The similar actions in fairytales, epics, and dastan of Altaians, Tatars, Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks, and other Turkic-speaking people, shows that the Uzbek dastan “Alpamysh,” as a creation of Turkic oral folk art, has a long history. In other nations, it is called “Alpamys,” “Alpamiros Botir,” “Alyp-manash,” “Alpamsha,” “Alpamysh,” and “Barchin Hiluv.”

A small crowd is standing on a bridge across the canal that brings water to the village. The canal diverts some water from the Syr Darya River, the only source of irrigation water in the region. There are several cars parked on the banks of the canal and a medium-size truck with a two-year old bull is parked right on top of the bridge. A group of young men take the bull on the bridge and tie him up. The crowd gathers around and the people present lifts their palms up at the chest level. The most respected elder loudly starts making a wish: “May there be plenty of water this year for our crops and livestock; may there be peace and prosperity in our lands; may there be accord and respect in our community….” The wish, which is also a blessing, goes on for several minutes. After every sentence, the crowd univocally utters “amen” to show that every person seconds that wish. Then, bull is solemnly sacrificed on the river bank, and its blood flows into the current turning it red for a little while.

Traditional treatment methods and folk remedies are used in Turkey for treating diseases, besides modern medicine. Applications within traditional treatment methods are mostly related to food and drinks. \nFolk remedies are prepared from the roots, leaves, flowers and seeds of various plants including nettle, hibiscus, nigella, harmal, and camomile. Besides folk remedies, food eaten to maintain a healthy body and to treat diseases are a crucial part of traditional treatment methods. For example, colloquially, dead nettle is recommended to be eaten at least once in a year for healing. It is believed that trotter or calf bone which is boiled for hours is healing for broken bones. In making of these soups, garlic, which is essential in folk remedy is widely used. \n\nAccording to the data gathered from the field research I’ve carried out in various areas and with various groups in Turkey and my obser-vations from this field research, communities have a shared and strong belief that some meals have healing effects in puerperal period. In this special period, folk remedy which encourages the use of specific food as treatment is used. Current practices in folk remedy are transferred from generation to generation by midwives and mothers. In this article, I want to explore the foods which are believed to have remedial proper-ties during puerperal period and also are described as a prominent part of themselves by culture bearers.

In 2017, Tajikistan ratified the 2003 Convention. Two years later, the Tajik government passed a decree and project to take place between 2013 and 2020. The goals of this project were to safeguard ICH from disappearing; reviving traditions; helping and supporting performers and masters; endorsing cultural elements accessible for wide use; studying and preparing books, films, and musical discs; and organizing folk festivals, cultural competitions, and other exhibitions. The festivals have several social and cultural functions due to their continuity. Infestivals, a person experiences his/her membership in society and feels the collective solidarity. Festivals also include didactic elements, mainly structuring the young generation in the task of responsibility among other members of the society; they should follow prescribed social and cultural norms. At the same time, festival also function on a psychological level, giving people a sense of national or ethnic identity and building social integration, solidarity, thus creating an atmosphere of friendship.

List of ICH Festivals applied for the Silk Roads Living Heritage Network Membership