Aytysh
Encyclopedia
Aytys or Aytysh ( ɑjtɯ́ʃ) is a song competition held between two aqyn
s. Each usually strums a national instrument (dombra
in the case of the Kazakhs
, qomuz in the case of the Kyrgyz), and they respond to each other in spontaneous
rhyming
verse on a range of topics. They may make backhanded political statements, criticise each other's style, flirt (if of the opposite sex), and flat-out insult one another, but it is all done in good humour: Kyrgyz aqyns even often state that one must have good intentions to be a good aqyn. Because of this, it is a commonly held belief that one cannot hold what an aqyn says against them, and the only way for one aqyn to "get back at" another aqyn is to attempt to outdo them at aytys. Despite the custom to allow aqyns all forms of slander, there are known cases of aqyns in Kazakhstan
being threatened for making political statements against the president
.
Kyrgyz aqyns claim that it is important to be aware of their audience to perform well, and hence, some find it difficult to perform in isolation (e.g., in a studio without a live audience). The audience often votes on the winner in a competition, though this isn't a formal process—many people can "feel" (without anyone stating it overtly) which aqyn the audience has converged upon as a winner just by the crowd's dynamics
.
Usually aqyns compete against other aqyns of same nationality, but due to a high level of mutual intelligibility between the Kyrgyz and Kazakh languages, there have been cases, even in recent years, where Kyrgyz and Kazakh aqyns have competed against one another.
Akyn
Akyns or aqyns are improvising poets and singers in the Kazakh and Kyrgyz cultures. Akyns differs from the so-called zhiraus, who are epic storytellers and a song performers. Akyns improvise in the form of a song-like recitative to the accompaniment of a dombra or a qomuz...
s. Each usually strums a national instrument (dombra
Dombra
The dombura is a long-necked lute popular in Central Asian nations...
in the case of the Kazakhs
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
, qomuz in the case of the Kyrgyz), and they respond to each other in spontaneous
Spontaneous
Spontaneous* Spontaneous abortion* Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis* Spontaneous combustion* Spontaneous emission* Spontaneous fission* Spontaneous generation* Spontaneous human combustion* Spontaneous Music Ensemble* Spontaneous order...
rhyming
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
verse on a range of topics. They may make backhanded political statements, criticise each other's style, flirt (if of the opposite sex), and flat-out insult one another, but it is all done in good humour: Kyrgyz aqyns even often state that one must have good intentions to be a good aqyn. Because of this, it is a commonly held belief that one cannot hold what an aqyn says against them, and the only way for one aqyn to "get back at" another aqyn is to attempt to outdo them at aytys. Despite the custom to allow aqyns all forms of slander, there are known cases of aqyns in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
being threatened for making political statements against the president
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union...
.
Kyrgyz aqyns claim that it is important to be aware of their audience to perform well, and hence, some find it difficult to perform in isolation (e.g., in a studio without a live audience). The audience often votes on the winner in a competition, though this isn't a formal process—many people can "feel" (without anyone stating it overtly) which aqyn the audience has converged upon as a winner just by the crowd's dynamics
Group dynamics
Group dynamics refers to a system of behaviors and psychological processes that occur within a social group , or between social groups...
.
Usually aqyns compete against other aqyns of same nationality, but due to a high level of mutual intelligibility between the Kyrgyz and Kazakh languages, there have been cases, even in recent years, where Kyrgyz and Kazakh aqyns have competed against one another.