National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan

ICH National Inventory

By the Order of the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated March 1, 2013, No. 50, the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Kazakhstan, comprising 45 elements, was approved. In accordance with the Order of the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated May 28, 2024, No. 211-nq, the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Kazakhstan was updated and expanded to 79 elements.

The mentioned elements are classified into 5 main categories:

I. Oral traditions and forms of expression, including language as a carrier of intangible cultural heritage – 27 elements;

II. Customs, rituals, and celebrations – 13 elements;

III. National games and sports competitions – 12 elements;

IV. Knowledge and practices related to nature and worldview – 7 elements;

V. Knowledge and skills related to traditional occupations – 20 elements.

National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Kazakhstan

№	Index number of ICH Element	Name of ICH Element
I. Oral traditions and forms of expression, including language as a carrier of intangible cultural heritage
1	I-1	Folklore heritage related to mourning - zhoktau - estirtu - konil aitu - dauys aitu
2	I-2	Aitys - the art of improvisation and oratory Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2015 Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
3	I-3	History of Alpamys batyr (song of Alpamys batyr, khissa six years old Alpamys batyr, Alpamys, Khissa of Alpamys)
4	I-4	Epic “Korugly” (“Köruglı”, “Raushanbek”, “köruglı körde tugğu”, “Turkmen Kasymkhan”, “Kissa Gauazhan”, “ with Turkmen raushanbek Batyr Tolybay's son Kalmyk batyr Mahram”)
5	I-5	Kyz Zhibek (Khissa history of Kyz Zhibek)
6	I-6	Shamanism (Baksy saryny)
7	I-7	Besik zhyry – a lullaby song
8	I-8	Art of performing kui on dombra and the Kazakh kui schools
9	I-9	Tradition of telling fairy tales, legends-stories
10	I-10	Zharapazan – a chanting ritual whose main participants are children and young people
11	I-11	Zhety ata - seven ancestors
12	I-12	Throat singing
13	I-13	Zhyrau art
14	I-14	Didactic short genres of Kazakh folk literature - riddles - shorthand stories - proverbs
15	I-15	Kazakh traditional song art
16	I-16	“Kara Zhorga” Dance
17	I-17	Kara olen
18	I-18	Making kobyz
19	I-19	Art of performing kui on kobyz
20	I-20	Satirical stories of Kozhanasyra
21	I-21	Korkyt Ata's legacy: epic culture and music Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2018. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey.
22	I-22	Orteke - traditional performing arts of Kazakhstan: dance, dolls and music Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2022
23	I-23	Sal serilik tradition
24	I-24	The making of sybyzgy and the art of performance
25	I-25	The art of performing termе
26	I-26	Playing the shankobyz
27	I-27	Oratory art
II. Customs, rituals, holidays
28	II-1	Altybakan-youth game on swing
29	II-2	Wood carving
30	II-3	Bata beru (to bless)
31	II-4	Tradition of making and using besik (cradle)
32	II-5	Customs related to the birth of a baby: - Shildehana– a holiday in honor of the birth of a baby - kyrkynan shygaru – celebration of the forty days since the birth of a baby - Besikke salu – a traditional Kazakh rite during which a newborn is placed in the cradle Besik for the first time - Besik toy – the rite of putting the baby in the cradle
33	II-6	Tradition of cooking and serving meat: Sybaga – a part of sogym, a kind of share intended for relatives, matchmakers, respectable relatives and elders. - - Bas tabak is presented to elderly people and distinguished guests. - - Kos tabak is a special tray with meat for a matchmaker and a matchmaker. - Siy tabak – an additional dish with meat - Kuyeu tabak– meat for son-in-law
34	II-7	Kazakh ritual traditions of table setting: - bastangy - a joint meal of girls and young women of the village, a youth party. tokymkagar – the Kazakh custom, a rite for those leaving on a long journey. - yerulik - the invitation to visit new neighbors for acquaintance. - otka shakiru – invitatuion of a young daughter-in-law to visit - uy korsetu - invitation of a new daughter-in-law to get acquainted with her husband's relatives
35	II-8	Nauryz - an ancient holiday - Nauryznama - Korisu - Nauryz kozhe Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2016 Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Mongolia.
36	II-9	Culture of making flatbreads and types of bread: katyrma, zhupka, yufka: - baursak - tapanan - kombenan - kazanzhappai - kattama - shelpek Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2016. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran
37	II-10	Tusaukeser - the national Kazakh custom of fetter cuttin
38	II-11	Customs related to marriage: - kyz aittiru – to match the bride - kuda tusu - to woo - oltiri – a gift of cattle to the bride's home - zhar-zhar -a traditional Kazakh wedding song performed by young people at the farewell party of the girl. Betashar * - a ceremony of revealing the bride's face. The singer performs the traditional, ceremonial song “Betashar zhyry”. - sygsu - the song of the bride's farewell to her relatives - zhasau beru – to give a dowry - suyek zhangyrtu - the Kazakh tradition of distinguishing blood kinship Betashar was inscribed in 2024 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (Asunción, Paraguay, 2024). Kazakh traditions related to marriage: marriage proposal, marriage proposal, betrothal, blessing, marriage ceremony, singing and farewell. Every parent thinks about his son's future bride early and looks for his match. Strictly adheres to the principle of “see the mother and marry daughter”. That is, he will look for his future fiancé from a suitable place, from good people, from an ancestral, fundamental village. They do not speak to the daughters of families with diseases in their family. They deliberately go to the people they consider worthy, talk about the future of their children, express their intention to get engaged. This is called “to match a bride”. One of the most appropriate traditions that has continued since ancient times and is still present is to woo. The boy's father or close relatives betrothed to the house where the girl is, that is, the girl asks him to give his daughter as a bride to his son. Matchmakers are considered to be honorable people who deserve respect. After the consent of her father, the girl makes the arrangements for the betrothal. It has many types. Betashar is one of the traditions of Kazakh brides. A traditional betashar is usually held when the crowd for the wedding has thinned out. The bride, who is sitting inside the curtain, covers her head with a scarf, and the closest, model brides of the house where the wedding is taking place, take her out with their arms from both sides. Since betashar has a great educational value, the women who live on both sides of the bride are widows, simpletons, etc. absence is strictly taken into account. Tie the end of the scarf with tenge to the neck of the drum or to the end of a stick and start the song of the zhirau betashar. He introduces the newly married bride to her parents and relatives, conveys her kinship, reputation and dignity in her masterly language and greets each of them individually. The person receiving greetings names the gifts he gives to the young bride. The “Betashar” ritual, performed at Kazakh weddings, was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024 (Asunción, Paraguay, 2024).
39	II-12	Tea drinking culture, customs related to tea drinking: - Kazakh shay - ak shay - tatti shay - Kelin shai - konil shay
40	II-13	Shashu
III. National games and sports competitions
41	III-1	Assyk game Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2017.
42	III-2	Audaryspak – a horsemen' competition
43	III-3	Zhamby atu – a festive competition of Kazakh horsemen for marksmanship in archery.
44	III-4	Zhamby atu – a festive competition of Kazakh horsemen for marksmanship in archery
45	III-5	Kokpar -a national equestrian game of the nomads of Central Asia.
46	III-6	Kures wrestling Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2016.
47	III-7	Falconry -a living heritage of mankind - golden eagle - falcon - hawk - saker falcon Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List in 2016. UAE, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Syria.
48	III-8	Kyz kuu -a national game in which girls and boys participate. It consists of two rounds.
49	III-9	Archery
50	III-10	Salburyn: Equestrian Festival with Tazy dogs and Burkit birds Proposed for consideration by UNESCO in 2026.
51	III-11	Tenge ilu is one of the national Kazakh equestrian sports.
52	III-12	Togyzkumalak game Included in the UNESCO Representative list in 2021 Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey.
IV. Knowledge and customs related to nature and the world
53	IV-1	Breeding and training of the Adai horse
54	IV-2	Horse training
55	IV-3	Traditions and customs associated with tying mares, preparing kymyz: - - kymyzmuryndyk - - bie agytu - sirge zhiyar Included in the UNESCO Representative list in 2018.
56	IV-4	Traditional medical (healing) and fortune-telling knowledge (knowledge related to traditional healing): - synykshy –a bonesetter - Tamyrshy – determination of the disease by pulse - Emshi – a healer - Kumalak ashu – fortune-telling using mutton pellets - - Zhauyryn ashu – fortune-telling using a mutton shoulder
57	IV-5	Kazakh dog breeds tazy and tobet (hunting of animals or prey)
58	IV-6	Искусства плетения: Плетение кнута Плетение узды, нута, шерсти, подпруты Плетение веревки - Плетение косы
59	IV-7	Tasattyk tradition - an ancient rite of rainmaking among the Kazakhs during a drought
V. Knowledge and skills related to traditional crafts
60	V-1	Traditional children's and youth games: - Bes tas - Tympi - Sokyr teke - Ak terek - - Kok terek
61	V-2	Art of dombra making
62	V-3	Ер-тұрман жасау және қолдану
63	V-4	Art of playing the zhetigen and making zhetigen
64	V-5	Jewelry art
65	V-6	Art of embroidery Proposed for consideration by UNESCO in 2026.
66	V-7	Felting felt (Felting and related customs) Proposed for consideration by UNESCO in 2026.
67	V-8	Traditional knowledge and skills in the manufacture of Kazakh yurts -domestic crafts -yurt construction Included in the UNESCO Representative list in 2014. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
68	V-9	Art of kimeshek sewing and culture of wearing it
69	V-10	Pottery art
70	V-11	Art of carpet weaving
71	V-12	Traditional Kazakh ornament art (koshkarmuiiz, kustandai, tuietaban, kazmoiyn, etc.)
72	V-13	Art of bone decoration
73	V-14	Headdresses – «takiya», «tymak» and the culture of wearing «kalpak»
74	V-15	Leather art
75	V-16	The art of weaving: - “Ormek” weaving
76	V-17	The art of sewing (tailoring): - patchwork art (“urakkurau”); - tailoring (kiim tigu)
77	V-18	«Ustalyk» (temirshi) – blacksmith art
78	V-19	Shapan, kamzol tailoring tradition
79	V-20	«Shi toku» - the art of weaving mats