Welcome to HMKV's blog.

This blog currently documents a research trip to twelve former Soviet Republics for a new regional project of the Goethe-Institut (2015-17). Earlier entries document the "Afro-Tech and the Future of (Re-)Invention" research trip to Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria (10-25 April 2014, Anne Bergner and Inke Arns), and the INDUSTRIAL on Tour trip to five industrial cities in Poland (27 Sep - 9 Oct 2011, Thibaut de Ruyter, Inke Arns et al.)



Almaty: Kobyz / Kobys

EN Kazakhstan postage stamp depicting a kobyz, 2003. The Kobyz (Kazakh: қобыз) or kyl-kobyz is an ancient Kazakh string instrument. It has two strings made of horsehair. The resonating cavity is usually covered with goat leather. Traditionally kobyzes were sacred instruments, owned by shamans and bakses (traditional spiritual medics). According to legends, the kobyz and its music could banish evil spirits, sicknesses and death. (Source: Wikipedia)

DE Briefmarke mit einer Kobys, Kasachstan 2003. Kobys, auch qobyz, kasachisch қобыз, ist eine mit dem Bogen gestrichene Schalenhalslaute in der Volksmusik von Kasachstan, Usbekistan und Turkmenistan, die auch qyl qobyz („Pferdehaar-Kobys“) zur Abgrenzung von der gleichnamigen Maultrommel kobys genannt wird. Dem zweisaitigen Streichinstrument werden magische Fähigkeiten zugesprochen. (Quelle: Wikipedia)