ALL
traditional knowledge
ICH Elements 65
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Traditional custom of making felt
Mongols use the felt for their daily life, such as to cover the ger, to make carpet and make clothes. Prior to making felt, the family sets the good day to make a felt and announces it to the neighbors, relatives and friends in its vicinity. The family who is going to make felt prepares fermented mare’s milk and other dairy products, and butchers a sheep for those who are going to assist in felt making. The previously made sample felt is laid on the ground with well grown grass. Three layers of woolens are alternately laid and spread out on the sample felt and each layer is evenly sprinkled with water. After the third layer, the layers of wool along with the sample felt are wrapped around the pole. This roll of wool is then covered with soaked hide and tightly bound together with rope. Two men on horseback then pull the roll to make the felt “whiter as snow and tighter as bone”.
Mongolia -
Tradition of protecting and preserving the nature
One of the valuable characteristics of Mongol herders keeping the nature in its original form treating with care and respect through centuries until now is the cause and ability to live in harmony with mother nature, preferring the water and dirt as gold, the earth as mother and the high blue sky as father. While moving from pasture to pasture searching for the freshest of the water, richest of the grass and favoring the nicest of the weather, the herders have accustomed not to leave any trash or rubbish behind at the old homestead. It is highly prohibited to break the young tree, single tree or old tree, to dig the dirt at one’s own will, to cut the trees and plants without any need or purpose due to their belief in spirits and deities.
Mongolia -
Knowledge and practices related to year seasons
Knowledge and practices related to year seasons are the result of centuries-old observations of nature applied to the life. For many centuries and millennia, people carefully collected folk signs about nature. Every trifle, every natural phenomenon not even significant at first glance, could one day become a reliable harbinger of an important event in human life. Taking into account the relationship between certain natural phenomena, a person remembered them in the form of short acceptances, which over time were transmitted from father to son, from grandfather to grandson. Many of these will not lose their relevance to this day, and some have long passed into the category of superstition.
Uzbekistan -
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine is the collective name of methods claiming the ability to treat (or prevent) diseases whose effectiveness and safety have not been proven by a scientific method. Typical examples are homeopathy, acupuncture and naturopathy. Despite prevalence of contemporary medicine in Uzbekistan, it is possible to observe the existence of traditional (folk) healing practice as well. Folk healers conditionally can be divided into the following types: • Folk healers who heal their patients manually (who do manual therapy) • Folk healers who heal their patients with a help of words and songs (psychotherapy) • Folk healers who heal with a help of drugs (treatment by using natural drugs).
Uzbekistan
ICH Materials 163
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Traditional Craftsmanship of the Mongolian Ger and Associated Customs
Traditional Craftsmanship of the Mongolian Ger and Associated Customs (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2013)\nThe Mongolian ger is composed of wooden frames, canvas, and ropes. The wooden frames comprise the crown, roof poles, wall lattices, door, and two pillars; each wooden element is produced by separate, specialized carpenters. The traditional craftsmanship of the Mongol ger reflects the nomadic culture and national identity of Mongolia.
Mongolia 2017 -
Talent of Possessing Swiftness
Folk Knowledge and Tradition of Recognizing and Training Swift Horses\nSince ancient times, Mongols have developed a complex understanding of how to choose the swiftest horses from among a herd and coach and train these horses to race. Over one month, the horses’ diet is restricted, and the horses are raced over longer and longer distances each day. Race horses are classified into six age categories: ikh nas, soyolon, azarga, khyzaalan, shüdlen, and daaga, and horses in each category race for different distances. The jockeys are children between the ages of 6 and 13. The sweat-scraper and brush are patterned with symbolic designs of the horse’s prowess and promptness.
Mongolia 2017
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PRACTICE OF CONSTRUCTING THE MONGOLIAN GERThe ger, a traditional dwelling created by nomadic Mongolians, is specifically designed to fit their way of life. Its semi- sphere shape helps the ger endure storms and tempests. It has solutions for heat control and ventilation. It is flexible in terms of size and design, and it is portable and lightweight. At the same time, it is also comfortable to live in and easy to build and dismantle. Moreover, the ger is used as a measure for time and directions.Year2013NationSouth Korea
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Nomadic Horse Games in KyrgyzstanPrevalent in Kyrgyzstan, the horse symbolizes nomadic culture. The country’s folk literature reflects how the Kyrgyz people harmoniously live with the animal. For example, in Manas, the epic poem, the hero was inseparable from his horse, Ak-Kula, in every battle he fought. The deep association of the Kyrgyz with horses is embodied in nomadic horse games.\n\nOccurring in summertime, nomadic horse games are usually played by men. These games are a depiction of spectacular skills and manliness. Men participating in these games demonstrate excellence in horse riding, prompt reaction, agility, and strength. There is a significant number of horse games in Kyrgyzstan collectively perceived as a traditional sport. Among the most important of these games is kok boru. Also known as ulak tartysh, it is a famous nomad horse game historically believed to train young men to be fearless. The game consists of two teams on horseback, where players have to throw a dead animal (ulak or sheep) to the opponent’s goal. The team with the most goals wins the game. Another game, at chabyish, is a long-distance horse-racing competition. Depending on the distance and age of horse, this game as classified as kunan chabysh, zhorgo salysh, or byshty zhorgo. Wrestling is also incorporated in nomadic horse games. Er enish is a good example of this. Requiring great stamina, this game consists of two horsemen who attempt to push each other off each other’s horse. The first to touch the ground loses.\n\nTo preserve and develop these traditional games of nomadic culture, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan initiated the World Nomad Games in 2012. The First World Nomad Games were held in 2014 in the Issyk-Kul Oblast of Kyrgyzstan. Around nineteen countries participated in the nomad games competitions. The Second Nomad Games were held in 2016, where sixty-two countries participated in twenty-six different nomadic sports. The Third World Nomad Games will take place this year, from 2 to 8 September in Cholpon-Ata, Issyk-Kul Oblast, Kyrgyzstan. For this year, around seventy-seven countries are expected to participate. The nomadic horse games mentioned in this article will be included in the program.\n\nPhoto 1 : Man riding a horse© National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO\nPhoto 2 : Girl riding a horse © Tynchtyk Turdaliev\nPhoto 3 : Riding a horse © Tynchtyk TurdalievYear2018NationKyrgyzstan