In Xinjiang, officials are trying to stamp out Uyghur identity

OFFICIALS IN XINJIANG have always been suspicious of the distinctive cultural identity of ethnic Uyghurs. They worry that it may fuel separatist yearnings in the far-western region. But in 2014, as the authorities stepped up their campaign to crush terrorism there, the government still tolerated displays of pride in Uyghur culture. In October that year a new talent show, “The Voice of the Silk Road”, aired on state-owned Xinjiang Television. It featured songs in various styles, from pop and R&B to traditional muqam music with lyrics influenced by classical poetry. The judges mostly spoke in Uyghur.

When China began to open up in the late 1970s, after the death of Mao Zedong, Uyghur culture was allowed to flourish, as long as it avoided any hint of support for a separate Uyghur state. Uyghur writers produced poems and songs filled with universally familiar themes such as love and loss, but also conveying pride in their identity. They created innovative blends of muqam with rock and hip-hop that turned a few Uyghurs into household names in China. Songs in such styles were aired on “The Voice of the Silk Road”.