Impressions about Azerbaijan:
Been here three years and fortunate to have travelled a lot. If I have a favourite spot, I think it must be Sheki. But many other places also have special charm: Gabala with Nic, Guba with its Khinalig, Lenkaran with its wonderful hill landscape and beaches and Lahidj with its handcrafts.
But certainly also the capital, which has impressed me with its variety of the cultural offerings – museums, music, opera and ballet, and with its unique historic architecture, proving that the petroleum fortune can indeed be converted into lasting beauty!
Norwegian-Azerbaijani relations and similarities in the habits and traditions:
I find Azerbaijani people to be extraordinary friendly. Curious about and interested in Norway. I sense among many a strong wish that our countries should develop along the same lines – strengthening democracy, rule of law and the sensible use of our petroleum fortunes. In this sense, Norway tries to be a constructive partner for the Azerbaijani government and the civil society in reform efforts. This is not only altruism – Norway is Azerbaijan’s second largest foreign investor and has an interest in the country’s sustainable democratic stability as well as in its foreign policy and economy orientation.
Similarities – although cultural differences may be more obvious, there are also some interesting parallels. Take history – the awakening of our nations into modern states. Like Azerbaijan, Norway is an old nation, but a fairly new state. Modern nation building happened at appr. the same time – that is, later part of the nineteenth century. In both countries, this was a growth period for national culture – we rediscovered our classics and created new ones. For Azerbaijan, it suffices to name two names in literature – Nizami, who has been compared to Shakespeare, and the female poet gracing the square I am privileged to observe daily from my apartment, Natevan. Although in both countries this process was a genuine national one, it also had some inspiration in opposition to somebody – in the case of Azerbaijan, to tsarist Russian rule, in the case of Norway against the dominating union partner, Sweden. In Norway, the national awakening was crowned with success upon independence gained in 1905; in Azerbaijan with the declaration of independence of 28 May 1918, which brought into being the first democratic state with an overwhelming Muslim population. This is a great foundation to build on for Azerbaijan today.
There are other similarities in, say, music. In both countries you have a classic, “Western” musical sector and also a folk music sector. Azerbaijan is perhaps most famous for the mughal, and I must confess that we have not got anything like that in Norway. That is unique Azerbaijani and something which needs some listening practise before you can enjoy it, as I do now.
But then you also have a lot of string instruments, like the kamancha played so wonderfully by many Azerbaijani musicians, Elshan Mansurov among them. And here we have similarities, as demonstrated during the two visits to Azerbaijan by the leading Norwegian fiddle player, Hallvard Bjørgum. The two have played together for audiences in Baku, Sheki and Ganja, wonderful duets, also with some striking musical similarities, particularly in the deep bass area.
This is just one example of cultural similarities between Norway and Azerbaijan. Such similarities do not depend upon the correctness of Thor Heyerdahl’s migration theories. But even historians who are critical to this theory today acknowledge that there have been contact between Scandinavia and the Caspian much earlier than that which was brought upon by the Vikings from the ninth century A.D. And in both cases trade was the main reason.
As for Thor Heyerdahl, he is certainly the best known Norwegian in Azerbaijan and overwhelmingly popular. I have unveiled a bust of him in Sheki, which the Mayor, Mr. Nazim Ibrahimov, said he had financed out of his own pocket. He had been a fan since reading “Kon Tiki” as a twelve year old boy.
For an Azerbaijani version fot his interview please click here.