Turkmenistan Cultural Tours - Minzifatravel.com

Turkmenistan is considered one of the most indigenous countries in Central Asia who to this day follow the year old tradition and culture. What started as an oasis settlement in the middle of Karakum Desert, later flourised as the country of Turkmenistan. Just like the neighboring Central Asian countries, the culture got evolved from time to time as new dynasties conquered and ruled the region. A Turkmenistan cultural tour will take you through the way of living of the local people which will make you wonder how complex and varied the world actually is.

Culture Of Turkmenistan

The Turkmenistan culture is slightly different and peculiar from the traditions and culture of the neighboring states. The primary reason being the ancestors of the Turkmen were nomads who followed a nomadic lifestyle, whereas the regions of modern Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were populated by tribes of farmers who practised cultivation. The Turkic-speaking tribe of Oghuz was the first who inhabited the region and laid the groundwork for the formation of culture and its development. After the Mongol conquest of the region, majority of the population was forced southward where they got scattered and were divided into clans where each clan had its own dialect and dressing style. They existed as distinct scattered groups throughout the region until Joseph Stalin forged them into one. Turkmen are predominantly Sunni Muslim, but like the nomad tribe, adhere to it rather loosely and the culture is a mix of pre-Islamic animist spirituality and modern Islamic beliefs. Turkmen still follow a rather nomadic life and even after the fall of the USSR, the attempts to urbanize the population have been futile.

The Turkmen traditional dress for men consists of red robes over white shirt and a high, shaggy hat made from sheepskin the resemble the afro hairstyle. For women, it is long sack-dresses worn over narrow trousers. Bracelets are made from semi precious stones, and headdresses from silver jewelery. To this day, strict dressing customs are followed, and especially women are required to cover up their body while in public. Yomut carpet is the signature handwoven rug made in Turkmenistan which is known for its unique design and color red.

Today, most of the citizens of the country are ethnically Turkmen (almsot 85%) with sizeable Uzbek and Russian minority. Other smaller minorities include Kazakhs, Tatars, Kurds, Ukranians, Armenians, Balochs, and Pashtuns. Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan, and although Russian is widely spoken in the country, it is not recognized as an official language.