Intangible Cultural Heritage of Kazakhstan Included in the UNESCO List

In addition to maintaining the World Heritage List, UNESCO also maintains the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These are traditions passed down through generations in the form of oral traditions, art, social practices, rituals, festive events, and knowledge and skills related to nature and the universe.

Today, several elements of Kazakhstan's intangible cultural heritage are included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity maintained by UNESCO. Among them are the art of performing kuis on the dombra, Kazakh wrestling (kazaksha kures), the asyk game, and spring rituals of horse breeders. The list also includes elements of heritage common to Turkic, Central Asian, and other peoples: the art of falconry, the tradition of celebrating Nauryz, the heritage of Korkyt-Ata, aitys, togyzqumalaq, skills of making and assembling yurts, and the culture of making katyrma flatbread.