Culture of Nations Culture of Uzbekistan

Culture of Nations
Culture of Uzbekistan
The culture of Uzbekistan has a wide mix of ethnic groups and cultures, with the Uzbeks being the majority group. In 1995, about 71% of Uzbekistan's population was Uzbek. The chief minority groups were Russians (8.4%), Tajiks (officially 5%, but believed to be much higher), Kazaks (4.1%), Tatars (2.4%), and Karakalpaks (2.1%), and other minority groups include Armenians and Koryo-saram. It is said however that the number of non-indigenous people living in Uzbekistan is decreasing as Russians and other minority groups slowly leave and Uzbeks return from other parts of the former Soviet Union.
Cultural heritage sites in Uzbekistan inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List include:
Historic Centre of Bukhara (1993)
Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (2000)
Ichan Kala (1990)
Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures (2001)
Religion
Mosque of Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Main article: Religion in Uzbekistan
When Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991 it was widely believed[by whom?] that Muslim fundamentalism would spread across the region. The expectation was that an Islamic country long denied freedom of religious practice would undergo a very rapid increase in the expression of its dominant faith. In 1994 about more than half of Uzbeks were said to belong to Islam, though in an official survey few of that number had any real knowledge of the religion or knew how to practice it.[citation needed]
A parandja, a robe worn by women until it was banned in 1927. This example is made of velvet, silk threads and handmade embroidery. Displayed at the Museum of Applied Arts in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Education
Main article: Education in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan has a high literacy rate with about 98% of adults above the age of 15 being able to read and write. However, with only 76% of the under 15 population currently enrolled in education this figure may drop in the future. Uzbekistan has encountered severe budgeting shortfalls in its education program. The education law of 1992 began the process of theoretical reform, but the physical base has deteriorated, and curriculum revision has been slow ...
Traditions
Uzbeks celebrate the New Year in a celebration called Yangi Yil. They decorate a New Year tree, They celebrate New Year's Eve, and give each other gifts. They sing and listen to traditional Uzbek music while having dinner, and after dinner, a man dressed as Santa and Father Time arrive and continue the celebration. At midnight, they sing the Uzbek National Anthem to welcome a new year, and continue celebrating.[1] Moreover, the most popular holiday for Uzbeks is Nowruz, and it is deemed to be the most historical one. Colourful traditional costumes and variety of meals on the laid table take the main pattern of the holiday. However, the main course of the holiday is Sumalak, which should be boiled the whole night.
Cuisine
Main article: Uzbek cuisine
Palov, the national dish in Uzbekistan
Tandir Kabob - Mutton prepared in the tandir oven
Uzbek cuisine is influenced by local agriculture, as in most nations. There is a great deal of grain farming in Uzbekistan, so breads and noodles are of importance, and Uzbek cuisine has been characterized as "noodle-rich". Mutton is a popular variety of meat due to the abundance of sheep in the country and it is part of various Uzbek dishes.
Uzbekistan's signature dish is palov (plov or osh), a main course typically made with rice, pieces of meat, and grated carrots and onions. Oshi Nahor, or Morning Plov, is served in the early morning (between 6 and 9 am) to large gatherings of guests, typically as part of an ongoing wedding celebration. Other notable national dishes include: shurpa (shurva or shorva), a soup made of large pieces of fatty meat (usually mutton) and vegetables; norin and lagman, noodle-based dishes that may be served as a soup or a main course; manti, chuchvara, and somsa, stuffed pockets of dough served as an appetizer or a main course; dimlama (a meat and vegetable stew) and various kebabs, usually served as a main course.
Green tea is the national hot beverage taken throughout the day; teahouses (chaikhanas) are of cultural importance. The more usual black tea is preferred in Tashkent, both green and black teas are typically taken without milk or sugar. Tea always accompanies a meal, but it is also a drink of hospitality, automatically offered green or black to every guest. Ayran, a chilled yogurt drink, is popular in summer, but does not replace hot tea.
The use of alcohol is less widespread than in the west, but wine is comparatively popular for a Muslim nation as Uzbekistan is largely secular. Uzbekistan has 14 wineries, the oldest and most famous being the Khovrenko Winery in Samarkand (est. 1927). The Samarkand Winery produces a range of dessert wines from local grape varieties: Gulyakandoz, Shirin, Aleatiko, and Kabernet likernoe (literally Cabernet dessert wine in Russian). Uzbek wines have received international awards and are exported to Russia and other countries in Central Asia.
The choice of desserts in Bukharan Jewish and Uzbek cuisines are limited. A typical festive meal ends with fruit or a compote of fresh or dried fruit, followed by nuts and halvah with green tea. A Bukharan Jewish specialty for guests on a Shabbat afternoon is Chai Kaymoki - green tea mixed, contrary to the standard Uzbek practice, with a generous measure of milk (in 1:1 proportions) and a tablespoon of butter in the teapot. The tea is sometimes sprinkled with chopped almonds or walnuts before serving.Culture of Tajikistan
The culture of Tajikistan has developed over several thousand years. Tajik culture can be divided into two areas, Metropolitan and Kuhiston (Highland). Modern city centres include Dushanbe (the capital), Khudjand, Kulob, and Panjikent.
A family celebrating Eid in Tajikistan.
Religion
Main article: Religion in Tajikistan
Zoroastrianism had been adopted by Persian emperors as a state religion, and was practiced in Central Asia as well. It eventually declined after the Arab conquests. The largest celebration in Tajikistan to come from the pre-Islamic period is Navruz, which means "New Day". It is held on March 21 or 22, when the cultivation of the land starts. During Navruz, many families visit relatives, throw out old belongings, clean the house, and play field games. Special dishes are also served. Other pre-Islamic Tajik traditions like fire jumping, dancing round the fire, and fighting 'devils' with fire, still occur in the more remote regions.
Tajikistan's government has shown intolerance of some religious faiths, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, and has demolished religious buildings.
Culture of Russia
The culture of the Russians, along with the cultures of many other minority ethnic groups in the country, has a long tradition of achievement in many fields,[1] especially when it comes to architecture, language and literature, philosophy, classical music and ballet, and the visual arts. In all these areas Russia has had a considerable influence on global culture. Russia also has a rich material culture and a tradition in science and technology.
Language and literature
Main article: Russian language
Russia's 160 ethnic groups speak some 100 languages.According to the 2002 census, 142.6 million people speak Russian, followed by Tatar with 5.3 million and Ukrainian with 1.8 million speakers. Russian is the only official state language, but the Constitution gives the individual republics the right to make their native language co-official next to Russian.Despite its wide dispersal, the Russian language is homogeneous throughout Russia. Russian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia and the most widely spoken Slavic language.Russian belongs to the Indo-European language family and is one of the living members of the East Slavic languages; the others being Belarusian and Ukrainian (and possibly Rusyn). Written examples of Old East Slavic (Old Russian) are attested from the 10th century onwards.Over a quarter of the world's scientific literature is published in Russian. Russian is also applied as a means of coding and storage of universal knowledge—60–70% of all world information is published in the English and Russian languages.[6] The language is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
Traditions of the Karakalpaks
The Karakalpaks, just like other peoples of Central Asia, have their own customs and traditions. Many of them are rooted in antiquity and originated in the pagan cultures of nomadic Saka, Pechenegs, Oghuz. Of course, most of them belong to the later Islamic culture, but at the same time retain some elements of pagan cultures.
The Karakalpaks have unique customs and rules of behavior at family and community meals, which are strictly followed so far. Like most of the eastern nations, the Karakalpaks usually eat food sitting on the floor around a tablecloth or dastarkhan. Solid food is eaten with fingers, the broth is served separately in a bowl or cup. Hands are washed before the meal, the water pouring down. It is not supposed to shake the water off the hands after washing to avoid it spraying on the food. According to the custom, the eldest or the senior member of a family or guest starts to eat the first. When a visitor came to the house, he was served with sour milk or airan. The custom of drinking tea began to spread in Karakalpakstan, as well as throughout Central Asia, only by the beginning of the 19th century.
The custom of the Karakalpak maternity is of particular interest. Special rituals are served after the birth of a child to stem off the disaster and misfortunes. Great attention is paid to the choice of the baby’s name. Usually, the most respected member of society, the spiritual leader or elder- aksakal has the right to choose the name for the baby. Often, names are given in honor of the great-grandmothers or great-grandfathers. The most popular names among the Karakalpaks are names with “Nur” - Nuratdin, Nursultan, etc.
Beshik-tui is celebrated on the fortieth day after birth. After the traditional bathing, the child is placed into the cradle, but before they put an onion, pepper and a knife to settle the enemy hash under the pillow, a mirror is put under his feet, so that the baby has a fair life and an open and beautiful face. Also, they put a large grindstone and bread so that the head is solid as a rock, the mind is great like bread, and the baby’s eyes are keen. There is a tradition to sew a variety of charms to infants’ dressing to keep them out of mischief.
Karakalpak marriage, like at all Turkic-speaking peoples, has several stages, the main are: 1) arrangement, 2) a small feast (patia toi) in the bride's house, and 3) the wedding day (the feast of the bride's house and the house of the groom).
The arrangement usually takes place in the bride's home. The groom's parents give presents to the bride's parents. This necessarily involves the participation of the elders, who must give permission to marry. Relatives of the groom must give something white and agree on a dowry (qalın').
After the arrangement, parents of the bride and groom hold Kenes toi, where they invite relatives, neighbors, close friends to discuss the issues of the wedding process. The small feast (patiya toi) is held in the bride's home after the arrangement. The groom takes all the costs of the feast and gives ritual gifts to the bride, her parents, family. After patiya bride's parents pay a visit to the groom's parents (Ydys kaytty) (literally: dishes are given back) with presents.
The bride’s crying synsu is an integral part of the wedding, it is an expression of grief about leaving her father's house. When the bride arrives at the house of the bride, groom's mother throws candies at her, so that the life of the girl will be sweet. Then the girl is then escorted into the room, which is closed with patterned screen – shimyldyk, where she has to stay until the beginning of an important ceremony of unveiling her face - bet ashar. After, the bride welcomes each guest, bowing to them as the Uzbeks and the ritual is called kelin salom.

In general, customs and traditions of the Karakalpaks are very similar to the traditions of other Central Asian people.