On 31 May in Bishkek, RDF hosted an international conference on “Preservation of traditional knowledge for opportunities for economic growth through engagingment of social values, cultural identity, and self-awareness”. The conference was dedicated to present the results and findings of the project on “Kyrgyz Traditional Pastoral and Ecological Knowledge Dissemination and Provision of Support to the Community on Co-management of Mountainous Ecosystems in the Kyrgyz Republic”.
The main aim of conference was to present the problems related to preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge in the educational field, livestock farming, conservation of natural resources, and the revival of traditional cultural and educational values of the Kyrgyz people. The conference also discussed lessons learned on data gathering, documentation, and exchange of traditional knowledge. These lessons clearly demonstrated the need to create a platform with participation of local and foreign custodians of Kyrgyz traditional knowledge, scientists, representatives from educational institutions, students, and others engaged in preservation and dissemination of traditional knowledge.
The conference invited representatives of the Christensen Fund, delegates from government agencies and ministries, custodians and practitioners of traditional knowledge from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and China, representatives from the Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, higher educational institutions, and the Assembly of Nations of Kyrgyzstan, professors and students from agricultural colleges, teachers from high schools, and representatives from other partner organizations and local media.
We presented documentary films on Kyrgyz traditional knowledge, as well as updated series of RDF publications: “Nomadic Kitchen”, “Nomad Rituals”, “Pasture Games”, “Yurt – Nomadic House,” “Advices from sayapker”, “Camel – nomad’s beauty “, “Highlands yaks”, and “Pastures of Nomads” .
We also organised some master classes and workshops for the participants of the conference on jar koruu, the wedding ritual dance, on yurt, and on nomadic kitchen with tasting sessions.
Here is the list of films we showed at the conference:
- Жар көрүү (Jar koruu)
- Сүмөлөк (Sumolok)
- Көч (Nomadic moving)
- Топ таш (Top tash)
- Чөп чай(herbal tea)
- Куурма чай(Kuurma tea)
- Атадан калган мурас(Knoweledge from ancestors)
- Жыландын терисин мал багууда колдонуу (Snakes skin)
- Тердик жасоо ыкмасы (Traditional handmade)
- Ырымдар(rites)
- Уй жана бээни сааганды үйрөнүү (how to milk cows)
- Тери ашатуу технологиясы (sheep skin)
- Мазар басуу аркылуу табийгатты коргоо