Lasting legacies of Uzbekistan

As all conversations suddently seemed to be leading to Uzbekistan, I felt it was time to take the road there – or rather the train. What I discovered was a country of interesting traditions and lasting legacies.

My tour with Great Rail Journeys took me through four cities on the ancient Silk road. I started my journey in Khiva, arriving on a cold, sunny day in November. My nose was pressed to the window as we passed through the different landscapes of double-land locked Uzbekistan on our way from Urgench Airport to Khiva. From acre after acre of huge orchards to the arid landscapes of semi-desert. As we passed through the gate into Ichan Qala, the medieval citadel in the heart of Khiva, I had my first glimpse of its majestic buildings I was itching to go exploring. But first it was breakfast and my first experience of the great hall of an ancient madrasah, the restaurant of my hotel the Orient Star.

Next, we had to check-in to our hotel. The Orient Star occupies the nineteenth century Mukhamed Aminkhan Madrassah just inside the walls of Ichan Qala. This building used to be the biggest madrassah in the city. A madrassah is an educational building and this one accommodated up to 250 students. The student rooms have now been converted in 60 small en-suite rooms. These rooms encircle a large courtyard. I could imagine the students gathering out there to study. As the original architecture has been retained it was an interesting experience. Once I had taken my luggage to my room, I was free to wander and was soon amongst the majestic buildings of the city admiring the elaborate facades clad with stunning ceramic tiles.

Ceramic tiles and hats in Khiva, Uzbekistan

Tile-making is a tradition that goes back thousands of years and the most enduring examples can be seen in Uzbekistan. In particular, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand in Uzbekistan. In each of these cities the minarets, domes and facades of their world-famous religious buildings are encrusted with vivid blue and green ceramics. Innovative designs were created by skilled ceramicists who were captured in Persia and brought here between the tenth and twelfth centuries. Competition thrived and glaze recipes, rarely written down, were kept secret until UNESCO-funded experts restoring the religious buildings at the beginning of the twenty-first century were able to unlock some of the mysteries. Today Uzbekistan boasts seven UNESCO sites and protects several of its cultural heritages.

On my first walk through Khiva, it was not long before I found a large display of hats – skull caps, furry hats, hats with ear flaps – a great selection. And I could not resist the temptation to try one, a lovely furry blue hat that increased my short stature by about six inches. I thought these hats were produced for tourists but looking around I realised there must be a tradition of hats as locals were wearing different versions of those on sale. The national headdress of Uzbekistan is the skullcap known as the doppa or tubeteika. It is worn by men, women and children but not by older women – they seem to favour headscarves. When worn for special occasions they are generally black with white embroidery but simpler versions are used for everyday wear. They can be square or conical and every region has its own version. These days they are not often seen in the larger cities but are worn for special occasions. For warmth the Uzbeks also favour the Chugurma usually made of sheepskin or wool but there are some cheeky furry versions as I found out and felt compelled to try one on.

Embroidery and puppets in Bukhara, Uzbekistan

A visit to an embroidery workshop was on the agenda during our stay in Bukhara. It was fascinating watching the girls working, transforming cushion covers and other items into works of art. Since time immemorial kashtachi craftswomen have won hearts using artistic embroidery. An important part of Uzbek culture it reflects the way of life here and a love for all things living. Traditionally coloured silk threads were used to sew elaborate patterns on to cotton material to make items for a girl’s dowry or home interiors. In more recent times it has become important in fashion and design. At the end of the eighteenth century schools of artistic embroidery began to appear and by the beginning of the nineteenth century they had been established in six cities including Bukhara. Today this exquisite art remains a part of the country’s culture. It was hard to resist the temptation to make a purchase here my souvenir of Uzbekistan – after all, I was in need of some new cushion covers, wasn’t I? I found some beautiful complementing designs on grey cotton material. After some polite bargaining the deal was done. The very persuasive sales person did point out, several times, the thread was polyester not silk but, as I had set my heart on those particular colours, I was not going to change my mind.

A Silk Embroidery Workshop in Bukhara, Uzbekistan

A puppet-maker’s workshop was also on the itinerary for Bukhara. It was a fascinating experience watching him fashioning the oil-painted papier mache heads on a stick. He then dressed them in beautiful, hand sewn traditional costumes. When he gave us a short demonstration the puppet really came to life. Puppet shows are also a long-standing tradition in Uzbekistan and go back as far as the first century AD when they were very popular. They were banned when Islam conquered the region but re-instated during the ninth century when Bukhara was designated the region’s capital. During the Soviet period puppet theatres were subsidised. By the beginning of the twentieth century all the puppeteers in Bukhara were living in the same neighbourhood and skills and improvised stories were handed down from fathers to sons. When funding ended puppet shows almost disappeared, not necessarily due to lack of support but possibly because they could be so subversive. Since then, the art has been revived and Uzbekistan boasts ten state-owned theatres. In Bukhara there are some performances in English.

Water-powered crafts and bread-making in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Just outside Silk Road city of Samarkand is a new tourist project, the Konigil tourist village. This re-created village replicates life in a typical Uzbek village. Situated on the backs of the ancient Siab Canal various installations demonstrate how water power was fundamental to the creation of some traditional products. We started our visit at a ceramics workshop. A water wheel on the canal was in use here powering a revolving drum that was working the clay. I left the group mulling over some possible purchases and continued along the path beside the canal. I stopped at a workshop where four wooden shafts were pounding the bark of the mulberry tree to a pulp. I discovered this by speaking to the people working in there. They went through the process, a medieval method to make the traditional Samarkand silk paper. The process starts by stripping the bark from the branches, cleaning it, soaking it and then crushing it to make the sheets of paper. This paper is then used to make original  gifts and souvenirs. I could have had a go myself but decided to move on and explore other areas of the village. The other installations I visited during a very pleasant wander along the canal included a functioning flour mill.

Our lunch stop that day was with a family living in the countryside outside the city of Samarkand. This was my second opportunity to sample the home-made bread fresh from the tandoor in which it is baked and I was already savouring the thought of it. The first was in a yurt while visiting one of the dilapidated forts that once protected the caravans as they made their way along the Silk Road. Bread has a special place in Uzbek culture with dozens of varieties and each province having its own flavours and designs. Some are round, some flower-shaped and some have designs stamped in the centre which may include the baker’s phone number. A staple food in Uzbekistan it is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Always torn by hand and shared with other people. The most popular variety is the flat bread cooked in a tandoor. During our lunch with an Uzbek family we watched as our hosts made the dough from simple ingredients, flour, yeast, salt and water. Flat, circles of dough were then slapped onto the interior wall of the tandoor and left to bake. It was served with plov, which can loosely be described as a meat stew. This popular dish comes in many varieties but commonly comprises fresh mutton or beef, yellow or red carrot, onions and vegetable oil and served with rice. Traditionally, Uzbek plov is prepared in a deep cast-iron pot (kazan), which is uniformly warmed and a dish is not burnt. Both tandoor bread and plov are protected by UNESCO.

My trip to Uzbekistan exceeded all expectations. The creativity and artistry of traditional crafts was fascinating and memorable – expescially that wonderful bread. The taste lingers on.