The Music of Turkmenistan

Turkmen culture is a complex synthesis of various indigenous traditions of western Central Asia and traditions of Turkic-speaking steppe peoples who came from the Altai or Mongolia. The Turkmens’ resilient social structure helped their archaic traditions survive in a form that was only slightly affected by the new ideological influence of Islam. This feature of the Turkmens’ culture has perhaps been best expressed in their music, which is rooted in shamanic beliefs and practices. One characteristic...