Tea culture is an essential part of social and cultural life and is an important social practice aiming to show hospitality, celebrate important moments in lives of communities and helping them to build and maintain social relationships and enjoy moments by drinking tea for social exchange and interaction. It also represents knowledge, traditions and skills linked to cultivating, preparing and drinking tea by communities in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Tea is an agricultural plant the leaves and buds of which are used to make beverage. Tea plant transforms into dried leaves after steps such as plucking, withering, disruption, oxidation and drying. Although there are different types and brewing techniques in both countries, communities harvest and consume mostly the black tea. Traditional techniques used in preparing and harvesting tea led to development of special tools and vessels such as teapots, samovars, silver tray, woven tea baskets and tea plucking shear. Communities brew tea by using a great variety of kettles, produced in traditional craftsmanship, called “çaydan” or “çaynik” in Azerbaijan, a double container called "çaydanlık" (tea pot) in Turkey and samovar in both countries. Water is boiled in the larger pot and tea leaves are added to the smallest pot. Samovar is a traditional copper, clay, metal or brass container used to heat and boil water for brewing tea in smaller teapot, which is put on samovar. This method allows people to drink tea as they desire: strong or light. In rural areas especially, communities use metal samovars or “çaydanlık” heated with wood. Tea is traditionally served in special pear-shaped cups called “armudu” (literally, “pear-like”), made from glass, porcelain, faience, and silver in Azerbaijan and similarly small tulip-shaped glass, which is called “ince belli bardak” (thin waist glass) in Turkey. Communities traditionally serve tea freshly, brewed and hot, accompanied with various sweets, pastry, sugar, slices of lemon, jams and dried fruits. In different regions of Azerbaijan, communities also add local spices and herbs to tea, such as cinnamon, ginger and thyme. There is a special style of drinking tea with sugar called “kıtlama” or “dishleme” in both countries. In this style, tea is drunk by placing a piece of sugar between tongue and chin instead of pouring sugar directly into glass.

Azerbaijan,Turkey 2022

“Bủng Kham” means a place for fairies to play. The festival has existed since ancient times, 24 villages held it on January 12 in the field in front of Nà Phái village to commemorate the Gods of Agriculture, Earth Gods and Fairies according to local legends. The ritual is associated with Thất Khê (7 streams), the most sacred is the Nam An stream, with the vestige of "Chẹt Khum" (Mandarin square capturing). Early in the morning, Master Mo and his entourage brought the offering tray to the Land Genie temple to burn incense and perform the ceremony. Master Mo's altar with baskets is displayed in the shack. Three fairy altars on stone mounds with paper dolls, umbrellas, a string of paper clothes, and an offering tray (including 1 boiled castrated chicken, 1 bowl of dry cake, 1 bowl of sli, 1 bowl of rice, 1 bottle of wine, 1 teapot, cups, and chopsticks). In front of the three altars, a pig weighing about 1 quintal is placed as an offering to the gods. During the incense offering ceremony, representatives of 24 villages in the commune present an offering tray of elaborately and attractively prepared products to worship the God of Agriculture (Reverend Fairy), Hoang Trung Great divine king (God of Insects), and Fairy King. After the village elders finished worshiping, the village lion dance team came in to dance to greet the fairies, and Gods of Agriculture, then went to the front of the village to dance to welcome their fellow lion teams to attend the festival. The people of the villages sang Then, sli, lượn, Phong slư, etc, participating in playing "Mandarin square capturing " (chẹt khum), tossing con, and playing chess. The ritual of going to the fields (lồng tồng) is performed by 25 village representatives on a well-tilled field with the hope of a good harvest. The focus of the Bủng Kham festival is the game of sowing and reaping fortune. The fortune was scattered by the shaman standing on the altar, and the villagers caught it and picked up the Holy fortune. People believe that whoever picks up a lot of Holy Fortune will have a prosperous and happy year.

Dancing art of Uzbekistan, which unites the traditions of oral folk creativity, songs and dances, has a rich history. This is testified by numerous archaeological findings, artifacts, wall paintings (in the palaces), ossuaries and works of miniature art of the Middle Ages which came down to us from the ancient past. Throughout history various dance styles emerged. From among them it is possible to mention "Katta oyin" (Big dance), which is a multi-part suite that includes the cycle of rhythmical usuls as well as complexes of certain dance movements associated with them, "khona bazm oyin" (indoor dances), "duchava" (dance with two sticks), "dance with teabowls" (dance with a bowl for drinking tea) , "dance with spoons", "dance with daggers", "dance on chest", "teapot dance", "kema oyin" (dance on a boat), "zangbozi", "naghora oyin", "shodi", "zamin bozi", "larzon", "lazgi", "bukhorcha", "tanovar", "Farghona ruboyisi", "Andijon polkasi", etc. From the past dances were divided into those performed by men and women. Even though there are different styles and genres, various performance manners, it is still possible to see some common features, which make up Uzbek dance to look very impressive.

Tea-pot dance, which is performed with teapot and tea-cups by man or by a woman.