“Botai Today” #3
Since 2022, within the framework of the “Night of Museums” campaign, the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Botai” has been organizing the “Botai Pyragy” festival dedicated to International Museum Day (18 May).
The “Botai Pyragy” festival is aimed at popularizing the Botai settlement as a unique archaeological monument of the Eneolithic era, which contributed to the development of the world’s horse-based steppe civilization, as well as craft and worldview traditions. Large-scale festival events of this kind help attract the global scientific community to the historical and cultural heritage sites of Kazakhstan.
Over the past two years, several platforms have been operating in parallel on the territory of the “Botai” settlement. Guests and visitors to the museum who came to this site were able to enjoy theatrical performances such as horse domestication, grinding plant roots, cleaning horse hides, making stone discs, and preparing the traditional national drink – kumis. They also had the opportunity to create replicas of ancient artifacts with their own hands, ride horses, and enjoy the traditional swing “altybakan,” among other activities.
In addition, competitions in javelin throwing and archery were organized for museum guests, with winners receiving diplomas and commemorative gifts. The event concludes with a theatrical performance called “Calling of the Ancestors’ Spirit” and the lighting of the “Botai Fire.” Over the course of two years, more than 2,000 visitors have taken part in the event.
Today, 31 October 2023, staff of the “Botai” Museum-Reserve took part in a republican online lecture on the topic “Preservation and Promotion of National Historical and Cultural Heritage at the Republican Level,” organized by the “Monuments of Ancient Taraz” Museum-Reserve. The lecture was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the “Monuments of Ancient Taraz” Museum-Reserve.
Today, 31 October 2023, staff of the “Botai” Museum-Reserve took part in a republican online lecture on the topic “Preservation and Promotion of National Historical and Cultural Heritage at the Republican Level,” organized by the “Monuments of Ancient Taraz” Museum-Reserve. The lecture was dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the “Monuments of Ancient Taraz” Museum-Reserve.
Today, 23 October 2023, on the eve of the celebration of 25 October — Republic Day of Kazakhstan, and also for the purposes of educational and upbringing activities and the development of patriotism among the younger generation, the RSE “State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve ‘Botai’” of the Committee of Culture of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan held th
Today, 23 October 2023, on the eve of the celebration of 25 October — Republic Day of Kazakhstan, and also for the purposes of educational and upbringing activities and the development of patriotism among the younger generation, the RSE “State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve ‘Botai’” of the Committee of Culture of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan held the opening of a cultural and charitable initiative — the establishment of a Botai Culture Classroom on the theme: “From Generation to Generation” at the Municipal State Institution “Center for Support of Children in Difficult Life Situations of the Aiyrtau District.”
The purpose of opening the Botai Culture Classroom within the children’s support center is to promote the history, traditions, and culture of the people of Kazakhstan. This is due to the fact that Botai is a sacred place of origin of a unique equestrian culture that marked the beginning of the horse-steppe era during the Eneolithic period in the territory of modern Kazakhstan.
From an ideological point of view, the Botai Culture Classroom will serve as a form of educational and upbringing activity, complemented by the social adaptation of children to the surrounding reality. This initiative will make it possible to create a museum exhibition that encourages children’s creative and interactive activities. Therefore, the “Botai” Museum-Reserve will transfer artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations, as well as souvenirs with Botai symbols, to the state institution for child support for temporary storage.
