{"id":42108,"date":"2022-12-19T13:20:56","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T12:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/?p=42108"},"modified":"2023-03-30T17:11:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T15:11:58","slug":"four-central-asian-cultural-practices-newly-inscribed-on-unescos-intangible-cultural-heritage-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/kazakhstan\/four-central-asian-cultural-practices-newly-inscribed-on-unescos-intangible-cultural-heritage-list\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Central Asian cultural practices newly inscribed on UNESCO\u2019s Intangible Cultural Heritage List"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>A dancing mountain goat, a flowering garden of embroidery, a trickster\u2019s tales, a silken thread spun from a worm\u2019s cocoon \u2013 these are the diverse array of Central Asian cultural practices recently recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity\u2019s intangible cultural heritage. Novastan takes a look at these four vibrant traditions, as well as considering where the List has its limits in truly celebrating the cultural diversity of Central Asia.<\/strong>\n\nEvery year, a UNESCO committee inscribes cultural practices from around the globe into a List designed to showcase and safeguard traditions seen as universally significant. Intangible cultural heritage, according to UNESCO\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/convention\">2003 Convention<\/a>, encompasses the practices, expressions, knowledge, and spaces which play an important part in a community\u2019s cultural identity.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"hp-newsletter col-span-3 lg:col-span-1 flex flex-col bg-primary-100 border-t-8 border-secondary-500 rounded-lg justify-center items-center lg:items-stretch px-6 py-6 gap-4 box-border\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"flex\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"enveloppe\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"far fa-envelope text-5xl text-secondary-300\"><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"formulaire_nl\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"font-bold text-xl block\">The whole of Central Asia in your inbox\n<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to our free weekly newsletter\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<form class=\"flex w-3\/4 lg:w-full\" action=\"https:\/\/us4.list-manage.com\/subscribe?u=6a15a2256d412b041fdec39e8&amp;id=d479236523\" method=\"post\" id=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" name=\"mc-embedded-subscribe-form\" class=\"validate\" target=\"_blank\" novalidate=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"flex-grow py-2 px-3 border border-primary-300 rounded-l\" type=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email\" name=\"EMAIL\" id=\"mce-EMAIL\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"bg-secondary-500 py-2 px-3 text-white rounded-r-md border border-secondary-500\" type=\"submit\" value=\"\" name=\"subscribe\">Register<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/form>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"underline text-secondary-700\">Click here for the latest issue\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><!-- newsletter -->\n\t\t\n\n\n\n<p>\n\nUNESCO\u2019s List has long featured a rich variety of cultural practices from across the Central Asian countries, including <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/nawrouz-novruz-nowrouz-nowrouz-nawrouz-nauryz-nooruz-nowruz-navruz-nevruz-nowruz-navruz-01161\">Nowruz<\/a> (New Year) celebrations, <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/chakan-embroidery-art-in-the-republic-of-tajikistan-01397\">Tajik Chakan embroidery<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/traditional-turkmen-carpet-making-art-in-turkmenistan-01486\">Turkmen carpet making<\/a>. Among the eclectic group of traditions <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/news\/discover-the-newly-inscribed-elements-on-the-2003-convention-lists-13448\">newly featured on the List<\/a> this year \u2013 from Cuban rum mastery to the French baguette \u2013 are four cultural practices from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Orteke<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\nA new entry on the list for Kazakhstan, <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/orteke-traditional-performing-art-in-kazakhstan-dance-puppet-and-music-01878\">Orteke<\/a> is an indigenous performing art which brings a wooden puppet of a tauteke, or mountain goat, to life as it dances along to music. The tauteke puppet is attached to the surface of a drum by a metal rod, extending to a cord connected to the fingers of a musician playing a traditional two-stringed instrument, the dombyra.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-42110 size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42110\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-1300x867.jpg 1300w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/156971-128x86.jpg 128w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Performer on triple Orteke. Photo by Studio &#8216;Mergen&#8217;, Kazakhstan, 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\nAs the player strums the strings, the tauteke puppet becomes animated, appearing to gallop along to the lively rhythms of the dombyra. However, true <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cultural.kz\/ru\/page\/view?id=65\">mastery<\/a> of Orteke involves not only dictating the energetic pace of the tauteke\u2019s dance, but also making the puppet move with grace \u2013 a feat some experts can achieve with as many as four puppets at a time.\n\nAs playful as it is fascinating, Orteke appeals to adults and children alike and remains a <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/doc\/download.php?versionID=64968\">core element<\/a> of Kazakh folk heritage and intergenerational communication, maintained by the traditional Ustaz-Shakird (master-apprentice) teaching system and supported by educational institutions and competitions.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Turkmen-style needlework art<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\nDescribed in <a href=\"https:\/\/turkmenistan.gov.tm\/en\/post\/65572\/skillful-turkmen-embroidery-pride-nation\">Turkmen state news<\/a> as capable of transforming anything into \u201cflowering gardens and meadows\u201d with merely a needle and thread, <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/turkmen-style-needlework-art-01876\">Turkmen-style needlework art<\/a> is an elaborate type of embroidery popular across Turkmenistan and some regions of Iran. It is a defining feature of national dress for people of all genders and ages, used for occasions including weddings and Nowruz celebrations, as well as everyday items.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-42111\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/15829-HUG.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/15829-HUG.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/15829-HUG-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/15829-HUG-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/15829-HUG-128x86.jpg 128w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Young Turkmen women look at the works of other needlewomen. Photo by Nazarov Maksat Tacmuradowich, Turkmenistan, 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/doc\/download.php?versionID=64654\">To begin<\/a> the needlework, three thin silk threads are twisted together to form one shinier, sturdier thread. The needleworker then pierces the fabric with a thin needle and creates a series of loops with the silk, forming a distinctive pattern by holding the last loop with the thumb of the other hand before sewing the next.\n\nWith colourful designs often showcasing needleworkers\u2019 regional identities, the art form continues to be passed down within families and communities through generations of women needleworkers, while also remaining important in cultural and educational institutions.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Telling Tradition of Nasreddin Hodja\/Molla Nesreddin\/Molla Ependi\/Apendi\/Afendi Kozhanasyr<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\nCentred around the telling of witty anecdotes associated with the wiseman and trickster <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nasreddin\">Nasreddin<\/a>, this variously named <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/telling-tradition-of-nasreddin-hodja-molla-nesreddin-molla-ependi-apendi-afendi-kozhanasyr-anecdotes-01705\">oral folklore tradition<\/a> spans a vast region encompassing all Central Asian countries, as well as Turkey and Azerbaijan. The anecdotes are known for their shrewd commentaries on social norms and daily life, characterised by their punchy combination of wisdom, witticism, and surprise.\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/sites.pitt.edu\/~dash\/hodja.html#debt\">In one anecdote<\/a>, a shopkeeper angrily confronts Nasreddin for failing to pay his debt of 75 piastres. Nasreddin incredulously replies: \u201cNow, now, you must know that I intend to pay you 35 piastres tomorrow, and next month another 35. That means I owe you only five piastres. Are you not ashamed of yourself for accosting me so loudly in public for a debt of only five piastres?\u201d\n\n<strong>Read more on Novastan: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/tajikistan\/khurshed-mustafoev-on-the-future-of-dushanbe-russian-theatre-tajikistan\/\"><strong>\u201cI want our theatre to be the new face of Tajik theatre\u201d: Khurshed Mustafoev on the future of Dushanbe\u2019s Russian theatre<\/strong><\/a>\n\nThe anecdotes are drawn upon in daily conversation in communities across Central Asia, used for their instructive and entertaining qualities to strengthen arguments or enliven explanations.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\nSilk culture \u2013 encompassing an entire process from sericulture to the end silk products \u2013 is a major tradition of Central Asia, spanning centuries and giving the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Silk_Road\">Silk Road<\/a> its name. Inscribed in the UNESCO List as a practice of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan (alongside Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey), <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/sericulture-and-traditional-production-of-silk-for-weaving-01890\">sericulture and traditional production of silk for weaving<\/a> comprises multiple stages of the process for creating colourful fabrics and carpets.\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/doc\/download.php?versionID=66065\">Farmers grow mulberry trees<\/a> and feed the leaves to silkworms, from which the worms form cocoons of silken fibres. The fibres are reeled from the cocoons and spun into silk thread, before being cleaned, dyed, and woven into bright fabrics commonly seen at weddings and family occasions.\n\n<strong>Read more on Novastan: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/tajikistan\/tajikistan-nine-new-sites-on-tentative-world-heritage-list\/\"><strong>Tajikistan: Nine new sites on tentative World Heritage list<\/strong><\/a>\n\nSericulture and silk production is still largely carried out by villagers and small private farms, also benefitting from government support in Turkmenistan and specialist teaching and research at higher education institutions in Uzbekistan.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where UNESCO falls short: Uyghur culture<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\nAs is clear from this diverse group of Central Asian traditions, the UNESCO List raises awareness and mobilises much-needed support for diverse, often endangered, cultural practices. However, the List has faced criticism as a tool for obscuring the very cultural diversity that UNESCO purportedly seeks to celebrate.\n\nThe inscription of Uyghur traditions in the List as practises of China is a case in point. Among the repressive actions by the Chinese government against Uyghurs is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/international\/archive\/2020\/10\/chinas-war-on-uighur-culture\/616513\/\">destruction of the community\u2019s culture<\/a> \u2013 from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rfa.org\/english\/news\/uyghur\/language-07282017143037.html\">banning the Uyghur language<\/a> in schools to destroying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2019\/may\/07\/revealed-new-evidence-of-chinas-mission-to-raze-the-mosques-of-xinjiang\">religious sites<\/a>.\n\nAttempts to erase Uyghur heritage have been reinforced by the UNESCO List\u2019s inclusion of two Uyghur traditions \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/USL\/meshrep-00304\">Meshrep<\/a>, a rich event combining song, dance, and entertainment, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/ich.unesco.org\/en\/RL\/uyghur-muqam-of-xinjiang-00109\">Muqam<\/a> song and dance tradition \u2013 via nominations by China. What has followed is the co-opting of the traditions by the Chinese government. As ethnomusicologist Rachel Harris explains, grassroots gatherings are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/2021\/dec\/10\/this-is-our-voice-the-uyghur-traditions-being-erased-by-chinas-cultural-crackdown\">banned<\/a> in favour of \u201csanitised, commodified and secularised\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/xjdp.aspi.org.au\/explainers\/how-uyghur-cultural-practices-are-being-politicized-and-co-opted-in-xinjiang\/\">renditions<\/a> of the practises devoid of key religious and community aspects.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-42113\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/03277-HUG.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/03277-HUG.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/03277-HUG-300x203.jpg 300w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/03277-HUG-768x519.jpg 768w, https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/12\/03277-HUG-128x86.jpg 128w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Presenter announces commencement of Meshrep. Photo by ICH Protection and Research Center, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, 2009<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\nThe UNESCO List showcases many Central Asian traditions in all their splendour. However, the manner of involvement allowed from China currently means that support for Uyghur cultural heritage is overshadowed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspi.org.au\/report\/cultural-erasure\">silence on its erasure<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>Written by Emma Bain<\/strong>\n<p><em>For more news and analysis from Central Asia, follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/Novastan_Eng\">Twitter<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Novastan.org\/\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.me\/novastan\">Telegram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/fondation-novastan\/\">Linkedin<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/novastanorg\/\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A dancing mountain goat, a flowering garden of embroidery, a trickster\u2019s tales, a silken thread spun from a worm\u2019s cocoon \u2013 these are the diverse array of Central Asian cultural practices recently recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity\u2019s intangible cultural heritage. Novastan takes a look at these four vibrant traditions, as well as considering [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1698,"featured_media":42110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3,6,7,8,5],"tags":[996,4647,513,1036],"coauthors":[4646],"class_list":["post-42108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kazakhstan","category-kyrgyzstan","category-tajikistan","category-turkmenistan","category-uyghur-region","category-uzbekistan","tag-art","tag-cultural-heritage","tag-culture","tag-unesco"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1698"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42108"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=42108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}