Since the cake is made from flour, it is said that the child will be lucky and blessed. Good wishes are made so that the child can roll around and walk quickly like the cakes. Sweets are sprinkled on the child so that his life will be as sweet as these sweets. At the end of the ceremony, gifts, greetings, cakes and sweets are distributed to the participating children. 182 This ceremony is also called “tushov kesdi” in some places. The intangible cultural heritage of each nation expresses the identity of this nation. Because intangible cultural heritage helps our youth understand the true essence of the eternal values. It is known from history that the Uzbeks are one of the peoples with the most ancient cultural traditions in the world. Such intangible cultural heritage, passed down from generation to generation, is always created by people in connection with their environment, nature and their own history, and forms a sense of heritage in them, thereby helping them to respect the creativity of humanity and our culture. The issues of improving interethnic tolerant relations through intangible cultural heritage are also extremely relevant today. FOLK GAMES: TRANSFORMATION PROCESSES AND THE CONTINUITY OF TRADITIONAL FEATURES Basic doctoral student of the Research Institute for Tourism Development Abstract. This article provides a scientific analysis of the history and transformation processes of traditional folk games of the Uzbek people, which constitute an important part of their rich historical and cultural heritage. In particular, it substantiates the significance of such ancient national games as kurash, chavgon, and kupkari, not only in physical development but also in fostering moral and spiritual qualities. The article also examines the representation of folk games in historical sources, their role in society, and measures aimed at their preservation and promotion in the modern era. Special attention is given to the importance of integrating national games into the lives of young people in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. Keywords: national, games, ethnosport, chavgon, wrestling, kupkari, physical education, folk heritage, healthy lifestyle, traditions and values, teamwork, active games, cultural heritage. Uzbekistan has a long and rich history and is at the crossroads of the Silk Road is the country where it is located. The population of our country has always attracted tourists from all over the world with its customs and traditions, its unique lifestyle and national gastronomy. Diaries and written sources written by tourists, geographers and historians who visited our country at different times are clear evidence of this. 182 Field notes. Navbahor neighborhood, Qarovulbazar district, Bukhara region. March 19, 2026 501 Our ancestors attached great importance to the mental development of children, as well as to their physical education. In particular, through national active games, positive qualities such as teamwork, patriotism, courage, and patience were formed in the younger generation. In particular, folk games such as wrestling, chavgon, and kopkari contributed greatly to the development of such qualities as confidence in victory, patience, the ability to correctly assess the opponent's strength, and teamwork not only in the minds of the participants but also in the minds of the spectators. Among the military physical exercises held during holidays and festivals in Central Asia, the game of chavgon (ball), played by riding a horse with a special stick in hand, was especially popular. In the game of chavgon, the opponents were divided into two groups according to the color of their horses. Each rider tried to score a ball into the opponent's goal with a long stick with a curved end in his hand. Chavgon is a game of great practical importance. It greatly helps to form such qualities as perseverance, the ability to quickly perceive the situation, confidence in victory, and teamwork. The game of Chavgon was so popular and famous that not only ordinary horsemen and servants, but also military leaders and kings actively participated in this game. “The winners were given a silk tanguk as a prize.” Poets such as Alisher Navoi wrote beautiful verses and elegant ghazals about it183. In particular, Mahmud Kashgari mentioned several terms related to the game in his work. The silk tanguk given to the person who passed the ball through the drawn hole was called “tanguk,” and the line marking the boundary was called “tasal,” while the ball, which was considered the most important element of the game, was called “tabiq.”
Our people have long combined mental labor with physical activity. Our ancestors understood that physical education is an important factor for human health and spiritual development. Therefore, they organized special competitions at various holidays, weddings, and mass events. According to ancient traditions, competitions held during the Navruz holiday and other mass gatherings encouraged young people to be agile, courageous, and resilient. In particular, folk games such as köpkari and kurash educated participants not only physically but also spiritually. These games formed important qualities such as patience, perseverance, and willpower. This is also reflected in historical sources. Ancient authors noted that our ancestors had high physical fitness. According to the ancient Roman sage Elian, game competitions were widespread among the Scythian tribes, and they even served as an important factor in building a family. 42. According to the information left by the Greek historian Pompey Trog, it is noted that the ancient tribes that lived in our country were skilled fighters who knew how to fight well, that is, people with military potential. Also, historical sources emphasize that not only men, but also women were engaged in physical education in our country. This indicates that society pays great attention to physical education. Today, as a result of technical progress, people's physical activity is decreasing. Vehicles and digital technologies restrict movement and cause various health problems. In this regard, the development of national sports and folk games is of great importance. 42 A.Nosirov, P.Usmonov, T.Usmonkhodzhaev. Uzbek martial arts "Yangi asr avlod" 2011. Page 5 43 A.Nosirov, P.Usmonov, T.Usmonkhodzhaev. Uzbek martial arts "Yangi asr avlod" 2011. Page 5 830 The legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan also recognizes national sports and folk games as an integral part of cultural heritage. This indicates the existence of a state policy aimed at their preservation and development. In particular, the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Physical Education and Sports” also specifically addresses the national sports and folk games of Uzbekistan, stating that national sports and folk games are an integral part of cultural heritage and the foundation for improving the country’s reputation in the international arena44. In today’s rapidly developing world, it is not difficult to feel that physical activity is becoming less common than ever before. High-speed trains, remote-controlled devices, and smartphones that shorten distances are significantly limiting people’s physical activity and making them more sedentary. This, in turn, reduces the amount of daily physical activity that a person needs to perform, leading to various social and health problems. In order to find a solution to this global problem and remind humanity that physical activity is as important as water and air, a number of works are being carried out by the world community and leading experts in our country. In particular, the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Physical Education and Sports” specifically addresses the national sports and folk games of Uzbekistan, stating that national sports and folk games are an integral part of the cultural heritage and the foundation for striving to raise the country's prestige in the international arena45. In 1991, the 1st Festival of National Games was held in the Forish district of Jizzakh region, where ancient sports were demonstrated. In particular, competitions were held in such types of wrestling as "Olomon Payga", "Kokpar", "Kiz Kuvmoq" and the unforgettable "Taqiya Tushirar" or "Qarab Tep". Festival participants and guests from Russia, Turkey, and the USA witnessed interesting games. These games 44 Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Physical Education and Sports". https://lex.uz/en/docs/-2742233 45 Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Physical Education and Sports". https://lex.uz/en/docs/-2742233 831 The game in which athletes with opposing partners competed to knock off the taqiya on their heads with their toes or hands aroused great interest among the guests46. Chavgon occupies a special place among our national games. Since the peoples of Central Asia have long lived on the basis of good neighborliness and friendly relations, we can see many similarities in their folk games and competitions. In particular, the game "chavgon" is considered one of the ancient games, and the game originated in the ancient East as a game for herders. Thinkers such as Mahmud Kashgari, Yusuf Khos Hajib, Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur wrote about this game. information is found in the saras. Later, this game was developed in European countries under the name "polo". Mahmud Kashgari in his work "Divoni Lug'atit-Turk" touched upon terms related to the game such as "tanguq", "tasal", "tabiq". In this case, the silk garment given to the one who passed the ball through the drawn hoop is "tanguq", the designated boundary line is "tasal", and "tabiq" is used for the chavgon ball47. Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur also provided information about the chavgon game in his work "Boburnoma". It is noteworthy that the chavgon game was played by the Temurid queens in the work48. This also indicates the attention paid to the physical fitness of women in the history of the Temurids. Pirimkul Kadirov's historical novel "Humayun and Akbar" also begins with a scene depicting the preparation of the Timurid princesses for the chavgon game and the process of playing it49. This allows readers to have a more complete idea of this game. The game later spread widely in India during the Babur dynasty and became a team game in which women and men could participate. Later, the British became interested in this type of game and held sports competitions. In 1871, a chavgon (polo) competition was organized in Great Britain and was also included in the program of the 1936 Olympic Games. 46 A. Nosirov, P. Usmonov, T. Usmonkhodzhaev. Uzbek martial arts "Yangi asr avlod" 2011. Page 8 47 Mahmud Kashgari. Devoni-lughatit turk. T.: G.Gulom nashyoti. 2017 y. 48 Babur Z.M. Baburnoma. T.: Yangi asr avlod. 2024 y. 832 Games such as wrestling and kopkari also played an important role in the life of our people. This is confirmed by many historical and written monuments. In addition, examples of folk oral art such as "Alpomish", "Goroglu", "Rustam" also describe the processes of wrestlers' strength tests, horsemanship and marksmanship. The sport of wrestling made a great contribution to the physical and spiritual development of participants. It helps to form qualities such as patience, the ability to adequately assess the enemy's strength, and self-confidence. They served not only as sports, but also as a means of education. In particular, the game of kopkari developed teamwork, courage and strategic thinking. The sport of “kopkari” (goat) is also a unique sport that has been played by horsemen of our country for many years. Since ancient times, this sport was organized for special events: weddings, the birth of a child in the family, and the celebration of great juveniles. After the host of the wedding or ceremony announced to the people that he was giving kopkari, riders from far and near arrived on the appointed day. In this sport, the number of participants, that is, riders, was not limited, and all young men who had a heart and believed that they could “take away” the prey from the field could participate. The winner was given a special gift by the host of the wedding. Ultimately, the winner of this game, which was demanding both physical and mental strength, would be the one with the strongest strength. In a sense, this game can be compared to the game of life, “the strong win the game.” The participants who participated in the game and won were called by adding the phrase “chavandoz” (in the oasis areas, chapagon). Children's games also have educational value, and games such as “tortishmachok”, “aq terakmi, kok terak”, “besh tosh”, “chillak”, “sokqa”, “quvlashmachok” help develop mobility and quick thinking skills. In recent years, the concept of ethnosport has been developed on a scientific basis. Its goal is to preserve and popularize traditional sports. The theory of ethnosports was developed in 2011 by Russian scientist Alexei Kilasov, who is considered the founder of the World Ethnosport. The World Ethnosport Society was founded in 2012 in Montreal, Canada, by two organizations: the Canadian Ethnosport Society and the world's first "Russian Ethnosport and Traditional Games" Federation, founded in 2011. In 2019, at the invitation of the international non-governmental organization World Ethnosport Society, the Institute of Russian Heritage organized the publication of the journal. The journal is published in 2 languages: Russian and English. Important decisions have also been made in this direction in Uzbekistan. In particular, the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 25, 2022 “On measures to popularize and develop ethnosports” No. PQ-259 sets out relevant tasks for the development of ethnosports in our country. According to it, special attention is paid to the promotion and popularization of national sports and folk games (ethnosports) in our country, the involvement of children and adolescents in them, and the promotion of our national games50. Today, it is important to demonstrate and promote our national folk games to the whole world. is one of the main factors attracting tourists to our country. Just as the Spanish corrido is one of the folk games that attracts world tourists, our folk games such as kurash and kopkari also have their own characteristics that can interest tourists. In conclusion, national sports games are a rich cultural heritage of our people. They play an important role in the physical and spiritual education of a person.
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