Nepal's Hereditary Musician Castes_Behuli Magne Dhun\n\nPerformers: Sankar Bahadur Pariyar, Mahendra Bahadur Pariyer, Bil Bahadur Pariyar, Manoj Pariyar, Suraj Bahadur Pariyar, Suman Pariyar, Dhurba Pariyar, Baburam Pariyar\nDate of Recording: 1991\nCaste: Damai\nCollector: Dan Bahadur Nepali\n\nHere, the Damai musicians of Lamjung District perform “Behuli Magne Dhun” on panchai baja. During a wedding ceremony, the tune is performed while the groom and his family ask for the bride’s hand. It is believed that performance of such tunes during a wedding ceremony makes the bond between the husband and wife stronger.\nInstruments: panchai baajaa

Kerchang is a traditional game of the indigenous people of Malaysia and a cultural heritage facing extinction. As a form of cultural expression, it carries significance beyond being a mere game, playing an important part in marriage customs. \nThe shape of kerchang and its string signify a woman and a man, respectively. In a wedding, the bride’s father gives a kerchang to the groom, who must earn his right to marriage by solving the game’s ten stages. The way a man unpuz\u0002zles a kerchang reflects his ability to take care of his family. Kerchang is a symbol of the symbiotic relationship between traditional indigenous culture and nature

The film is about a traditional Kyrgyz form of folklore—lamentation (koshok). Experts talk about the contents of Kyrgyz lamentation, the situations in which koshok is performed (lamenting the deceased or the bride, when she is sent to the groom’s family) and about how to perform traditional lamentation.

The Kreung wedding, the bride and the groom first meet through the occasional drinking pot rice wine ceremony with relatives in the village. It was an opportunity for the two of them to get to know each other before they decided to be a couple. In their tradition, when they agree to be together, the men always go to sleep at the daughter's house at night, but they do not dare to do anything foolish to break their tradition. If the father of the daughter finds a matchmaker to find out who the son is and why he came to sleep at his daughter's house, the father has to ask the matchmaker to make a deal with the men and follow traditional penalties, such as: forcing them to marry at once or get fine with gifts, namely: 1 buffalo, 1 pig, 1 chicken and a pot of rice wine. If the son and daughter acknowledge that they are in love, then the matchmaker begins to inform the son's parents. And if the son's parents are satisfied with the daughter as well, they will continue to let their son visit the girl’s house regularly. During that time, the men had to work at the daughter's house for a year, while the daughter also helped with the work too.

Palav culture and traditions have been included into the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. Palov (or Osh) is the most beloved and highly regarded food among Uzbeks. It is spread in all regions of Uzbekistan. Palov accompanies Uzbeks throughout their lives. It is prepared on different occasions. These are: on the occasion of the birth of the first child (aqiqa); on the occasion of circumcision ceremony (sunnat toyi); on the occasion of engagement ceremony (fotiha oshi); on the occasion of seeing off a bride to the house of a groom (qiz oshi); in connection with wedding, for men only (nikah oshi); in connection with wedding, for women only (khotin oshi); after wedding, only for friends of a groom (kuyav oshi); on the occasion of child’s birth and carrying out “ beshikkasolish” ritual (beshik toyi oshi); on the occasion of commemoration of the deceased (ehsan oshi); on the occasion of anniversary of death day (yiloshi). Thus it serves to unite people for different events.

Customs and traditions connected with wedding ceremonies are divided into three parts: pre-wedding ceremonies, those conducted during the wedding, and those performed after the wedding. These ceremonies vary in different regions of Uzbekistan, but they have some commonalities. For example, common pre-wedding ceremonies include organizing matchmaking at the bride’s house, giving toyona (financial aid) by relatives, registering legal and religious marriage, blessing process (fotiha berish) by older people. The wedding ceremony is a grandiose conduction at both the bride’s and the groom’s houses. Post-wedding ceremonies include salom (bride’s greetings), calling relatives of the groom, and others.\n\nThis film includes the customs and traditions connected with a wedding ceremony in Margilan, Fergana.

Nepal's Hereditary Musician Castes_Behuli Anmaune Dhun\n\nPerformers: Rajan Pariyar, Mukesh Pariyar, Prakash Pariyar, Ramswonda Pariyar, Kedar Pariyar, Bishnu Pariyar, Ramsaran Pariyar, Bhakata Bahadur Pariyar\nDate of Recording: 1992\nCaste: Damai\nCollector: Dan Bahadur Nepali\n\nHere, the Damai musicians of the Kavre district perform “Behuli Anmaune Dhun” on panchai baajaa. “Behuli Anmaune Dhun” is played at wedding ceremonies as the family of the bride bids farewell to the bride, groom, and the participants of the wedding ceremony. The procession then heads towards the groom's house playing and dancing to this tune. It is performed differently in different parts of Nepal.\nInstruments: panchai baajaa

Intangible Cultural Heritage Elements of Ferghana Valley: Social Practices, Rituals and Festive Events\n\nOne of the most ancient cultural locations of Uzbekistan is the Ferghana Valley, which is especially attractive for its peculiar social practices, customs, rituals and folklore song traditions.\n\n1. Shombarak Event\nThe term shombarak means ‘evening welcome’, the name given to the process of taking the bride to the groom’s house. The event is conducted as follows: After the groom puts on the wedding clothes sent by the bride, he goes to the bride’s house accompanied by his friends. Meanwhile, at the bride’s house, the bride’s relatives and neighbours gather and wait for the groom’s arrival. When the groom and his friends are seen from afar, two to three boys go into the bride’s house shouting, ‘The groom is coming’. Shortly thereafter, the groom and his friends, singers, and musicians walk into the house dancing and singing the song ‘Shombarak’. In Shahrikhon, the song is performed in Uzbek and Tajik languages. In addition, after the groom and his friends enter, they also sing folk songs ‘Hay Yor Do‘st, Aylanaman’ (Hey Beloved Friend, I am Enchanted) and ‘Vohay Bola’ (Hey, Guy). In the Asaka District, events connected with conducting a wedding party were studied. The customs associated with the groom’s arrival were recorded. These include laying a cloth under the feet of the groom, spreading a kerchief in front of him (a tradition called ‘blocking the road’), presenting a knife to the bride’s young brother, throwing candies over bride’s head, and singing the song ‘Deydiyo’.\n\n2. Lachak Event\nLachak is another wedding-related event, which takes place when the bride is leaving her family home to join her new husband. The bride's relatives and her mother-in-law attend the lachak event. During a special ceremony that takes place during the lachak, the bride wears a lachak scarf and receives presents from her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. Following the gift-giving ceremony, a number of folksongs are performed, including yor-yor and lapar songs. When the bride is ready to leave, two breads are laid on her head to express wishes of fertility and prosperity. Then the bride bows to each present while the song `Kelin Salom' is performed. Thereafter, the bride is seen off to groom's house accompanied by a yor-yor song. Through practicing the lachak event, a number of folk songs and practices in Ferghana Valley are preserved.