Japaq Shamuratov

Japaq Shamuratov (real name Jabbor bergan) was born in 1893 in the village of Nazarkhan, now in the Amudaryo district, into a peasant family. He was of Aral Uzbek origin. He lost his mother early and from the age of eight or nine took up the dutar.

He learned dastans and terma from Suyav Bakhshi, Otajon Bakhshi and Juma Bakhshi and began to sing in 1911. He performed the dastans “G'arib oshiq”, “Xirmondali”, “Yusuf Ahmad”, “Go'ro'g'li”, “Sayotxon Hamro” and “Bozirgon”.

From 1932 he worked at To'rtko'l radio, from 1936 to 1952 at the Karakalpak theatre, and later at the Karakalpak Philharmonic and the radio committee. As a composer he created about 200 melodies and songs, among them “Amudaryo”, “To'lqin” and “Bog'lar”. With the composer O. Halimov he wrote musical dramas and comedies including “Suymaganga suykanma”, “Oygul Obod”, “Orol qizi”, “Ziyoda” and “Berdaq”.

He was named People's Artist of Karakalpakstan in 1940 and People's Artist of Uzbekistan in 1944, and in 1967 became a laureate of the Berdaq State Prize of Karakalpakstan. Several Karakalpak composers were among his pupils.

Japaq Shamuratov died in Nukus in 1973. In 1987 the Nukus State Art College was named after him and a museum dedicated to him was set up there.