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Country in a Box:

Republic of Uzbekistan
Ozbekiston Respublikasi

Registan Square in Samarkand;


The second biggest city in Uzbekistan and one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world

A Teachers Guide
Compiled by the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
http://ceres.georgetown.edu
1

Uzbekistan in a Box: Table of Contents

Facts at a Glance

3-6

History of Uzbekistan

7-9

Timeline of Major Events in Uzbekistans History


Uzbekistans Culture

10
11-13

Folklore: Navoi and the Builder

14

Additional Resources

15

Inside the Mausoleum of Sayid Alauddin in Khiva

Uzbekistan: Facts at a Glance


_______
Text and map taken directly from Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook: Uzbekistan.
Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uz.html
Country Name: Uzbekistan
Capital: Tashkent
Background: Russia conquered the
territory of present-day Uzbekistan in
the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to
the Red Army after the Bolshevik
Revolution was eventually suppressed
and a socialist republic established in
1924. During the Soviet era, intensive
production of "white gold" (cotton) and
grain led to overuse of agrochemicals
and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land degraded and
the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country has lessened its
dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing
its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. However,
longserving septuagenarian President Islom KARIMOV, who rose through the ranks of the
Soviet-era State Planning Committee (Gosplan), remains wedded to the concepts of a command
economy, creating a challenging environment for foreign investment. Current concerns include
post-KARIMOV succession, terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the
curtailment of human rights and democratization.
Location: Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
Area: Total: 447,400 sq km
Country comparison to the world: 57
Land: 425,400 sq km
Water: 22,000 sq km
Area - Comparative: Slightly larger than California
Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river
valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m
Highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
3

Natural Resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc,
tungsten, molybdenum
Environment - Current Issues: shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations
of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly
exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the
heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing
soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals,
including DDT
Population: 28,929,716 (July 2014 est.); Country comparison to the world: 45
Urbanization: Urban population: 36.2% of total population (2011)
Life Expectancy at Birth:

Total population: 73.29


Country comparison to the world: 125
Male: 70.25 years
Female: 76.52 years (2014 est.)

Ethnic Groups: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar
1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)
Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni),
Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Government Type: republic; authoritarian
presidential rule, with little power outside the
executive branch
Independence: 1 September 1991 (from the
Soviet Union)
The Flag of Uzbekistan: Blue is the co lo r
o f the Turkic p e o p le s and o f the sky ,
w hite sig nif ie s p e ace and the striv ing
fo r purity in tho ug hts and d e e d s,
w hile g ree n rep re se nts nature and is
the co lo r of Islam; the re d strip e s are
the v ital f o rce o f all liv ing o rg anisms
that link s g o o d and pure id e as w ith
the e te rnal sky and w ith d e e d s o n
e arth; the cre sce nt rep re se nts Islam
and the 12 star s the mo nths and
co nste llatio ns o f the U zbe k cale ndar.

Legal System: civil law system


Executive Branch: Chief of state: President
Islom Karimov (since 24 March 1990, when
he was elected president by the then Supreme
Soviet; elected president of independent
Uzbekistan in 1991; Head of Government:
Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev (since 11
December 2003)

Legislative Branch: Bicameral Supreme


Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members elected by
4

regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members to serve five-year
terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (150 seats; 135 members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms, while 15 spots reserved for the new Ecological Movement of
Uzbekistan)
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the
Supreme Assembly)
Political Parties and Leaders: Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Narimon Umarov];
Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan [Boriy Alixonov, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of
Uzbekistan or LDPU [Sodigion Turdiyev]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly
Communist Party) [Hotamion Ketmonov]
National Anthem: Name: "O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem
of the Republic of Uzbekistan); Lyrics/music: Abdulla Aripov/Mutal Burhanov; Note: adopted
1992; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan kept the music of the anthem from its time as
a Soviet Republic but adopted new lyrics.
Economy - Overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country; 11% of the land is intensely
cultivated, in irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of the population lives in densely populated
rural communities. Export of hydrocarbons,
primarily natural gas, provides a significant
share of foreign exchange earnings. Other
major export earners include gold and
cotton. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify
crops, Uzbekistani agriculture remains
largely centered around cotton, although
production has dropped by 35% since 1991.
Uzbekistan is now the world's fifth largest
cotton exporter and sixth largest producer.
The country is addressing international
criticism for the use of child labor in its
cotton harvest. Following independence in
Uzbekistani Som
September 1991, the government sought to
(http://www.cbu.uz/uz_lat/notes_coins.htm)
prop up its Soviet-style command economy
with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve
the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease,
its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has
hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted Article
VIII obligations under the IMF, providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict
currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have
also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often
delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Uzbekistan's growth has been
5

driven primarily by state-led investments and a favorable export environment. In the past
Uzbekistani authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of
violating Uzbekistani laws and have frozen and even seized their assets. At the same time, the
Uzbekistani Government has actively courted several major US and international corporations,
offering financing and tax advantages. A major US automaker opened a powertrain
manufacturing facility in Tashkent in November 2011, but there have been no sizable US
investments since then. Diminishing foreign investment and difficulties transporting goods
across borders further challenge the economy of Uzbekistan.
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $112.6 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world:
70
GDP - Real Growth Rate: 7% (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 23
GDP - Per Capita (PPP): $3,800 (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 171
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 19.1%, Industry: 32.2%; Services: 48.7% (2013
est.)
Labor Force: 16.99 million (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 37
Agriculture - Products: Cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
Industries: Textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold, petroleum, natural
gas, chemicals.
Current Account Balance: $1.801 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 43
Exports - Commodities: Energy products, cotton, gold, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and
nonferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles
Exports - Partners: China 21.2%, Kazakhstan 15.9%, Turkey 15.8%, Russia 14.7%,
Bangladesh 9.5%, Kyrgyzstan 4% (2012)
Imports - Partners: Russia 20.7%, China 16.6%, South Korea 16.4%, Kazakhstan 12.5%,
Germany 4.6%, Turkey 4.2%, Ukraine 4% (2012)
Debt - External: $8.773 billion (31 December 2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 103
Exchange Rates: Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 2,082.3 (2013 est.)
Military Service Age and Obligation: 19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18
years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation; male registration required at
age 16 (2009)
Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2007 est.); Country comparison to the world: 119.
6

History of Uzbekistan
_______
Text taken directly from Library of Congress Website: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/uztoc.html
and http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Uzbekistan.pdf

Female statuette, Bactria, beginning of


the 2nd millenium BC.
Origins: The first people who occupied
Central Asia were Iranians in the first
millennium B.C. By the 5th century B.C.,
the Bactrian, Soghdian, and Tokharian
states dominated the region. Later, thanks
to the Silk Road, Bukhara and
Samarkand became one of the most
influential
and
powerful
Persian
provinces of antiquity. Alexander the
Great conquered the region in 328 B.C.,
bringing it briefly under the control of his
Macedonian Empire. Until the first
centuries after Christ, the dominant
religion
in
the
region
was
Zoroastrianism. After the Arab conquest
of the region and during the height of the
Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th and the 9th
centuries, Central Asia experienced a
truly golden age. Bukhoro became one of
the leading centers of learning, culture,
and art in the Muslim world. As the
Abbasid Caliphate began to weaken the
Persian language began to regain its
preeminent role in the region. The rulers
of the eastern section of Iran and of
Mawarannahr were Persians. Under the
Samanids and the Buyids, the rich culture
of the region continued to flourish.
(http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/uztoc.html)

In the first millennium B.C., Iranian nomads established


irrigation systems along the rivers of Central Asia and
built towns at Bukhoro and Samarqand. These places
became extremely wealthy points of transit on what
became known as the Silk Road between China and
Europe. In the seventh century A.D., the Soghdian
Iranians, who profited most visibly from this trade, saw
their province of Mawarannahr overwhelmed by Arabs,
who spread Islam throughout the region. Under the
Arab Abbasid Caliphate, the eighth and ninth centuries
were a golden age of learning and culture in
Mawarannahr. As Turks began entering the region from
the north, they established new states. After a
succession of states dominated the region, in the twelfth
century Mawarannahr was united in a single state with
Iran and the region of Khorazm, south of the Aral Sea
by Seljuq Turks. In the early thirteenth century, that
state then was invaded by Mongols led by Genghis
Khan. During those few centuries Turkish replaced
Iranian as the dominant culture of the region. Under
Timur (Tamerlane), the last great Mongolian nomadic
leader (ruled 13701405), Mawarannahr began its last
cultural flowering, centered in Samarqand. After Timur
the state began to split, and by 1510 Uzbek tribes had
conquered all of Central Asia.

In the sixteenth century, the Uzbeks established two


strong rival khanates, Bukhoro and Khorazm. In this
period, the Silk Road cities began to decline as ocean
trade flourished. The khanates were isolated by wars
with Iran and weakened by attacks from northern
nomads. In the early nineteenth century, three Uzbek
khanatesBukhoro, Khiva, and Quqon (Kokand)had
a brief period of recovery. However, in the midnineteenth century Russia, attracted to the regions
commercial potential and especially to its cotton, began
the full military conquest of Central Asia. By 1876
Russia had incorporated all three khanates (hence all of present-day Uzbekistan) into its empire,
granting the khanates limited autonomy. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Russian
population of Uzbekistan grew and some industrialization occurred.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Jadadist


movement of educated Central Asians, centered in presentday Uzbekistan, began to advocate overthrowing Russian
rule. In 1916 violent opposition broke out in Uzbekistan and
elsewhere, in response to the conscription of Central Asians
into the Russian army fighting World War I. When the tsar
was overthrown in 1917, Jadadists established a short-lived
autonomous state at Quqon. After the Bolshevik Party gained
power in Moscow, the Jadadists split between supporters of
Russian communism and supporters of a widespread uprising
that became known as the Basmachi Rebellion. As that revolt
was being crushed in the early 1920s, local communist
leaders such as Faizulla Khojayev gained power in
Uzbekistan. In 1924 the Soviet Union established the Uzbek
Soviet Socialist Republic, which included present-day
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became a separate
republic in 1929. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, largescale agricultural collectivization resulted in widespread
famine in Central Asia. In the late 1930s, Khojayev and the
entire leadership of the Uzbek Republic were purged and
executed by Soviet leader Joseph V. Stalin (in power 1927
53) and replaced by Russian officials. The Russification of
political and economic life in Uzbekistan that began in the
1930s continued through the 1970s. During World War II,
Stalin exiled entire national groups from the Caucasus and the
Crimea to Uzbekistan to prevent subversive activity against
the war effort.
Moscows control over Uzbekistan weakened in the 1970s as
Uzbek party leader Sharaf Rashidov brought many cronies
and relatives into positions of power. In the mid-1980s,
Moscow attempted to regain control by again purging the
entire Uzbek party leadership. However, this move increased
Uzbek nationalism, which had long resented Soviet policies
such as the imposition of cotton monoculture and the
suppression of Islamic traditions. In the late 1980s, the
liberalized atmosphere of the Soviet Union under Mikhail S.
Gorbachev (in power 198591) fostered political opposition
groups and open (albeit limited) opposition to Soviet policy in
Uzbekistan. In 1989 a series of violent ethnic clashes
involving Uzbeks brought the appointment of ethnic Uzbek
outsider Islam Karimov as Communist Party chief. When the
Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan reluctantly approved
independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Karimov
became president of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Timur (Tamerlane): Timur was a


member of the Turkicized Mongol
Barlas tribe, in current day
Uzbekistan. Around 1370, Timur
proclaimed himself sovereign of the
Chagatai line of khans and restorer
of the Mongol empire. For the next
10 years Timur fought against the
khans of Jatah and Khwrezm,
finally occupying Kashgar in 1380.
In 1380 1405 he expanded its
empire to include India, Persia, parts
of Turkey and Russia. In doing so he
destroyed numerous states and dealt
heavy blows to the Golden Horde and
Ottoman Empires which led to the
eventual fall of the former. He died
in 1405 while preparing for his last
grand expedition to Ming China.
Timurs
most
lasting
memorials
are
architectural
monuments of Samarkand. His
mausoleum is one of the gems of
Islamic art. His dynasty survived in
Central Asia for a century and
Samarkand became a centre of
scholarship and science. It was here
that Ulgh Beg, his grandson, set up
an observatory and drew up the
astronomical tables that were later
used
by
the
English
royal
astronomer in the 17th century.
During the Timurid renaissance of
the 15th century, Hert became the
home of the brilliant school of
Persian miniaturists. When the
dynasty ended in Central Asia, his
descendant Bbur conquered Delhi,
to found the Muslim line of Indian
emperors known as the Great
Mughals.
(Edited
text
from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecke
d/topic/596358/Timur)

In 1992 Uzbekistan adopted a new constitution, but the main opposition party, Birlik, was
banned, and a pattern of media suppression began. In 1995 a national referendum extended
Karimovs term of office from 1997 to 2000. A series of violent incidents in eastern Uzbekistan
in 1998 and 1999 intensified government activity
against Islamic extremist groups, other forms of
opposition, and minorities. In 2000 Karimov was
reelected overwhelmingly in an election whose
procedures received international criticism. Later
that year, Uzbekistan began laying mines along the
Tajikistan border, creating a serious new regional
issue and intensifying Uzbekistans image as a
regional hegemon. In the early 2000s, tensions also
developed with neighboring states Kyrgyzstan and
Turkmenistan. Following the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001, Uzbekistan provided logistical
support to the U.S. antiterrorist campaign in
Islam Karimov: Born in Samarkand in 1938,
Islam Karimov studied engineering and
Afghanistan. This move continued a rapprochement
economics. He became the Communist Party's
that began in the late 1990s. However, in 2004 the
First Secretary in Uzbekistan in 1989, and was
United States cut non-humanitarian aid to
then elected president of independent
Uzbekistan, citing recurrent human rights
Uzbekistan in December 1991, in what
violations. In mid-2005 brutal suppression of riots
Human Rights Watch termed a "seriously
marred" poll.
in Andijon brought severe criticism from the United
He extended his term further by a referendum
States and the European Union (EU). Under
in 1995. He was re-elected in January 2000,
pressure from the Karimov regime, the United
and again the international community raised
States vacated its air base at Karshi-Khanabad, and
serious concerns about the poll's fairness.
sanctions by the EU and the United States followed.
The OSCE refused to send observers after
deciding that there was no possibility of a fair
In the same period, a mutual defense treaty
contest. The situation was no better in
substantially enhanced relations between Russia
parliamentary elections in December 2004, in
and Uzbekistan. Tension with Kyrgyzstan increased
which Mr Karimov banned opposition parties
in 2006 when Uzbekistan demanded extradition of
from taking part.
hundreds of refugees who had fled from Andijon
Mr Karimov has been keen to track down
those he views as Muslim extremists, intent on
into Kyrgyzstan after the riots. A series of border
taking over the country. Whatever the real
incidents also inflamed tensions with neighboring
extent of the Islamic threat, Mr Karimov has
Tajikistan. In 2006 Karimov continued arbitrary
used it to crack down on any form of
dismissals and shifts of subordinates in the
opposition. It is estimated that thousands of
government, including one deputy prime minister.
ordinary Muslims are in jail, accused of
plotting against the government. The state also
maintains tight control of the media, and
criticism of the president and his policies is
not allowed. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asiapacific/4554997.stm)

Timeline of Major Events in Uzbekistans History


_______
Text taken directly from BBC News. Timeline: Uzbekistan. Available at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1295881.stm
1st cc BC - Central Asia forms an important part of the Silk Road.
7th-8th cc - Arabs conquer the area and convert its inhabitants to Islam.
9th-10th cc - As Persian Samanid dynasty declines, Turkic people compete to fill the vacuum.
14th century - Mongol-Turkic ruler Tamerlane establishes empire with Samarkand as its capital.
18th-19th centuries Rise of independent khanates of Bukhara, Kokand and Samarkand.
1865-76 - Russian conquest of Central Asia.
1921-24 - Creation of Uzbekistan and its neighbors in Soviet Central Asia
1950s-80s - Cotton production boosted by major irrigation projects which, however, contribute
to the drying up of the Aral Sea.
1991 - Uzbekistan declares independence and joins the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Former First Secretary Karimov elected as president.
1996 - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan agree to create a single economic market.
2001 - Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan launch Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
2001 October - Uzbekistan allows US to use its air bases for action in Afghanistan.
2005 Events in Andijon centered in the citys prison. Eyewitnesses report deaths of hundreds of
protesters. Government puts overall toll at 190.
2005 August - Upper house of parliament evicts US forces from air base at Khanabad used for
the campaign in Afghanistan.
2007 December - Islam Karimov gains another term following presidential elections condemned
as a sham by opponents and impartial observers.
2008 March - Uzbekistan allows US limited use of its southern Termez air base for operations in
Afghanistan, partially reversing its decision to expel US forces from the Khanabad base in 2005.
2009 August - Uzbekistan criticises Russian plans to set up a base in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan,
saying it could destabilise the region.
10

Uzbekistans Culture
Uzbek Cuisine
Text taken from http://www.orexca.com/cuisine.shtml
One particularly distinctive and well-developed
aspect of Uzbek culture is its cuisine. Uzbek
dishes are not hot and fiery, though certainly
flavorful. Some of their principle spices are black
cumin, red and black peppers, barberries,
coriander, and sesame seeds. The more common
herbs are cilantro (fresh coriander), dill, parsley,
celeriac, and basil. Other seasonings include wine
vinegar, liberally applied to salads and marinades,
and fermented milk products. The wide array of
breads, leavened and unleavened, is a staple for
the majority of the population. Flat bread, or
"non", "lepyoshka" is usually baked in tandoor
ovens and served with tea at every meal.

Uzbek plov

Central Asia has a reputation for the richness and delicacy of its fermented dairy products. The
most predominant are katyk, or yogurt made from sour milk, and suzma, strained clotted milk
which are eaten plain, in salads, or added to soups and main dishes.
Plov or Osh, the Uzbek version of "pilaff" ("pilav"), is the flagship of Uzbek cookery. It consists
mainly of fried and boiled meat, onions, carrots and rice; with raisins, barberries, chickpeas, or
fruit added for variation. Uzbek men pride themselves on their ability to prepare the most unique
and sumptuous plov. The oshpaz, or master chef, often cooks plov over an open flame,
sometimes serving up to 1000 people from a Single cauldron on holidays or occasions such as
weddings. It certainly takes years of practice with no room for failure to prepare a dish, at times,
containing up to 100 kilograms of rice.
Tea is revered in the finest of oriental traditions. It is offered first to any guest and there exists a
whole subset of mores surrounding the preparation, offering
and consumption of tea. Green tea is the drink of hospitality
and predominates. Black tea is preferred in Tashkent,
though both teas are seldom taken with milk or sugar. An
entire portion of their food culture is dedicated solely to tea
drinking. Some of these include samsa, bread, halva, and
various fried foods.

Tandoor kebab Mutton prepared in


tandoor oven

The "chaykhana" (teahouse) is a cornerstone of traditional


Uzbek society. Always shaded, preferably situated near a
cool stream, it is a gathering place for social interaction and
fraternity. Robed Uzbek men congregate around low tables
centered on beds adorned with ancient carpets, enjoying
delicious plov, kebab and endless cups of green tea.
11

Uzbek Music
Text taken from
http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page
.basic/country/content.country/uzbekistan_624
Uzbekistan, with a population of some 27 million
people, is Central Asia's most populous and most
musically diverse country. Classical art song
(maqm) flourished in the great Silk Road cities of
Bukhara and Samarkand. Not far away from Bukhara
and Samarkand, in the hilly steppe lands that range
Uzbeks playin karnay in a wedding
south toward the border of Afghanistan, bardic
ceremony
singers practice an ancient art of epic recitation and
extemporized oral poetry. Women's music and dance traditions are highly developed in the
towns and rural settlements of the Ferghana Valley, in eastern Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, in the capital city of Tashkent, young musicians search for innovative ways to
express Uzbekistan's musical heritage in contemporary musical languages. In recent years,
singers such as Yulduz Usmanova and Sevara Nazarkhan have brought Uzbek music to global
audiences by fusing traditional melodies and vocal timbres with pop rhythms and
instrumentation. Contemporary composers such as Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky and Artem Kim
have created their own musical fusions by using the sounds and colors of traditional Uzbek
instruments as elements of chamber music compositions.
The rich variety of Uzbek musical instruments reflects the diversity of
musical styles performed on them. Small ensembles of mixed
instruments are at the heart of the classical maqm tradition.
Characteristic instruments in such ensembles include long-necked
fretted lutes (tanbur, dutar, tar, rubab, sato), spike fiddle (ghijak),
side-blown flute (nay), struck zither (chang), frame drum (dayra) and
a small clarinetlike instrument made from reed (qoshnay). Another
typical ensemble consists of long trumpets (karnai), loud oboes
(surnai) and, sometimes, kettledrums (naghora), which are an
obligatory presence at festive and ceremonial occasions. In rural
regions, epic singers accompany themselves on a short fretless lute
(dombra), while amateur musicians may play the Jew's harp (changkobuz) or a simple variety of spike fiddle (kiak).

Dutor a traditional
instrument used in
Iran and Central
Asia

The most salient characteristic of social life in Uzbekistan is the


penchant for festivity and celebration. Music has traditionally
occupied a central role in festive and ceremonial events, generically
called toi (celebration). Before Russia colonized Central Asia and
began to introduce European customs, Islamic tradition
overwhelmingly dictated both the type of occasion appropriate for a
toi. Men and women traditionally celebrated separately, and each
group's festivities were served by musicians of their own gender.

12

Literature:
Text taken from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/621057/Uzbekliterature
Uzbek literatures classical period lasted from the 9th to the
second half of the 19th century. During that period numerous
literary works were produced, often under the patronage of
Turkic emperors, kings, sultans, and emirs. Although its
roots stretch as far back as the 9th century, modern Uzbek
literature traces its origins in large part to Chagatai literature,
a body of works written in the Turkic literary language of
Chagatai. The earliest works of Chagatai literature date from
the 14th century but remain easily accessible to readers of
the modern Uzbek language.The tsarist colonial period in the
Uzbek khanates marked a dark, tragic era for indigenous
literature. From the beginning of the military invasion and
occupation Russians tried to make use of literature to further
their interests. Uzbek writers such as Muqm, Furqat, Zavqi,
Dilshad, Anbar Atin, and Nazimakhanum were forced to
praise Russian culture and society in their works.
In the first decades of the 20th century the Jadid reform
movement, gained influence in Uzbekistan and throughout
Central Asia. Jadidists were among those writers who at the
turn of the 20th century helped to introduce plays, novels,
and short stories to the Uzbek people. After the Soviets
crushed the revolts of the Uzbek people and took full control
of Turkistan, they increasingly suppressed native literature,
culture, and education. In spite of these difficulties, Uzbek
literature was able to maintain its spirit. The Soviet Unions
collapse and Uzbekistans independence transformed the
Uzbek literary landscape. The literature written but banned
by the Soviets became available. Most of the best work
published in the postindependence period was in prose.
Toghay Murads lyrical novel Otamdam qolgan dalalar
(1994; Fields Which Remained from My Father) describes
the 19th-century Russian invasion of Central Asia. Tohir
Maliks novel Shaytanat (199296; Devilry) was read by
Uzbeks with great interest, because many saw their local
political leaders (so-called new Uzbeks), whom they
thought to be behaving like criminals, as the heroes of this
novel.

Al Shr Nav: (born1441, Hert,


Timurid Afghanistandied Jan. 3,
1501, Hert), Turkish/Turkic poet
and scholar who was the greatest
representative of Chagatai
literature. After his school
companion, the sultan usayn
Bayqarah, succeeded to the throne,
Nav held a number of offices at
court. He was also a member of the
Naqshband dervish order, and
under his master, the renowned
Persian poet Jm, he read and
studied the works of the great
mystics. As a philanthropist, he
was responsible for much
construction in the city. His other
interests included miniature
painting, music, architecture, and
calligraphy. Nav devoted the
latter part of his life to poetry and
scholarship, writing first in Persian
and then in Chagatai, an eastern
Turkic dialect. He left four great
divans, or collections of poems,
belonging to different phases of his
life. He wrote five masnawis (series
of rhymed couplets), collected in his
Khamseh, that are based on
conventional themes in Islamic
literature. One of Navs most
important prose works is Majlis-i
nefas (1491; The Exquisite
Assemblies), literary dictionary
that contains autobiographical
information about the lives of
Turkish poets. He also wrote a
treatise on Turkish prosody.
(http://www.britannica.com/EBchec
ked/topic/406788/Ali-Shir-Navai)

13

Folklore: Navoi and the Builder


_______
From: http://www.orexca.com/legends_navoi.shtml
Once there was a young man who earned his living as a builder. He was a very kind young man,
and each day on his way to work he would settle arguments between people in the street, and if
someone had some kind of difficulty he would always help them. Alisher Navoi, the great
distinguished poet, seeing that the young man had such a character, would always try to greet
him first, which is a sign of great respect and honor in this land. The young man was surprised
that Navoi had such a kind attitude toward him.
One day the builder thought, "I always help people to
settle their arguments, and I always help them pull their
wagons out of the mud, but I've never prayed five times
each day, and I have never kept the fast, why is it that
such a fine citizen as Alisher Navoi always shows me so
much respect? There is no reason for it by the way I
spend my life." Then, in order to be worthy of so great an
honor, he said to himself, "I have no family, why do I
need the world?" So he raised his hands to God, and
became a believer. Every day, he would sit in the mosque
and pray, never speaking to anyone as they passed.
One day, as the young builder was holding the prayer
beads, Navoi was passing by the mosque with a young
follower, and the builder thought, "Oh, Navoi can see the
future. He knew that one day I would become a religious
man". And, thinking of this, he stood up, bowed, and
greeted Navoi, but Navoi didn't look at him, and, indeed
seemed not even to notice him. The young man excused
Uzbeks men in traditional costumes,
this. He thought, perhaps, it was because the poet was
Khiva, Uzbekistan
talking to his young companion, that he paid no attention.
After several days, Navoi passed by the mosque again.
The young man again stood up and greeted him with a low bow, but again the poet paid no
attention. After several days, Navoi passed by the mosque again. The young man again stood up
and greeted him with a low bow, but again the poet paid no attention.
The young man was surprised and asked, "Oh, my Lord, you always greeted me before, when I
was not praying - when I was always among the people. But now when I am praying from
morning to night, and I greet you, you simply ignore me. What is the reason?"
"Oh, my son," said Navoi, "when you were among the people, you helped them, but now from
morning to night you are only living from the alms of the people. This is the reason I pay no
attention to you." His words went to the heart of the young builder, who again took up his former
life.

14

Select Bibliography of Sources on Uzbekistan


Akbarzadeh, Shahram. Uzbekistan and the United States: Authoritarianism, Islamism and
Washingtons security agenda. London; New York: Zed Books, 2005.
Bohr, Annette. Uzbekistan: Politics and foreign policy. London: Royal Institute of International
Affairs, Russia and Eurasia Programme; Washington DC: Brookings Institution, 1998
Golden, Peter B.. Central Asia in world history. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Golombek, Lisa and Maria Subtelny. Timurid art and culture: Iran and Central Asia in the
fifteenth century. Leiden; New York: E.J. Brill, 1992.
Hiro, Dilip. Inside Central Asia: A political and cultural history of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,
Kazakhstan, Kygyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Iran. New York: Overlook Duckworth, 2009.
Knobloch, Edgar. Monuments of Central Asia: A guide to the archeology, art and architecture of
Turkestan. London; New York: I.B. Tauris.
Kalter, Johannes and Margarita Pavaloi(eds.). Uzbekistan: Heirs to the Silk Road. London; New
York: Thames and Hudson, 1997.
Kamp, Marianne. The new women in Uzbekistan: Islam, modernity, and unveiling under
communism. Seattle: University of Washington Press, c2006.
Levin, Theodore. The hundred thousand fools of God: Musical travels in Central Asia (and
Queens, New York). Bloomington: Indiana University press, c1996.
Melvin, Neil J.. Uzbekistan: Transition to authoritarianism on the Silk Road. Amsterdam:
Harwood Academic, c2000
Saray, Mehmet. The Russian, British, Chinese and Ottoman rivalry in Turkestan: Four studies on
the history of Central Asia. Ankara: Turkish Historical Society Printing house, 2003.
Sengupta, Anita. The formation of the Uzbek nation-state: A study in transition. Lanham:
Lexington Books, c2003.
Szajkowski, Bogdan. The rebirth of Uzbekistan: Politics, economy and society in the post-Soviet
era. Reading, UK: Ithaca Press, c2002.
Rasanagayam, Johan. Islam in post-Soviet Uzbekistan: The morality of experience. Cambridge;
New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Visson, Lynn. The art of Uzbek cooking. New York: Hippocore Books, c1999.

15

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