Songs from Kansu

Akyns song cycle is a form of poetry and folk entertainment in the Kazak culture that is a song-like recitative improvisation with the accompaniment of a dombra, a kind of folk string musical instrument of the Kazak ethnic group.

Jiahenur, a prestigious Akyn singer in his region, is our guide on a musical journey through the life of the Kazaks in the Chinese city of Kansu, his hometown. All voiceover in the documentary was improvised by Jiahenur and the dombra solos are played by Alaxi, his son.