In early April Turkmenistan hosted the II International Festival of the Turkmens of the World “Turkmen Land – Country of Transformations”. The cultural action was organized by the Humanitarian Association of the Turkmens of the World, the Ministry of Culture and TV and Radio Broadcasting and the Ahal province administration.

A stylized Turkmen village reproducing in detail the traditional way of life of the Turkmen people was situated not far from Ashgabat in the picturesque locality of the Kopetdag Valley, where according to the uncontestable archeological data the center of early farming civilization was located. The families residing in different regions of the country and far off ‘settled down’ there for some time. The theme of family – the essence of the main idea of the festival that was to promote uniting the nation under its age-old spiritual traditions, preservation and popularization of the rich cultural heritage of the Turkmen people worldwide. Having fallen on the springtime of gorgeous blossoms it highlighted the unfading beauty of nature of the sunny land, turned into a true manifestation of unshakable friendship and fraternity, unity and solidarity of the people.

The family art groups from the Stavropol Kray of the Russian Federation, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and all five regions of Turkmenistan, who lived in the 8-winged yurts, introduced the ancestors’ customs and traditions carefully preserved over millennia to the guests of the Festival.

The family hearth is a sanctuary for the Turkmen. From times immemorial, the Turkmens have always gathered together to celebrate joyful events in their life – be it construction of a new house, birth of a child, his first tooth, weddings, man’s 63rd birth anniversary (akgoyun) and many others. All these bright and colorful ceremonies are held in accordance with the centuries-old rules and bring the harmony that implies a unique identity of Turkmen culture. To attend such an event – a great piece of luck.

The colorful yurts seethed with life during three unforgettable days. The smoke from the bread baking clay ovens – tamdyr and the fires made to cook traditional dishes of the national cuisine eddied upward. The hospitable hosts invited the guests to share holiday feats. The brave dzhigits (horsemen) riding beautiful Ahalteke horses demonstrated the brilliant technique of trick riding, Turkmen palvans (wrestlers) measured their strength and dexterity with each other. There were many willing to participate in the merry national games, play on the swings – an indispensable attribute of all Turkmen big festivities.

Numerous foreign guests of the Festival did not conceal their admiration watching wonderful Turkmen carpets, felt mats and renowned silk fabric – keteni being made, were amazed with the craftsmanship of Turkmen jewellers and musical instrument makers. Great attention was showed to the faithful friends and helpers of the Turkmen people in their difficult nomadic journeys – a camel with a colourful wedding canopy on its back posed with great pleasure for the TV cameras. The families of the dogs of the renowned Turkmen breed – alabai and the indispensable participants of national hunting – trackhound “tazy” and falcons had their photo session too. The joyful and heartfelt melodies of the dutar were heard across the boundless expanses of the blooming ancient Turkmen land glorifying its beauty and eternal youth.

The spectators received an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful musical performances telling about the inexhaustibility of a source of people’s talents and reflecting the diversity of folk traditions of all the regions of the country and other peoples of the world.

In a word, the diversity of the life of the Turkmen people was showcased as if in an open-air ethnography museum. At the same time, this peculiar exposition was not that of the museum. A specific feature of the Turkmen people is that even in the modern age, in the rapidly developing information society they maintain the centuries-old traditions formed by ancestors’ wisdom. They are seen in national costumes and jewellery, decorations of dwellings, preference for the national cuisine, adherence to family rituals, and what is more important is the philosophy of the life of Turkmen people that conditioned their sincerity and amicability, friendliness and tolerance.

Also, the Festival of the Turkmens of the World spotlighted the commonality of culture, traditions and historical fates of Turkmen people residing in different parts of the world. They develop and update these traditions to the modern realities preserving their national identity today. The visit to the ancestors’ land echoed in different ways in the hearts of those who had been living apart from it for many years. “There is no greater happiness for an individual than to know there is his Motherland he is bound with spiritual threads” – these words of the welcoming statement of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to participants of the Festival reflected in the best way the feelings our foreign compatriots had during those spring days spent in the ancestors’ land.

The family of Zaurbek Khusayinov and Zuleikha Kazmukhammedova from Edelbay village of Stavropol Kray, who visited Turkmenistan for the first time over many years, expressed their feelings in the song about the Motherland. The song fancifully interlaced the Turkmen melodies with the musical peculiarities of polyethnic Stavropol Kray. Epidemiologist Bibisara Rajapova from Tashkent shared her joy with the neighbours in the yurt – she brought her grandchildren, whom she taught the Turkmen language and the customs of the native people, to Turkmenistan for the first time. Poet Mukhammet Meredov from Tajikistan, who wrote three new poems there, did not hide his joy of visiting the native land. Bagshi (folk singer) Mejit-teke from Iran replenished his repertoire with the new folk melodies and songs there. 82-year-old Selbiniyaz Khudainazarova from Afghanistan, who visited Turkmenistan for the first time over many years, as if became younger in the native Turkmen land. “We carefully preserve the customs and traditions of our ancestors and spare no effort to introduce rich and ancient culture of the Turkmen people to the people living in the neighbourhood,” she said to the journalists who tailed after her all day.

During three days hundreds of people visited the stylized Turkmen village, many of them came there from different towns and villages of the country to participate in festivities and meet foreign compatriots. Undoubtedly, this Turkmen holiday of many voices, sparkling with cordiality and joy added new colors, impressions to the life of the country and was rich in artistic discoveries and unforgettable meetings. It proved once more the indisputable truth deeply comprehended and adopted in the modern Turkmen society: the people deprived of historical memory, their mother tongue and spiritual heritage have no future like a tree which cannot live without roots.