THE EXHIBITION «THE HISTORY OF ONE EXHIBIT. THE INSTITUTE OF BATYRS AND SAMURAI AS A CULTURAL PHENOMENON»

On June 17, 2021, the Museum of the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy hosted the opening of the exhibition "The history of one exhibit. The Institute of Batyrs and Samurai as a cultural phenomenon".

The exhibition is prepared from the thematic group of the collection of weapons and military equipment of the museum collection of the Library of Elbasy and is held within the framework of the project "Cultural Code of Independence".

The history of each nation includes military culture formed over many centuries. The geographical and climatic location of a people, its customs, traditions and system of values make this social phenomenon distinctive. As a result, there is a huge variety of national types of weapons and personal protective equipment.

In the Middle Ages, in the Kazakh steppe, in the era of the wars with the Dzungars, the Institute of Batyrs was formed, according to the figurative definition of Ch. Valikhanov – "steppe chivalry", the origins of which go back to the time of the steppe nomadic empires. The batyrs became the stronghold of the Eurasian core of statehood of many modern peoples of Europe and Asia, the bearers of the traditional culture of the great nomadic civilization.

On the Japanese islands, at the same time, a unique culture of samurai flourished, the origin of which also dates back to ancient times.

The presented military equipment reflects the synchronicity of the time of their existence on different continents and in different ethnic environments – the more interesting it is to note their similarities and differences.

The exhibition consists of two parts, which introduce not only the military equipment of batyrs and samurai, but also the history, traditions, customs, as well as objects of national culture and everyday life of Kazakhstan and Japan.

The first part of the exhibition "The history of one exhibit. Samurai military equipment", which is in the lobby of the Silver Hall, introduces us to the culture of samurai and immerses us in the wonderful world of Japanese art and traditions.

The central place of the second part of the exhibition "The history of one exhibit. Military equipment of a batyr" is a reconstruction of a Kazakh batyr, the exhibition is located in the Security Council Hall.

In addition, the hall exhibits a set of military weapons, commonly known as "Bes karu" (five types of military weapons), defensive weapons of the batyr, as well as exhibits that reflect the history and achievements of the nomadic culture that gave rise to the phenomenon of batyrism.

The exhibition, dedicated to the images of professional warriors of the Middle Ages - batyrs and samurai, shows that they, as military classes, are closely intertwined and inextricably linked to the culture of their people. They ensured the protection of their territories, sacrificed lives and left an indelible mark on the minds of the people, in its historical and spiritual code.

The exhibition "The history of one exhibit. The Institute of Batyrs and Samurai as a Cultural Phenomenon", presented in the Museum of the Library Elbasy at 11 Beibitshilik Street, will last until August 1 this year.

The materials of the exhibition can also be found on the website of the Library of Elbasy: https://presidentlibrary.kz/ru in the sections "Exhibitions", "Projects".