“Cultural heritage” refers to the values passed down from generation to generation, embodying a nation’s history, traditions, worldview, creativity, and spiritual wealth.
The rich cultural heritage of the Turkmen people is reflected in their spiritual and material values, preserved over thousands of years. Among these treasures, the musical instrument dutar holds a special place, being an inseparable part of the nation’s creativity and spiritual world. The dutar’s unique sound, lyrical melodies, and close connection with the art of bakhshi make it not merely a musical instrument, but also a symbol of the Turkmen national identity.
The dutar is one of the most ancient musical instruments of the Turkmen. Its sound conveys not only melody, but also the spirit, worldview, and philosophy of life of the people.
In 2021, the “Art of crafting dutar and playing dutar” was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This art plays an important role not only in Turkmen culture, but also in the cultures of neighboring peoples. For Turkmen, the dutar is not only a musical instrument, but also a symbol of national identity. It has always accompanied the people at weddings, celebrations, gatherings, and even in everyday life. Therefore, the art of making and playing the dutar is not only musical art, but also an embodiment of the history, spiritual heritage, and creative wealth of the Turkmen people.
Aysenem DURDYYEVA,
chief specialist for digital systems of the Organizational
department of the Buzmeyin etrap Council of the
Youth Organization of Turkmenistan named after Magtymguly.
