in the society. About them, Muhtar Kudeyev and Balkarian choreograph Mutay Ulbashev, stated in their field research that these dances were functional from preislamic period until the middle of 18th century.
First category of dances:
Gollu
Kısır
Sandırak
Marako
Dolay
İynay
Indıray
Biynoger
Kiyikle
Apsatı
Cortuul
Cörme
Eliya
Bers Oynak
Peliuan
Boz Alasha
Teke
Sollou
Solman
The second category includes the dances that are being presently performed in Caucasia only.
Second category of dances:
Suu Oyun,
Aslanbiy,
Shindik Oyun,
Cuzuk Oyun,
Kuzgu Oyun,
Tepana,
Togerek Tepseu,
The third category includes the dances that are being presently performed in Caucasia as well as in Turkey.
Third category of dances:
Tuz Tepseu
Isteme (Lezginka) Tepseu
Abezek (Wuig) Tepseu
Kama Tepseu
The forth category of dances are the ones that are being presently performed in Turkey. Karachay – Balkars kept their dancing tradition alive through the special event which they call “Toy”. This event was and still is held for wedding ceremonies, hospitality of a visitor, sanding the young men to military or celebrating their return, young peoples social gathering, beginning and the end of harvest season, winter entertainments and so on. At these events not only they practiced their old dances that they brought as a part of their cultural assets, but they also created new ones in Anatolia. This is why some dances which are the main focus of this presentation are only being performed in Turkey.
Forth category of dances:
Abezek Tepseu
Çançılğan
Kama Tepseu
Çoban Tepseu
Tuz Tepseu
Ziya Biy Tepseu
Ekili Kapateyna
Üclü Kapateyna
Michi
Danis
Tuncukgan
Cuklağan
Calindiu
Canngız Tepseu
Apsuva Tepseu
Brief Descriptions of Popular Karachay Dances Presently Performed in Turkey:
The term “Tepseu” means to play (as in dancing) in Karachay language. There fore, every dance has its name and the term “Tepseu” to indicate its kind. In the following paragraphs, brief descriptions of five popular dances: Tuz Tepseu, Ziya Biy Tepseu, Uçlu Kapateyna, Abezek (Wuig or Wuic) Tepseu and Isteme (Lezginka) Tepseu which are given. Descriptions of the dances are taken from the field consultant M. Tekin Koçkar.
Tuz Tepseu:
This dance is performed by one man and one woman. It is very popular among the young people because it gives a chance to them to get to know each other. For this reason, young people are prepared to do this particular dance at every gathering.
The dance can be done by one, two or more couples at the same time. Dance stars when a young man invites a girl to dance with him. Upon his invitation, girl comes in front of him without looking at him and starts walking towards him on the tip of her feet. They start walking forward and backward and moving diagonally counting up to 8 each time also using their arms; the melody has a 4/4 time rhythm. Susoyev, who has seen this dance in its original field, describes it in his words: “The other popular Karachay dance is the “Tuz tepseu” that young people are ready to do from the morning until the midnight. This dance, I think, reanects the elop tradition of young people that is popular throughout Caucasia.” 9
M. Tekin Koçkar states that; “This dance came out as a result of social restrictions which played an important role in the Caucasian life style. People belonging to a different social class and not wanting to relate to the others played an enormous negative role that separated Caucasian society from each other for a long time. As a result many young man and women could not get married with each other. Even today there are families acting this way also.” 10
Ziya Biy Tepseu:
This dance is also very popular. It is done by two female and two male dancer with its special melody that also has 4/4 time rhythm. The couples first dance face to face on the tip of their toes in a circular movement; then they turn their backs to each other and repeat the same movements. Then, they come back, face to face again with the indicated section of the music and break away from each other. After turning around of themselves, they move towards each other to change places to start the dance from the top again.
8. KUDAYEV, Muhtar Çukaeviç. a.g.e., pp.4-11.
9. SUSOYEV, V. M. Karachay Geograficheskom, Bıtovomi Istoricheskom Otnosheniyi – Volume 43, p. 68, SMOMPK, 1913. pp. 68 – 70. in KUDAYEV-Karaçaevo –Balkarskie Narodnie Tantsı, Izdateltsvo “Elbrus”, Nalchik, 1984, pp.4-11.
10. KOÇKAR, M. Tekin. Kafkas Halk Dansları-Öğretim Yöntem ve Teknikleri, Şamil Eğitim ve Kültür Vakfı Yayını No:2, Folklor dizisi-Yayın No:1, 1987, s.61
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