[1] The main pieces performed were epic poems, legends, and kubair, a genre of Bashkir oral literature.
Several literary figures have personified that character in the 19th century, such as Salavat Julaev, Chabrau, Akmurza, Erėnsė, Kubaruš and Baik Ajdar.
[2] Ivan Lepyokhin, a Russian naturalist and explorer, described his encounter with a sėsėn:[1] "An old man at the age of 60 was considered the best singer among them… He sang about the glorious deeds of his ancestors, which they call batyrs, among them Aldar, Kara Sakal, Kilmyat, Kuchim...
The singer sang not only about memorable events of their lives; but with his voice and body movements he expressed all their actions, how they admonished their comrades, how they entered into battle, how they defeated opponents, how, being wounded, they weakened and finally gave up the ghost.
But suddenly the sadness changed to joy as the old man, having assumed a cheerful look, began to sing a song called “Kara-yurga" (“Black ambler").