| Description |
The yurt is a nomadic dwelling used Kyrgyz people. It has a wooden circular frame covered with felt and braided with ropes, and can be easily assembled and dismantled within a short period of time. The bearers of yurt-making knowledge are craftspeople, both men and women, who produce yurts and their interior decorations. Yurts are made from natural and renewable raw materials. Men and their apprentices make the wooden frames by hand, along with wooden, leather, bone and metal details. Women make the interior decorations and exterior coverings, ornamented with traditional zoomorphic, vegetative or geometric patterns. All festivities, ceremonies, births, weddings and funeral rituals are held in a yurt. |
| Social and cultural significance |
Yurt creation is a joint work-process of the whole community of craftspeople, which fosters the formation of common human values, constructive cooperation, creative imagination and is a uniting factor giving community members the feeling of their identity.
Transmitting traditional knowledge and skills to young people, craftsmen teach them to be diligent, responsible, careful and friendly to the environment.
While assembling or dismantling a yurt, the elders of a family or a kin transmit the fundamental values and principles of Kyrgyz people: to safeguard, develop and transmit to descendants the centuries-old folk traditions.
All folk festivities, ceremonies, important events related to a human life-cycle such as baby-birth, wedding, jubilee, funeral rituals are held in a yurt.
In the era of automated technologies, traditional hand work created by human inspired that imagination acquires special importance for communities and society as a whole. Yurt remains a stable and lasting link with the past..
Although the significance of a yurt as a dwelling is transformed with the development of urbanization, it remains an important cultural heritage of Kyrgyz people. Yurt is a symbol of statehood, family, traditional hospitality and is widely used in Kyrgyzstan.
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| Transmission method |
Traditional yurt-making knowledge and skills are transmitted to young generation by craftspeople through practical trainings, instructions, demonstrations. Traditionally, knowledge and skills are transmitted in families from fathers to sons, from mothers to daughters, or in craftspeople communities from teachers to apprentices. From the very childhood, young members of craftspeople communities help old masters and learn secrets of craftsmanship from them in practice.
Within the frames of formal education, vocational schools and handicraft-profiled colleges teach young people traditional yurt-making knowledge and skills.
Within formal education, kindergartens and pre-schools in Kyrgyzstan also provide children with primary knowledge about yurts, their function, use and importance.
Some handicraft technologies used in yurt-production (embroideries, plaiting, felting, wood-carving etc.) are taught at crafts classes in schools, art colleges and institutes, studios and extra-curricular vocational programs.
Knowledge and skills in yurt assembling, dismantling and storing, yurt symbols are transmitted usually by elder members of families and clans in the process of using yurts and storing them in-between.
Knowledge and skills related to the element are transmitted and promoted among public at large during various cultural events (exhibitions, festivals, master-classes) directly from the element bearers and practitioners and through mass media.
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| Community |
The community consists of craftspeople (men and women) producing yurts and yurt interior decorations. Nowadays they are represented by family-based communities, like Sharshembiyevy, Kenchibayevy families of Kyrgyzstan, as well as “Crafts council of Kyrgyzstan”, Public Foundation "Min Kyal" and etc. |
| Type of UNESCO List |
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2014 |
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