Every year, on the last Sunday of October, the holiday of the Turkmen alabay is celebrated with great enthusiasm and festivity. This holiday is one of the newer ones that have firmly taken its place in the national calendar. On this day, exhibitions, musical and cultural events, and creative competitions dedicated to alabais are organized across the country.
The Turkmen people are masters in dog training. For many years, our ancestors created numerous proverbs, legends, fairy tales, sayings, and parables related to the character of dogs and their loyalty to their owners.
Findings associated with alabais have also been discovered in the territory of the Lebap velayat. Terracotta figurines found at such ancient sites as the Amul fortress on the outskirts of Turkmenabat, Murzebeggala in Kerki etrap, Hazarekdepe in Garabekewul etrap, and Araphana in Danev etrap bear witness to the ancient origins of the alabai breed.
Our alabais are guardians of homes, helpers of shepherds, protectors of flocks, and faithful companions on journeys — truly deserve the highest praise.
At present, large-scale work is being carried out in our country to include the national traditions of raising Alabais in the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
We express our sincere gratitude to our Hero-Arkadag and Arkadagly Hero Serdar for creating vast opportunities for the preservation, development, and wide popularization of our national values!
Ogulsapar JORAYEVA,
leading specialist of the Organizational department
of the Lebap velayat Council of the Youth organization
of Turkmenistan named after Magtymguly.
