Project
Urgent safeguarding of the making of traditional musical instrument Kobyz and its tradition of Zhyrau performance
Duration: 2023 – 2024
Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan’s northwestern region, known for its rich intangible heritage, including the endangered Kobyz and Zhyrau traditions. The Kobyz (also known as Kobuz or Kobus) has emerged as one of the most beloved instruments in the Turkic world in recent past. The original Karakalpak Kobyz is shaped like a small cello with a pear-shaped body, featuring a narrow lower end and played with a bow on two strings. Many legends surround the creation of the Kobyz, but they all share a common thread of its religious, magical, or mediating role between the human and spiritual worlds. This mystical significance explains why the Kobyz was often employed by Shamans before conducting their treatments. Before the 20th century, storytellers, known as Zhyrau, who travelled from village to village, narrating fairy-tales and epic stories, played the Kobyz extensively.
The traditions of making musical instrument Kobyz and its associated performance tradition of Zhyrau are an integral part of Karakalpakstan’s cultural heritage. However, various factors threaten their continued viability, such as the declining number of skilled craftspeople, the lack of awareness among younger generations, and the challenges of safeguarding and transmitting this knowledge to the next generations. Urgent action is necessary to safeguard these practices and ensure their continuation for future generations.
To safeguard the two vital components of Karakalpakstan's living heritage - the Zhyrau musical tradition and the Kobyz instrument-making tradition - this project aims to achieve the following results through the following activities:
- Identify and compile relevant Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) elements related to the Kobyz and Zhyrau musical tradition in a format suitable for inclusion in the Karakalpak ICH inventory.
- Enhance the traditional knowledge of key stakeholders in the region on the Kobyz instrument crafting and the Zhyrau music performing.
- Increase public awareness about the ongoing safeguarding process for these important cultural traditions, which are a living testament to the rich cultural history of Karakalpakstan.
Through the implementation of these activities, this project endeavors to safeguard the endangered Kobyz and Zhyrau traditions, ensuring their transmission as a vital part of Karakalpakstan's living cultural heritage for future generations.
