Seydi

Who is Seydi?

Seyitnazar Seydi, known simply as Seydi, was a Turkmen poet-warrior and one of the leading literary successors of Magtymguly Pyragy in the generation after him. He took up arms as a fighter against the Emirate of Bukhara and used his poetry to call on the divided Turkmen tribes to unite in defense of their freedom and land, blending the roles of soldier and bard in a single life. His verse is written in a lyric style close to Turkmen folk song, drawing on the oral musical tradition performed by bakshy singers accompanied by the dutar, and dealing with themes of heroism, social injustice, love, and tribal solidarity. Alongside contemporaries such as Zelili and Kemine, Seydi helped carry forward the literary and moral tradition established by Magtymguly into the first decades of the nineteenth century, a period in which social and political themes became increasingly dominant in Turkmen poetry. Well-known works attributed to him, including "Lebap hoş indi" and "Ärsarynyň ýigitleri," remained popular in Turkmen oral performance long after his lifetime and continue to be performed by traditional bakshy musicians today.

Sources: Seyitnazar Seydi — Wikidata (wikidata.org/wiki/Q4413079) · Turkmenistan.gov.tm, "Phenomenon of Magtymguly Fragi's poetic talent" · PeoplePill biographical entry, "Seyitnazar Seydi"