Scientific Collection «InterConf», (39): with the Proceedings of the 8th International Scientific and Practical Conference «Science and Practice: Implementation to Modern Society» (December 26-28, 2020) at Manchester, Great Britain

Main text of abstract 
Azerbaijani national culture is rich with epics, (both heroic and love epics) 
reflecting relationships in family, children’s upbringing, expressing the role of women 
in family. Epics in general at paradigmatic and functional levels are tuned to express 
national and moral values in all parameters. Ancient turks had always considered 
women’s exceptional role in family and society as an essentian criterion. Women’s 
reproductive and nurturing role also was in the centre of attention. “The attitide to 
women was characterized by reverence and knightly manner” [5, 236]. Women’s 
respectful status had place in historical books, such as, for example, Orkhon 
manuscript monuments.

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Azerbaijani heroic epics have sufficient number of interesting examples 
describing the role of women in family. In the epics “Koroghlu”, Nigar khanim, Eyvaz 
provide many evidences to justify this point of view. “Bringing Eyvaz to Chanlibel” 
is devoted to family relationships, children and their harmonic relationships. For 
example, sadness of Nigar khanim is demonstrated to the reader with the fact that she 
was desperate for not having a child. “Every bird is in quest for its child, why do not 
you have yours?” became an epic formula to explain the essence of childlessness in 
national consciousness. “Mutual understanding, respect, relationships between 
elderlies and young people, care for mothers and fathers from the side of children were
very influention in forming of personality”. [7, 254]. Harmony in family, the 
impression it creates is connected to the ideas of the ethnos related to morality and 
existence, and linked to psycological, legal, economic and other factors. “It is obvious 
that Oghuzs were treating women with love and reverence. The heroes named the 
women “görklüm” (my beauty)” [6, 373]. This attitude is an evidence of perfect family 
relationships, the level of relationships in society, the values defining leading features 
of the nation.
The authors’ main logo was “do not call every son a son and the mother who 
gave birth should be a mother”. “Kitabi-Dede Korkud”, “Manas”, “Oghuz Kaghan”, 
“Alpamısh”, “Koroghlu”, “Kitabi-Battal Qazi”, “Qandal Naghı”, “Deli Alı”, “Qara 
Malik”, “Shah Ismayıl”, “Fatali khan-Tuti Bike” and other works demonstrate perfect 
concepts about the women’s role in family. We can add love epics to this list as well. 
(“Tahir and Zohra”, “Yetim Aydın”, “Shahzade Abulfez”, “Seyfelmulk”, “Najaf and 
Parzad”, “Ashıq Qarib”, “Abbas və Gulgaz”, “Kheste Qasım and Meleksima”, 
“Masum and Dilafruz”, Valeh and Zarnigar”, “Taleh and Haqiqat”, “Aslan shah” etc.) 
and we will see how ethnos is characterized with rich tradition from the perspectives 
of parenting.
Bayats, songs, sears (mourning songs), lullabies, riddles, tongue twisters, legends, 
narratives, tales, epic samples are characterized by even more richness in expressing 
the place of women in family. In Oghuznames, epic samples more eloquently 

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demonstrate the women’s role. “Kitabi-Dədə Qorqud”, “Koroğlu” as great epic 
samples, epics about outlaws create a serious impression about this role. For example, 
happiness of Oguz land is connected to the harmony in the society and perfection of 
Oghuz’s way of upbringing (törə). For example, the chapter entitled “Bughach, Dirsa 
Zkhan’s son” is a piece introducing uniqueness of Oghuz land.
a) Dirsa Khan and Khan’s daughter are good typical examples of a family (For 
example, Dirse Khan says: xanın “my wife, my fate, my destiny”, Khan’s daughter “I 
opened my eyes and saw you, fell in love; 
b) Family (children) issue was a very important factor in Oghuz society (for 
example, shulen laws); 
c) the ritual of naming and its definition code at the level of Oghuz nation.
(naming Bughaj for accomplishment, courage, heroism); 
d) rigorous rules and punishment (Deceived father takes serious measures about 
his son); 
e) Functional characteristics of women in family relationships. (for example, 
Khan’s daughter gives advice to Dirsa Khan and her ability to solve problems); 
f) Sacred status of parents for children and etc. 
All these systematically describe the role of women in family relationships. For 
example, such expressions as“come closer, my fate, my destiny” (“bәri gәlgil, başım 
baxtı, evim yaxtı”) or”my wife, my hope” [2, 20] are classic examples for this. As it 
becomes obvious, this example defines upbringing and living principles of Oghuz lands 
in the depth of history. “Boghach Khan Son of Dirse Khan”, “Bamsi Beyrek of the 
Grey Horse”, “How Salur Kazan's House was Pillaged”, “Kan Turali Son of Kanli 
Koja”, “Yigenek Son of Kazilik Koja”, “Emren Son of Begil”, “Segrek Son of Ushun 
Koja” are valuable sources which describe the women’s role in family from different 
aspects.
The epic “Koroglu” includes many examples about family relationships and the 
role of women in family. For example, Koroghlu and Nigar khanim, Nigar khanim and 
Eyvaz, Nigar khanim and daredevils create suitable contexts to demonstrate this role. 

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For example, in “Koroghlu’s Erzrum journey” we can see the marriage of the protagonist 
with Nigar and witness high ethnic values of this family. Due to her immaculate moral 
values, high accomplishments Nigar khanim plays the second after Koroghly important 
role in the building harmony in Chanlibel. “The daredevils loved Nigar khanim very 
much. They got suspicious that Koroghly might have offended her. And asked her to tell 
them about the issue making her sad. They said we have not died that you are upset.” 
[3, 99-100]. In the chapter “Eyvaz is brought to Chanlibel” we encounter another 
episode. “When Nigar khanim had finished her speech, seven thousand seven hundred 
seventy seven daredevils got on horses, everybody brought some present and 
congratulated Eyvaz. Nigar khanim kissed Eyvaz on his eyes, declared him to be her son. 
[3, 123]. The chapter “Eyvaz is brought to Chanlibel” ends here.  
“Koroghlu”, “Qara Malik”, “Qachaq Kerem”, “Qandal Naghı”, “Deli Alı”, 
“Molla Nur”, “Samed bey”, “Sattarxan” and other heroic epics are built on the 
principles of ethnos which claim that a good family is the guarantee for a good society. 
For example, in the epic “Koroghlu”, bringing Nigar khanim, Telli khanim, Rugiyye 
khanim and other women to Chanlibel is connected to unique principles in family and 
society.
“Qara Tanrıverdi”, “Qandal Naghı”, “Deli Alı”, “Samed bey”, “Molla Nur”, 
“Shah İsmayıl”, “”Fatali khan and Tuti Bika”, “Qara Malik” and other epics are 
fundamental sources to understand the functional and reproductive position of women, 
their role in family relationships. For example, respect to women is a recurrent theme 
of epics which tells about reverence to the rules of community: “Suddenly, they tell 
Kerem that a General and his wife are going to Tiflis from Diljan. Kerem confronts the 
phaeton where the General is travelling. Phaeton stops. When the General and his wife 
heard Kerem’s name, they both got pale because of fear. Kerem noticed this and said:
-Why are you afraid, sister. We never offend a woman. We will solve our problems 
with the General.” [4, 51]. Then he adds “now, it would not be honest to touch him as 
well”. This phrase sheds light on the nation’s perception of kindness, morality, courage, 
honesty and dishonesty.

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In the epic “Qachaq Suleyman” Gulsum’s determination while encountering the 
happenings is an example to prove this. “All the village was there, but nobody tried to 
rescue Gulsum. Everybody admired her courage. They were saying: 
-You well deserve your mother’s milk and your father’s bread! You are not a girl, 
you are a courageous boy! She took revenge for her father. Long live”! [8, 72]. 
Heroism of Gulsum is an example, a symbol of women’s heroism in Azerbaijani 
history. All these define women’s upbringing role in Azerbaijani heroic epics.