Rope walking and under-rope performances are a genre of folk-spectacular art and have deep history. Some written sources testify that in the palace of Amir Temur magnificent performances were staged with participation of ropewalkers. There is also information that Uzbek ropewalkers demonstrated in the past (i.e. in XVIII- XIX centuries) their skills in China, India, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and other countries. But with a lapse of time rope walking developed significantly, so that ropes began to be mounted on a much higher height. Later rope walking began to be performed in circus arenas and became an integral part of circus art. Notably, the performances of ropewalkers were always combined with those of polvons (strongmen), illusionists, dancers, qiziqchi and askiyachi (comedians and wisecrackers) as well as with traditional circus-related performances (such as walking on stilts, tricks, acrobatics, equilibristic, legerdemain; tamed bears, snakes, monkeys, horses, goats, etc.).

The artists at Center for Safeguarding and Promotion of Folk Songs of Nghệ Region collected and learned how to sing Ví and Giặm Folk Songs with master practitioner Võ Thị Vân’s family members in hamlet 4, Ngọc Sơn commune, Thanh Chương district, Nghệ An province, 2013. Photo by Nguyễn Ngọc Quyết; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Ví singing by the conical hat making guild in Phù Việt village, Thạch Việt commune, Thạch Hà district, Hà Tĩnh province, 2013. Photo by Bùi Quang Thanh; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Ví and Giặm performance at Festival of Ví and Giặm Folk Songs of Nghệ Region by Ví and Giặm Folk Songs Group of Diễn Lâm commune, Diễn Châu district, Nghệ An province, 2012. Photo by Trần Duy Ngoãn; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Four generations of master practitioner Võ Thị Vân’s family practice Ví and Giặm sing with Ví and Giặm Folk Songs Group of Ngọc Sơn commune, Thanh Chương district, Nghệ An province, 2013. Photo by Nguyễn Ngọc Quyết; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

The epic culture, folk tales and music of Korkyt Ata are based on twelve heroic legends, stories and tales and thirteen traditional musical compositions shared and transmitted across the generations through oral expressions, Performing artss, cultural codes and musical compositions. Korkyt Ata appears in each story as a legendary figure and wise individual, a sage of minstrels whose words, music and expressions of wisdom relate to traditions of birth, marriage and death. In the musical compositions, the main intonations are reproduced using a musical instrument called the Kobyz through the sounds of nature, and imitation soundscapes are characteristic of this medium (such as the imitation of a wolf’s howl or a swan’s note). The musical compositions are all interconnected by the epic stories that accompany them.

Ví singing by the knitting guild in Nam Giang hamlet, Thạch Long commune, Thạch Hà district, Hà Tĩnh province, 2013. Photo by Trịnh Văn Phú; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Ví and Giặm singing at ploughing work in Việt Xuyên commune, Thạch Hà district, Hà Tĩnh province, 2013. Photo by Trịnh Văn Phú; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies

Master practitioner Võ Thị Vân instructs Ví and Giặm songs at a middle school in Ngọc Sơn commune, Thanh Chương district, Nghệ An province, 2013. Photo by Trịnh Văn Phú; © 2013 Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies.

Doston is a lyric-epic genre, a large-sized epic work in oral and written literature. The word "doston" is used in the meaning of "narrative", "story", "adventure", "description" and "praise". As a literary term this word stands for epic works of large size in oral folk art and written literature. Though, dostons of written and oral literature differ significantly from each other in terms of means and methods used in describing and depicting life.nThus, dostons, which are examples of oral creativity, differ from those which are examples of written literature, with existence of versions (for example, nearly 50 versions of doston "Alpomish", and about 100 dostons from the cycle of "Goroghli" were written down up to present), universality and traditionalism. Dostons, which represent the brightest examples of intangible cultural heritage, are usually mastered, performed and inherited (transmitted) orally. And bakhshis, who are performers of dostons, are called differently across Uzbekistan.nDostons have very ancient historical roots. They, based on the imagination of the people, reflect historical events through generalized characters. Therefore it is possible to observe epic generalization in them. And such a generalization embodies ideals and aspirations of the people about social justice. Hence, typical features of doston are epicism, monumentalism.nIn terms of compositional and narrative structure, doston covers complex events and occurrences. These events and occurrences, which are heroic in nature, unite around a single hero, who represents the ideals of the people. And such a hero, who has extraordinary powers, embodies hopes and aspirations of the entire nation.n

Doston is a lyric-epic genre, a large-sized epic work in oral and written literature. The word "doston" is used in the meaning of "narrative", "story", "adventure", "description" and "praise". As a literary term this word stands for epic works of large size in oral folk art and written literature. Though, dostons of written and oral literature differ significantly from each other in terms of means and methods used in describing and depicting life.nThus, dostons, which are examples of oral creativity, differ from those which are examples of written literature, with existence of versions (for example, nearly 50 versions of doston "Alpomish", and about 100 dostons from the cycle of "Goroghli" were written down up to present), universality and traditionalism. Dostons, which represent the brightest examples of intangible cultural heritage, are usually mastered, performed and inherited (transmitted) orally. And bakhshis, who are performers of dostons, are called differently across Uzbekistan.nDostons have very ancient historical roots. They, based on the imagination of the people, reflect historical events through generalized characters. Therefore it is possible to observe epic generalization in them. And such a generalization embodies ideals and aspirations of the people about social justice. Hence, typical features of doston are epicism, monumentalism.nIn terms of compositional and narrative structure, doston covers complex events and occurrences. These events and occurrences, which are heroic in nature, unite around a single hero, who represents the ideals of the people. And such a hero, who has extraordinary powers, embodies hopes and aspirations of the entire nation.n

Shashmaqam (means the six Maqams (modes)) is a Central Asian musical genre (typical of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) which firstly developed in Bukhara. Shashmaqom (in Farsi - "Six maqoms") is a leading musical-cyclic genre of musical heritage of Uzbek and Tajik people. It includes a cycle of complex and perfect instrumental as well as vocal compositions encompassing different types of melos, forms, usuls (rhythmic formulae) and performances. Shashmaqom is a cycle consisting of six maqoms, namely Buzruk, Rost, Navo, Dugoh, Segoh and Iroq. Each of these consists of two parts respectively, i.e. instrumental one (which is called "Mushkilot") and vocal one (which is called "Nasr"), representing more than 250 cycles of instrumental and vocal compositions in total. Shashmaqom got formed in urban environment, and its bearers of traditions were well-known musicians and singers. Its vocal part was performed in Uzbek and Tajik languages. The texts were mainly taken from the poems of classics of oriental poetry (i.e. Rudaki, Jami, Lutfi, Navoi, Babur, Khafiz, Fizuli, Amiri, Nodira, Zebuniso, Ogahiy and others) and were dedicated to love-related, lyrical, philosophical, didactic, religious themes. Folk poetry examples were also used. Most widely used musical instrument was tanbur. It is based on tuning tanbur that the tonal basis of maqoms emerged. Instrumental part of each maqom included instrumental compositions such as "Tasnif", "Tarje", "Gardun", "Mukhammas" and "Sakil", performed either solo or by instrumental ensemble. However, each part differed with its own tune, character of melody, structure and usuls of doira. Vocal parts are considered the most difficult and complete ones in terms of structure, melos and form and are divided into two cycles (shuba): the first one includes "Sarakhbor", "Talqin", "Nasr" and "Ufar", performed by leading singer - hofiz (their melodies are more developed, of great range and complex form). Between main parts "Tarona" was sung by vocal ensemble as a connecting one (it is a small vocal piece, which has its own tunes, feature and forms). The second cycle (shuba) includes five-part cycles "Moghulcha" and "Savt" (except maqom "Iroq"). In addition to main parts, each maqom incorporates additional compositions: instrumental one (naghma, peshrav, samoyi, hafif), and vocal one (uzzol, ushshoq, bayot, chorgoh, nasrullo, oraz, khusayniy, navrozi sabo, khoro and ajam), the creators of which were bastakors (creators of oral musical tradition). Shashmaqom got formed, has been preserved, mastered and transmitted from generation to generation verbally, based on "Ustoz-shogird" ("master-apprentice") method of learning.