| Description |
Traditional Kazakh dombra kuy (kaz 'kuy') - instrumental play performed on dombra - a traditional pear-shaped musical instrument with two strings and a long neck. The true meaning of kuy execution dates back to the sacred relationship with the Creator and the desire to establish the internal harmony of the individual. Kazakhs say 'Kuy - Tanyrdyn sybyry' ('Kuy - a whisper of Tengri'). Dombra had been hung on the wall of each nomad house (yurta) for the play before guests and home owners.
The art of DombraKuy refers to a short solo composition performed on a traditional pear-shaped, long-necked, two-stringed, plucked musical instrument known as a dombra. The music aims to connect people to their historic roots and traditions through classical and improvised pieces that engage the audience at a spiritual and emotional level. Public engagement in the performance serves as one of the most important means of social communication between people and contributes to the transfer of knowledge and skills related to Kazakh culture. The music is usually accompanied by narrated stories and legends. It is traditionally performed at social gatherings, holidays and festive celebrations, amid a rich variety of food and musical entertainment. It serves as a vital social and cultural experience, strengthening people’s identity and promoting solidarity and mutual understanding in society. Aspiring and talented musicians are apprenticed to masters from the moment a child demonstrates an interest in the philosophy and virtuosity of traditional music and performance. Amateur musicians then apprentice themselves to other more experienced and talented performers from their region to increase their skills and repertoire. |
| Social and cultural significance |
Dombra kuy is a spiritual heritage and cultural legacy of the Kazakh people and is highly regarded by the entire population of Kazakhstan. Today, as in the past, dombra kuy is one of the basic elements of music-making activities in family and community.
Public engagement in performance of Kazakh traditional dombra kuy serves as one of the most important means of social communication between people and contributes to transfer and inheritance of knowledge and skills related to Kazakh culture from one generation to another. On family and community gatherings kuy is often performed by hosts and guests of the house. Such receptions of guests, meetings of friends, relatives and newcomers are always accompanied with hospitality, rich variety of food and music entertainment, including performance of dombra kuys. Viability of kuy performance is supported by spiritual connection and verbal communication between musicians and the audience. In general all dombra kuys are accompanied with narration of stories and legends revealing music content, motives and history of kuy creation. Therefore, tradition of performing kuy on social gatherings, holidays and festive celebrations serves as a spiritual, informative and communicative channel within and outside communities; it serves as a necessary social and cultural experience strengthening people’s identity, promoting solidarity and mutual understanding in society. Due to the fact that music language is understandable to people of different age groups, ethnic origin and religious affiliation, performing and listening to dombra kuy is similar to prayer and expresses people’s deepest and sublime feelings, perception of life, thus bringing forth personal and interpersonal harmony, social interaction and intercultural dialogue on social level. |
| Transmission method |
Traditionally Kuyshi are raised and educated in every community of Kazakh society. Aspiring and talented musicians go through professional music training via “Ustaz – shakirt/ Master – student” system meaning transmission of knowledge and skills from generations to generations. Direct contact between the master and apprentice starts with the moment when a child demonstrates his/her interest to the repertoire and philosophy of traditional music and mainly virtuosity of kuy performance. When such interest grows into spiritual search for music, amateur musicians encounter more experienced and talented Kuyshi of his/her region asking to teach and train them. When masters find talent and enthusiasm in their students, they invest all their time, attention and experience to teach the youngsters. Education process goes “from simple to complex” and may end when a pupil masters all techniques, skills and knowledge taught by a master. At the end of a learning process, master Kuyshi hands over his signature dombra and grants his blessing - “Bata”.
Nowadays with the growth of urbanization Kuyshi are often raised in music educational institutions, like schools, colleges and universities. They master performance of dombra kuy by learning and memorizing its classic versions once recorded as authors’ original, while Kazakh traditional dombra kuy lives in oral memory of every community, maintained and safeguarded in regards to its variation and artistic improvisation of Kuyshi. |
| Community |
Traditions of performing dombra kuy emerged from folk environment and used to be widely popularized within Kazakh community. Direct bearers and practitioners of an element are Kuyshi (performers of Kuy), musicians who inherit and transmit tradition, perform classical kuys, improvise and create their individual pieces. Kuyshi are characterized not solely by their musical talents, but ability to express spiritual and emotional experience of past generations and eagerness to engage audience with thoughts and feelings related to each particular composition.
Traditionally Kuyshi are raised and educated within every community of Kazakh society. Aspiring and talented musicians go through professional music training via “Ustaz – shakirt/ Master - student” system meaning transmission of knowledge and skills from generation to generation. With standardization of learning methods in music education initiated by Soviet authorities in 1930’s and growth of urbanization many folk artists, including Kuyshi moved to cities and entered music schools, colleges and universities and then started working in municipal and state orchestras, ensembles and folk groups. Back then and now Kuyshi remain highly esteemed people in society, for they are responsible for genuine and true interpretation of kuy, revealing history and soul of Kazakh people. Their mission is to connect people with their historic roots and traditions, encourage proper transmission and popularization of an element keeping pure nature of its essence. |
| Type of UNESCO List |
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2014 |
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