Kushtdepdi

Küştdepdi is a form of performing arts characteristic of Turkmenistani culture, combining improvised poetry, dance, and song.^[1] Küştdepdi has been preserved as a ritual and entertainment component of traditional celebrations.^[2][3][4]

Kushtdepdi
Küştdepdi in Ashgabat during the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan Independence celebrations (2011)
Medium	Ritual and folk dance
Originating culture	Turkmenistan

Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Country	Turkmenistan
Reference	01259
Region	Asia and the Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	2017 (12th session)
List	Representative

The tradition was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017 under the name Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing.^[5] The entry is titled in English as Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing^[6] and in Turkmen as Küştdepdi aýdym we tans dessury.^[1]

Characteristics

Kushtdepdi dancing

Turkmen women celebrating the 20th year of independence in Turkmenistan with Kushtdepdi dance

Küştdepdi performed with Ahal-Teke horses (2011)

The Kushtdepdi ritual of singing and dancing is a form of performing arts involving elements of improvised poetry that focus on expressing positive emotions and conveying wishes of happiness and well-being,^[6][5] as well as demonstrating mutual respect and solidarity.^[1] Küştdepdi is an integral part of state ceremonies and celebrations but also holds significant importance in family settings, such as commemorating the birth of a child or as part of wedding celebrations.^[1]

The improvised singing is accompanied by dance with characteristic gestures, hand movements, and steps in time with the melody being performed.^[5][6] The first introductory part of the ritual begins with a song performed by a group of seated, respected women dressed in traditional costumes. The song includes wishes of happiness and moral messages directed at younger generations. The next stage is the main ritual, in which the poetry is performed by a pair of singers (traditionally a man and a woman), surrounded by partially or completely closed circles where the dance begins. The dancers' movements start with three steps on the right foot, followed by simultaneous stomping and clapping, symbolizing the expulsion of evil and misfortune from life. The clapping of the audience, combined with the singer's voice (usually male) expressing "ha-uhha-ha" or "oyha-oy," sets the rhythm for the dance movements. The event concludes with a prayer to nature for fertility, solidarity, and peace.^[1]

The holders and practitioners of the Kushtdepdi tradition are masters of song and dance (both women and men) who pass on theoretical and practical knowledge to their students informally.^[1][5] Formal education takes place in specialized music schools and cultural centers.^[1][5][6] Members of the community help sustain the vitality of the Kushtdepdi tradition by participating in celebrations where it is performed.^[5] Residents and government institutions participate in the creation of educational materials about the ritual.^[5][1]

Kushtdepdi is performed by representatives of different social strata, who are organized into folklore groups totaling about 350 people as of 2017 (including one children's group). Although this element of Turkmen intangible cultural heritage is primarily concentrated in the western part of the country (in the cities and villages of the Balkan province along the Caspian Sea), it is also present, albeit to a lesser extent, in other parts of Turkmenistan (the Ahal, Mary, Daşoguz, and Lebap provinces).^[1]

International recognition

During the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held on December 7, 2017, in Jeju, Republic of Korea, the nomination Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing was unanimously included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Performance in foreign languages

Turkish singer Mustafa Sandal performed the song Kushtdepdi in Turkish.^[7]

Turkmen singer of Armenian descent, the Arsen Shakhunts, performed the song Kushtdepdi in Russian.^[8]

Tajik singer Mehrnigar Rustam performed the song Kushtdepdi in Uzbek.^[9]