THE UZBEK VOCAL MAQOM AS EMBODIED MEMORY

Abstract

This article examines the Uzbek vocal maqom as a form of embodied memory, arguing that its transmission and performance rely not on written notation but on somatic knowledge internalized through the singing body. Drawing on theories of incorporated memory, the study analyzes how breath (nafas), posture, vocal timbre, and the master-disciple (ustoz-shogird) relationship serve as carriers of historical and spiritual memory. The maqom’s melodic modes are shown to encode not only pitches but also emotional states (hol), while the traditional performance context (majlis) and its etiquette (adab) create a shared bodily behavior that perpetuates collective memory. The article also addresses the impact of Soviet-era codification and contemporary efforts to re-embody the tradition through digital media. Ultimately, the Uzbek vocal maqom is presented as a living, dynamic archive where the past is continually re-membered through corporeal practice.