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Salburyn - Kazakh Festival of Equestrian Hunting with Falcons and Tazy Greyhound
  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00002039
    Country Kazakhstan
    ICH Domain Social practices, rituals, festive events Knowledge and practices about nature and the universe Traditional craft skills
    Address
    Salburyn is an ancient festival celebration event for the falconry and tazy hunting feast. It includes both the process of the ritual hunting and the ritual feast afterwards. The tradition spans the entire territory of Kazakhstan, being most prominent in the climate zones that are most suitable for falconry and Tazy greyhound hunting: valley and steppe territories, or forest-steppe areas with a dominance of large open spans. Mountains and foothills are seen as less suitable for Salburyn, however there are instances when Salburyn happens even in those areas. There are two main criteria for choosing a site for conducting Salburyn: the territories have to be non-urban and must be rich in prey.
    Year of Designation 2012
Description Salburyn is a festive event and an important component of Kazakh equestrian hunting with falcons and tazy greyhounds. It is a traditional ritual of transmitting hunting knowledge from skilled hunters to beginners and apprentice participants. Salburyn lasts 5-7 days, it is held in the winter hunting season. It is conducted at a large open space where the participants establish a camp of Kazakh yurts and tents as common areas. During the initial 2-3 days the experienced hunters share their knowledge and hunting methodology with young hunters. The hunting commences in the early morning after the elders give their blessing (bata). First part is compiled of pathfinders (yz kesushi) who read the game traces and establish the hunting ways. Participants split into the groups compiled of both more and less experienced hunters. Golden eagle hunters (berkutchi) detect the target and throw the eagle vectoring their flight trajectory with the hand movement. The tazy greyhounds are used in pairs. Some hunters are employing both eagles and tazy together. The triumphal celebration is organized for the hunters returning back, where elder women shower them with sweets. The hunters then bestow the pray to the elders hunters.
Social and cultural significance Retaining the tradition of Salburyn, the Kazakh communal equestrian falconry and greyhound tazy hunting celebration, not only strengthens and supports the connections of various ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan, but creates international connections. While hundred years ago Salburyn was mostly a Kazakh tribal event, nowadays other Kazakhstani ethnicities also take part in it. These are the hunters' families of Kazakhstani Greeks Kurdzhidi, Kazakhstani Russians Kalashnikov and Tastenov. The organization of Salburyn-related competitions, conferences and other events is connecting hunters from over one hundred hunting associations and branches. Participating in Salburyn is important for the new younger generations of hunters as it creates awareness of the traditional culture and enables its continuity. The tradition forges the ecologically-conscious mindset and respect towards the ancient and cultural ways of the nation. Salburyn tradition not only enables and sustains economic practices but plays an important cultural and social role in the contemporary Kazakhstani society.
Transmission method Nowadays the transfer of knowledge, skills, ideas and the tradition of Salburyn flows in several directions. Hunting dynasties of Kazakhstan are carrying this culture over several generations, where sons or other younger male relatives are taking part in Salburyns where they learn from the master hunters. Women also take part, but not so frequently (mostly young girls). However rgere are known female masters known by the Salbutyn chronicles and nowdays (like Mrs. Bagdat Muptekekyzy, Executive Director of Kyran Federation). Such dynasties are, for instance, well-known families of hunters like Kudekovy, Muptekeevy, Tazhiyevy, Mametovy et al. Both at the professional and amateur levels, the transmission is enhanced by formal and informal components of the hunting competition. The specific features and knowledge concerning the element has been mainly transmitted in a natural way through demonstration. They are also transmitted to the hunters through participation in festive and social events in ordinary life, and to the audiences as well, through their ability of embracement as a means of pleasure and traditional sport type, a subject of perception of the culture.
Community Kazakhstan associations for falconry and traditional hunting with birds of prey are engaged in coordinated work on reviving and sustaining Kazakh ethnic hunting traditions through its key elements: the traditional hunting territories and protocols, training of hunters and the gamekeepers, national horse breeding culture, kusbegilik falconry and breeding of the Kazakh greyhound tazy. The element is practiced by all traditional Salburyn participant actors: the elders, the berkutchi, tazy and kusbegi hunters, the yz kesushi pathfinders, the kakpanshylar trappers, the dog handlers, the huntmasters, the hunting equipment craftsmen, the musicians and singers and of course the supporting staff and organizers. Yz kesushi (pathfinders) can investigate the animal pathways and set the needed direction for hunters. Kakpanshylar trappers share expertise on its making with young hunters and craftsmen. Carriers of this tradition are also dog handlers - specialists on the Kazakh fleet dog Tazy, - sport competition managers and also members of communities and associations associated with the Center of hunting with birds of prey. The bearer public institutions — such as ‘Zhalair Shora’, ‘Kyran’ Federation and ‘Kansonar’, the National Association of hunting communities and hunting ranches, and its communities and ranches, — are engaged in reviving and sustaining Kazakh ethnic hunting traditions through the annual Salburyn Hunting Festival. ‘Zhalair Shora’, the golden eagle and falconry hunting center was established and registered in 1997 as the first school of Golden eagle and falconry hunting in Kazakhstan. The school community consists of about 100 hunters from the Almaty Province. ‘Kyran’ Federation was founded in 2005 as a community for berkutchi — hunters who use assistance of the golden eagles and tazy dog breed, — and kusbegi — hunters who train various birds of prey (ospreys, peregrine falcons, and hunting falcons). ‘Kansonar’, the National Association of hunting communities and hunting ranches, was founded in 2014, and its communities and ranches span over 16 regions of Kazakhstan.
Keyword
Information source
Kazakhstan National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage

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