From Sufism to communism: incarnations of the Uyghur song ‘Imam Hüsäynim’

Abstract

‘Imam Hüsäynim’, a traditional song about the martyrdom of the Shi’a Imam Husayn ibn Ali, has been popular among the Uyghur Sufis in Khotan, an oasis town in Xinjiang, or Chinese Central Asia. People perform it in the dastan epic, mäshräp gathering, and localized samāʿ ritual. The categorization of these repertoires is based not only on musical styles but also on religious meanings, which makes ‘Imam Hüsäynim’ a song that can be used across repertoires. Although the song is about a Shi’a Imam, the Uyghur people, who are dominantly Sunni Muslims, do not associate it with Shi’a Islam but receive it as a song about the history of Islam in general. Outside the Sufi community, the song’s melody has been adapted as the theme song of a comedy film and a propaganda song to promote a county’s image. These incarnations of the song have lost the meaning of ‘Imam Hüsäynim’ because of radical changes of its text and context. Why has this particular melody been appropriated in these various ways, and what are the dynamics among its different versions and incarnations? Based on ethnographic research in Khotan and relevant ethnomusicological literature, this article will discuss the factors that determine the meanings of ‘Imam Hüsäynim’ and its incarnations, and the broader issue of repertoire crossover.