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  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00000040
    Country Turkmenistan
    ICH Domain Oral traditions and representations Performing Arts Social practices, rituals, festive events Knowledge and practices about nature and the universe
    Address
    The geographic location of the epic art of Gorogly lies within the internationally recognized territory of Turkmenistan. The epic performers named as dessanchy bagshy on the Gorogly epic art each with its own distinctive narrative and performance techniques developed through history are mainly centered in Dashoguz and Lebap provinces of the country. Within Dashoguz province the element is practiced in Gorogly, Gubadag, Akdepe, Gurbansoltan eje, S. Turkmenbashy, S. Niyazov, Koneurgench and Boldumsaz districts. The element also distributed in Atamyrat, Halach and Sayat districts of the Lebap province. The element also is available in the neighbouring countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and it is presented over the world where the turkmen ethnic groups existed throughout history.
Description The entire epos includes a historical range of the legendary achievements of the ancient national hero of Gorogly and his 40 cavalrymen by recording all major events of traditional lifespan of the Turkmen people. The aspiration of the Turkmen nation for a happy life, unification, freedom and justice as well as their features such as bravery, honesty, partiotism, freindship, tolerance and fairness have been reflected in the epos. The element is a combined genre of oral traditions and performing art incorporating narrating, singing, vocal improvisation and musical composition, where a prose and poetry are alternated in its perforamnce. Its bearers and practitioners are epic performers-dessanchy bagshy specialized in the Gorogly epic. It is by tradition performed by one dessanchy bagshy playing the dutar (a two stringed, long-necked lute) in a sitting position, while narrating prose and reciting poetry in a way to deliver the characters' feelings and emotions to the accompaniment to the traditional musical instruments such as dutar and gyjak (a fiddle-like Turkmen musical instrument). It is traditionally performed at social gatherings, celebrations, national ceremonies, life rituals, national festivals and special "Folklore Festivals". The element provides related communities with a sense of social and cultural identity and it is considered as a main symbol of Turkmen people to sustain their cultural identity being as an oral encyclopedia and it remains the inexhaustible fountain-head to nurture their cultural psychology, national character, mentality, creative capacity and artistic skills.
Social and cultural significance The Gorogly epic performers group and related communities and individuals consider the element as an intangible cultural heritage inseparable from their lives which provides them with a sense of social identity and continuity bringing them close together. The bearers and practitioners of the Gorogly epic art take active parts at all national celebrations, cultural festivals, social gatherings, TV and radio programmes as well as annual competitions of Gorogly epic performers which promote mutual respect, understanding and social solidarity among performers and communities. Therefore they feel their personal responsibility for safeguarding and transmission of the element to the future generation. As a social tool, through the epic art, Turkmens learn and enjoy it and transmit their common cultural and social values to the younger generation which promote the awareness of the national identity and unity. Knowledge and skills such as narration, traditional music, performing art, Turkmen language, traditional customs and lifestyle as well as traditional knowledge (including the stock breeding, traditional healing etc.) which evolved during the millennium and closely interrelated with many other fields of cultural traditions are being determined as an indicator of the national identity of the turkmens.
Transmission method Transmission of knowledge takes place through informal oral teaching of learner by the master-dessanchy bagshy as well as by the access of the learners to related documented sources in the different formats (printed, audio and video). Transmission of skills (narration, playing the dutar, singing, performing, improvisation) related to the element is traditionally acquired by special informal training of the learners practicing them together with the master for 6-12 years without paying tuition. Traditionally, the master combines informal teaching and transmission of the knowledge and skills to learner during public performances (festivities, celebrations) and private events (wedding ceremonies and other social gatherings) where the learner can gradually improve its own performing abilities and skills by occasionally performing the epic under the supervision of the master acquiring a moral and ethical norms of the epic art. The master gives the learner "a blessing" after he or she passes the test of his or her own independent performance in front of an audience. The learner is awarded a title of "dessanchy bagshy", giving him the right to perform the epic independently and teach the young learners, with the master's belief in its proper transmission to future generation. The National Conservatory, State school of culture and arts and specialized music schools at each provinces of Turkmenistan also facilitate its transmission through engaging dessanchy bagshy in the formal training of dutar playing skills and singing abilities of potential learners before the learners begin their actual apprenticeship.
Community The key bearers and practitioners of the epic art of Gorogly are individual masters-dessanchy bagshy which are represented by members from all social groups of the Turkmen society. Traditionally, the element is transmitted through a period of apprenticeship, where a master selects a young talented student and teaches him or her to take it up as a profession. Therefore, each epic performer has own followers in Turkmenistan. Local scholars and specialists in the fields of study, of the genres (narrating, singing, vocal improvisation and musical composition), of the epic art as well as oral folklore and traditional performances are also responsible for transmission of the practice and knowledge on the element both to the learners and the wide public. Within the formal education system, teachers of secondary and higher education schools of the country are responsible for transmission of primary knowledge on the epic art tradition to the younger generation.
Type of UNESCO List Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Incribed year in UNESCO List 2015

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