It is a local festival based on the ancient tribal traditions of \nthe rural communities of Bokonbaev and Ton villages. The festival has been held since 2003 every year on the first Sunday in August. The elders of Bokonbaevo and Ton villages gather with young generation in the holy place of Manzhyly Ata to commemorate ancestors and pray to the spirit of the revered local holy sage and falconer Moitke ake, who lived in the Middle Ages and is considered the patron saint of these places. The elders lead the participants to worship the spirits of their ancestors to the holy place "Manzhyly-Ata", where a sacrificial animal - a ram - is cut on the grave of Moitka Ake. Old people tell the participants of the festival stories and legends connected with the holy place, sage Moitke Ake and his hunting birds - falcons. Hunters showcase the ancient traditions of falconry, local artists and artisans display their works and products related to the theme of traditions and spiritual values, traditional musicians and storytellers compete with each other in skill. The festival ends with a ritual meal with a "tul bata" - collective prayer of the festival participants for a blessing, addressed to the spirits of the ancestors.\n\n

It is a local festival based on the ancient tribal traditions of \nthe rural communities of Bokonbaev and Ton villages. The festival has been held since 2003 every year on the first Sunday in August. The elders of Bokonbaevo and Ton villages gather with young generation in the holy place of Manzhyly Ata to commemorate ancestors and pray to the spirit of the revered local holy sage and falconer Moitke ake, who lived in the Middle Ages and is considered the patron saint of these places. The elders lead the participants to worship the spirits of their ancestors to the holy place "Manzhyly-Ata", where a sacrificial animal - a ram - is cut on the grave of Moitka Ake. Old people tell the participants of the festival stories and legends connected with the holy place, sage Moitke Ake and his hunting birds - falcons. Hunters showcase the ancient traditions of falconry, local artists and artisans display their works and products related to the theme of traditions and spiritual values, traditional musicians and storytellers compete with each other in skill. The festival ends with a ritual meal with a "tul bata" - collective prayer of the festival participants for a blessing, addressed to the spirits of the ancestors.\n

It is a local festival based on the ancient tribal traditions of \nthe rural communities of Bokonbaev and Ton villages. The festival has been held since 2003 every year on the first Sunday in August. The elders of Bokonbaevo and Ton villages gather with young generation in the holy place of Manzhyly Ata to commemorate ancestors and pray to the spirit of the revered local holy sage and falconer Moitke ake, who lived in the Middle Ages and is considered the patron saint of these places. The elders lead the participants to worship the spirits of their ancestors to the holy place "Manzhyly-Ata", where a sacrificial animal - a ram - is cut on the grave of Moitka Ake. Old people tell the participants of the festival stories and legends connected with the holy place, sage Moitke Ake and his hunting birds - falcons. Hunters showcase the ancient traditions of falconry, local artists and artisans display their works and products related to the theme of traditions and spiritual values, traditional musicians and storytellers compete with each other in skill. The festival ends with a ritual meal with a "tul bata" - collective prayer of the festival participants for a blessing, addressed to the spirits of the ancestors.\n\n

It is a local festival based on the ancient tribal traditions of \nthe rural communities of Bokonbaev and Ton villages. The festival has been held since 2003 every year on the first Sunday in August. The elders of Bokonbaevo and Ton villages gather with young generation in the holy place of Manzhyly Ata to commemorate ancestors and pray to the spirit of the revered local holy sage and falconer Moitke ake, who lived in the Middle Ages and is considered the patron saint of these places. The elders lead the participants to worship the spirits of their ancestors to the holy place "Manzhyly-Ata", where a sacrificial animal - a ram - is cut on the grave of Moitka Ake. Old people tell the participants of the festival stories and legends connected with the holy place, sage Moitke Ake and his hunting birds - falcons. Hunters showcase the ancient traditions of falconry, local artists and artisans display their works and products related to the theme of traditions and spiritual values, traditional musicians and storytellers compete with each other in skill. The festival ends with a ritual meal with a "tul bata" - collective prayer of the festival participants for a blessing, addressed to the spirits of the ancestors.\n\n

“Traditional Hunting of Taiga Dog” offers a powerful glimpse into Mongolia’s enduring nomadic heritage—where nature, history, and survival are deeply intertwined. In the heart of Central Asia, Mongolians have thrived for centuries through the blistering winters, gusty springs, searing summers, and stormy autumns by living in harmony with the land, their herds, and their faithful hunting companions—the Taiga dogs.\n\nThese remarkable dogs, known for their speed, intelligence, and resilience to Mongolia’s extreme climate, have long been indispensable to the Mongolian way of life. For generations, they have stood guard over livestock and ridden alongside hunters on horseback through vast steppes and dense forests. Among nomadic families, the bond between human and dog is sacred.\n\nRooted in ancient history, hunting has not only been a way of life but also a vital method of training warriors. Even under Chingis Khan’s rule, annual hunts were conducted as military drills to sharpen strategy, precision, and endurance. Marco Polo recorded the grandeur of Kublai Khan’s great hunts, where hundreds of falcons and thousands of riders roamed the plains—a testament to Mongolia’s deeply rooted hunting culture.\n\nToday, this legacy lives on. Across Mongolia, an annual Taiga Dog Race is held, celebrating the skill and spirit of these loyal animals while passing knowledge from one generation to the next. The event has grown into a vibrant cultural showcase, drawing both domestic tourists and passionate young hunters committed to preserving this invaluable tradition.\n\nThis film is a tribute to Mongolia’s nomadic resilience, to the enduring friendship between humans and animals, and to a culture that continues to thrive through the wisdom of its ancestors.

This book contains the presentation and discussion of the above international conference in the form of an online strategic meeting with Webinar, and the first chapter contains webinar presentations on the theme of Life, Environment and Intangible Heritage of Silk Road. In addition, Chapter 2 contains rich examples of the diversity of intangible cultural heritage festivals, and chapters 3 and 4 contain network construction methods and presentations on joint cooperation projects through networks, respectively. In addition, a summary of each presentation and discussion on each topic were included, along with recommendations to create the Silk Road Intangible Heritage Network for 2021.

Together with the UNESCO National Commissions in the Central Asia, the Seventh Central Asi Sub-regional Meeting on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was held between 16 and 18 May at Dushanbe, Tajikistan.\n\nThe report includes papers of the thematic symposium on Sacred Cultural Spaces, Safeguarding ICH and Enhancing Identity and country reports.

This publication is prepared by the experts of Kazakhstani National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) with support of the National Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ISESCO and with organizational and financial assistance of the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP). Its main purpose is to introduce a wide range of readers to the ICH of our country.

ICH Courier is the quarterly magazine on ICH in the Asia-Pacific region issued by ICHCAP since 2009. Every issue has its own theme under the title of the Windows to ICH, and the theme of the Vol 2 is 'ICH AND LABOR'.