Kazakhstan Bookbinding Tradition (Book)

The Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Steppe: The Kazakh Eagle Hunting Tradition is a publication by Dr. Nedim Mutlu Kızılbuga. The work is based on field research and investigations conducted by the author in Kazakhstan for his doctoral thesis. Published by Bengü Yayınları as part of its Kazakhstan Book Series, the book spans 198 pages and includes ethnographic images captured during fieldwork.

Structure

The book consists of three main sections: “The Eagle in Turkish Culture,” “The Kazakh Eagle Hunting Tradition,” and “Transmission of the Eagle Hunting Tradition.” Additionally, the book concludes with sections titled “Conclusion,” “Sources,” “List of Informants,” and “Photo Album.”

The author conducted interviews with 31 key informants who sustain the eagle hunting tradition and recorded details such as their full names, dates of birth, places of birth, current residences, locations of data collection, and the timing of interviews.

Content

The book explains the significance of the eagle in Turkish culture and provides detailed information about the eagle hunting tradition in Kazakhstan. Eagle hunting is presented not as human domination over birds but as a process of mutual adaptation and learning. The study examines which elements are crucial to the transmission of this tradition. Details such as the tradition’s role in shaping modern Kazakh identity and its continued vitality through local festivals and master practitioners help ground the subject in concrete examples for the reader. Furthermore, the research draws attention not only to the eagle hunting tradition in Kazakhstan but also to its millennium-long continuity across the Turkestan region and its cultural interactions with neighboring communities.