Tradition and Society in Turkmenistan: Gender, Oral Culture and Song

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Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 305 EAN: 9780700713547 ISBN: 0700713549 Label: RoutledgeCurzon Manufacturer: RoutledgeCurzon Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 288 Publication Date: 2001-01-12 Publisher: RoutledgeCurzon Studio: RoutledgeCurzon
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Editorial Reviews: This unique study of Turkmen women is based on the findings of interviews in rural and urban areas throughout Turkmenistan and a detailed examination of several hundred folksongs, translated and published for the first time in English. These songs, sung by women at various stages of their lives - childhood, young womanhood, marriage, child-rearing and mourning - express the concerns and dreams of women whose silence and submission have often been deemed more important than their opinions. Created in different tribes, locations and historical eras, the songs have a timeless quality that still resonates with women today. After a brief introduction to the history, geography and people of Turkmenistan, the book considers the varied roles played by women in their families and wider society and the influence of religion and ritual in their lives. In particular, it considers connections between Islam, Zoroastrianism, and the ancient folk beliefs and traditions that still permeate the thinking of many Turkmen women. It describes family relationships and seeks to explain why women seem to have a special love for their daughters but an overwhelming desire to bear sons. The book analyses some widely held images of the Turkmen woman, including the silent bride, the powerful mother-in-law, and the evil woman. Most importantly, it reveals ways in which Turkmen women perceive themselves. The final section of the book contains transcripts and annotated translations of 350 of the songs. The book will be of interest to those working in a wide range of academic disciplines, notably Central Asian studies, women's studies, folklore and anthropology. The Turkmen versions of the songs will be of particular interest to scholars of Turkic language, literature and music. The book will also be of interest to those who have travelled or lived in Turkmenistan.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Fascinating folk songs Comment: I have to admit that I was skeptical when I looked at a preview copy of this book. I doubted that it could be both academically rigorous and genuinely entertaining. I'm glad to say I was proved wrong. It is definitely both. Written in clear and lucid prose, and using the author's (an English woman's) own experiences as a way into the fascinating Turkmen culture, this book is always extremely readable. As the first English-language book on Turkmen folk songs, it is inherently a valuable academic treatise. Fortunately, its academic worth far transcends its unique status. Carefully footnoted and written with great sensitivity--at no point are we allowed to forget that the stories being told belong to the women who tell them--this book represents a great contribution not just to folklore from this region but to the study of folklore in general. I was surprised to read that Ms. Blackwell's background was in theater (and not anthropology), though this no doubt accounts in part for the way she was able to put her interviewees at their ease. A great book. More Reviews