Materials
Kazakhstan
ICH Materials 408
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Traditional knowledge and skills in making Kyrgyz and Kazakh yurts (Turkic nomadic dwellings)
Yurt production includes knowledge and skills in creating a portable dwelling traditionally used by Kazakh and Kyrgyz people. Yurt has a dismountable wooden circular frame covered with felt and braided with ropes. Yurts can be easily set up and dismantled within a short period of time. Yurts are basically characterized as easily transportable, compact, ecological and practical dwellings.\nBearers of yurt-making traditional knowledge are craftspeople (men and women), producing yurts and yurts’ interior decorations.\nMen and their apprentices make yurts’ wooden frames, traditionally by hand using special devices and instruments. Men also make wooden, leather, bone and metal details for yurts and household items. Women make yurt coverings and interior decorations. As a rule, they work in community-based groups supervised by experienced skilled women-artisans. Women-artisans use weaving, spinning, braiding, felting, embroidering, sewing, winding and other traditional handicraft technologies. Women’s work- process is usually accompanied by their singing, joking, telling stories about famous masters of the past and treating traditional meals.
Kazakhstan -
Текемет
Kazakhstan
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сsбызгы
Kazakhstan
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Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Men's discussion
The local community is actively involved in preparation and conducting an annual event.\nThe preparations go all year round (cutting wool and horse hair, getting good stallions for herds, weaving ropes and foal slips, repairing ware, cutting juniper for smoking vessels, cooking ritual food). Blessed by the elders, the ‘first milking’ day comes in early May, when mares have foaled and grass grown. In total the rites take about 3 weeks until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, taking place in every house of the village, are over.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan
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Traditional Leather Manufacturing
Kazakh masters have historically made different kinds of leather clothes and accessories as well as dishes, horse riggings, and other culturally relevant goods. The prevalence of leather goods indicates that leather production has long been a highly valued part of local traditional culture. The most significant part of nomadic economy was brought to fruition through leather manufacturing. Products related to equestrian lifestyles—girths, bridles, bibs, saddles, etc. Leatherwork consists of several stages. After processing the skins, they are boiled in a paint made from the rhizomes of trees, then dried. After that, the necessary parts are sewn, and an ornament is applied to the damp skin. After the ornament is ready, a vessel is filled with sand and dried, then the sand pours out and the product is dried again in the wind. The process ensures that the product will never change its original form.
Kazakhstan 2017 -
Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz
It is the New Year by solar calendar in Central, South and South-West Asia countries. According to sources, Navruz was one of the biggest festivities among Iranian and Turkic peoples. Mahmud al-Kashgari in his work called "Diwanu l-Lugat al-Turk" mentions about many folk songs, which were dedicated to Navruz. Also, the information about Navruz festivity can be found in such works as "The remaining traces of past centuries" (written by Abu Rayhan al-Biruni), "Navruzname" (by Omar Khayyam), and those written by Alisher Navoi, Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad Babur and other scholars. \nIn the territory of Central Asia Navruz festivity was associated with the beginning of the New Year. As such, the preparations for it began several days ahead. Wheat was germinated and from its sprouts sumalak was cooked, dumplings with greens and samosas with mint were prepared. Also folk games were organized (such as horseracing, uloq, kurash, etc.), promenades were arranged, songs about spring were sung, terma and dostons were performed (by bakhshis). On the first day of Navruz children, living in rural areas, gathered in groups and sang songs dedicated to Navruz before the doors of houses. And the owner of the house, hearing these songs, came out, gave presents to children, and treated them with food. In their turn, children distributed one part of the food among widows and orphans living in the village. All these traditions and customs are still alive.
Afghanistan,Kyrgyzstan,Kazakhstan,Tajikistan,Uzbekistan -
Heritage of Korkyt-ata
Korkyt-ata invented kobyz, a two-stringed instrument covered in goat leather, and wrote many kyus (songs), eleven of which have survived to this day. His dedication to the instrument is why the Mausoleum of Korkyt-ata on the banks of the Syr Darya River was made in the form of a giant kobyz. The traditional kobyz manufacturing process is based on a master-apprentice system through which the master transmits his knowledge and skills through formal (educational institutions) and informal communication (at home, in the family).
Kazakhstan 2017 -
Keste—Kazakh Embroidery on Various Materials
The video shows Kazakh keste (embroidery) an original Kazakh folk art and craft. According to experts, the word keste comes from an ancient Iranian word that can be literally translated as “painted”. Since ancient times almost every woman was engaged in embroidery. This art was inherited from mother to daughter. Masters embroidered on domestic canvases, leather, suede, and felt and on imported cloth, silk, cotton, and velvet. Also, experts distinguish the seam biz keste, performed by a conventional tambour seam with the help of a hook. Zeynelkhan Mukhamedzhan, the famous Kazakh artist and master of decorative and applied art, has been reviving this technique. Today, the artist passes his skills to students at the Almaty Art College.
Kazakhstan 2017
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Youth Meets ICH
Youth Meets ICH is video clips on ICH produced by six Asia-Pacific institutions with youth participation.
Bangladesh,South Korea,Kazakhstan,Myanmar ,Mongolia,Tonga 2017 -
Webinar: Life, Environment, and ICH along the Silk Roads & Strategic Meeting on Silk Roads ICH Networking
Webinar: “Life, Environment, and ICH along the Silk Roads”\n\n<Day 1>\n\n1. 'The Need to Shift from Global to Local' by Helena Norberg-Hodge\n2. 'On Cooperative Mechanism for the Silk Roads ICH toward Sustainable Development' by Seong-Yong Park\n3. 'Vitality and Sustainability of the Silk Roads ICH Festivals' by Alisher Ikramov\n4. 'The Water-Performance Installation Project—Art Practice for the Coexistence of Humanity and Nature in the Silk Roads Region' by Dong-jo Yoo\n\nㅇ Panel Discussion\n\nSession1 : Online Strategic Meeting on Silk Roads ICH Networking\n: Case Studies on the Vitalization of the Silk Roads ICH: ICH Festivals & Sustainable Development\n\n1. 'Case of Tajikistan : Role of Festivals for ICH Safeguarding Within Local Communities' by Dilshod Rahimi\n2. 'Case of Kyrgyzstan: Influences and Effects of ICH Festivals on Local Communities' by Sabira Soltongeldieva\n3. 'Case of Kazakhstan: ICH Festivals’ Influence and Effects on Local Communities' by Khanzada Yessenova\n4. 'Andong International Mask Dance Festival: Realization of Folkloric Values and Transmission of ICH' by Ju Ho Kim\n5. 'Case of Turukmenistan : Future of ICH Safeguarding' by Shohrat Jumayev\n\n<Day 2>\n\nSession2: Cooperation and Solidarity for Operating the ICH Network along the Silk Roads\n\n1. 'On the Feasibility of the Silk Roads ICH Network' by Sangcheol Kim\n2. 'Operational Issues of the Network' by Alim Feyzulayev\n3. 'Cultural Context of a CIOFF Festival' by Philippe Beaussant\n4. 'ICH Festivals in Specific Goal and Task' by Kaloyan Nikolov\n5. 'Identifying Ways to Develop Intangible Heritage Festivals through Community Networks (Focusing on the Case of the Gijisi Tug-of-War Festival)' by Daeyoung Ko\n\nㅇ Panel Discussion\n\nSession3: Collaborative Work and Benefits through Activities of the Silk Roads ICH Network\n\n1. 'Scope and Definition of Collaborative Work through Activities of the Silk Roads ICH Network' by Kwon Huh\n2. 'Cooperative Measures for Festivals in the Silk Road Region' by Jahangir Selimkhanov\n3. 'ichLinks: Information-Sharing Platform as a Key Base for Safeguarding and Use of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific' by Sangmook Park\n4. 'Case Study: Silk Roads Heritage Corridor - Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Iran' by Krista Pikkat\n5. 'UNESCO Silk Road Online Platform' by Mehrdad Shabahang\n\nㅇ Panel Discussion
South Korea 2020 -
ICH Video Production in the Asia-Pacific Region : Central Asia (Living Heritage : Wisdom of Life)
ICH Video Production in the Asia-Pacific Region : Central Asia\n\nRapid urbanization and westernization are changing the environments in which intangible cultural heritage is rooted. The importance of documentation that traces the effect of social changes on intangible cultural heritage is being emphasized as a safeguarding measure. Quality video documentation is an important resource that enables the conservation and transmission of existing intangible cultural heritage and raises its visibility.\n\nVideo documentation is the best medium to record intangible cultural heritage in the most lifelike manner, using the latest technologies. It is also an effective tool for communicating with the public. However, conditions for video production in the Asia-Pacific remain poor, requiring extensive support for quality video documentation.\n\nICHCAP has been working to build the safeguarding capabilities of Member States and raise the visibility of intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific by supporting the true-to-life documentation of intangible cultural heritage as this heritage is practiced and cooperating with experts, communities, and NGOs in related fields.\n\nSince 2010, ICHCAP has hosted annual Central Asian sub-regional network meetings with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia to support the ICH safeguarding activities of Central Asia. Through their collaboration, ICHCAP has supported projects involving collecting ICH information, producing ICH websites, and constructing ICH video archives.\n\nAt the Sixth Central Asia Sub-regional Network Meeting in Jeonju in 2015, ICHCAP, four Central Asian countries, and Mongolia adopted a second three-year cooperation project plan on producing ICH videos to enhance the visibility of ICH in Central Asia.\n\nICHCAP developed guidelines and training programs for the project and invited video and ICH experts from the participating countries, and held a workshop in November 2015. After the workshop, focal points for the project were designated in each country, and each focal point organization formed an expert meeting and a video production team to produce ICH videos.\n\nInterim reports were submitted to ICHCAP in February 2016, and the first preview screening was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, during the Seventh Central Asia Sub-regional Network Meeting in May 2016. Since then, each country has carried out the project according to the project plan. ICHCAP met with each country between October 2016 to February 2017 to check on the project progress.\n\nAfter the final preview screening during the Eighth Central Asia Sub-regional Network Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in 2017, final editing process took place in each country, and fifty ICH videos were completed by October 2017.\n\nAll photos introduced on this page along with fifty ICH videos are from the exhibition 'Living Heritage: Wisdom of Life' held in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Korea. Designed for introducing various ICH in the five countries, this exhibition shows photos on representative twenty elements in each country collected during the process of on-site survey and documentation for ICH Video Production Project in Central Asia by experts participated in the ICH video production project.\n\nICHCAP will continue its ICH documentation projects in the Asia-Pacific region for the next ten years by expanding the scope from Central Asia and Mongolia to Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, and the Pacific.\n\n\nPartners\nMongolian National Commission for UNESCO • National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO • National Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ISESCO • National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO • National Commission of the Republic of Tajikistan for UNESCO • Foundation for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage Mongolia • National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage under the National Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ISESCO • School of Fine Art and Technical Design named after Abylkhan Kasteyev • State Institute of Arts and Culture of Uzbekistan • Tajik film • Tajikistan Research Institute of Culture Information • Korea Educational Broadcasting System • Asia Culture Center\n\nSupporters\nUNESCO Almaty and Tashkent Cluster Offices • Cultural Heritage Administration • Panasonic Korea • Turkish Airlines
Kyrgyzstan,Kazakhstan,Mongolia,Tajikistan,Uzbekistan 2017
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Bringing Living Heritage to the Classroom in Asia-Pacific (Nepali)
Promote Transformative Education Through Integrating Living Heritage in Schools\n\nIntegrating living heritage in school teaching and learning can enhance education quality, enliven the experiences of students and teachers, and contribute to keeping this heritage alive for current and future generations. In addition, as the ongoing pandemic Covid-19 has also demonstrated, living heritage can play an important role in ensuring the well-being and resilience of the communities.\nUNESCO encourages countries to safeguard living heritage through formal and non-formal education. From the end of 2019 to early 2022, UNESCO has been working with partners to implement a pilot project “Teaching and Learning with Living Heritage in Schools” in six countries in Asia and the Pacific - including Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Republic of Korea and Thailand. Over 1900 students from 21 schools had the opportunity to participate in these innovative classes. Throughout the process, 86 teachers, with more than two thirds being women, have developed and tested 101 lesson plans and activities.\nThis Resource Kit provides step-by-step guidance and key resources on why and how to integrate living heritage in lessons and extracurricular activities in schools. \nWhoever you are – policy-maker, school director, teacher, student, parent, heritage practitioner – you have a vital role to play in this process.
Kyrgyzstan,Cambodia,South Korea,Kazakhstan,Nepal,Thailand 2023 -
Bringing Living Heritage to the Classroom in Asia-Pacific (Thai)
Promote Transformative Education Through Integrating Living Heritage in Schools\n\nIntegrating living heritage in school teaching and learning can enhance education quality, enliven the experiences of students and teachers, and contribute to keeping this heritage alive for current and future generations. In addition, as the ongoing pandemic Covid-19 has also demonstrated, living heritage can play an important role in ensuring the well-being and resilience of the communities.\nUNESCO encourages countries to safeguard living heritage through formal and non-formal education. From the end of 2019 to early 2022, UNESCO has been working with partners to implement a pilot project “Teaching and Learning with Living Heritage in Schools” in six countries in Asia and the Pacific - including Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Republic of Korea and Thailand. Over 1900 students from 21 schools had the opportunity to participate in these innovative classes. Throughout the process, 86 teachers, with more than two thirds being women, have developed and tested 101 lesson plans and activities.\nThis Resource Kit provides step-by-step guidance and key resources on why and how to integrate living heritage in lessons and extracurricular activities in schools.\nWhoever you are – policy-maker, school director, teacher, student, parent, heritage practitioner – you have a vital role to play in this process.
Kyrgyzstan,Cambodia,South Korea,Kazakhstan,Nepal,Thailand 2023 -
Bringing Living Heritage to the Classroom in Asia-Pacific (Russian)
Promote Transformative Education Through Integrating Living Heritage in Schools\n\nIntegrating living heritage in school teaching and learning can enhance education quality, enliven the experiences of students and teachers, and contribute to keeping this heritage alive for current and future generations. In addition, as the ongoing pandemic Covid-19 has also demonstrated, living heritage can play an important role in ensuring the well-being and resilience of the communities.\nUNESCO encourages countries to safeguard living heritage through formal and non-formal education. From the end of 2019 to early 2022, UNESCO has been working with partners to implement a pilot project “Teaching and Learning with Living Heritage in Schools” in six countries in Asia and the Pacific - including Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Republic of Korea and Thailand. Over 1900 students from 21 schools had the opportunity to participate in these innovative classes. Throughout the process, 86 teachers, with more than two thirds being women, have developed and tested 101 lesson plans and activities.\nThis Resource Kit provides step-by-step guidance and key resources on why and how to integrate living heritage in lessons and extracurricular activities in schools.\nWhoever you are – policy-maker, school director, teacher, student, parent, heritage practitioner – you have a vital role to play in this process.
Kyrgyzstan,Cambodia,South Korea,Kazakhstan,Nepal,Thailand 2023 -
Bringing Living Heritage to the Classroom in Asia-Pacific
Promote Transformative Education Through Integrating Living Heritage in Schools\n\nIntegrating living heritage in school teaching and learning can enhance education quality, enliven the experiences of students and teachers, and contribute to keeping this heritage alive for current and future generations. In addition, as the ongoing pandemic Covid-19 has also demonstrated, living heritage can play an important role in ensuring the well-being and resilience of the communities.\nUNESCO encourages countries to safeguard living heritage through formal and non-formal education. From the end of 2019 to early 2022, UNESCO has been working with partners to implement a pilot project “Teaching and Learning with Living Heritage in Schools” in six countries in Asia and the Pacific - including Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Republic of Korea and Thailand. Over 1900 students from 21 schools had the opportunity to participate in these innovative classes. Throughout the process, 86 teachers, with more than two thirds being women, have developed and tested 101 lesson plans and activities.\nThis Resource Kit provides step-by-step guidance and key resources on why and how to integrate living heritage in lessons and extracurricular activities in schools. \nWhoever you are – policy-maker, school director, teacher, student, parent, heritage practitioner – you have a vital role to play in this process.
Kyrgyzstan,Cambodia,South Korea,Kazakhstan,Nepal,Thailand 2023
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Kobyz: Kazakh Traditional Musical InstrumentKobyz (kyl-kobyz) is a sacred instrument embodying the spiritual world of a nomad. It is perhaps the most magical traditional musical instrument of Kazakh people. From being a sacred solo-instrument that sounded at the hands of nomads to moving to orchestras in large concert halls, kobyz went through a long journey onto the big stage.\n\nKobyz is made of a whole piece of wood, which is one of the most ancient ways of making musical instruments. It is an ancient belief that the living soul of a tree that is projected into the instrument is preserved only in the whole piece of wood. Kobyz is not a factory instrument, so it is always made by craftsmen. Making a high-quality kobyz is an extremely laborious process that requires considerable knowledge and skills. Many musicians admit that Kobyz is very selective and does not match with everyone. According to the local ethno-designers, kobyz might stop producing a proper sound if a person with negative energy is around it.\n\nKobyz Heritage: Importance of Revitalization\nMany valuable and interesting thoughts are contained in the ancient sounds and memories that come to life through the traditional musical instruments. As such, it contains morals about mutual respect, loyalty, justice, love for the motherland, and caring attitude towards elders. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study and use those knowledge, traditions and customs in our lives today. Korkyt-ata himself, who is creator of kobyz and a legendary historical figure in Turkic world, became a symbol of national revival, the personification of high ideals of spirituality, morality, and love for the motherland.\n\nIt is believed that kobyz has a beneficial and healing effect to its surroundings. Traditionally, kobyz melodies were believed to have an ability to banish evil spirits, sicknesses and death. Sometimes the sound of a kobyz resembles a person’s speech coming from the depths of the soul. It is capable of transmitting the sounds of the wind, the voices of birds and animals, as well as the modern acoustics of the cities. However, the main point is a person’s feelings and soul hidden behind the melody. Having heard a kobyz play once, it is hard to forget its sound.\n\nSafeguarding and Popularization of Kobyz in Modern Musical Culture\n\nAncient ‘kyl-kobyz’ underwent several improvements, and the ‘kobyz-prima’ was born in the bowels of the orchestra. Like many folk instruments, kobyz defended its right to be placed among the popular classic instruments in an orchestra and has demonstrated its ability to adapt to any musical situation. the 20th century became a turning point for many ethnic groups with a predominant vector towards the tendency to rethink folklore within the framework of new aesthetic views. There was a transition from old traditions of solo performance to polyphonic orchestral sounding, which allowed the entrance into the big stage and entailed the improvements of Kazakh folk musical instruments.\n\nRevitalization of kobyz in the 20th century was contradictory: the pursuit of original traditions in national music was accompanied by the intensification of research in the field of folklore ethnography. However, people do not think of adaptation of traditional kobyz to contemporary time as a negative influence, rather they look at it with gratitude that this is how kobyz did not completely extinct as many other instruments. In fact, contemporary kobyz was constantly brought closer to the violin, which made it possible to present the instrument to the whole world, gain international recognition and move on to a new era – the era of reviving the “original ” traditional kyl-kobyz in the 21st century.\n\nphoto 1 : © Jean-Plerre Dalbera\nphoto 2 : “Playing on Kobyz-prima at friend’s wedding celebration” © Zhansulu Issayeva\nphoto 3 : “Kobyz-prima” © Zhansulu IssayevaYear2021NationKazakhstan
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NauryzNauryz is the first day of the new year according to the solar calendar in many Turkic cultures and symbolizes the renewal of nature associated with the cult of fertility. Nauryz unites people around traditional values. Before the holiday, it is necessary to pay off debts, forgive each other’s offenses, tidy up the house, prepare refreshments, clean the springs, and plant trees. All people are in a hurry to congratulate relatives, friends, colleagues, and neighbors; they smile and say warm words when meeting people by chance as well as invite them over and sit down at a dastarkhan, which has a round shape like a table many more people can fit around than from behind a rectangular one. This shows the original hospitality and kindliness of Kazakhs.\n\nLegends Associated with the Name of Nauryz Holiday\nAccording to one legend, Nauryz is the name of the ancestor of Kazakhs, he did not have children. Before his death, Nauryz turned to Abdraim (the prophet) with words of regret that he had no one to leave his name. To preserve the name of the old man, Abdraim gave the name to Nauryz-kozhe. Nauryz is the birthday and death of this old man. On this day they prepare a sacrificial meal, read prayers from the Koran in memory of their ancestors. According to another version, Nauryz is the name of a beggar. Before his death, he turned to the old people with the words that he had no one to leave his name. Old people promised to cook Nauryz-kozhe annually and read prayers from the Koran in memory of him.\n\nHoliday Symbols\nThe white color on the dastarkhan is a symbol of contentment, welfare, and prosperity. Therefore, its mandatory attributes are: koumiss, kurt, cottage cheese—livestock products.\n\nThe most indispensable thing in Nauryz is the presence of a traditional dish—nauryz-kozhe on each holiday table. Kazakhs believe that in Nauryz you need to eat this dish to e fulfilled and then the year will pass in abundance. Nauryz-kozhe is a nourishing and rich soup prepared from seven ingredients: meat, water, flour, butter, millet (can be replaced with rice or corn), salt, and milk. Each component of the dish symbolizes one of the seven vital principles: growth, luck, happiness, wealth, health, wisdom, and the patronage of heaven. Nauryz is generally full of symbols. At the celebration of Nauryz the presence of the number seven was obligatory for Kazakhs, which represent seven days of the week, units of time of universal eternity: seven cups were placed before the elders with a nauryz-kozhe drink made from seven varieties of seven types of cereals.\n\nAmusements\nThe celebration of Nauryz has always been accompanied by mass games, traditional horse racing and amusements. Improvised contests of wit poets (akyns) take place in Nauryz, the holiday is not without national competitions among which the kazaksha kures national wrestling, the game of logic called toguz kumalak and of course kyz-ku and baiga horse games. Actors play theatrical performances right on the streets. Another ancient tradition of Nauryz celebrating revered to this day is called altybakan when girls and boys come together to chat and ride on a swing.\n\nAll people, regardless of gender, age, and communal affiliation are released from everyday duties and take part in fun and games on equal terms. The day ends with a performance where two akyns in poetic form competed in songs. Their competitions stopped when the sun goes down over the horizon, when good conquers evil. Then they make a fire, and people with torches light them up from go around all the neighborhoods of the village, singing and dancing, thereby completing the festival of spring renewal and the equinox.\n\nNauryz was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.\n\nPhoto : Nauryz © Nazym MalibayevaYear2020NationKazakhstan