Genesis of The Baku Hearsays in Manaf Suleymanov's "What I Have Heard, Seen and Read"

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AMEA

Filologiya və Sənətşünaslıq, 2020, № 1


Səhifə: 70-75 ISSN: 2663-4368

UOT: 821.512.162(091) Ulker Iman Aliyeva*

GENESIS OF THE BAKU HEARSAYS IN MANAF SULEYMANOV’S


“WHAT I HAVE HEARD, SEEN AND READ”

Summary

Legends and hearsays, which are the epic genres of folklore, are not identical typologically; they are attributes of
genetic structure. In other words, as the legends and hearsays belong to the epic system, they do not form an identity.
Their identity is based on the geneticism of thinking. The said is characteristic for the hearsays encountered in Manaf
Süleymanov’s “Eşitdiklərim, oxuduqlarım, gördüklərim”. They attract attention because they reflect the events of our
nearest past. The time expressed in them covers usually two or three generations, sometimes one or two generations.
The relation of the first speaker with the next speaker is measured with the view to the object and topic.

Key words: Baku, folklore, legend, genesis, epic genre

Introduction. Manaf Suleymanov’s identical, their similarity is connected with the


“Eşitdiklərim, Oxuduqlarım, Gördüklərim” geneticism of thinking. “As these genres belong
(What I have Heard, Seen and Read) is one of to the same genetic system, derive from the
the irreplaceble sources in the study of the folk- same source, they do not form an identity, their
lore of Baku, the Legends and hearsays, which similarity is based on the geneticism of think-
have passed from generation to generation. For ing. As they are connected with the same ge-
the first time it appeared in “Azerbaijan” maga- netic system, derive from the same genetic
zine (No 3-4) and gained great sympathy of the source, grown on the same foundation, they
readers and won fame for the author. form different levels of the same system of the
First of all, it can be reviewed as a literary epos. Hearsays as a genre differ from legends
chronicle, which covers a period of the oil and myth, because they describe the events of
boom of Baku till the establishment of the So- life more realistically. The poetic traits of this
viet power in Azerbaijan. It evokes interest not genre allow describe the reality “in its historical
only from the point of view of folklore studies, gown” [1, p.12-13].
but also from the point of view of ethnographic All the said is also characteristic for the
information, which it conveys. It conveys in- hearsays described in Manaf Suleymanov’s
formation on the popular buildings, palaces, book “Eşitdiklərim, Oxuduqlarım, Gördüklə-
bazaars and caravansaries of the time. Among rim” (What I have Heard, Seen and Read) and
the information penned and conveyed by the they attract attention as they reflect the events
author the legends and hearsays occupy a spe- relatively of our close history. The most inter-
cial place. esting in it is that in some cases the hearsays as
*** the mirrors of our close history merge within
As it is known, legends and hearsays, the same plot with the legends, which are the
which are the epic genres of the folklore are not products of more ancient stages of social con-
typological identity, but the attribute of genetic sciousness. For instance, the author speaks of a
structure. In other words, as the legends and court procedure, which he has heard and which
hearsays are parts of the epic system are not has passed from generation to generation in the
__________________________
*
 ANAS Institute of Folklore. PhD in philiology. 
www.phil-art.journal.az Ulkar Iman Aliyeva

following form: “The most interesting court thirty thousand years, the first alphabet ap-
trial was when Lawyer Garabey took part in it. peared approximately six thousand years ago.
The inhabitants of Baku nicknamed him “Gara- F.Bayat is right in saying that within this long
bey, who made the bear cry”. He was a lean tall time historical experience, heritage of spiritual
man and in simple clothes, he had short trou- culture lived only in written form, in the form
sers, a kind of coat dressed in past times (ark- of words and tried to preserve itself through
halig), put on it he had a thin belt called tek- oral transmission. After the invention of writing
bend, for headwear he had a drab cap or simply the culture expressed in words protected its rul-
an oriental headwear made of the Bukhara ing position, together with writing it made the
sheepskin” [2, p. 8-9]. historical knowledge live. Though time
At the end of the hearsay there is such a changed, mankind entered a new stage, word
legend: “I asked an engineer, who was over has been able to preserve its being as a connect-
ninety, how the nickname “Made the Bear Cry” ing element [4, p.79].
emerged. He said that one day a midge saw that The scholars, who speak of the traces of
a bear was lying on the ground to warm him- history living in folklore, particularly in hear-
self. The midge flies and approaches the bear. says, focus attention on the complicatedness
The bear seeing the midge shouts at it: “Go to and wastness of these relations. They note that
the hell, don’t make my head ache”. The midge the relation of the eposes and hearsays to the
says: “Behave yourself, or I shall make you cry, historical reality, reflection of historical events
then you will beg me”. “Go away, I tell you, in folklore, the role of folklore in keeping the
how a litter like you can make me beg you!” history in memory do not cover only the rela-
The midge gets angry, forces itself into the nose tions of folklore texts with the relations of his-
of the bear. The bear sneezes, coughs to force torical events. According to them, “the circle of
the midge out, but cannot, on the contrary the these relations is very wide and it covers the
midge moves deeper and deeper… The bear creation of man, the psychogenetic, ethno ge-
suffers so much that its roar echoes in the netic, linguo-genetic and other much wider is-
mountains and gorges, it beats its head to sues. Reflection of the ancient history in folk-
stones, to rocks. The midge moves towards the lore is not limited with the creation of the im-
bear’s brain. Animals in the forest come and age of a historical event or historical person.
assemble to watch the scene. When the fox be- Here are much broader issues than one thinks.
comes aware of the case, he advises the bear to Folklore is also an outlook. Folklore reflects all
beg the midge. “You have no other remedy. that a nation assimilated and transformed it to
Implore and fall on your knees! Otherwise you spiritual experience. Thus, folklore and history
will die”… The bear falls on his knees and be- relations also mean the relations of conscious-
gins to beg the midge. The midge leaves the ness and reality in the broad sense” [5, p.10-
bear’s nose and begins to boast: “The bear 11]. It is interesting that such plots are encoun-
begged me, I made the bear cry, weep [2, p.10]. tered in Manaf Suleymanov’s book titled
We must note that the issues connected “What I have Heard, Seen and Read”, which
with the classification of legends have been allow trace the process of transformation of the
deeply studied, but the issue of the hearsays is real history into a hearsay. From this point of
different to a certain degree. Fewer efforts have view, there is real historical knowledge in the
been made to classify them; it is connected with hearsay connected with the horse tramway in
the difficulty of their classification and their Baku and the hearsay the writer heard from the
insufficient study. Comparison of hearsays, elderly people.
legends and myths shows that “the main condi- “Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev founded a
tion in hearsays is historicity and this historicity company in 1887 with five outsider capitalists
refers to the events based on supposition” [3, and began to build a horse tramway in the
p.109-110]. Though the age of humanity is over town. The road began to function in 1892; it

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brought a great novelty to the transport world. moved to and fro Ag Sheher (White Town),
The company of shareholders rented it to Haji Gara Sheher and Bayıl, too. Along with the
Mustafa Rasulov to be engaged in the organiza- horse tramways there were other types of trans-
tion of the work of the horse tramway in the port. There were thousands of horses, carts,
town. The tramway was driven by two horses, cabs, phaetons and few numbers of cars” [2,
but in ascents a third horse was added. The p.12-13].
route of the horse tramway in the town as a rule The carters carried oil to plants and to the
began from Seyid Mirbabayev Square (the pre- town day and night. Baku had become a huge
sent Azneft Square) and along Sahil Street town of barrel makes workshops. There were
(Neftchiler Street), passed the shops of the Ira- thousands of barrel makers workshops, in each
nian merchants to Mikhailovsky Street (former step there were pools of dirty water. The air
Zevin Street), then turned to Mercury Street was stinking. Midges and flies troubled every-
(Shaumyan Street). Then it passed through the one. The workshops of barrel makers lined
north of Marinsky Street (former Karganov along Bondarni (Dmitrov) Street from
Street). There were grand multistorey buildings, Sabunchu Railway Station till Guba Square.
decorated shops, restaurants and hotels, which Both sides of the street were full of pools of
adorned the sunny side of this street. It was the dirty water. The situation with the barrels wors-
quarter inhabited mostly by the rich. Then it ened so much that the municipality of the town
moved till Molokon Garden (former Xaqani adopted a resolution to move the barrel shops to
Street), from there it passed to Bolshoya Mor- the outskirt of the town. According to that reso-
skaya Street (Kirov Avenue). After two quar- lution there did not remain any barrel makers
ters it entered Telefonniy Street (28th April shops in the town.
Street), then continued its movement through By the end of XIX century Haji
Vaghzal Street (Pushkin Street) and through Zeynalabdin Tagiyev advised the owners of oil
Balakhanı Street (Basin Street) reached Quba tankers to join and create a company, but at the
Square (Fuzuli Street). It continued its road beginning of XX century they created a ship-
along Bazar (Market) Street and moved down ping and joint-stock company by name of
towards Gessabbazar (Yefim Saratov Street) “Kura-Caspian”. It had to transport all kinds of
and then turned to Vorontsov Street (Azizbeyov goods, including oil and passengers. The ships
Street), and then it passed the print-house of had to sail to all the ports on the Caspian, in the
Gafur Rashad Mirza-zade, geographer, owner rivers Volga and Kura, build bridges and store-
and editor of the journal “Mekteb” (School), houses. The fixed capital of the company was
then from Gurubagh (Dry Garden) to Vrangel 2.000.000 manats. Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev
Street (Aliheyder Ggarayev Street), then to Ol- had his own commercial and passenger ships,
ginsky Street (Japaridze Street), then to Mik- too [2, p.12-13].
hailovsky Street (Zevin Street), then to Sahil It is to the point to note that many of the
Street (Neftchiler Street) and reached Mirba- plots penned by the author are connected with
bayev Square (Azneft Square) and completed the Baku millionaire, well-known philanthro-
the circle. In the reverse direction the horse pist Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, and one cannot
tramway again moved along Telefonniy, Bol- speak of penning only the heard, but also his-
shoya Morskaya and Molokon streets, then torical facts reflected in the archive documents.
turned to the right to Marinsky Street, from For the sake of information we must say that in
there to Gessabbazar, and then moved till Bazar the personal fund under the number 636 there is
Street, there when the ascent began a third a copy of the letter of Uzeyir Hajibeyov, father
horse joined the two, from there it moved to of the classical music of Azerbaijan, popular
Guba Square, then to Balakhanı, which led to musician, composer, author of the first opera in
the railway station and Pushkin Street, and in the Orient, and the archive documents collected
this way completed the circle. Horse tramways about Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev [2].

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In the plot below we witness the real the said book like other hearsays have been
events supported by the archive documents and built in the form of a narration, witnessing and
hearsays: “In the October of the same year the retelling. Any event, which has taken place
office of the burgomaster of Baku received an- here, is narrated by a witness, or a group of
other instruction, which said: “A number of witnesses. It is interesting that very often we
Moslems, who sympathize with the revolution- come across the expression of “deyilene gore”
aries in Iran, help them with money and arms. it is said, as it was said), it shows that the nar-
The residents of Baku Mukhtarov and Haji rated plot is hearsay in nature, they tell of
Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, who possess great fi- something which is new. We come across such
nances, are among them. It is an honor to me to a plot, which speaks about the estate house of a
convey the errand of the viceroy and ask you to Baku millionaire: “When the shah of Iran
control secretly the activities of these persons”. Muzaffaraddin was on his way to Europe, he
On the basis of the instruction mentioned stayed in this house in Baku. It was built in
above the burgomaster of the town talks to classical style, but also had the elements of
Mukhtarov and Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev and modernity. In the spot where the road laid from
says that the czarist government of Russia is in Sadovy (Chkalov) Street towards the seashore,
friendly terms with the government of the Ira- in front of the old cemetery, there stood the
nian shah. And their action may displease the house of Sadigov, which was popular for its
friendly Iranian government and it may violate external decoration and ornaments, it was a real
the friendly relations of the two countries. It is specimen of architecture. As it is said, people
necessary to stop rendering assistance to the joked with Sadigov saying “Ey Kerbelayi (one
revolutionaries of Iran. who had made a pilgrim to Kerbela), why have
Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev replies to the you thrown so much money to the wind, why
burgomaster of the town that they do not render have you such house built here?” Sadigov an-
any assistance to the revolutionaries in Iran. As swers: “Do not be ignorant, look, how a beauti-
a result of disorders in Iran many people have ful place it is, the governor has planted a garden
been killed. There are many orphan children, in front of my house”. The elements of oriental
widowed women, old fathers and mothers. and national Azerbaijani styles were used in the
They are dying of hunger. Diseases are growing construction of this building.
day by day. We help the indigent and needy A little above, Gaziyev had a three-storey
ones. In conformity with Islam we render mate- house built on the rocks of Chemberekend, it
rial assistance to such people. If we do not do looked like a ship. On the second day in the
that, then we shall also be giaours [2, p.16]. morning after the move of the family to the
As it is known, the lives and activities of house the servant came and said that the gate
the wise men, scholars, and writers have always had been opened and the wheels of the phaeton
become topics for different hearsays. From this had been stolen. As soon as Gaziyev heard the
point of view the hearsays of Baku are not an news, he immediately went to the commodity
exception. But one of the characteristic features exchange, sold the house. On the same day tak-
of the hearsays of Baku distinguishing them ing his family he moved to another house …
from those of other towns and regions is that all He was asked that why he had moved to
the hearsays here are connected with the char- another flat after having the house built with
acteristic features connected purely with the oil such a great desire and inclination. He an-
lords of Baku, qochu (ruffians) and with the swered: “I thought that I shall renovate the
lives of other men. This fact necessitates the quarter, build a bazaar and shops there, help the
study of the folklore of Baku, particularly the neighbors and relatives, everyone will have a
study of hearsays. That specific feature has job. It is not right to live in such a quarter
been reflected in Manaf Suleymanov’s afore- where the cheapest thing as the wheel of the
mentioned book conspicuously. The hearsays in phaeton is being stolen” [2, p.19].

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The expression “Deyilene gore“ (as it is nine volumes he writes comprehensively about
said, as it was said) is encountered in another the wars between Iran and Greece, of a number
plot, too: “There were four estate houses in the of states of the ancient world, including the his-
intersection of Sadovy (Chkalov) and Niko- tory, geographical position, local peoples and
layev (Communist) streets – the Summer Club the customs and traditions of the peoples of the
(the Philharmonic Society, Sadigov’s house, Oriental countries. If we say that the same
Marina Russian Gymnasium for Girls built by things are encountered in Manaf Suleymanov’s
Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev and little below of it book titled “What I have Heard, Seen and
the building of Daburin, office manager of Read”, we shall not be mistaken at all. Here
Rothschild, built in fine architectural style, also we encounter the mixture of history and
which he sold it then to the Russian company folklore, hearsays and legends.
“Кавказское Товарещество” (at present it is The content of the hearsay depends on the
the Art Museum after R.Mustafayev). These style of the narrator, too. The narrator some-
buildings competed in beauty and laconicism. times makes additions to it, which extends the
It is said that the head of the Russian content. Like legends the hearsays may also
company “Кавказское Товарищество” Ku- spread in different territories. It depends on the
kasov asked the architect to build the building migration of the population. In nearest migra-
of the Philharmonic Society and make the bal- tions the content of the hearsay is not subjected
cony of his house so that from his balcony he to great changes. When the territory of migra-
could see and hear the music and singers. Be- tion grows, then the hearsay is subjected to se-
sides, he asked to build a blind wall in front of rious changes.
his house. According to the rules of architecture The hearsays encountered in Manaf
the stage is to face the entrance, but in Summer Süleymanov’s book “Eşitdiklərim, oxuduq-
Club (the Philharmonic Society) it is on the larım, gördüklərim” prove once more that one
contrary [2, p.20-21]. Duration of time in hear- of the main features of hearsays is that they are
says encountered in this book covers two or based on historical facts. R.Aliyev is right when
three, sometimes one or two generations. The he says that the historical events are not forgot-
contact between the first speaker and the next ten for a long time, because they are deeply
one is measured with a view to the object and rooted in the memory of the people, during the
topic. Most truly, the view is the same; the cir- narration the narrator increases or reduces the
cle of the topic passes from generation to gen- number of facts and delivers to the readers.
eration and is completed with a small touch. “this process depends on the limits of time. It
It is interesting that such topics are en- the time in the historical event loses its role in
countered in Manaf Süleymanov’s book, which the thinking of the epos, has not been able to
we analyzed; they allow observe the process of preserve its real essence, the narrated event
transformation of the real history into hearsay. turns into a type of hearsay” [3, p.112].
From this point of view all what is said about We think that the truthfulness of this idea
the horse tramways of Baku is a good example, is proved by the numerous hearsays encoun-
in which there is real historical knowledge and tered in Manaf Suleymanov’s abovementioned
what the author heard from the aged people be- book, in which the plots of the hearsays coin-
came hearsay. cide with the real historical events. As the epic
The mixture of history and folklore, more examples are relatively the products of the
exactly, those of the hearsays and legends is nearest time, it does not cause a difficulty to
encountered in “History” of Heredot, who is trace this genetic relation.
called the father of history. In the said book in

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www.phil-art.journal.az Ulkar Iman Aliyeva

REFERENCES

1. Bayat F. The problem of recent history living in the oral tradition // Materials of the scientific conference
“Folklore and our history” Institute of Folklore ANAS and Institute of History named after A.A.Bakikhanov
ANAS. Baku, “Elm ve tehsil”, 2012.
2. Hashimi A. Epic tradition of Oghuzname and the problem of historicity // Materials of the scientific conference
“Folklore and our history” Institute of Folklore ANAS and Institute of History named after A.A.Bakikhanov
ANAS. Baku, “Elm ve tehsil”, 2012.
3. Manaf Suleymanov. What I have heard, read and seen. Baku, “Azerneshr”, 1987. Reiteration: “Azerneshr”,
1988.
4. Manaf Suleymanov is the author of the historical-encyclopaedic book about the ancient Baku “What I have
heard, read and seen” // Sputnik, 03.03.2017 (https://sputnik.az/event/20170303/409188058/manaf-
suleymanovun-ad-gunudur.html).
5. Ramil Aliyev. Azerbaijan oral folk literature (The modern urgent problems). Baku, 2014.
6. Sayfaddin Rzasoy. Azerbaijan legend-study and Sadnik Pasha Pirsultanli // Pirsultanli S.P. Folk legends of
Azerbaijan Turks, Baku, “Azerneshr”, 2009.

MANAF SÜLEYMANOVUN “EŞİTDİKLƏRİM, OXUDUQLARIM, GÖRDÜKLƏRİM”


KİTABINDA YER ALAN BAKI RƏVAYƏTLƏRİNİN GENEZİSİ

Xülasə

Folklorun epik janrlarından olan əfsanə və rəvayətlər tipoloji oxşarlıq deyil, genetik struktur atributudur. Başqa
sözlə, əfsanə və rəvayətlər epik sistemə aid olduqları üçün bənzərlik təşkil etmir, onların əsasında duran bənzərlik daha
çox düşüncə genetizmindən qaynaqlanır. Deyilənlər Manaf Süleymanovun “Eşitdiklərim, oxuduqlarım, gördüklərim”
adlı kitabında yer alan rəvayətlər üçün də keçərlidir və buradakı rəvayətlər nisbətən daha yaxın tariximizi əks etdirməsi
baxımından diqqət çəkir. Kitabda rast gəldiyimiz rəvayətlərdə zaman çevrəsi adətən 2-3, bəzənsə 1-2 nəsil arasında
söylənilən əhvalatı əhatə edir. Onlarda əvvəlki danışanla sonrakı danışan arasındakı əlaqə obyekt və mövzuya olan
baxışla ölçülür.

Açar sözlər: Bakı, folklor, rəvayət, genezis, epik janr

ГЕНЕЗИС БАКИНСКИХ ПРЕДАНИЙ В КНИГЕ


МАНАФА СУЛЕЙМАНОВА «ДНИ МИНУВШИЕ»

Резюме

Мифы и легенды, будучи эпическими жанрами фольклора, являются атрибутом генетической структуры,
а не типологическим сходством. Другими словами, мифы и легенды не сходны с тем, что они относятся к
эпической системе, а сходство, лежащее в их основе, чаще возникает из-за генетики мышления. Это также каса-
ется преданий, содержащихся в книге Манафа Сулейманова «Дни минувшие», и они привлекают внимание с
точки зрения отражения сравнительно недавней истории. Предания, встречающиеся в книге, охватывают пери-
од времени, обычно рассказываемый между 2-3-мя, а иногда и 1-2 поколениями. В них есть связь между пре-
дыдущим и последующим рассказчиком.

Ключевые слова: Баку, фольклор, предание, генезис, эпический жанр

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