Workshop: On March 20, as part of the project “Safeguarding Murdash petroglyphs and related traditional knowledge through mapping and digitalization”, the Aigine CRC team held a working meeting with practitioners on the interpretation of drawings on the stones of the Murdash Bashy complex. The working group of traditional practitioners created a story based on the drawings on the stones of Murdash Bashy, which will be realized as a motion video and will be part of the project results along with a digital map of the Murdash Bashy cultural and historical complex, containing traditional interpretation and archaeological description of the site. Also within the framework of the seminar astronomer, teacher of KNU named after J. Balasagyn, Kalybekov Abaki shared his methods of interpretation of petroglyphs Saimaluu Tash based on the movement of planets and the location of constellations. Abakir Aba’s developments will also be applied to the traditional interpretation of Murdash Bash.

Working visit: From March 16 to 18, Matti Hakamaki, a partner of the Aigine CRC and head of the Finnish Folk Music Institute, paid his first working visit to Kyrgyzstan. During his stay in Bishkek Matti met with manaschy (Manas reciter) Nazarkul Seydrakhmanov, deputy director of the Kyrgyz theater “Manas”, manaschy  Nurbek Talantbek uulu, as well as with the manaschys of the new generation. During this meeting Matti was able to learn about the activities of the Manas National Theater, how the art of Manas reciting is passed from generation to generation, ways to safeguard and preserve it, and efforts to attract the younger generation to reciting. Matti also visited the University of Culture and Arts named after B. Beishenalieva.  As part of his visit, he talked to Cholpon Turumbayeva, Head of the Orchestral Conducting Department of the Orchestral and Choral Conducting Faculty of KSUKI named after B. Beishenalieva, Vice-Rector for International Relations. Cholpon told about the history and structure of the university and the process of training students at the department of folk music. In addition, Cholpon told about the project of Konur Un to reconstruct the traditional Kyrgyz sound and introduce it into the orchestra. Matti also attended a lesson on kyl kiyaks and Kyrgyz wind traditional musical instruments. After the University of Arts, Matti attended a concert of students from the Conservatory and the University of Arts, which was held in the small hall of the Conservatory as part of the Nooruz celebration.

Working Meeting: On March 15, a meeting with representatives of the International Center for Martial Arts for Youth Development and Involvement under the auspices of UNESCO (ICM), based in South Korea, was held at the Aigine CRC office. The meeting discussed the center’s plans to create a large research publication on Central Asian martial arts, including Kyrgyz Kөk Bөrү, Alysh, Kүrөsh, and the participation of the Aigine CRC in this project.

Shooting process: Shooting of the video “Yrym” started, which takes place on the northern shore of the lake Ysyk-Kul. The filming process is led by director Guzel Duyshenkulova. The script was selected in December 2023 as part of the competition for the best script. The movie will touch upon issues related to gender inequality, traditions of our people and their consequences.