Takam

Takam (Persian: تکم ) is the name of the king of goats, a male goat, in the folklore of Azarbaijan, Iran. "Takam's" effigies are made out of wood and ornamented with coloured glass beads and cock's tail feathers. A pole affixed to a "Takam" is passed through a hole in a plank which is held horizontally, from below which the "Takam" is moved as though it is dancing on the surface of the plank. While doing so, the person playing the "Takam", who is referred to as "Takam-Chi" (تکم چی), or "Takam Gardān" (meaning, the one who turns around the "Takam"), chants special poetry which in Azari is called "Sāyā" (سایا). The tradition of playing the "Takam" is millennia old and invariably in all "Sāyā"s reference is made to natural landscapes, [Photographs showing some of Azarbaijan's beautiful landscapes:
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/orianaitaly/1896902680/sizes/o/in/set-72157602975601191/ "Ardebil"] , [http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335571@N00/2208828681/sizes/o/in/set-72157603781847340/ "Ardebil"] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/orianaitaly/1896063189/sizes/o/in/set-72157602975601191/ "Azarbaijan"] , [http://www.flickr.com/photos/maraviya/1599728473/sizes/l/ "The Sahand Mountain"] , [http://www.flickr.com/photos/maraviya/2121493344/sizes/l/ "The Sahand Mountain"] , [http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335571@N00/276193470/sizes/o/in/set-72157603781847340/ "The Sabalan Mountain"] (see Sahand and Sabalan).] pastures and the native domestic animals. At present, the tradition of playing the "Takam" is strongest in Ardebil. "Takam"s were originally played as messengers bearing the tiding of the arrival of the Spring. In modern times, "Takam"s are also played in connection with a variety of other special festive events. It is conceivable that "Takam" and Pan, the Greek god of shepherds and flocks, may have a common historical origin.

Notes

Reference

* The Anthropological Museum of the Tribes of Azarbaijan, Sarāb: [http://www.sarabmuseum.com/english.html English] , [http://www.sarabmuseum.com/links/nomades.html Persian] .

External links

* [http://seslisozluk.com/?word=teke Teke and its meanings]
* [http://childbook.aznet.org/childbook/emek_negme05.html Tekem lyrics in Azarbaijani]