CULTURE STUDIES
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Land and city of Turkistan •
639 – first mention of toponym Turkistan in a document on Sogdian language
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VIII-XVI – Turkistan within medieval cities of Shavgar (VIII-XII) and Yassy (XII-XVI) is regional center and one of anchorpoints on the Silk Road.
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XVI-XVIII centuries - Turkistan is a center of Kazakh khanate.
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ХІХ - beginning of the ХХ century – Turkistan covered the name of territory which included 7 regions (Transkaspian, Samarkand, Fergana, Syrdariya and Semirechensk, and also Bukhara and Khiva khanates) to East from Caspian Sea along with border of Russian empire with Iran, Afganistan and China.
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1867 – Western Turkistan joined to Russian empire. Establishment of Turkistan general-governate.
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1918 – Turkestan Autonomus Soviet Socialistic Republic established in Russian Turkistan. Later the word «Turkistan» was replaced by Central Asia or Middle Asia, that was introduced into Soviet official literature.
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1968 – Turkistan is the city of regional subordination in South-Kazakhtan region of Kazakh SSR, later - Republic of Kazakhstan.
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2018 – South-Kazakhtan region was renamed in Turkistan region with the center in Turkistan. HISTORY
Antropology • Sedentism and nomadism Integration rather than contradiction of nomadic and settled cultures was native to Turkistan region since ancient times. Nevetheless, settled citizens differed by groups, that affected establishment of new names of ethnoses. For example, until beginning of XX century the word Sart was the definition of the main citizens' group close to Uzbeks. • Urban culture History of Turkistan as a self-sufficient city continued since I century BC, although until middle of XIX century it remained medieval. Inclusion of Western Turkistan by Russian Empire filled the city with other types of urban personalities like officials. However, peasants composed the most part of the city and surroundings, that is actual still now, accounting hundsreds of villages spreading around the city. • Multiculturalism Historically cities of Central Asia were filled with representatives of different ethnoses. It was affected by Silk Road, nomadism, a lot of wars and induced relocation of people. Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tatars, Russians, Ukrainians live in Turkistan. Ethnoses of Sarts and Bukhara Jews dissolved one century ago. TURKISTAN URBAN ANTROPOLOGY
Cultural code •
Nomadism – path, road, movement
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Karavan – multiculturalism, exchange, trade
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Bazaar – trade, social connections, communication
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Citadel, city center – historical and recreational place, center of meanings
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Plov and shashlyk – cult of guests
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Akhmad Yassawi Mausoleum – history, antiquity, traditions
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Islam - poets, texts, wisdom
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Patriarchy – man as a conqueror and culture bearer
CULTURAL CODE
Genius loci • Kazakh Mecca • mausoleum • citadel • bazaar • arbat and square • university • karavan saray • ruins of ancient cities
GENIOUS LOCI
• Muslims - 70,19%* Separate branch – Sufism, which was largely affected by person of Khoja Akhmed Yasavi • Christians – 26,17% Christianity spread during Sogdiana period and was promoted during the Russian empire period • Buddhists – 0,09% During Sogdiana period there were known Buddhists traders. Today in Kazakhstan there are 4 official communities, one of them represents Korean Buddhism of Son tradition • Jews – 0,03% Rulers of Khazaria accepted Judaism by own will in IX century. Other Judaists came to the region from Paletine in early medieval ages. There became Bukharan Jews. *
According to 2009 population census
RELIGIONS OF KAZAKHSTAN
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Khawaja Akhmed Yasawi is the founder of the Turkic way of Allah`s recognition (Tariqa); representing the esoteric branch of Islam – Sufism. In ХІІ century Khawaja Akhmed Yasawi established one of the Sufi`s Tariqa - Yassavia.
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Akhmed Yasawi was the third mentor of Khodzhagan Tariqa, successor of Jusuf Khamidani.
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According to a legend, Akhmed Yasawi got amanat from the Prophet Mukhammad himself inside a persimmon`s bone, which his mentor Arystan Bab kept for him for 400 years.
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The most majestic mausoleum of Turkic world dedicated to Khawaja Akhmed Yasavi and located in Turkistan.
KHAWAJA AKHMED YASAWI
During XII—XIV centuries 12 main fraternities of Sufism established, so called Tariqas: Yasavia – Tariqa, established by Akhmed Yasavi, that became popular among Turkic peoples of Central Asia. Chishtiya – old Tariqa, established in X century in Chishta, Afganistan by Abu Iskhak from Syria. It spread in India. Rifaya – Tariqa, established in XII century by Akhmad ar-Rafai. It distinguished by ecsorcist practices of ecil spirits exile with a help of Dzikhr. Nowadays it on Middle East, in Egypt, Anatolia and Balkans. Shaziliya – Tariqa, established by sheikh Abul-Khasan ash-Shazli in XIII century. Their main efforts are struggle with nafs (human ego) and inner selfgrowing. Important role belongs to seclusion and asceticism, so called “khalva”. Shaziliya believe that belonging to their Tariqa doesn`t depend on time and their spiritual leader always will be the head of Tariqa. Sukhravardiya – Tariqa, established on edge of XII- XIII centuries by Shikhabuddin Abu Khavs as-Sukhravardi, decision-maker from Bagdad. Tariqa widely spread in India, where it was actively working on turning Hinduists and Buddhists to Islam. Kubraviya – Tariqa, established in XIII century widely spread in Central Asia. It was named in the honor of its founder Nadzhm ad-Din Kubra, who developed 10 basic principles of fraternity.
SUFI ORDERS
Badaviya – Tariqa, established in ХІІІ century. It was named after its founder Akhmad al-Badavi. One of the most influent Tariqas of Egypt. Kadiriya – Tariqa, established by Abdul-Kadir al-Jilani. Fully formed in the end of ХІІІ century. Today kadirits live on Far and Middle East, in Africa, Spain and other regions of Islamic world. Mevlevi – Tariqa, founded in в XIII century in Turkey. It was distinguished by practice of ritual dances, which is suppose to help to unite with God. Bektashi – The most relative to Christianity. It was found by KhodjaBektashi in XIII century and spread in Turkey, Albania and Bosnia, mostly among former muslimized Christians. Khalvatiya – Tariqa, established later than others. In the end of XIV century it was found by Zakhir ad-Din “Umar al Khalvati” in North-West Iran. Primarly it was worked among Turkic peoples. Today branches of the fraternity exist in Sudan, Syria, Lebanon and Albania. Nakshbandiya — Tariqa, which got this name at the end of XIV century after the name of Mukhammad Bakhauddin Nakshbandi al Bukhari. Starting from XV century spread in Turkestan, India, Anatolia, Balkans and also in Arabiya, Northern Caucasus and Volga region.
SUFI ORDERS
KAZAKHSTAN THEATER GEOGRAPHY
KUL-TOBE
About 50 historical ancient cities along middle flow of SyrDarya river in South Kazakhstan and Transoxiana (Mawara an-Nahr) are united by common identity and cultural background. Strategic value of these cities, pointing the Great Silk Road, was trade and culture. Urban civilization started there in I century BC and to 12 century it reached its peak with fresh-water-fed oases and sophisticated engineering infrastructure. Different groups of Sarts were the main city-dwellers, although spoke different languages. Usually caravan sarays were located along the ancient Great Silk Ways every 25 kilometers, a distance equal of one-day long trip of camel caravan. In such vicinity of Turkistan there are ancient cities of Shoy Tobe, Karashyk Tobe, Karnak. Largest cities of Sauran and Otyrar (Farab) lay in two times far distance. According to early-medieval scripts Farab was a center of Central Asia and had around 200 000 inhabitants in 1200-s. There were a few Sufi khankahs, a library and a royal mint.
ANCIENT TRANSOXIANIAN CITIES
Studies of Transoxianian cities have been started only 40 years ago. For 40 years archeological excavations are held in Farab, the center of medieval region of Chorasmia, that was totally destroyed by Gengis Khan, and only a 17-th century layer has been reached since then. History of this region still holds plenty of discoverings and fabuluos artefacts, that can change undestanding of history and civilization in common. Scientific restauration helps to conserve cities and restore urban environment of former epochs. Remains of Sauran's mosque on the photo show how life treated cities. In center of the mosque you see the weird gutter and the well surrounded by bricks. In 15th century, after foremost war conflict and decay of Silk Way trade (defeat of Golder Horte) this mosque was converted into a kind of startup incubator of crafts. Every citizen can rent a room and start a craft business. The central part was rented for a ceramic workshop. The well was used a cooling storage of ceramics. Water to the city was supplied by manmade underground channels - kyarizes (qanats). Sauran was finally abandoned in 17th century after continious Dzungarian wars.
ANCIENT TRANSOXIANIAN CITIES
The mausoluem is a medieval mixed use complex of Yasavites Sufi order. It combines tombs of Yasavi mausoleum and several dozen graves of other personalities of medieval Turkestan, mosque, library, school and congress hall. In Middle Ages it was also used as a fortress, a religion center and dormitory
The mausoleum of Khawaja Akhmed Yasavi, Sufi poet and Islamic missioner from XII-th century , located in Turkistan city, is the central object of the historicalcultural museum-reserve "Khazret-Sultan". It is the listed UNESCO heritage together with other objects on the territory of medieval city of Yassi - Turkestan. Construction was started by deisgn and will of Tamerlan in 1385, but was not completed. Just after his death in 1405 construction workers left the site leaving scaffolds in walls that remained until now.
Tamerlan determined basic dimensions of the mausoleum in person (46.5x65.5 meters). Building was combined from modules and evaluated in khan gazes (1 gaz = 60.6 cm). In particular, the diameter of the large dome was evaluated in 30 khan gazes. Rectangular shaped plan of Yasavi Mausoleum consists of 35 halls with portals and domes. Height of the main portal is 37.5 meters, height of the main dome is 44 meters. Thickness of the outer walls is almost 2 meters, walls around the central hall are 3 meters wide.
KHAWAJA AKHMED YASAWI MAUSOLEUM
The mausoleum has one of the largest brick domes in Central Asia. Dome is a symbol of unity and hospitality. Therefore, a special attention was paid to the size and the appearance of the dome. The Khawaja Akhmed Yasavi is one of the largest erected complexes in the era of Timurids. In the 1970s, walls of the mausoleum started cracking due to raise of water tables after erection of the irrigation channel Arys-Turkistan. In 1990s Turkish government financially supported reconstruction and heritage conservation of the mausoleum. Pile foundation was made beneath the cells.
KHAWAJA AKHMED YASAWI MAUSOLEUM
Gaukhar Ana mausoleum was built in 1990 on the burial site of the daughter of Khoja Akhmed Yasawi - healer Gauhar. The mausoleum is located near water spring of aryk - Suyir and has 3 rooms for pilgrims.
GAUKHAR ANA MAUSOLEUM
Underground qhiluet is located 150 meters next to the Khawaja Akhmed Yasavi mausoleum. It is a semi-underground spacious building with functionally different rooms: pray rooms, dorms, ceremonial halls. In 1940s of the qhiluet was reassembled into bricks for the construction of oil-plant in Turkistan. Although the most ancient part of the building was preserved. There Khawaja Akhmed Yasavi and his followers (Yasavi-Tariqa) performed Dhikrs since XI century. Yasavi-Tariqa performed Dhikrs in solitude for 40 days in a row.
UNDERGROUND MOSQUE - QHILUET
This mausoleum built on tomb of Rabiya Begim, the daughter of medieval astronomical scientist and ruler of Timurid state Ulugbek, grandaughter Tamerlan. Mausoleum height is 20.6 m, footprint area covers 62 m2. Interior spaces is combined of octahedral room and 4 rooms. The mausoleum was built in 1485 -1490 by sons of Rabiya, khans of Kuchkunchi and Suyunish.
RABIYA BEGIM MAUSOLEUM
Legends about Arystan Bab and Kwaraja Akhmed Yasavi - pioneers of Sufi Islam in Turkistan lands. Old city wall of Shakhristan is the voreground. Far off there are colorful merchants` marquees, traders` carriages and craftsmen workshops on the curvy streets of Old Turkistan. Holiday of Aik is coming - the end of Ramadan. Sun almost disappeared beyond horizon and skies changed color on dusty red. Halfmoon just came to the sky. Bank of Karashyk river. Arystan Bab hands over Sufism wisdom inside a persimmon stone to Akhmed Yasavi. Peacocks yell aloud behind he venue..
LEGENDS ABOUT ARYSTAN BAB AND AHMED YASAVI
Festival of misteries. In Turkic myths, legends, fairytales and also in customs and beliefs, wolf plays the role of a totem ancestor, a patron and defender. Great Steppe. Late evening. Darkness comes. The sky is full of stars. Fireplace is burning. Old Baksy (shamans) gathered around a fire to practice antique magic ceremonies. They play folk music instruments (Kobyz, Asatayak, Kepshyk, Dauylpaz) and sing old shamans songs. They call to the Spirit of ancestor (Aruak) to come. Light-visual projections reproduce mythological images.
MISTERIES OF WOLF CULT
Festival of Kazakh identity, historical reconstruction of important events of history, the creation of three Zhuzs. Sunset. Khan Tauke stays on a hill in steppe and holds a falcon in his hand. He waits. Today he gathers traditional annual Kurultay (meeting) of all of the three kazakh`s Zhuzs to solve an issue which is important for the whole Kazakh Khanate. Clatter of hooves breaks the silence. Far away you see three brothers are coming with their Ordas. Senior Zhuz of Tole Bi (southern). Middle Zhuz of Kazybek Bi (northeast, central and eastern). Junior Zhuz of Ayteke Bi (western). They pass together the law code Zheti Zhargy, the first general Kazakh law codex. Celebration of unity of Khazakh people follows the oficial part. Representatives of all Khazakh clans and tribes are here: Junior, Middle and Senior Zhuzs, Tore, Kwaradjas (Qoja), Tolenghit and Sunakh. LEGEND ON ESTABLISNMENT OF 3 ZHUZES
Festival of legends of Great Steppe. June. Evening. People burn a bonfire on a small hill covered with trees. The actors on stilts perform plays around the fire. Narrative. The Master of the sky, god Tengre nails up“Golden Picket” (“Altyn Tayak”) into the Universe. Step by step 16 gods appear, whose mastered the Universe before: Yersub, Umai, Erlik, Earth, Water, Fire, Sun, Moon, Stars, Air, Clouds, Wind, Tornado, Thunder and Lightning, Rain, Rainbow.
LEGEND ABOUT CREATION OF THE WORLD BY TENGRE
Festival of poetry and folk music. Battle of akyns. Location are proposed at the most visited areas of the entire city, bazaars. The kazakh singer (“Elendp”) could achieve the title of “Akyn” only after he had been taken part in a music battle against other famous Akyns and had won. Akyn is an improviser, talented and enlightened poet. In order to become a real Akyn, poet has to win over contestants with smart and witty improvisations. The most glorious Akyns received the title “Sal” or “Ser”. Performance: Sals and Sers walk through the steppe surrounded by improvisers, poets, musicians and wrestlers. They take part in celebrations and welcome tourists. BATTLE OF AKYNS
Legend tells about Ukasha Ata, a faithful sahaba (bodyguard) of the Prophet Muhammad. He was engaged in the spread of Islam in Central Asia and was famous for having a wonderful invulnerability, which he lost only during prayer. This took advantage of the enemies to get rid of him. The performance tells about the acts of Ukash Ata, his male strength, invulnerability, courage, valor and faithfulness to faith. The location of the performance may be near the ancient settlement of Turkistan, the Ukash Ata water source or on the Khan Meadow. Early evening. It`s still bright outside but sun started to go down. A circle-shaped stage-arena surrounded by viewers. In the the center of the arena Ukasha Ata is standing. One ray of light highlites the strong and brave warrior. He is 3m tall (the actor has stilts). From the one side of him UKASHA ATA LEGEND we can see his beautiful woman, his wife. From the other - two robbers and the witch. Play starts.
The festival takes place on the squares and streets of Shahristan. The Old City is filled with artists dressed in national costumes of nationalities and social groups from different times from Sogdiana to the Soviet Union. Public spaces are highlited a-la fashion shows. Various social and ethnic groups of Turkistan appear in fashion: Sogdians, Kharazmians, Karluks, Turgeshis, Liao, Kanguis, Naimans, Silk Road merchants (Turks-Kipchaks, Tatars, Venetians, Byzantines, Germans, Chineses, Ottoman Turks, Franciscan monks), tribes of Chingishan army, Arabs Kwaradjas of the Karakhanid era, the court of Tamerlan, khans and biys of Elders Zhuz, Bukhara Jews and soldiers of Russian Empire army (Yaik Cossacks), Sarts, Uzbeks, Kyrgyzs and Kazakhs, etc. All activities are divided into mise-en-scenes between various groups that are replaced for each festival. Decorations of different times adorn Old Town: a nomadic camp from yurts, bazaars, street scenes and tempoorary pavilions. FESTIVAL OF TURKISTAN'S PEOPLES
There is an immense area, where people (actors) sit down at their places. Visitors look at historical costumes and horses. Actors tell stories about their magic humpbacked horses trying to sell them. It is the first phase of immersion in history. Any can get a test ride, pet, make photo, etc. A whitebeard sits among others horsemerchants. He smokes pipe and smiles in half-closed eyes. He ask everybody to play antique game Togyz Kumalak with him. But only a few could win him, if it at all possible. Later, all visitors come to a circle and watch show. There are Kazakh national horse games: Knocking down of tamyk, Audaryspak, Baiga, Kume alu.The culmination of performance is grand horse show, where horse breeders from all over the country line up horses in sophisticated Kazakh ornament.
HORSE MARKET
The festival of blacksmiths crafts and road traffic engineering. Temirshi Ata Fire show. Sound design and visual arts show. Everybody knows Temirshi the blacksmith for a long time. He was the most skilful blacksmith and taught a lot of people to work with iron. Even now people believe that spirit of Temirshi can prevent car crashes and protect vehicles from damages. Many people beleive Temirshi Ata was the Saint (Auliye), the Patron of car drivers and all others, who are connected to traffic and roads. According to a legend of 13th century Saiyd Mukhammed Kwaraja was an iron and wooden craftsman, made swords, spades and shields, including armour for Tamerlan and horseshoes for his horses. They say, he lived 120 years. His equipments is still hold in some museums of Kazakhstan. Temirshi Aulie Ata Fireworks festival is a holy night, where sparks falls from beneath of the master's anvil on people and give them luck in travel. A blacksmith-DJ hammers the anvil (special effects) and every beat causes fireshow beyond his back, lighting the whole night sky. Behind a scene we can see videomapping projections on buildings, where the master looks like a giant.
TEMIRSHI ATA FIRE SHOW
Silk show. Mistery of epoch of Kangju state. The beginning of Silk Road trade. 3rd century AD. Location is the archeological excavations of the ancient city of Kultobe, inside the hexagonal fortress. Beyond remains of the walls you can see women on horses in bright armour with weapons. Outside there is rich caravan of camels, elephants and giraffes and other misterious animals. Somewhere in the corner Turkistan tiger hide oneself waiting for a giraffe, an giant eagle with a horse in his nib. A woman in colorful clothes with golden details, necklace and big hat sits on a marble throne near a hexagon plate. The throne is hold on tiger's paws. 2 men and 4 women sit right to the left and right from the throne. They wear similar clothes. Girls weared in silk dance on the marble plate. Burning fire torches surround the plate. Silk stripes fly around the venue. Crowd scene of men and women models in silk fashion. Scenic light highlites curves. Stars shine bright.
SILK SHOW
Legends about origins of Turkic languages and Turkic Runic alphabet. Background is the Khan`s Meadow on the intersection of rivers of Karashyk and Bavluk, in the distance you can see the ancient city of Yassi-Turkistan. On the sky you see northern light whose rays form national symbols of Turkic nations from Hungary to Turkey and Buryatia, whose go down and shape a Runic bridge across the river. Shaman Tonyukuk beats a drum from where runes rush out and shape a spiral. Priestess Aysha sits on another bank of the river and weaves a canvas from runes, which forms the bridge and the spiral from another side. Circular ancient map of the Turkic world by Kashgari becomes apparent in the sky on the top of the spiral wave. From Karatau mountains wind brings Codex Cumanicus and other manuscripts on Turkic languages.
HOLIDAY OF TURKIC RUNES
Holiday of Sufis and Dervishes. Mistic show in hot summer night. Old city is filled by Sfis and Dervishes from the whole World. Sufis declaim Dhikrs in khanqahs (Sufi monasteries) and qhiluets (underground mosques). Dervishes spin on the plateau between Akhmad Yasavi mausoleum and early-medieval city of Kul Tobe. The mausoleum is the background. Rebuilt Shakhristan lays behind it. Evening, halfmoon is in the sky, comets are flying, unseen before marvellous stars and planets are shining. An astrologist Al Farabi show stars to tourists fron a city wall. On an other tower scientist Al Khorezmi draws geometric algorithms in the sky with a magic stick.
SUFI HOLIDAY
Legend about water-channel builders (kiarizgens). Ancient engineering mystery about importance of water. Location near the channel around the ancient city of Shavgar (Shoy-Tobe). View on a medieval city on a hill. City walls are packed with turrets, flags above, fairytale beings like gamayuns, dragons, water demons (albasty). A traveler can see unbelievably beautiful water show in front of the ancient city. Late evening. Main audio-visual performance takes place along the channel. The channel goes from left to right around city walls. Several secondary micro performances are played simultaniously on a meadow KIARIZGENS` SHOW next to the channel. Water show visualizes an oasis city.
MAKHMUD KASHGARI is the author of the book “Divan lugat-at-turk” and the circle-shaped map of the Turkic world of XI century. “Divan lugat-at-turk” was finished in Baghdad in 1078. It contains 3 volumes and 8 chapters. There are systematised 6800 Turkic words, used ethnonyms, toponims, names of lood relationships, clothes, gathered traditions and customs of 29 tribes, described in 242 rhymes, 262 sayings and by-words. Festival of Turkic languages. All day long on the square you can hear words, poems and proverbs from the Kashgari book. Dubbing of old texts bring them to new life, fill the air and the space of the city and especially the certain public space - the square in front of the Museum, of Turkic languages. In the evening people are gathering on this square waiting for forecasts. Makhmud Kashgari (different actor yearly) comes out to the balcony to declare on of his poems. After he throws several stripes with ancient turkic texts and wisdoms into the audience. People catch stripes, roll them out and try to interprete what was predicted.
TURKIC LANGAUGE DAY