Ablajan Awut Ayup
Ablajan Awut Ayup ئابلاجان ئاۋۇت ئايۇپ | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 November 1984 |
| Disappeared | February 15, 2018 (aged 33)[1] Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China |
| Status | Missing for 7 years, 10 months and 6 days |
| Alma mater | Xinjiang Institute of Art (Graduated in 2006) |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, dancer |
| Years active | 2009–2018 |
Ablajan Awut Ayup (Uyghur: ئابلاجان ئاۋۇت ئايۇپ, Chinese: 阿卜拉江·阿吾提; pinyin: Ābolājiāng Āwútí; born 11 November 1984) is a singer, songwriter and dancer who wrote over 400 songs and was known for promoting Uyghur culture and identity as well as singing bilingual songs, in both Chinese and Uyghur.[3] In 2017, BBC portrayed him as a model of integration for his appeal to both Han and Uyghur audiences.[4][5]
Ablajan made his debut with his song "Meshrep Nawasi" in January 2010 in the "Meshrep Concert". "Meshrep Nawasi" was republished in the English and Chinese languages. Later, "Meshrep Nawasi" became one of Ablajan's iconic songs. He published his first album "Bashlamduq (Shall We Start?)" on July 10, 2011. His first album sold over 100,000 copies, no small achievement in a limited market. Local businesses vied to endorse Ablajan and his face graced billboards in Xinjiang's capital, Ürümqi.[6]
In 2018, Radio Free Asia reported that Ayup had been detained by police in Guma (Pishan) County.[7] His brother reported that Ayup had been sent to one of the Xinjiang internment camps.[8]
Honors and awards
His single "Vacation" (Chinese Edition) was awarded second prize in "Xinjiang New Music Competition".[9]
Disappearance
In 2018, Ablajan disappeared in February 2018 after being detained by the Guma police, and had vanished since. His disappearance was believed to be linked with the fact he promoted the Uyghur identity and Uyghur culture, as well as wider Turkic culture as a whole.[10][8][11] Ayup's brother reported that Ayup had been detained in a Xinjiang internment camp.[8]
See also
- Abdulla Abdurehim
- Amannisa Khan
- Dilber Yunus
- Erkin Abdulla
- Michael Jackson
- Murat Nasyrov
- Perhat Khaliq
- Abdurehim Heyit
General
References
- ^ "Popular Uyghur Singer's Whereabouts Unknown, Believed Detained in Xinjiang Re-Education Camp". www.rfa.org. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Shohret Hoshur; Joshua Lipes (18 May 2018). "Popular Uyghur Singer's Whereabouts Unknown, Believed Detained in Xinjiang Re-Education Camp". Radio Free Asia. Translated by Mamatjan Juma. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
Ayup was born in Sanju township in 1984 and relocated to Turpan at the age of 15 to study art.
- ^ Byler, Darren (July 14, 2017). "Ablajan and the Subtle Politics of Uyghur Pop". Art and Life of Central Asia.
- ^ Goddard, Matthew (17 Mar 2017). "The Uighur pop singer trying to build bridges". BBC News.
- ^ Wadsworth-Jones, Emma (21 June 2018). "China: Uyghur pop musician and lyric writer detained, concerns for his well-being". Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ Rauhala, Emily (Oct 24, 2014). "It's a Long Way to the Top (if You Wanna Be a Uighur Pop Star)".
- ^ Lipes, Joshua (2018-05-18). "Popular Uyghur Singer's Whereabouts Unknown, Believed Detained in Xinjiang Re-Education Camp".
- ^ a b c Emily Feng (13 March 2018). "Security spending ramped up in China's restive Xinjiang region". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
Even those who enjoy local celebrity status are not immune. Ablajan, a Uighur rapper, was recently detained and sent to a re-education camp, according to his brother.
- ^ Han (December 21, 2012). "第二届新歌唱新疆获奖歌曲名单公布" ["New Songs Xinjiang" second edition award-winning songs list] (in Chinese).
- ^ Rachel Harris (11 June 2018). "Uyghur pop star detained in China". Freemuse. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
Ablajan disappeared in February, on his way home to Urumchi following a recording trip in Shanghai, reported the Financial Times on 21 March 2018.
- ^ "PHOTOGRAPHER'S ARREST SPARKS OUTRAGE OVER PERSECUTION OF UYGHUR CULTURAL FIGURES IN CHINA". Artforum. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
The detention of the New York–based photographer Lu Guang, who was arrested in China while visiting Xinjiang in early November,{...}Pop star Ablajan Awut Ayup; poet, writer, and screenwriter Perhat Tursun; academic translators Abdulqadir Jalaleddin and Muhammad Salih Hajim (who died in custody in early 2018); Uyghur folklore expert Rahile Dawut; and Xinjiang University president Tashpolat Teyip are among the Uyghur cultural figures who have vanished in recent years.