BETWEEN FOLK HISTORY AND FOLK MUSIC: THE ENVIROMENT iN WHICH GOLLU EMERGED

Karachays and Balkars (who refer to themselves as “taulula”) are a Turkic-speaking people mainly residing in Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria. Traditional Karachay-Balkar music is rarely performed on the independent stage or within the folklore niche. Modern and retro pop music can be found (e.g., on the Makame Dahe label), but ritual or heroic songs are seldom performed by modern musicians, both amateur and professional. There are a few ensembles that honour the legacy of Soviet vocalist and folklore collector Omar Otarov, but original harmonists and accordionists who preserve the original Karachay-Balkarian sound are hard to find even in villages. On the other hand, there are numerous recordings of Karachay-Balkarian music in humanities faculties, conservatories, and archives, ranging from musical notes from the late 19th century to audio collected in the field during the 20th century.

A comprehensive study is required to fully understand why this is the case, but one of the reasons is evident without further analysis: the deportations of Karachays in 1943 and Balkars in 1944. This forced resettlement had a significant impact on traditional ways of life and cultural development.

There are also internal issues: most Karachai and Balkar artists focus on either pop music or connecting directly with the heritage of ancient Alans. At times, pop music and songs about enchanting antiquity can be one and the same. This trend causes musicians to ignore songs and melodies that existed several decades ago, instead prioritizing nostalgic visions of a golden age.

Another problem is the proliferation of folk history and the tension between its proponents and some members of the intelligentsia. There are tensions between the peoples of the two republics. The stereotype that Circassians in KChR and KBR dislike Balkars and Karachays and vice versa is deeply ingrained in people's minds, even though there are no obvious clashes or historical justifications for such hostility. When examining the culture of the Western Caucasus as a whole, these conflicts appear artificial or far-fetched.

Stylistically and genre-wise, Karachay-Balkarian music is very similar to that of Circassians, Abkhazians, Abazins, and Ossetians, all of which have an almost identical set of instruments: violin, longitudinal flute, rattles, accompaniment. The Circassian shichepshin is no different from the kobuz, and the kamyl flute is identical to the Karachay-Balkarian sybyzgy. Instead of exploring cultural intersections and parallels, Karachays, along with Balkars, Circassians, and Ossetians, argue over who stole whose heritage. It seems that these problems are linked to colonialism and state cultural policy, but this requires a separate discussion.

REGIONALISM iNSTEAD OF ETHNO-PATRIOTISM: EARLY CHANGES

Over the past few years, communities have emerged in the Western Caucasus that, if not aimed at creating a common cultural field directly, are at least focused on promoting their music, rather than engaging in disputes with neighbors. In the 2010s, it was Zhyu from Adygea, followed by Kyon from Ossetia, and now hopefully, our label from Nalchik. These musical projects arose independently and developed in parallel, forming one environment, if not a scene.

The new folk musicians in the Caucasus transformed their competitive moods into a creative outlet: the success of their peers motivated them rather than causing resentment. The region was also influenced by global musical trends, such as experimental hip-hop, new pop music, and underground metal, which found their way into the playlists of musicians and listeners in the Caucasus. 
more: https://oredrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/caz

02 Alma Terek

kavkazmusic