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Adham Ashirov Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Center for Ethnology and Anthropology, Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan One of the historical and ethnographic centers that has preserved the rich culture and values of the Uzbek people, whose historical roots stretch back thousands of years, is the Boysun district located in the Surkhandarya region of southern Uzbekistan. It…
BOYSUN – A LAND PRESERVING
NATIONAL AND LOCAL VALUES
Adham Ashirov Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Center for Ethnology and Anthropology, Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan One of the historical and ethnographic centers that has preserved the rich culture and values of the Uzbek people, whose historical roots stretch back thousands of years, is the Boysun district located in the Surkhandarya region of southern Uzbekistan. It is no coincidence that on May 18, 2001, UNESCO declared Boysun a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The term “Boysun” is of ancient Turkic origin and means “great mountain” or “mighty mountain.” Indeed, this land, with
BOYSUN – MILLIY VA
MAHALLIY QADRIYATLAR
SAQLAB KELINAYOTGAN MAKON
Adham Ashirov, FA Tarix instituti “Etnologiya va antropologiya” markazi boshlig‘i, tarix fanlari doktori, professor Tarixiy tomirlari ming yillarga borib taqalgan o‘zbeklarning boy madaniyati va qadriyatlarini o‘zida saqlab kelayotgan tarixiy-elshunoslik markazlarimizdan biri O‘zbekiston janubidagi Surxondaryo viloyatida joylashgan Boysun tumanidir. YuNESKO 2001-yil 18-mayda uni Umumjahon nomoddiy yodgorliklarining durdonasi deb e’lon qilgani ham shunchaki emas, albatta. “Boysun” atamasi qadimiy turkiycha bo‘lib, “ulug‘ tog‘”, “katta tog‘” ma’nosini bildirgan. Chindan ham ko‘kka cho‘zilgani, sersuv yoki ibodat ifodasi sifatida qaraladi. Sarmishsoydagi tasvirlar esa Turon madaniyatida mehnat munosabatlarining shakllanishini yoritadi. Yer haydash, arava, ho‘kizlarga qo‘shilgan omoch va ot-haydov tasvirlari bronza davridan mehnat faoliyati, xo‘jalik tizimi va iqtisodiy moslashuvning jadallashganini ko‘rsatadi. Bu joyga insonlarning qayta-qayta tashrif buyurib, rasmlar chizilishi ular ongida muqaddaslikning saqlab qolingani, uning madaniy va diniy markaz sifatida ham faoliyat yuritganini ko‘rsatadi, albatta. Shu tarzda, Turon hududidagi qoyatosh san’ati tasvirlari — bu uzluksiz ijtimoiy-tarixiy taraqqiyot, tabiatga moslashuv, madaniy o‘zgarishlar va ijtimoiy murakkablashuvning na’munasi bo‘lib xizmat qiladi. Bu yodgorliklarning har biri mustaqil holda muhim manba bo‘lgani kabi, ularni umumiy tizim sifatida o‘rganish orqali Turkiy dunyo va Turonning madaniy-antropologik tarixi va insoniy qadriyatlarining evrilishiini aniqlash imkoni paydo bo‘ladi. in early societies and the factors conveyed through religion and symbolism. The palm prints made with ochre can be understood as cultural marks and signs of individuality. Similar motifs have been recorded in Africa, Europe, South America, and Oceania, where handprints in various ethnic groups are regarded as signs of existence, symbols of spiritual protection, or expressions of prayer. The images at Sarmishsoy illuminate the formation of labor relations in Turan culture. Depictions of plowing, carts, yokes on oxen, and horse-driving indicate that from the Bronze Age onward labor activities, household systems, and economic adaptation intensified. The repeated visits to this place and the repeated painting of images show that a sense of sacredness was preserved in people’s minds and that the site functioned as a cultural and religious center. Thus, the rock art images of the Turan region serve as examples of continuous socio-historical development, adaptation to nature, cultural change, and increasing social complexity. Each of these monuments is an important source in its own right, and by studying them as a whole system it becomes possible to determine the cultural- anthropological history of the Turkic world and Turan and to trace the evolution of human values. 20-yuzyillikning birinchi choragida “diniy markaz” deb mustamlaka sovet hokimiyati tomonidan buzib tashlangan. Boysun shahri Boysundaryoning tog‘dan chiqish joyida tog‘ yonbag‘rida joylashgan. Ma’lumki, tog‘lar o‘ziga xos tabiiy mudofa devori vazifasini o‘tab, tashqi xavfdan shaharni bir tomonlama bo‘lsa-da, himoya qilib turgan. Boysun shahrida so‘nggi o‘rta chog‘larda bek va amaldorlarning qo‘rg‘oni, masjid va madrasalari, yirik bozori, ko‘plab savdo shoxobchalari va hunarmandchilik rastalari bo‘lgan. Shaharda asosan o‘troq aholi hunarmandchilik va savdoni ekin-tikinchilik bilan bog‘liq holda olib borgan. Shu sababli, shaharlar chegarasi yondosh qishloqlardan aniq ajratilmagan. Odatda shaharliklar bahor kelishi bilan o‘zlarining shahar chetidagi bog‘lari va poliz ekin maydonlariga ko‘chib o‘tganlar. Bu holat ko‘proq Boysun shahri uchun xos bo‘lib, uning atrofidagi Sariosiyo, Avlod, Shayit, Bog‘ibolo qishloqlarini shahardan ajratib bo‘lmaydi va ular bevosita shaharning tarkibiy qismi sanaladilar. Boysun shahri atrofidagi qishloqlar aholisi tarkibiga ko‘ra xilma-xildir. Jumladan, Sariosiyo, Avlod, Passurxi, Bibishirin, Ko‘chkak, Rabot, Kofirun, Shayit, Gaza, Paygaboshi kabi qishloqlarida o‘zbek xalqi tarkibidagi turk, qo‘ng‘irot, qatag‘on, chag‘atoy, qarluq, do‘rmon kabi etnik guruhlar va tojiklar uzoq davr mobaynida birgalikda yashab keladilar. Shu sababli ham, ularning tili, urf-odatlari, to‘y va motam marosimlari, shuningdek, kiyim- kechaklari, xo‘jalik xususiyatlari va, hatto, xalq og‘zaki ijodida ham umumiy mushtaraklikni kuzatishimiz mumkin. Demak, bu yerda turli etnik guruhlar turli madaniyat va rang- barang sheva va tillar qorishib, o‘ziga xos «boysun-qo‘ng‘irot eli» vujudga kelgan va o‘ziga xos madaniyat yaratgan. Boysun shahri aholisining asosiy qismini o‘zbeklar va tojiklar tashkil etadi. O‘zbek xalqi tarkibiga kiruvchi turk, qo‘ng‘irot, qatag‘on, chig‘atoy, qarluq, do‘rmon, xarduri va xo‘jalar aralash holda Boysunning turli guzarlarida joylashganlar. Shuningdek darbandi, machayi, sayrobi, panjobi kabi hududiy guruhlarning vakillarini ham uchratamiz. Ular uzoq davr mobaynida birgalikda yashab ketganliklari bois faqat o‘zi mansub bo‘lgan of present-day Uzbekistan were governed by the Kushans, up to the early decades of the twentieth century. Regrettably, in the first quarter of the twentieth century, these sites were demolished by the colonial Soviet authorities, who designated them as “religious centers.” The city of Boysun is situated on the mountain slope at the point where the Boysundarya River emerges from the highlands. It is well known that the surrounding mountains served as a natural defensive barrier, providing the city with protection—at least on one side—from external threats. During the late medieval period, Boysun possessed a fortress belonging to local beks and officials, as well as mosques, madrasas, a large marketplace, numerous trading stalls, and handicraft rows. The city’s primarily settled population engaged in handicrafts and trade, closely connected with agriculture. Consequently, the urban boundaries were not clearly separated from the adjoining villages. Typically, with the arrival of spring, townspeople would move to their orchards and cultivated plots located on the outskirts of the city. This pattern was particularly characteristic of Boysun, where neighboring villages such as Sariosiyo, Avlod, Shayit, and Boghibolo were so closely integrated that they were regarded as an inseparable part of the city itself. The population of the villages surrounding the city of Boysun is ethnically diverse. In villages such as Sariosiyo, Avlod, Passurkhi, Bibishirin, Kuchkak, Rabot, Kofirun, Shayit, Gaza, and Paygaboshi, various Uzbek ethnic subgroups—including the Turk, Khongirad, Qataghan, Chaghatay, Karluk, and Durmon—have lived together with Tajiks for many centuries. As a result, they share commonalities in language, customs, wedding and mourning rituals, clothing styles, household practices, and even in elements of oral folklore. Thus, over time, the coexistence and intermingling of different ethnic groups, cultures, and dialects in this region gave rise to a distinctive cultural identity known as the “Boysun–Khongirad people,” which developed its own unique traditions and cultural expressions. buloqlar, tog‘ daryolari, keng qir-u adirlar va noyob o‘simlik-u hayvonot dunyosiga egaligi uchun ham ushbu o‘lka eng qadimdan kishilar xavfsiz va qulay qo‘nalg‘a sanalgan. Uzoqqa bormasdan, neandertal qizning bosh chanog‘i topilgan mashhur Teshiktosh unguri xuddi shu tegrada ekanini eslashning o‘zi yetarlidir. Bu yerlarga odamzot oyog‘i 130 000 – 150 000 yillar burun yetib kelganidan dalolat beradi, albatta. Darband qishlog‘idagi Temir darvoza, Zarautsoydagi Qo‘hitog‘da buqalar ovi tosh suratlari hamda noyob va shifobaxsh buloqli “Omonxona” maskani ham Boysun nomini mashhur qilgan. O‘tgan mingyilliklar davomida ushbu mintaqada katta-katta qishloqlar paydo bo‘lib borgan, aholi ekin-tikinchilik, hunarmandchilik va chorvachilik bilan shug‘ullangan. Boysun markazidagi Bolaqo‘rg‘on va Tumanqo‘rg‘on kabi tarixiy obidalar o‘zbek davlatini boshqargan kushonlar davridan (1 – 5-yuzyilliklar) yig‘irmanchi yuzyillik boshlarigacha saqlanib qolgan. Lekin afsuski its towering peaks reaching toward the sky, abundant springs and mountain rivers, wide plateaus and hills, and rich flora and fauna, has since ancient times been regarded as a safe and favorable place for human settlement. It is enough to recall that the famous Teshik-Tash Cave, where the skull of a Neanderthal girl was discovered, is located in this very area. This discovery indicates that humans inhabited these lands some 130,000 to 150,000 years ago. The “Iron Gate” located in the village of Darband, the rock carvings depicting bull- hunting scenes in the Kuhitang Mountains of Zaroutsay, and the unique curative spring complex “Omonkhona” have all contributed to the renown of the Boysun region. Over the millennia, large settlements developed in this region, whose inhabitants were engaged in agriculture, handicrafts, and animal husbandry. Historical monuments such as Bolakurgan and Tumankurgan, situated in the center of Boysun, endured from the Kushan period (1st– 5th centuries CE), during which the territories turkiylarga xos bo‘lgan qo‘ng‘irotlar, qatag‘onlar, chag‘atoyilar, karluklar, do‘rmonlar, juz, xardurlar, barloslar turmush tarzi, madaniyati va xo‘jalik-madaniy muhiti bilan chambarchas bog‘liqdir. Boysun hunarmadchilik markazi sifatida ham nom qozongan. Unda o‘troq va ko‘chmanchi turkiylarga xos madaniyat uyg‘unlashgan. Jumladan, Boysunga xos bo‘lgan serqirra kashtachilik (milliy bosh kiyim do‘ppidan tortib turli bezak lavhalar aks etgan so‘zanalargacha), gilamdo‘zlik (g‘ajariy, taqir, oqenli, terma, koxma, julxirs), kiygizlik, to‘qimachilik milliy matolar – alacha va janda), yog‘och o‘ymakorlik, musiqa cholg‘ularini yasash (do‘mbira, dutor, chiltor, temir va yog‘ochli chanqovuz, yog‘ochli, qamishli, suyakli va sopolli naylar), kulolchilik, terini qayta ishlash kabi hunarlarda turli xo‘jalik turmush tarziga xos jihatlar yorqin aks etgan. Boysun aholisi qadimdan o‘zining boy og‘zaki ijod namunalari va moddiy madaniyati bilan mashhur bo‘lgan. O‘zbek xalq og‘zaki ijodidagi barcha yo‘nalishlarda xalqimizning maishiy turmushi va ko‘p qirrali madaniyati, uning odamgarchilik xislati va ezgu niyatlari, ozodlik, vatanparvarlik g‘oyalari, ezgulik bilan yovuzlik orasidagi murosasiz kurash, oliy insonparvarlik va dushmanga cheksiz nafrat kabi oliyjanob fazilatlar kuylanadi. Mintaqada turkiylarga xos bo‘lgan xalq dostonlari do‘mbira jo‘rligida tomoq uslubi – bo‘g‘iq ovozda aytiladi. Xalq dostonlarini kuylovchi baxshichilik maktabi Sherobod- Boysun baxshi-shoirlik maktabi nomi bilan tanilgan. Maktabning yirik namoyandalari orasida Sherna baxshi va uning shogirdalari bo‘lgan – Shoberdi Boltayev va Abdunazar Poyonov – xalq dostonlari va termalari ijrochilari sifatida nom qozonganlar. Umuman olganda, Boysunda doston ijrochilari – baxshi-shoir (doston ijrochilari) va baxshi-termachilariga (terma – qo‘shiq ijrochilari) bo‘linadi. Boysunda «Boysun» xalq jamoasi va «Kuralay» bolalar guruhi mashhur bo‘lib, ular Alla, mavsumiy marosimlar – Yil boshi, Sumalak, Boychechak, Sust xotin, Choy momo, Ramazon, to‘y marosimlari – Yor-yor, Kelin salom, Baytxonlik (aytishuv); Mayda, Oblo baraka, Shohmoyilar, Qo‘sh haydash, craftsmanship have flourished, including the richly developed art of embroidery (ranging from national headwear — doppi — to decorative wall hangings — suzani), carpet weaving (featuring ghajariy, takir, okenli, terma, kokhma, and julkhirs styles), felt- making; textile production (national fabrics such as alacha and janda); woodcarving; the crafting of musical instruments (dombra, dutar, chiltor, and jaw harps — changqovuz — made of metal or wood, as well as flutes made of wood, reed, bone, or clay); pottery; and leather processing. Each of these crafts vividly reflects distinctive features of the local household culture and way of life. Since ancient times, the people of Boysun have been renowned for their rich oral traditions and material culture. Across all genres of Uzbek oral creativity, one finds depictions of the people’s everyday life and multifaceted culture, their humanity and noble intentions, as well as the ideas of freedom and patriotism, the uncompromising struggle between good and evil, profound humanism, and boundless hatred toward the enemy. In the region, epic songs characteristic of Turkic peoples are performed to the accompaniment of the dombra and sung in a throat style with a deep, resonant voice. The local epic performance tradition is known as the Sherobod–Boysun Bakhshi-poetry school. Among the prominent representatives of this school are Sherna Bakhshi and his disciples Shoberdi Boltaev and Abdunazar Poyonov, who gained renown as performers of folk epics (doston) and lyrical recitations (terma). In general, the epic performers (bakhshi) of Boysun are classified into two groups: bakhshi-shoir, who perform the epics, and bakhshi-termachi, who perform lyrical songs (terma). In Boysun, the “Boysun” folk ensemble and the children’s group “Kuralay” are widely known. Their repertoire includes Alla (lullabies), seasonal ritual songs such as Yil boshi (New Year), Sumalak, Boychechak, Sust khatun, Choy momo, and Ramadan, as well as wedding songs and ceremonies including Yor-yor, Kelin salom, and Baytkhonlik (antiphonal singing). They also perform folk songs such as Mayda, Oblo baraka, etnik guruh nominigina saqlab qolganlar. Aholi shunday aralashib ketganki, hatto til, madaniy-xo‘jalik, etnik xususiyatlari borasida qandaydir chegaralovchi chiziq o‘tkazishning ham aslo iloji yo‘q. Boysunning turkiy madaniyat va merosida o‘ziga xos o‘rni bo‘lib, mintaqada noyob og‘zaki ijodi durdonlari, jumladan, o‘zbek xalq dostonlari, ertaklari, rivoyatlari, qo‘shiq va laparlari bilan birga noyob hunarmandchilik turlari va milliy liboslar saqlanib qolgan. Shuningdek, mintaqada yil hisobi va oilaviy marosim, urf-odatlar, milliy qadriyatlar, jumladan, nikoh va o‘g‘il to‘ylarida ko‘pkari, kurash, shavloq, piyoda uloq, kavzo kabi milliy o‘yinlarni o‘tkazish keng ommalashgan. Qolaversa, qurg‘oqchilik kunlari «Yomg‘ir chaqirish» (Sust xotin yoki So‘zil xotin) va kasal kishilarni davolash maqsadida o‘tkaziladigan «Jahr» marosimi o‘tkaziladi. Mazkur marosimlarda turkiylarning tabiat va jamiyat bilan bog‘liq e’tiqodiy qarashlari islomiy ananalar bilan uyg‘unlashuvini kuzatish mumkin. Shubhasiz, bunday holat mintaqada yuz yillar davomida yashab kelayotgan o‘zbek qavmlari bo‘lgan islomdan oldingi The majority of the population of Boysun consists of Uzbeks and Tajiks. Among the Uzbek population, various sub-ethnic groups—including the Turk, Khongirad, Qataghan, Chaghatay, Karluk, Durmon, Kharduri, and Khoja—are intermixed and reside in different neighborhoods (guzar) of the town. Representatives of territorial groups such as the Darbandi, Machayi, Sayrobi, and Panjobi are also found here. Having lived together for many centuries, they have largely preserved only the names of their ancestral ethnic groups, while other distinguishing features have gradually blended. The population has become so thoroughly integrated that it is virtually impossible to delineate clear distinctions in language, cultural and household traditions, or ethnic identity. Boysun holds a distinctive place in the Turkic cultural and historical heritage. The region has preserved a wealth of unique elements of oral folklore, including Uzbek epic poems (doston), folk tales, legends, songs, and lyrical dialogues (lapar), as well as traditional crafts and national attire. In addition, calendar customs, family ceremonies, and social traditions— particularly during wedding celebrations and boys’ circumcision ceremonies—often feature national games such as kupkari (known elsewhere as buzkashi or ulak), kurash (wrestling), shavlok, ulak on foot, and kavzo. During periods of drought, rituals such as “Rain Calling” (Sust khatun, Suzil khatun) are performed, while the “Jahr” ceremony is held for the healing of the sick. These rituals vividly reflect the fusion of Turkic pre-Islamic beliefs concerning nature and society with Islamic spiritual traditions. Undoubtedly, this synthesis is deeply rooted in the way of life, culture, and cultural–household environment of the Uzbek tribes—Khongirad, Qataghan, Chaghatay, Karluk, Durmon, Juz, Kharduri, and Barlas—who have inhabited the region for centuries and preserved elements of pre- Islamic Turkic heritage. Boysun has also earned renown as a center of traditional craftsmanship. The region embodies a synthesis of cultural elements characteristic of both settled and nomadic Turkic peoples. In Boysun, various forms of
