Elements
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EE00000416
‘Arkan tartysh’ (Tug-o-war)
‘Arkan tartysh’ is one of the most ancient Kyrgyz games. The game is played by both women and men on flat area. All participants must be the same in strength and the age. Players split into two even groups and each group tries to overpower the other. The rope is short, about 4-5 meters long with knots at each end. Only the front players in each team hold the rope. The other players hold one another by the waste. Players must keep their line-up and pull the opposing side across the central line. The team that crosses the line loses. In some regions, tug of war is also played one-on-one.
Kyrgyzstan -
EE00000395
‘Nooruz’ celebration
Nooruz is the New Year by solar calendar in Central, South and SouthWest Asia countries. March 21 marks the start of the year in Kyrgyzstan. Nooruz meaning ‘new day’ when a variety of rituals, ceremonies and other cultural events take place. An important tradition practiced during this time is the gathering around ‘the Table’, decorated with objects that symbolize purity, brightness, livelihood and wealth, to enjoy a special meal with loved ones. New clothes are worn and visits given to relatives, particularly the elderly and neighbors. Gifts are exchanged, especially for children, featuring objects made by artisans. There are also street performances of music and dance, public rituals involving water and fire, traditional sports and the making of handicrafts. These practices support cultural diversity and tolerance and contribute to building community solidarity and peace.
Kyrgyzstan 2016 -
EE00001329
Aitys – the art of improvisation
Aitys is a contest centred on improvised oral poetry spoken or sung to the accompaniment of traditional musical instruments – the Kazakh dombra. Two performers (akyns) compete with one other to improvise verses on topical themes in a battle of wits that alternates between humorous ripostes and penetrating philosophical reflections. During the competition, the performers sit opposite one another improvising a dialogue on topics chosen by the audience. The winner is the performer considered to have demonstrated the best musical skills, rhythm, originality, resourcefulness, wisdom and wit. The most meaningful and witty expressions often become popular sayings. The element is practiced on a variety of occasions, ranging from local festivities to nationwide events, where practitioners often use the contest to raise important social issues. Although it was traditionally performed only by men, many women now participate in Aitys and use the contest to express women’s aspirations and viewpoints. Akyns compete with each other without any preparation, minutely composing poems mutual answers to questions of concern to society. Deep philosophical reflections in the witty, bubbly manner often turn into a form of poetic ridicule and criticism. Akyns compete in their resourcefulness and originality.
Kazakhstan 2015 -
EE00002294
Aitysh, art of improvisation
Aitysh is an improvised competition of two akyns (epic tellers), the form of oral poetry performed in a singing manner, poetic contest of improvisations or a poetic duel of wits. The element is performed to the accompaniment of traditional musical instrument - Kyrgyz komuz. Two akyns compete with each other in improvisation of verses on topical themes in a wit-sparkling manner alternating humour and deep philosophic reflections. During the competition two akyns sitting opposite each other develop a song-like dialogue catching up the opponent’s words and performing in turn their improvisations on the spur of the moment. Songs performed during the aitysh are improvised on whatever topics which come up depending on the wish of the audience. The winner of the competition is the one considered to have demonstrated the most musical skills, rhythm, originality, resourcefulness, wisdom and wit.
Kyrgyzstan 2015 -
EE00002316
Akar
Akar is a kind of Traditional making food from the inner part of the trunk of palm trees. The knowledge of preparing the inner part of palm trees is also known as survival subsistence usually prepare in long dry seasons. Akar as same as Koto Tisi are the alternative food for community in long dry season.
Timor-Leste -
EE00000066
Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak, art of Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets
Traditional felt carpets represent one of the identity codes of the Kyrgyz people, and their recognizable, ethnographic features are an integral part of Kyrgyz cultural heritage. Kyrgyz people traditionally produce two types of felt carpets: Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdaks. Knowledge, skills, diversity, the semantics of ornaments, and the ceremonies of creating carpets, are all important cultural components. They provide Kyrgyz people with a sense of identity and continuity. Both types of felt carpets are included into the set of a traditional bride’s dowry. Shyrdaks sometimes are gifted for house-warming parties. The making of Kyrgyz felt carpets is inseparably linked with the everyday lifestyle of nomads, who used felt carpets to warm and decorate their homes. Ala-kiyiz are usually placed in the kitchen and the entrance area of the house. Shyrdaks are more complicated to produce and are more expensive, thus they are placed at the honourable part of the dwelling. The felt carpets ornaments reflect their creators’ outlooks and ideas about the Earth, water, mountains, celestial bodies and fertility.
Kyrgyzstan 2012 -
EE00002489
Ambil (salt)
"Salt" is an essential ingredient for many kinds of foods and helps keep the human body strong and healthy. Not only that, salt is also used in many other ways, in everyday life, in the food and cosmetics industry, and in spiritual ceremony. To this day, Cambodia does not have to worry about finding salt ores, as there are coastal provinces that can produce enough salt to supply the country's consumption. In the past, the people who live along the seaside traditionally made salt by extracting seawater and boiling it into salt, and that production was only for family use, not for sale. Then, in 1941-1942, a Cambodian named Poch deforested Ang Kol area (now in Phnom Leav commune, Kampong Trach district, Kampot province) to produce salt. At that time, he brought a Chinese man named Cheng from Bassac district (Kampuchea Krom) who knew how to make salt to help. Later, other businessmen came to do this business, so the salt production became more and more widespread until it reached the factory for processing salt. Some people in that area can grow rice and harvest salt because rice planting and salt production are done in different seasons. Rice is grown in rainy season and salt is produced in the dry season. The salt evaporation fields are generally inactive after the New Year. The way to cultivate salt fields is that they first need a fairly large amount of land near the sea, because they have to drain salt water into a large dam called“Srae Hal” or salt evaporation field. After that, they have fields that are built with dams next to each other, continuing inside the mainland. The salinity of the salt is calculated by measuring the salinity with a thermometer. The water in the dry field has a salinity of only "level 2". Then the water is left to "sleep" overnight in the dry field and then drained into the next field, where the salinity level rises to 5 degrees. "If the salinity level reaches "level 2" no plants can grow, not even sea fish can survive, and the bottom of the field is unusually hot. The water at this point is only around 4cm deep. The next day, it was drained to another field, when the salinity level reached "10". This was done until the end of the field, where the salinity level had risen to “level 25”, and a lump of salt appeared. The last field is called "cooked field," and the salt that is formed is called “Grow”. The work here is called “cultivating salt”. They have to hurry to "collect" and put it in storage every day, otherwise, the salt will freeze. When it is around 8cm high and the salt will harden like a rock. The hotter the day, the faster the water evaporates, and the faster the salt grows. The water is very hot, can reach 45 degrees. When collecting salt every day, sometimes it rains. If it rains a little or moderately, it does not cause any major problems, but if it rains too much, fresh water is drained through a canal. Drainage is not difficult because fresh water is lighter than salt water, so fresh water is on the surface. On the other hand, if fresh water is not drained, it will cause moss to grow suddenly. That is why the first thing to do is to clean the canals and clean all the fields so that there is no moss and then compress the soil. The salt depot must be built from plants such as wood or bamboo, etc. If metal is used, it will be rusty.
Cambodia -
EE00002004
Ancestral worship ritual of the Lô Lô
Held annually on the 14th of July at the home of the patriarchs. When someone in the family has died for 3-4 years, the eldest son will build an altar and a tablet. The altar is close to the nave wall, opposite the main door, there are wooden figures, which are plugged or installed in the wall above the altar to represent the ancestors' souls. The offerings must include: 1 cow, 1 pig, 1 chicken, sticky rice, wine, gold coins, oil lamps, and bronze drums. They invite priests and borrow bronze drums to perform the ceremony and ask people to dress up as forest people (Ma Co-Gà Lu Ngang) to dance the ritual. The worshiping ceremony has 3 main parts: Sacrifice Ceremony, Memorial Ceremony and Ancestor Farewell Ceremony.
Vietnam -
EE00002135
Andong Chajeon Nori (Chariot Battle of Andong)
[National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea] As a folk play performed in Andong around the full moon period of January 15 on the lunar calendar, it is said to have stemmed from the battles between Gyeon Hwon of Later Baekje and King Taejo (Wang Geon) of Goryeo. Villagers select good trees to be used for the play in nearby mountains toward the end of the preceding year, hold a sacrificial rite for mountain deities, fell them, and carry them to the village. Since the thickness and solidity of the trees are decisive factors of the battle, they work on the trees under tight security to prevent opponents from getting information on the trees. The village is divided into two sides according to their place of birth. On the event day, farmers’ music is played to arouse people’s interest. People stand on their side of the battle and try to discourage the other side by raising the wooden structure they made. The leaders of the two sides stand at the top of the raised structure set up against that of the opponent team. They balance their body by holding the string tied to the top of the structure and give commands to their team. The team that makes the opponent’s wooden structure fall to the ground wins the battle. The beauty of the play lies in the spirit of fair play. If any participant in the play is in danger, both sides immediately back off and get him out of danger before engaging in the battle again. As a mock battle among males, Andong Chajeon Nori displays the martial spirit kept by the people in Andong. It is also a rite of praying for a good year for crops. The winning side will reportedly enjoy better harvest in the year.
Republic of Korea -
EE00002256
Araennyeok Suryukjae (Water and Land Ceremony of Gyeongsang-do)
[National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea] Suryukjae (Water and Land Ceremony), a ritual in which all the spirits of beings from both land and water are guided to the peaceful other world, was first performed during the early Joseon period. This ancient Buddhist rite has great historical and cultural significance and aesthetic merit, as confirmed by its appearance in numerous ancient texts, including Joseon wangjo sillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty). The rite is performed night and day for the peace of all the living and the dead, whereas the Yeongsanjae (Celebration of Buddha's Sermon on Vulture Peak Mountain) was usually performed for the peace of individual beings. A ritual ceremony called Araennyeok Suryukjae, currently preserved by Buddhists in the Gyeongsangnam-do area, is characterized by its wonderful integration of Buddhist ceremonial music and solemn ritual proceedings.
Republic of Korea -
EE00001285
Archery
Archery is one of the Three Manly Sports and it has its ancient roots. The distance of the contemporary sport of archery is 45 feet or 75-80 meters. The shooting targets made by weaving leather strips into a tub-shape. There are two forms of shooting targets. One is a walled target, another is an individual target. The wall target is the arrangement of targets in a stack. The individual target is the arrangement of targets in row. The archers can use only blunted arrows. Then two shooting teams alternately shoot and test their skills. During the archery, archers say ‘Khurai, khurai, khurai’, the encouragement of archers to shoot. The winners are awarded with title of Mergen or ‘good marksman’ and an epithet.
Mongolia -
EE00000033
Arirang folk song in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Arirang is a lyrical singing genre, which has been handed down orally for centuries and which never has lost its popularity among the Koreans. Arirang was sung by the people in the northwestern part of the Korean peninsula as early as in the late 14th century. Today Arirang is sung in its traditional form by people all over the country, while it is also performed in symphonic arrangements and in dance music. Arirang typically contains a gentle and lyrical melody in five scales, and the refrain: Arirang, arirang, arariyon Over the Arirang hill you go. Arirang songs speak about leaving and reunion, sorrow, joy, and happiness. There are various categories of Arirang songs that can be classified by the lyrics or the melody used, and by place of origin. Currently 36 versions of Arirang are known. Most typical versions are Sodo Arirang, Phyongan Provincial Arirang, Jonchon Arirang, Haeju Arirang, Kangwon Provincial Arirang, Kosong Arirang, Onsong Arirang, Tanchon Arirang, Thongchon Arirang, Musan Arirang, Ku Arirang and Kosan Arirang, Arirang, as living heritage, up till the present day has undergone continuous developments, always reflecting the history of the Korean people. Under Japanese colonial rule, for instance, Arirang was widely sung as it reflected the distress about national ruin and the people’s spirit of resistance. In recent days such modern versions as “Arirang of Reunification” and “Arirang of Great Prosperity” have been produced reflecting the realities of our time.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 2014