Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Textbook for Higher Education

4.6.2. Rites and Ceremonies

It is natural that the rites and ceremonies of different peoples should have their own characteristics. At the same time, however, it is generally accepted in folklore studies that the branches and genres of folk culture passed down orally from generation to generation are common to the majority of peoples of the world, reflecting the common primitive imagination and mythological views. Rites and ceremonies are one of the oldest branches of folk culture and consist of various genres. The early imagination and mythological views form the basis of these common spiritual values.

The early imagination related to the environment can be seen very clearly in seasonal ceremonies. At the heart of seasonal ceremonies is the desire to enchant nature in different seasons by means of songs, music and dance and to make nature bend to the will of the people. One of the most widespread seasonal rites is Qodu-Qodu, which is performed when wet, foggy and drizzly weather is lasting for too long and people want sunshine.

Children walk from house to house singing and carrying a doll wearing an amber necklace or a ladle dressed up as a doll with various trinkets. The doll or ladle is called Qodu. In fact, Qodu is a symbol of the sun, artificially decorated and embellished. This is evident from its clothes and decorations. The doll wears an amber necklace symbolizing the colour of the sun, and a mirror as the symbol of the sun is fixed on its forehead. It also has colourful

clothes resembling the sun, flame and light. The overall impression is of a colourful, brilliant, beautiful woman. In other words, the ancient Azerbaijani people created a human image of the sun. The children’s songs make it clear that Qodu symbolizes the sun:


Qodu-Qodu, hey, Qodu-Qodu,


Have you greeted Qodu?


Did you see the red Sun


when Qodu passed by?


Let us rub her with oil,


Let us wrap her up,


Qodu wants to laugh,


Do not let her cry.

The ethnic minorities living in the same region and natural environment as the Azerbaijani Turks also needed sunshine and warmth when the weather was too wet and, consequently, they played various versions of the game Qodu-Qodu accompanied by seasonal songs. For example, the Avars celebrate the appearance of the sun after a long spell of wet weather. As part of this ceremony, they cook special dishes; for example, makhara which is a pancake cooked on an iron hotplate called a saj. The batter is poured into the centre of the domed hotplate and trickles down the sides, creating a round pancake with a fringed edge like the sun with its rays. Children make a doll out of a broom, covering it with a headscarf, and sing this song:

Qordi-qordi, qordina,


Have you greeted Qodina?


Let the sun come out today,


Let’s have butter and curds.

Section II

Chapter 4

201

Azerbaijani Multiculturalism

A son for the woman who gave us butter, A daughter for the one who gave us curds.

The connections between the Avars’ game Qordi-Qordi and the Azerbaijani Turks’ Qodu-Qodu are obvious – the names, the desire to see the sun, the dressing up of a doll or household item, and the collecting of gifts.

As well as sunshine ceremonies, the Azerbaijani Turks have also rain-making rituals. The game Chomchakhatun (Lady Ladle) retains the traces of those rituals. The game is played as follows: children get together and take each other by the hand. Then they take a wooden ladle, put clothes on it and start to knock on doors. Whoever opens the door is asked to give a gift, and then the children start singing this song: