The Mangistau
yurt is already nominated as a model, and the local historians’ hope, that it
soon will be put under protection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, reports 24.kz.
Mangistau was not chosen accidentally. This is the place where the Kazakh yurt preserved in its original form and over the centuries, the ancient house of the steppe people has not undergone any changes. People of Japan admire this yurt for its beauty. The ancient dwelling of Kazakhs, which was made by the masters from Mangistau, was exhibited in the International Ethnographic museum in Osaka.
The experts said that soon, the art of making yurts would be available for the rest of the world. For more than a year, the employees of Mangistau History Museum fighting for the inclusion of the Kazakh yurt into the UNESCO list of World Intangible Heritages.
Tamara Zhumalieva, director of the Mangistau History Museum:
In the end of the last year, the UNESCO Secretariat adopted all the documents. We walked to this nomination with the Kyrgyz, but they chose us. We are certainly happy about this and at the same time, we feel a great responsibility. Frankly, it was not easy. The entire teaching staff of the museum did a tremendous amount of work on the study of Mangistau yurt.
The Yurts in their original form preserved only here, on Mangyshlak. In this ancient land, we concerned as to how we should convey the very art of making the houses of nomads. In Mangistau, we still have the masters with the inherited skills. They can easily recreate the yurt, such as of the 18th century.
Tamara Zhumalieva, director of the Mangistau History Museum:
- Our artisans made the skeleton of yurt and applied felt with the use of special technology, which they received from the ancestors. They use the same special requirements for the decorating of this home. It was here in Mangistau, where the traditions have remained unchanged. Therefore, our yurt is the best and famous worldwide.
The interior of the yurt is impressive. Everything, from the threshold to shanyrak, has its own unique pattern. The employees of Mangistau History Museum confident that soon the whole world will talk about their project. If the secretariat of UNESCO will recognize the yurt as one of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, then the Mangistau yurt will receive a certificate during this year.