About the culture and art of Uzbekistan

Culture of Uzbekistan

The culture of Uzbekistan, like a bright kaleidoscope, combines the traditions of different countries of the East. Due to its geographical location and noteworthy history that has passed through various civilizations, the culture of Uzbekistan has gathered the cultural heritage of various epochs and periods. A wide range of different ethnic groups and cultures, along with the successive numerous conquests of the ancient Persians, Greeks, Chinese, Arabs, nomadic Turkic tribes, Mongols, and later Russians, made a significant contribution to Uzbek culture and lifestyle in various periods of Uzbekistan's history. That is why it is so diverse and is considered the cradle of culture not only in Central Asia, but also in the whole East.

In addition, the Great Silk Road also played a very important role in the development and prosperity of Uzbek culture. Being at the crossroads of the Great Silk Road, favorable conditions have been created on the modern territory of Uzbekistan for trade, and at the same time for cultural exchange with different peoples of languages, customs and traditions, religions and ideas for a long period.

The culture of Uzbekistan is also reflected in traditions, dances, music, songs, clothes, entertainment and some other aspects.

But due to the specific cultural characteristics of each region of Uzbekistan, which are clearly manifested in dialects, national clothes and fabrics, it is impossible to imagine the entire Uzbek culture as a whole. The most effective way to get to know the culture of Uzbekistan better is to participate in the festivals of Uzbekistan. This is a good way to see and compare cultural representatives from all regions of Uzbekistan in one place through their local songs and dances, national costumes, folk arts and crafts.

Hospitality of the Uzbek people

Hospitality is a characteristic feature of the Uzbek people. Throughout its history, Uzbekistan has been at the heart of the Silk Road. Previously, numerous caravans passed through this territory. Thus, hospitality has become an integral part of the nature of the Uzbek people! You can knock on any door, and a local resident will immediately open it, greeting you with a warm smile, and invite you for a cup of tea into the house, without knowing you or even asking about the purpose of your visit. Hospitality in Uzbekistan is the main quality of the people!

Oriental Uzbek bazaars are one of the best and most suitable places to get to know Uzbek culture better!

Do you know what else they call Sunday? Believe us, almost all Turkic peoples know this. Sunday is called "bazaar day" (shopping day), and Monday is "the day after the bazaar".

Although it is now the 21st century, bazaars are still an integral part of Uzbek culture and the way of life of the peoples of Central Asia. And they haven't changed much compared to the Middle Ages.

It is very difficult to imagine the East without bazaars! The role of oriental bazaars in the lives of local residents is very great! It is not only a place for shopping, but also a center for communication, exchange of news, emotions and impressions, and even stress relief! The latest unofficial news can be heard at the bazaar before it appears in the media; if someone is in a bad mood, he or she can get rid of sadness and longing by sharing with the sellers. And also because sellers compliment buyers to attract them, and buyers compliment sellers to get the lowest prices! Walking in bazaars is also a tradition and culture of the Uzbek people.

One of the main features of bazaars is bargaining! There is a saying: "Buying without haggling is not halal!" Thus, you can purchase goods even with a discount of up to 40-50% by haggling. This feature of oriental bazaars plays one of the main roles in the culture of Uzbekistan!

Each region of Uzbekistan has its own bazaars, but we suggest visiting the following:

• Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent;
• Alai Bazaar in Tashkent;
• Siab Bazaar in Samarkand;
• Urgut bazaar of artisans in the Samarkand region.

Traditional music and songs of Uzbekistan

Traditional Uzbek music is one of the ways to understand the identity of the Uzbek people. Because music and songs express dreams, desires, nature, mood and ideas of the nation. As an example, the song "Sust Khotin", which has been sung throughout history to cause rain during a drought, or the song "Oblo Baraka", which men sing in summer and autumn, asking for a good harvest.

The long history of traditional Uzbek music is evidenced by frescoes related to the culture of the Kushan period with images of musicians with stringed instruments in the form of a harp, wind instruments similar to a flute, and oblong double-sided drums. From this it can be concluded that the Kushan and Sogdians owned the main types of instruments and used them both solo and in an ensemble.

Due to the many types of musical instruments, Uzbek national music is one of the most diverse not only among the countries of Central Asia, but also around the world. Here are some basic Uzbek musical instruments: kayrok (stone castanet), doira (tambourine), nai (flute), rubab (lute instrument), tanbur (stringed instrument with frets), dutar (two-stringed lute with a long neck), sato (lute with a long neck), gobuz / kobuz (two-stringed violin), karnai (long wind instrument), surnai (wind instrument), nagara (hemispherical drum covered with a hide, usually played in pairs), gidzhak (stringed instrument).

Many genres of traditional music have been formed and developed over the centuries. Traditional Uzbek music and songs have been accompanying all significant events in the life of the people for centuries. Uzbek folklore includes family ritual, labor, lullabies, festive and other songs. For example, at weddings they perform "Yor-Yor", "Ulan", "Kelin Salom", etc., at funerals — "Sadr" and "Yigi", there are also labor songs such as "Maida" and "Yozi", lullabies — "Alla", songs performed during such holidays as Navruz (the day of the vernal equinox), etc. Uzbekistan boasts the following ancient genres of songs passed down from generation to generation: Shoshmak, Lapar (dialogue song), Khalfa (Khorezmian genre), Katta ashula (two or more men sing waving a plate near their heads, but without any other musical instruments) and the Bakhshi genre (folk narrator, creator and a popularizer of epic traditions, singing alone). UNESCO has already included Shoshmakom and Katta ashula in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mankind. The Bakhshi genre will soon join this list.

Music not only uplifts the mood, but also symbolizes friendship and unity of peoples. Thus, the Government of Uzbekistan has been holding the famous international music festival "Shark taronalari" (Oriental Melodies) on Registan Square in Samarkand every two years at the end of August since 1997.

Dance art of Uzbekistan

Uzbek dance has been formed mainly through ritual gestures of various religions and imitation of animals for thousands of years. UNESCO has included the Khorezmian dance style in the list of intangible cultural heritage. The Khorezm Lasga dance describes Adam's first movements after he was possessed by a soul, when he began to move on his fingertips. We can find a similar description in all the scriptures where there is a description of Adam.

Evidence of the antiquity of the dance can be seen in archaeological finds, frescoes of citadels and ceramic dishes, miniatures — wall paintings depicting dancing couples in the ruins of Toprak-Kala (II-VI centuries); rock paintings "Dancing Lady" of the Chelak district of Samarkand (V century); religious ritual dance carved on the Yakkabog stone in Kashkadarya (VII century.); miniature by Mahmoud Muzahib — "Dancers" and others.

Ancient dances "Katta uyin" (in the rhythm of doira), family dances "Khona bazm uyin", Khorezm fire dance — "Otash uyin", Bukhara women's dance (performed only on knees), "Besh karsak" (performed by people of the mountains of Samarkand) have reached us, and the villagers still they fulfill them.

There are 5 schools of Uzbek classical dance in Uzbekistan, each of which is unique:

• Ferghana-Tashkent school (smoothness and softness of gestures describing lyrical stories);
• Bukhara school (a wide variety of gestures and a sharp change of mood);
• Khorezm school (sharpness and complexity of movements);
• Surkhandarya school (lightness and energy of gait. The use of household attributes. For example, spinning wheels...); ·
• The school of Karakalpakstan (trembling body movements, including virtuoso leg movements, sophisticated and complex arm movements, unusual shoulder and head movements).

People, regardless of gender, can choose the profession of a dancer. Basically, the dance styles and categories are very different. But sometimes the dancers can perform the male part in the dance! Believe me, it's really amazing! The dances "Dilhirozh", "Andijan polka", "Tanovar", "Dance with pilaf", "Khorezm lasgi" have become the hallmark of Uzbekistan on the world stage. The Uzbek people like to celebrate all events widely. No event (weddings, anniversaries, festivals, holidays) is complete without dancing! Thus, the Uzbek national dance is still relevant, and it is developing noticeably. To promote the charm of Uzbek dance art, Uzbekistan annually holds the International Festival "Magic of Dance" in the historical part of Khiva in September.

Askia

Askia (the art of wit) is a genre of oral folk art based on the demonstration of eloquence and the use of figurative meaning. It is a discussion or exchange of barbs in a joking manner between two or more men on a specific topic. At the same time, participants must be extremely careful in using each word and phrase so that the Askia does not touch the opponent's personality. The askia genre is not found in any other part of the world, except for the Ferghana Valley and the Tashkent region. One of the most unique genres of folklore, askia, which has been perfected over the centuries, has risen to the level of oral folk art. Askia, as an intangible cultural heritage of mankind, was included in the UNESCO Representative List in 2014.

Uzbek national clothes

Men's traditional costume consists of a shirt (kuylak) with a long vertical slit or a slit from shoulder to shoulder, wide trousers at the top and narrowed down (ishton), a quilted robe (chapan) without lining, with a thin or cotton lining, depending on the time of year, which was tied with a handkerchief (belbog). Leather boots were worn as shoes. A skullcap (duppy) is considered a mandatory item of clothing. Wearing a headdress is another sign of the influence of Islam, which forbade leaving the house bareheaded. And today Uzbek men wear skullcaps to mosques, funerals and weddings.

Male chapans were the same for all ages. But there was also a zarchapon, a dark velvet robe with a floral or geometric ornament made with gold thread. Previously, only the emir and his entourage could afford such robes. Today, such a robe and a brocade turban are an integral part of a man's wedding suit.

The women's costume consisted of a dress in the form of a tunic (kuylak) and wide trousers at the top and narrowed at the bottom (lozim), usually made of the same material as the top. Chapan of the same cut as men's was worn as outerwear, later a fitted doublet with short and narrow sleeves was replaced, and vests (nimcha) began to appear. The head was covered with two handkerchiefs – one was tied over the forehead, and the second was thrown over it. The scarves of the nobles were decorated with patterns of gold or silver thread. By the end of the 19th century, shawls were replaced with skullcaps (doppies) embroidered with silk or gold thread. Women, leaving the house, threw a mursak or a man's robe over their heads with a collar on their head so that strangers would not look at her.

At the same time, the sleeves of the robe were thrown behind the back, and later they began to be sewn. The face was covered with a net of black horsehair (chachwan). All women, even girls who had reached adulthood, were supposed to go out in this form. It is worth mentioning the jewelry of Uzbek women. Silver or gold rings with multicolored stones, bracelets, earrings in the form of rings or with pendants in the form of domes, coral beads, necklaces of rings, a tall kokoshnik tillya-kosh (translated as "golden eyebrow"), which got its name due to its shape, repeating the female eyebrow — all this was an indispensable addition to along with Uzbek women of all ages.

Nowadays, women wear a more modern version of traditional clothing on the second day of the wedding and then the next 40 days. In rural areas, the customs of wearing traditional clothes are still preserved, but mainly among the elderly population.

Uzbek national clothes were mainly made of cotton, silk, corduroy and velvet. Uzbek silk "khan-atlas", which means "royal silk", was created especially for the tsar. Its threads are painted with natural paints of bright colors in the ikat technique. Satin is great for hot summers, does not irritate the skin, and retains the shape of the product well. Nowadays, adras (cotton and satin fabric) is not uncommon on fashion catwalks around the world.

Of course, we described Uzbek traditional clothes above, but this does not mean that all people still dress like this. Today, the locals mostly wear modern clothes. Uzbekistan is a liberal country where you can meet people dressed in religious, modern or national clothes.

We hope that now you can add up your impression of the culture of Uzbekistan!