Shamanistic Rituals to Âşıks Performances: Symbolism of Summoning Spirits

Âşıks, Turkish improvisational poets, are seen as inheritors of shamanic functions, with poetic roles shifting from shamans to ozan (bards) and then to âşıks from the 15th–16th centuries. They share parallels with shamans in upbringing, development, and societal status. Âşıks honor deceased masters by reciting their works, a practice called “usta malı söylemek,” aiming to connect with ancestral spirits. This resembles shamans invoking spirits of departed ancestors for celestial and subterranean journeys. Interviews with 34 âşıks across Türkiye, analyzed via document analysis, found all were nurtured in a master–apprentice tradition. They consciously evoked masters’ spirits during performances, and while regional and age variations existed, reciting masters’ poems elevated spirits, and neglecting it was seen as potentially harmful to tradition, themselves, and their surroundings.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Âşıks, renowned for their adeptness at improvisational poetry, are viewed as the inheritors of certain shamanic functions within historical contexts. Originally, shamans assumed diverse roles encompassing poetry, medicine, and priesthood before social and religious transformations prompted a gradual shift of the poetic responsibilities, first to individuals termed ozan (bards) and later to âşık, beginning from the 15th to 16th centuries. Âşıks share parallels with shamans in their upbringing, developmental stages toward âşıklık (bardhood), and esteemed societal positions. Their reverence for deceased masters becomes evident in their artistic presentations, wherein they express homage to the memories, and consequently the spirits, of their masters by reciting the works of esteemed âşık masters, notably Köroğlu, during their performances. This practice, referred to as “usta malı söylemek” (the performance of the masters’ poems and folk songs) within the Turkish âşık tradition, represents an endeavor to establish a connection with the spirits of ancestors. The resemblance between the tradition of âşıks evolving within the master–apprentice dynamic and shamans invoking the spirits of departed ancestors, embarking on celestial and subterranean journeys empowered by them, and the âşıks’ homage to their masters’ spirits through recitations of their works, thereby sensing their masters’ influence by engaging with them, is striking. This study explores the extent to which contemporary âşıks consciously embrace this resemblance. To this end, a sample group of 34 âşıks residing in diverse regions of Türkiye was interviewed, and the acquired data were analyzed using the document analysis method. Accordingly, all the âşıks who participated in the study were nurtured within the tradition of the master–apprentice relationship akin to shamans. They diligently sought to evoke the spirits of their masters during their performances by reciting masters’ poems and songs, reminiscent of shamans invoking the spirits of deceased shaman ancestors through prayers resembling divine verses. Furthermore, while variations specific to different regions and age groups existed among these âşıks, it was observed that consciously reciting the poems of their masters elevated the masters’ spirits. Simultaneously, they harbored concerns about the potential harm that neglecting this practice might inflict upon the tradition, themselves, and their surroundings.