The Culture of Preparation and sharing of Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka and Yufka bread

Included in 2011 in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

The culture of making and sharing bread in the communities of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey has social functions that have allowed it to continue as a widely practiced tradition. Making bread (lavash, katyrma, jupka, or yufka) involves at least three people, often family members, each with a role in its preparation and baking. In rural areas, neighbors participate in the process together. Traditional bakeries also produce bread. Preparation requires a tandyr / tanūr (an earth or stone oven in the ground), sāj (a metal plate) or kazan (a cauldron). In addition to regular meals, Lavash bread is shared at weddings, births, funerals, various holidays, and during prayers. In Azerbaijan and Iran, it is placed on the bride's shoulders or crumbled over her head to wish the couple prosperity while in Turkey it is given to the couple's neighbors. At funerals in Kazakhstan it is believed that bread should be prepared to protect the deceased in the belief that bread offers a better life after death for the deceased. The practice is transmitted by participating within families and from the teacher to the student, expresses hospitality, solidarity and certain beliefs that symbolize the common cultural roots that strengthen belonging to the community