| Description |
The culture of flatbread making and sharing, represented with the names Lavash-Katyrma-Jupka-Yufka, is a set of traditional knowledge, views, skills and rituals related to preparation, baking, storing, using and sharing of traditional thin bread that performs specific cultural and social functions within the related communities in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey and is transmitted from generations to generations. Flatbread tradition is a symbol of shared cultural identity and serves expression of mutual respect among communities.
The five countries share a number of common features, skills and knowledge related to preparation and use of the flatbread. Tradition bearers usually prepare the flatbread from unleavened or leavened dough based on flour, salt and water, while also adding sometimes milk, butter, sesame and poppy seeds. Communities use different types of crops to prepare the dough, such as wheat and rye. The dough is rolled by hand or using a dough roller into round or oval shape. In Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey and some communities of Kyrgyzstan, flatbread is baked in earthen or stone ovens called “tandyr” or “tanūr” buried into the ground. Some communities in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkey bake the flatbread (yufka or lavash) on a metal plate known as “sac” (“saj” or “sāj”) over the fire. Communities in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan bake the flatbread by laying out rolled dough in big cauldrons (‘kazan’) heated on fire. As a result of this baking style, practitioners manage to maintain nutritious qualities of the flatbreads and store them for several months without refrigerator. Various methods, techniques, instruments and substances are used by flatbread-preparing practitioners.
The preparation of flatbread involves traditional practices based on collective labour and sharing within family and neighbourhood. As expression of social solidarity in rural areas, families prepare and bake flatbread together with their neighbours, especially as a preparation for winter. The flatbread is baked both at homes by family members and flatbread bakers, who learn the practice through a master-apprentice relationship.
The flatbread preparation bears a great variety of social and cultural functions for its communities in terms of its usage at special occasions and its relation to transition between seasons. Communities of five countries consider flatbread preparation places sacred. In Kazakhstan, communities believe preparing flatbread at funerals helps the deceased get protection from the burning Sun, while waiting for decision of the God. To wish prosperity and wealth to newly-married couple, in Azerbaijani and Iranian weddings the flatbread lavash is often put on shoulders of the bride, while in Turkish weddings dried flatbread yufka is crumbled over the head of the bride. In Kyrgyzstan, tradition bearers believe that flatbread helps sick people. In some religious ceremonies and traditional weddings in Iran flatbread is served as a component of the sacred offering. During the preparation of flatbread, it is shared with all passers-by as a sign of hospitality.
Flatbread culture is expression of belonging to common cultural roots. It reinforces cultural links and serves as marker of hospitality, conviviality and friendliness within the societies of five countries. |
| Social and cultural significance |
For numerous communities in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, the flatbread culture performs a great number of functions, contributing to the shaping of national identities. Consuming the flatbread, the first one to be served at a table to other members of the same family and in presence of most respected neighbours or special guests, is a basis of strengthening social ties between family and community members and reinforces social exchanges, communication and serves to ‘nourishing’ of family and friendship ties. Numerous functions and meanings are traditionally attributed to flatbread culture within the societies of the participating states. For example, traditional flatbread bakeries with tandyrs/tanūrs are considered sacred. These places are kept clean and well preserved. Communities believe that the flatbread should never be thrown on the ground, and if a piece of bread happens to get dropped accidentally on the ground, it will be kissed three times and then placed on a raised location (sometimes even above the head level). To affirm truthfulness of words and statements, people often swear on flatbread. The flatbread remains a symbol of wealth and abundance, and this meaning is reflected in many expressions and proverbs used in traditional poetry and literature.
In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, communities believe that the flatbread katyrma or jupka serves to replenish human body’s needs with vital food substances, which is particularly important in sometimes severe climate zones. Numerous communities in rural and urban areas bake flatbread on Thursdays and Fridays in commemoration of deceased relatives and friends. Many people prepare and share flatbread at funerals, various holidays, commemorative social gatherings, while sometimes accompanying the flatbread sharing with prayers. People believe that the more flatbreads are shared, the better will be the afterlife of the deceased. In Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey, the traditional flatbread lavash or yufka is baked and consumed on special days, occasions, both cultural and social, such as the month of Ramadan, ‘Āshūrā, Friday prayer, holidays, weddings, child births, funerals and winter preparations. The traditional bread making also provides women living on the same street or in the same village an opportunity to gather. During such gatherings, women not only share tasks regarding flatbread making, but also share their happiness and sadness, daily thoughts and provide support to each other. This aspect serves to emphasize the social side of flatbread making. In Turkey, weddings traditionally involve the distribution of lavash and yufka in every house of the neighbourhood, as part of a specific tradition - “bread distribution”. In Azerbaijan and Iran, mother-in-law traditionally welcomes the bride by offering her the flatbread lavash and putting it on the shoulders to wish prosperity and wealth. At funerals, there is a tradition to share with guests pieces of halva (“kulche”) wrapped into flatbread, to give them the opportunity to pay tribute to the life and achievements of the deceased. In Kyrgyzstan, the flatbread is believed to have strong curative features for the people who have suffered from serious illnesses and capable to improve health of breast-feeding women. |
| Transmission method |
In all the Participating States parties, the knowledge and skills related to the preparation of traditional flatbread is mainly transmitted today within families through parent-child relationship and among masters and apprentices of bakeries by means of oral communication and instruction, observation of physical movements and participation, memorisation of skills and application of techniques and experimentation for preparation, baking, storing and using of the flatbread. As a part of transmission process young family members are even entrusted to prepare dough pieces used for rolling flatbread, while providing adults with the tools and materials and helping in storage of the baked flatbread. During this process, parents also transmit the knowledge about nutritional, cultural and social functions of flatbread and traditions related to it, by explaining for what purposes it is used and how these traditions need to be respected.
The knowledge and skills related to preparations of flatbread is also transmitted in traditional bakeries, culinary, vocational and apprenticeship schools. In this transmission process, masters and culinary experts demonstrate the knowledge about flatbread preparation to a number of students/apprentices at the same time, while letting them observe, memorise and participate in stages of preparation process, as well as explaining the meaning of flatbread for the community. In urban areas, bakeries often employ men both as workers and for transmission to younger generations. The flatbread baking knowledge and skills are considered by the concerned communities as an integral part of their heritage, the continuity and viability of which each generation of communities tries to enrich and contribute to.
In more general terms it is important to say that transmission of knowledge about flatbread making and sharing in five countries is maintained by numerous traditions and beliefs and also is determined by the use of traditional flatbread for various social, cultural and religious occasions and festive events, which serve as a driving force for the viability of the flatbread culture in all its diversity and reinforce the feeling of cultural belonging to the common roots of the concerned communities. |
| Community |
The entire population of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey represent the community of the element. The community includes, on the one hand – traditional bakers of flatbread (both within families and members of traditional bakeries) with their specific roles and responsibilities in specific cultural contexts, on the other hand – the larger community of the people using flatbread in daily life for nutritional, social and cultural purposes and sharing the values of the element within their respective communities.
The flatbread tradition is practised by all segments of societies in the five Participating States. It is kept alive in urban and rural areas by settled villagers and nomadic communities, as well as by communities of traditional bakeries. Within families, the tradition is practised by family members, women and men and their children at its various stages. Many community representatives are members of respective non-governmental organizations focused on safeguarding of traditional culinary practices. The community also includes experts of oral expressions and folk culture, involved in practice and transmission of the element. Flatbread sharing tradition is transmitted from generations to generations and attributes a strong feeling of cultural identity and shared heritage to the concerned communities in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.
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| Type of UNESCO List |
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2016 |
