Uyghur Meşrepleri

Uyghur Meşreps are cultural ceremonies that encompass music, dance, oral culture, games, food and drink traditions, and handicrafts, occupying a deeply rooted place in Uyghur Turkic social life. The term “meşrep” appears in the Turkish Dictionary with meanings such as “nature, disposition, character, temperament,” and “behavioral pattern,” but in Uyghur culture it is also used to denote “feast,” “gatherings for enjoyment,” or “celebration.” These events are important social gatherings that serve both recreational and educational functions, reinforcing social cohesion.

In 2010, UNESCO included “Uyghur Meşreps” in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, thereby recognizing internationally the importance of preserving this tradition. Meşreps are regarded as a living folkloric element that transmits the historical social values, aesthetic understanding, and cultural identity of the Uyghur people to the present day.

The origins of Uyghur meşreps extend back to the earliest periods of Central Asian Turkic communities. Archaeological, written, and visual sources demonstrate that the meşrep tradition has evolved over more than a thousand years to reach its present form.

Chinese sources, particularly chronicles from the 6th century such as the Viyi Salnamesi and Gavçi Tezkeresi, record that ancient Uyghurs organized communal festivities featuring horse racing, songs, folk dances, and various games. These records reveal that meşreps were ceremonial gatherings that fostered social unity.

Artistic and archaeological evidence further illuminates the deep historical roots of this tradition. Wall paintings in Buddhist rock temples at Turfan’s Bezeklik, Kucha’s Kuntura, and Kizilmiñöy, dated to the 5th and 6th centuries CE, depict men and women playing musical instruments and dancing together in communal celebrations. These images visually document how long-standing the tradition of collective gatherings accompanied by music and dance has been in Turkic cultural history.

Terminology corresponding to the concept of meşrep also appears in Turkic language sources. In the Divanü Lügati’t-Türk, terms such as “sürçük” (nighttime gathering, social evening) and “şenbuy” (a drinking feast held after another celebration at night) reflect the functional diversity of meşreps. These terms indicate that meşreps could be performed in both private and public contexts across varied settings.

Medieval travelogues also provide clues about the history of meşreps. Marco Polo, who traveled through the region in the 13th century, described the people of Kumul as “very cheerful, placing music and dance at the center of their lives at every opportunity.” This observation shows that meşreps were an integral part of daily life.

Throughout history, meşreps have maintained their social function while adapting to different eras and conditions. During both nomadic and sedentary periods, they served as “meşveret councils” where social issues were discussed and resolved, in both rural and urban areas. They were also organized on occasions such as weddings, holidays, and seasonal celebrations.

Social and political changes in Eastern Turkistan during the 19th and 20th centuries led to diversification in the form and content of meşreps. Certain types of meşreps (e.g., “Kök Meşrebi,” “Beravet Meşrebi,” “Ottuz Oğul Meşrebi”) became identified with regional identities, while others were sustained as shared cultural heritage across broader Uyghur communities.

UNESCO’s inclusion of meşreps in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010 confirmed not only their historical significance but also their cultural continuity. Thus, meşreps continue to thrive both as the product of a millennia-old cultural accumulation and as instruments of identity and solidarity in the modern era.

Meşreps are among the richest and most multifaceted social activities in Uyghur culture. They function as a social platform integrating music, dance, oral literature, material culture, and social education. At these gatherings, music and dance are central elements. Folk songs, koşaks (narrative poems), beyits, and songs performed in various makams are presented alongside folk dances. Oral cultural products include riddles (tepişmak), jokes, witty sayings, manis, wordplay (sözmenlik), and epics. These performances serve both entertainment and cultural transmission functions.

Meşreps are also spaces where material culture is displayed. Traditional Uyghur clothing, handwoven fabrics, jewelry, regional dishes (e.g., pilaf, kebab, mantı), handicrafts, and village spectator games are presented both visually and functionally during the events. In this sense, meşreps are significant as both a living “cultural showcase” and a social arena for the sharing of production and consumption practices.

Participation is largely based on voluntary involvement, yet meşreps are conducted within a specific structure and hierarchy. An initial and ongoing chief meşrepçi (organizer) leads the event. The chief meşrepçi is responsible for organizing the program, maintaining order, enforcing rules, and, when necessary, overseeing humorous penalty games. Harmony among participants, adherence to rules, and mutual respect are fundamental principles of the meşrep.

Penalty games draw attention as both disciplinary and entertaining elements of meşreps. Participants who violate rules, disrupt communal order, or breach established behavioral norms receive humorous and generally harmless punishments. This practice reinforces notions of justice, equality, and playful discipline within the community.

The educational function is one of the most distinctive aspects of meşreps. For children and young people especially, meşreps serve as a practical arena for social education. Here, participants learn:

• How to welcome and bid farewell to guests,
• How to prepare tables, offer food, and observe table manners,
• How to play musical instruments and sing folk songs,
• How to dance and invite others to dance,
• How to speak within the community,

among other meşrep rules and skills.

Thus, meşreps function as folk schools transmitting etiquette, moral values, and social responsibility. In Uyghur culture, this role is emphasized through proverbs. One of the most well-known examples is the saying: “If you wish to become a scholar, go to school; if you wish to become a true person, go to the meşrep.” This expression highlights the meşrep’s role in character and moral education. Additionally, individuals perceived as lacking social grace or etiquette are described as “meşrep görmemiş” (having never attended a meşrep), underscoring the tradition’s high standing within society.

Uyghur meşreps are not uniform gatherings held identically everywhere. They appear in vastly different forms depending on their region, season, purpose, participant group, and even social function. This diversity is so extensive that historical documents and field research have identified over 120 distinct types of meşreps.

Generally, meşreps are classified according to four main criteria:

• Region of occurrence (geographical variations)
• Function and purpose (weddings, reconciliation, mutual aid, apologies, etc.)
• Season and venue (indoor or outdoor festivities)
• Participant profile (men only, women only, or mixed gatherings)

Each region’s meşrep carries its own local traditions and musical-dance styles.

• Kumul – Kök Meşrebi: The most well-known meşrep of the region; a lively type rich in music, dance, and games.
• Turfan Meşreps: Include types such as Kéyt (judgment), Mélis (gathering), Hücra (room), and Dadur (bean). Some feature symbolic court proceedings and punishment games.
• Dolan Meşreps: Include types such as Adavetni yuyuş (reconciliation), Derdmenler (sharing sorrows), and Kütüveliș (welcoming).
• İli – Ottuz Oğul Meşrebi: A type exclusively for men, with a strict hierarchy and rigid rules.
• Hoten Meşreps: Include numerous subtypes such as Ev, Toy, Yığın, and Kilyan. The Kilyan meşrep combines various local makam traditions.
• Aksu – Çillak Meşrebi and Lopnur – Gülhan Meşrebi: More localized examples.
• Kashgar Meşreps: Include types such as Kitabhanilik (book discussions), Kızılgül, and Haşar (mutual aid).

The purpose of organizing a meşrep is one of the most important factors determining its type.

• Toy Meşreps: Held during celebrations such as weddings (nikah toyu), youth celebrations (cuvan toyu), and circumcision ceremonies (sünnet toyu).
• Nevruz and Spring Meşreps: Organized to celebrate seasonal transitions, especially the arrival of spring.
• Reconciliation Meşreps: Types such as Adavetni yuyuş are held to reconcile two parties in conflict.
• Apology/Discipline Meşreps: Types such as Namakulluk (apology) or Bolalik (punishment) meşrebi reinforce social norms.
• Guest Reception: Mihman meşrebi is organized for special guests.

Some meşreps are held during specific times of the year, particularly outdoors.

• Seyle Meşreps: Outdoor festivities held by riversides, in gardens, or on highland pastures.
• • Spring seylis: Maysa (greenery), Gül seylisi (rose), Dala (field) seylisi.
  • Summer/harvest seylis: Bağ seylisi (e.g., Şaptul – peach, Koğun – melon).
  • Visit seylis: Combined with pilgrimages to tombs and sacred sites.

• Male Meşreps: For example, Ottuz Oğul Meşrebi, which is exclusively for men and features a membership system with strict rules.
• Female Meşreps: Types such as Beravet meşreps or Kumul’s Çokanlar Mélis Olturuşu are organized exclusively by women.
• Mixed Meşreps: Most regional meşreps are mixed-gender gatherings, where social interaction through dance and music is central.
• Membership and Initiation Ceremonies: Types such as Katar (line) meşrebi or Teklif meşrebi symbolize the formal admission of a new member into the meşrep community.

Uyghur meşreps are shaped by the cultural fabric of their location. At times they are weddings, at other times reconciliation ceremonies, and at others seasonal festivals. Each type has its own distinctive music, dance, games, rules, and participant structure. This diversity ensures that meşreps remain both a rich cultural heritage and an essential component of social life.

Meşreps constitute a comprehensive musical performance environment in Uyghur culture. In this regard, they are directly integrated with the Uyghur musical tradition. The musical backbone of meşreps consists of “folk makams” (local makams or meşrep makams). These makams are systematic melodic frameworks based on Uyghur folk music, presented especially in conjunction with dance, song, and oral performances.

The most renowned folk makams are the Dolan makam, Turfan makam, and Kumul makam. Their distinguishing features are as follows:

Dolan Makam: Composed of nine main makams, each based on five distinct melodic types. Its content is characterized by dynamic and rhythmic structures suitable for dance.

Turfan Makam: Comprises eleven makams and a total of 66 musical melodies; its full performance lasts approximately ten hours. Its melodic structure reflects the region’s local folk songs and oral literary works.

Kumul Makam: Composed of twelve sets and nineteen sections. Each makam includes ten to twelve songs or dance melodies. It contains a total of 258 melodies and can last up to ten hours when performed in full.

In the vocal sections of these folk makams, finger-tapped folk songs and beyits are commonly used. Themes encompass love, nature, heroic tales, and social events. Dance and song are inseparable elements of the makam; dance movements are often shaped according to the makam’s rhythm.

In addition, classical makams such as the Uyghur Twelve Makams also appear in the repertoire of certain meşrep types. Classical makams are more complex and longer forms performed by professional musicians. Their texts are mostly composed of ghazals and classical poetry written in aruz meter. These makams, which developed in cultural centers such as Kashgar, İli, Hoten, and Kucha, are performed in special segments of meşreps or by skilled performers.

In Uyghur musical tradition, makams serve as carriers of cultural memory. Makam performances fulfill the function of transmitting melodies inherited from previous generations while reinforcing social norms. Indeed, one of the most important components of the compelling atmosphere of meşreps is this makam repertoire. Sources particularly emphasize that songs or dances departing from the makam tradition fail to leave a lasting impact among the people.

Uyghur meşreps have been one of the foundational pillars of Uyghur social, cultural, and artistic life for centuries. However, in the modern era, especially from the second half of the 20th century onward, both positive and negative changes have been observed in their practice.

UNESCO’s inclusion of Uyghur Meşreps in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010 ensured international recognition and documentation of this cultural heritage. As a result, academic research, documentary projects, and cultural preservation initiatives have accelerated. Meşrep performances have begun to be organized in cultural events in China and in countries with Uyghur diasporas (including communities in Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Europe, and North America). This has increased the visibility of meşreps both locally and globally.

On the other hand, sociopolitical and cultural pressures in Eastern Turkistan have significantly restricted the natural practice of meşreps. Field research and diaspora testimonies indicate that since the 2000s, large-scale communal social activities in the region have come under strict surveillance, and some meşrep types have been banned. These restrictions negatively affect the continuity and diversity of meşreps.

Economic conditions have also made it difficult to organize meşreps on their traditional scale. Large-scale meşreps require substantial quantities of food and drink, musical instruments, costumes, and venue preparation. Today, rising living costs and urbanization have made such events more limited both financially and logistically.

Changes in cultural lifestyles have also had an impact. Migration from rural areas to cities, increasingly demanding work schedules, and younger generations turning toward different forms of entertainment have led to meşreps being held less frequently and with smaller participation. Nevertheless, smaller-scale and thematic meşreps—such as those focused exclusively on music or dance, or meşrep segments within weddings—are still actively maintained.

In the Uyghur diaspora, meşreps continue to serve as vital tools for identity preservation and cultural solidarity. Uyghur communities in Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and Europe organize meşreps during holidays, cultural festivals, and association activities to introduce this tradition to younger generations. Although these diaspora meşreps may not fully reflect traditional rules and scope, they play a crucial role in sustaining Uyghur identity.