PUBL.- Mazar Workship in Kyrgyzstan, Aigine Cultural Research Center
Posted by: Zemfira Inogamova <inogamova@gmail.com>
The Aigine Cultural Research Center (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) announces
the publication of a new book:
Mazar Worship in Kyrgyzstan: Rituals and Practitioners in Talas
Chief Editor: Gulnara Aitpaeva
Editors: Mukaram Toktogulova, Aida Egemberdieva
545 pages, including color illustrations
The book is available in English and Kyrgyz versions
The research and publication of books have been supported by The
Christensen Fund, California , USA.
A limited number of books are available for free. If you are
interested in getting a book, please send a request to Zemfira
Inogamova ( iamzema@yahoo.com) or to Guljan Kudabaeva ( kiguljan@gmail.com).
There will be a reception to introduce the book hosted by Aigine
(Bishkek, 93 Toktogula St. ) on May 22, 10:00am. You can register for
the reception by calling the following numbers: +996 312 (666966),
+996 312 (667674), +996 312 (667673).
The cultural practices of worship at sacred sites, known as mazars,
are ancient parts of Kyrgyz tradition. Even though it is not known
precisely when the first worship at sacred sites took place, it is
many centuries old, and yet continues to have important cultural
functions and roles in the present as well.
In Mazar Worship in Kyrgyzstan: Rituals and Practitioners in Talas ,
the Aigine Research Center is publishing the findings of its two year
research project conducted in the Talas district of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The first part of the book contains information about the experiences
of the cultural practitioners who act as traditional healers,
dervishes, clairvoyants and reciters of the Manas epic. Also included
are the voices and experiences of the shai'ykhs (sacred site
guardians), who accept the duty of guardianship of a sacred site as
their life mission, and who revere sacred sites.
The second part of the book contains analysis and discussion by
scholars who have researched sacred sites, and religious and healing
practices. These scholars come from diverse professional and
educational backgrounds. They include students, historians, medical
workers, psychologists, philologists, physicians, biologists,
anthropologists and most importantly, mazar worshippers. Thus this
book includes writing from the perspectives of cultural practitioners
as well as from scholars who analyze this cultural phenomenon.
Content:
Section One: Existence Throughout the Ages
1. List, Description and Oral History of Mazars in Talas
The descriptions and oral histories of 156 mazars in Talas oblast of
Kyrgyzstan are presented in this chapter. Most of the mazars have oral
histories based on local people's narration. This chapter is valuable
in respect that there has been no data published before about most of
the mazars in Kyrgyzstan.
2. The Main Regulations for Visiting a Mazar and Why People Go
This chapter focuses primarily on the reasons people visit mazars. In
addition, participant practitioners at several Aigine workshops and
participatory conferences suggested guidelines about how one should
visit mazars.
3. Messages from the Mazar Guardians and Shai'yks
Mazars have existed through the support of the people who looked after
and cared for them. These people are the guardians and shai'yks of
mazars. This chapter is devoted to them. In addition, this chapter
considers the draft law on "Conditions and rules for visiting mazars
located in Talas region, and their protection and preservation".
4. Mazars and People
This chapter addresses issues about the sanctity of mazars and
interrelations between people and mazars. People who have had life
experiences related to mazars share their stories. These people
include the aforementioned Manas tellers, dervishes, traditional
healers and other shrine visitors.
5. Rituals Practiced in Mazars
This chapter considers the rituals that are practiced at mazars. The
chapter also contains thoughts and excerpts of discussions from the
international workshop "Major Contemporary Ways of Understanding
Rituals" conducted by Aigine in Talas, 2006.
6. Mazar Worship in Soviet Time s
It is worth noting that mazar worship continues to exist today despite
the negative effects of 70 years of Soviet atheist ideology. Only
strong beliefs in mazars could push the practitioners to continue in
these beliefs and activities. Here mazar worshippers tell about the
experience of visiting mazars during Soviet atheist era.
Section Two: Sacred Sites Through Researcher's Perspective
1. Duysh Ãnkul Adylov:
Healing at Mazars: Sources of Healing, Methods of Curative Impact,
Types of Healers and Criteria of Their Professional Qualifications
2. Gulnara Titpaeva and Elena Molchanova:
Kyrgyzchylyk: Searching between Spirituality and Science
Nazgul Asanakunova:
Kyrgyz Religious Beliefs: Popular Conceptions of Mazar Worship in Kyrgyzstan
Talantaaly Bakchiev, Aida Egemberdieva:
The Role of Initiation in the Kyrgyz World
Salamat Imanakunov, Nurbek Kuldanbaev, Larisa Rudakova, Oktyabrin
Sadyrov,Vladimir Shudro:
Ecological Conditions of Sacred Places in Talas Oblast
Zemfira Inogamova:
'Keeping the Sacred a Secret'. Voices of People who Worship at the
Nyldy Ata Complex of Sacred Sites in Talas District (Kyrgyzstan)
Nazira Jusupova:
The Name Connections between Mazars and Villages in Kara Buura District
Nathan Light:
Participation and Analysis in Studying Religion in Central Asia
Anvar Mokeev:
On the Role of Sufi Sheikh: Miracle-Working in the Process of
Islamization of Population of Kyrgyzstan
Mucaram Toktogulova:
Syncretism of Beliefs (Kyrgyzchylyk and Musulmanchylyk)
Aigine Research Center expresses deep gratitude to The Christensen
Fund, which has provided funding for the research and publication and
Dr. Rafique Keshavjee, the Program Officer for the Central Asia and
Turkey, who has been rendering valuable consultations and support of
Aigine Research Center development.
Aigine Research Center expresses deep gratitude to the editors of the
English version, particularly:
- Dr. Nathan Light, Post- Doctoral Fellow, Havighurst Center for
Russian and Post-Soviet Studies, Miami University, Ohio, USA
- Ph.D. candidate David Montgomery, Rockefeller Visiting Fellow in
the Program in Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding at the Joan B.
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of
Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
- Dr. John Newman, Professor, Department of Sociology, Indiana
University Southeast, USA
- Dr. Edwin Segal, Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology,
University of Louisville, Kentucky , USA
- Dr. Russell Kleinbach, Professor of Sociology, Philadelphia
University, Pennsylvania , USA
- Lilly Salimjanova, Senior Student of Sociology, American
University-Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan; Intern with Women and Public
Policy Program, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
- PhD Candidate, Till Mostowlansky, University of Bonn, Germany
- PhD Candidate, Judith Beyer, Max Plank Institution for Social
Anthropology, Halle, Germany
- Dr. Mary Campbell, Professor Emeritus, University of Victoria, Canada
- Dr. Brian Farley, Chair of Journalism and Mass Communications
Department, Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics, and
Strategic Research
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1 comment:
This is wonderful posting. Thank you.
Bathmate
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