Three cultural traditions from Kazakhstan move closer to international protection after UNESCO’s Evaluation Body recommended adding them to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, The Astana Times reported.
The latest recommendations cover the Salburyny hunting festival, traditional embroidery, and feltmaking. A final decision on whether to inscribe these practices rests with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage during its upcoming session in Xiamen, China, scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 5.
Salburyny Festival Combines Falconry, Horsemanship, and Ecology
Rooted in nomadic history, Salburyny is an annual equestrian festival that brings together falconers, musicians, storytellers, and younger generations between late autumn and early winter. The weeklong celebration features Tazy hunting dogs and golden eagle falconry alongside training in horseback riding and dog care.
The UNESCO evaluation document noted that the inscription would raise awareness of a multifaceted tradition that blends falconry, dog breeding, horsemanship, and close interaction with nature. Organizers from the Kiran Federation, Zhalayr Shora, and the Kansonar Association contributed to preparing the nomination for the festival, which entered Kazakhstan’s National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.
Joint Nominations for Regional Embroidery and Feltmaking
Kazakhstan pursued international recognition for two of its most widespread crafts alongside neighboring and partner nations. The country submitted the nomination for the art of embroidery jointly with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Practiced primarily by women working individually or in groups, the craft uses colorful cotton, wool, silk, and occasionally leather threads to decorate wall hangings, pillows, clothing, and household textiles. Local communities draw on nature and mythology for patterns featuring flowers, animals, and celestial symbols, providing both cultural continuity and an income source.
Meanwhile, traditional feltmaking advanced through a expansive eight-country nomination involving Kazakhstan alongside Azerbaijan, Iran, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan. The UNESCO document praised the participating nations for exemplary cooperation in preserving a shared tradition.
The labor-intensive process of cleaning, dyeing, rolling, tightening, and drying wool to create carpets, yurt coverings, and clothing remains closely tied to community identity. Out of 59 total submissions evaluated this year, the Evaluation Body recommended 56 for inscription and returned three for revisions.
