Khiva’s cultural legacy: Puppetry, palaces and dance in Uzbekistan’s ancient Silk Road city

euronews (in English)

In this episode of Silk Road Adventures, we visit Khiva, Uzbekistan’s desert gem, where puppet makers, dancers and ancient palaces keep the spirit of the Silk Road alive.

Transcript

00:00The great desert city of Hiva in Uzbekistan is a special place.

00:24The Ichenkala, or walled city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

00:30But Hiva isn't just a museum. It's alive with rich cultural traditions, like puppetry.

00:43Step inside Hiva and you soon see its special connection to these quirky characters. The

00:50local theatre company regularly performs in the heart of the old city. Farahat is one

00:56of the talented puppeteers.

00:58Curious to know more, I asked her to show me some of the basics.

01:14Safahat, what are you going to show me?

01:20What do you reckon? Could you pull a few strings to get me some work?

01:36I have no idea.

01:42Eva's puppets are shaped, painted and brought to life by local artisans using traditional

01:47techniques.

01:48And what makes a good puppet maker?

01:55And what makes a good puppet maker?

02:01What makes a good puppet maker here?

02:02How do you belong?

02:03That is the best?

02:04In the beginning, I want to look back as a gift for every child.

02:07The spirit of the Grand The Grand The Grand was // I have no idea.

02:12Hiva's ancient walls hold many secrets. Bounded by desert, the city was a vital oasis for

02:26weary traders traveling the Great Silk Road.

02:31According to legend, the city was founded by Shem, the son of the Biblical prophet Noah.

03:01Throughout history, Hiva was also a great center of learning. It was the birthplace of the father

03:07of algebra, al-Kawarizmi. His Latinized name gave us the word algorithm.

03:14The Tosh Havli Palace is one of the city's many marvels. Built in the 1830s by the ruling

03:21Khan for his four wives and 40 concubines, it's a labyrinth of rooms and courtyards.

03:26Visitors can now peek inside the living quarters, including the Harim.

03:31dance is deeply rooted in the culture of Hiva and the wider region, and as the day draws to a close,

03:46dance is deeply rooted in the culture of heaver and the wider region and as the day draws to a

03:56close the city comes alive to a different beat it's called lasgi and let's just say the rhythm

04:02has a way of pulling you in

04:04what's the dance trying to express

04:19huzbekistan's other ancient silk road cities like samarkand and bukhara often steal the

04:46spotlight but heaver is a treasure waiting to be discovered

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