Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT3SvNq5HLM
Uzbekistan is a unique country. There are many sightseeings that attract thousands of tourists every year. Besides the historical structures, there are also intangible cultural values in Uzbekistan. Today we would like to tell you about one of the most famous of them. This is the culture of the mountainous region of Boysun, which is located in the south of Uzbekistan.
In 2001, the Boysun culture was proclaimed by UNESCO as: “A Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage.” On this occasion, since 2002, the Boysun Bahori folklore festival – Spring in Boysun has been held annually.
The peculiarity of Boysun culture is its ancient traditions, customs and rituals that have been preserved here. This remote, mountainous area has preserved: a kind of folklore and dances; traditional costume and singing. Many components of the Baysun culture date back to the pre-Islamic era.
The name of this festival comes from the small town of Baysun, which is located in the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan, about one hundred and fifty kilometers north of the administrative center of the region – the city of Termez.
If you prefer to travel along less famous routes and love to enjoy beautiful nature and mountain air – then Boysun is what you are looking for. This place is especially beautiful in spring when everything is blooming and green. Here you can take a break from the bustle of the city and disconnect from your worries for a while.
There are several hiking trails where you can see stunning mountain landscapes and natural creations.
We can confidently say that Boysun Canyon is in no way inferior in its beauty to the famous Grand Canyon in the United States.
Baysun is a small town surrounded by mountain ranges.
The city is located 12 kilometers from the railway station of the same name. It was awarded the status of a city in 1975. The population is approximately 30,000.
By the way, in this area at the end of the 30s of the 20th century, in the cave called “Teshik Tash”, Soviet archaeologist Alexei Okladnikov discovered the rarest burial of a Neanderthal girl. This finding is recognized as unique throughout Central Asia.
Also in 2003, archaeologists of the Boysun scientific expedition in the town of Kurganzol discovered the remains of an ancient fortress of the 4th century BC, founded in northern Bactria, in the era of Alexander the Great.
The city has the entire necessary infrastructure: kindergartens, schools, clinics and other institutions. Light industry enterprises are located here. One of the main occupations of the local population is animal husbandry. Mainly sheep and goats are bred here. Mountain meadows provide excellent pasture for domestic animals.
The Boysun Bahori Festival was initiated in order to preserve this unique culture, which is very multifaceted, in the age of globalization.
The festival takes place directly in the mountains. A large camp is set up on the mountain plain with yurts, traditional for this area. The ancestors of the local population were nomads and really lived in yurts, because of this, these structures are very important. Benches, stages and places are also built for shows.
The local people, inspired by mountain landscapes for centuries, have made up their own traditional folklore, which has shamanistic elements. They play traditional musical instruments, the most famous of which is Chankovuz or Labchang.
The festival attracts people not only from nearby regions but also from all over Uzbekistan, the CIS and abroad.
Various traditional games and competitions are organized during the festival. For example, Ulak is a traditional game of horses, which is also called goat-breaking, since the carcass of a slaughtered ram or goat serves as a ball.
The locals dress in their best traditional, very colorful clothes.
Folklore is a traditional song about the homeland, love and happiness, accompanied by traditional instruments.
Contests in wit and rhyming are organized, which are a complete improvisation.
Children’s ensembles also perform folk dances and songs. They dress in traditional local clothing. Every detail in traditional women’s and men’s clothing, from headwear to shoes, has its own meaning and symbolism. For example, a man’s headdress, in shape, resembles a yurt, a dwelling of nomads, and a motley palette resembles mountain flowers, which are so beautiful in spring. Women’s traditional clothing is wide and the head is covered with a headscarf, which is a requirement and tradition of Islam.
There are also individual women’s folklore groups that perform local music. It is sometimes not only songs but also whole theatrical performances.
Besides it, sports events are held during the festival. The most favorite sport in Uzbekistan – Kurash can also be seen here. This is one of the types of wrestling, which, according to the rules, resembles Judo. But this is still a question: which of these two types’ are ancient.
The main goal in kurash is to put the opponent on his back using a special technique. In this case, suffocation and painful receptions are prohibited. Wrestlers dress in traditional short robes and usually wrestle without shoes.
You can also watch cockfighting here. This is a special breed of roosters, which was bred in the territory of Uzbekistan. The breed is called “Kulangi”. They have a long neck, powerful beak and very strong legs. Roosters are specially trained. Their fight can last for several hours. But usually, none of them dies. The loser simply runs away from the battlefield.
At the festival, you can also watch the craft of the local population. For example, the production of wool, herbal medicines, carpet weaving and many other things are clearly shown to the visitors of the event. Local artists show their skills. Potters demonstrate their creations in front of the audience.
Another feature of Boysun is the art of Bakhshi. These are special musicians who perform the ancient heroic epic “Alpomysh” in a special form. They use an ancient stringed instrument called Dutar, which can be translated as “two strings”. This plucked musical instrument really has only two veined or nylon strings, but they can perform beautiful music on this ordinary instrument. Real Bakhshi often performs songs with their eyes closed, as they enter into a kind of ecstasy.
Here you can also watch the demonstration of local customs. For example, Kelin – Salom is the greeting of guests by the bride, with the help of bows. This custom is still practiced in all families in Boysun.
Boysun amazes not only with its natural beauty and mountain landscapes but also with its cheerful people who have preserved their culture and traditions for many centuries.
For reference: the festival is held every year in spring, but at different times, that’s why it is worth knowing the exact dates in advance. We are waiting for you in Boysun! Bye bye
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