By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Representatives of ashiq art have provided support to national soldiers who are fighting on the frontline against Armenian invaders. Azerbaijani Union of Ashiqs transferred 1,000 AZN to Armed Forces Assistance Fund.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on September 27.

Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result, Azerbaijani Army liberated a number of territories previously occupied by Armenia, as well as took several strategic heights under control.

Speaking about the battles on frontline, Secretary of the Union, Honored Cultural Worker Musa Nabioghlu stressed that liberation of some territories aroused great joy and pride among ashiqs and increased the confidence that all Azerbaijani lands will soon liberated from Armenian occupation, Azertag reported.

Notably, Azerbaijan's Armed Forces Assistance Fund was established by the Decree of  President Ilham Aliyev in 2002.

The Fund finances at the expense of funds received on a voluntary basis from legal entities and individuals operating in the territory of Azerbaijan and other receipts not prohibited by law for the purpose of financial assistance to strengthen the material, technical and social base of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces.

The art of Azerbaijani Ashiqs combines poetry, storytelling, dance and vocal and instrumental music into a traditional performance art.

Ashiq is frequently accompanied by traditional stringed musical instruments. The classical repertoire of ashiqs includes 200 songs, 150 literary-musical compositions known as dastans, nearly 2,000 poems in different traditional poetic forms and numerous stories.

Since 2009 the art of Azerbaijani Ashiqs has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The history of Azerbaijan's Karabakh music is closely connected with the art of ashiqs, which brilliantly unites poetry, storytelling, dance, and vocal and instrumental music into traditional performance art. 

Ashiq Valeh was one of the greatest representatives of ashiq art in Karabakh. Valeh was the stage name of the ashiq. His real name was Sefi. At a young age, Sefi became a student of ashiq Samed, who taught him the art of playing saz and poetry. 

Over his life, ashiq Valeh delighted listeners with beautiful music pieces such as "Karabakh shikestesi", "Kesme shikeste", "Bash Saritel" and "Orta Saritel". 

In general, Ashig Huseyn (1800-1880), Ashig Ali (1807-1917), Ashig Alasgar (1821-1926), Ashig Aziz (1825-1918), Ashig Mahammad (1834-1914), Molla Juma (1855-1919) and others left an incredible mark on Karabakh ashig art. 

Karabakh also brought up the first female representative of this art-Ashig Pari. She was known as one of the pioneering women among ashiqs. 

Since 2009 the art of Azerbaijani Ashiqs has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.