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Orteke

Front and side view of a Kazakh dombra
A Kazakh dombra, which is used to perform orteke

Orteke (Kazakh: ортеке) is a form of traditional performance in Kazakhstan that incorporates puppetry, music, and dance.[1][2]

Possibly dating back thousands of years, the technique originated in southwestern Kazakhstan and spread among other Central Asian nomadic communities in places like Uzbekistan.[2][3][4] The name "orteke" combines or (ditch, hole, trap) and teke (goat).[2][3]

In orteke, a musician playing a two-stringed dombra has a wooden puppet attached to their fingers by sticks and strings.[1][2][3] The puppet, usually shaped like a horned mountain goat, is attached to the top of a drum, often a dauylpaz.[1][2][3] As the musician plays, the puppet moves to the rhythm, creating a drumbeat.[1][2][3] Experienced orteke performers can incorporate several puppets at once using both hands and feet.[1][2][3] They can also incorporate wind instruments, such as a sazsyrnay or shankobyz.[3]

Orteke players traditionally learn their craft through apprenticeships, although local academics have begun to study it as well.[1] After a period of obscurity and near-extinction, efforts to promote Kazakh national identity have revived interest in the art form.[2][5]

In 2022, orteke was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[1][6]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Orteke, traditional performing art in Kazakhstan: dance, puppet and music". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Raitarovskaya, Natalia (2012). "Kazakhstan". World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Antonova, Irina (2015). "The Heritage of the Steppe and Modern Art Forms in Kazakhstani Puppetry". Artos (2).
  4. ^ Liu, Siyuan (2016-02-05). Routledge Handbook of Asian Theatre. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-27885-6.
  5. ^ Barker, Meghanne (2024-08-15). Throw Your Voice: Suspended Animations in Kazakhstani Childhoods. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-1-5017-7648-9.
  6. ^ Akhmetkali, Aibarshyn (2023-01-08). "Orteke Kazakh Art: Strings That Tie Music and Puppetry Together (Video)". The Astana Times. Retrieved 2025-08-11.