The Orteke Tradition: An Examination of the Relationship Between Music and Puppetry in Central Asia
Abstract
This study aims to examine Orteke, the ancient puppet tradition of Central Asia, in its cultural, musical, and symbolic dimensions. In Kazakh folk culture, Orteke represents a unique form of performance that unites music, dance, and puppetry. The research focuses on the animistic origins, rhythmic–musical structure, and cultural representation of Orteke within collective memory. Recognized by UNESCO on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, this tradition is regarded not merely as a stage performance but as a multilayered cultural practice reflecting the relationship between nature and humanity, ritual aesthetics, and the creative expressive power of the people. The literature review concentrates on dombra performance, the synchronization of puppet movements, and the symbolic meaning of the goat figure. The findings indicate that Orteke constitutes a significant model for both traditional and contemporary contexts in terms of cultural sustainability and digital archiving.
Keywords: Orteke, puppetry, Kazakh musical culture, intangible cultural heritage, rhythm, dombra
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56620/RM.2025.4.046-055
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