Ak-kalpak
Ak-kalpak is a white felt hat that is traditionally worn by Kyrgyz men. Description. Ak-kalpak takes its name from the Kyrgyz "ak" (white) and the Turkish word "kalpak" (designating any form of hat and passed into Russian as the kolpak in the fifteenth century), the ak-kalpak is an elongated cap formed of four pieces of white wool felt sewn together. It is worn rolled up, so as to form a small rim. Ak-kalpak are usually adorned with black embroidery and a matching lapel; the plain white version is reserved for certain ceremonies. There are  more than 80 variants. Cultural and political aspects. Reputed to evoke the snow-capped peaks of Kyrgyzstan, it is decorated with embroidery with abstract patterns that also have symbolic meanings. Its four sides would represent the four elements (water, earth, air, fire). The edges would bring back to life, the tassels which surmount it in memory of the ancestors and the embroidered motifs would evoke a family tree. The ak-kalpak distinguishes the Kyrgyz from other local ethnic groups, but is presented as promoting inclusion "when representatives of other ethnic groups wear it to express their union": it now symbolizes  the unity of the homeland. Since 2011, the headgear has been considered a de facto national symbol. Nationally, workshops to perpetuate manufacturing traditions and exhibitions are organized from 2013. Unlike other traditional Kyrgyz clothing, in 2018 it is still regularly worn by men of all ages, in the city and in the mountains. Since 2017 in Kyrgyzstan, 5 March has been celebrated as the "national Ak-kalpak day". In December 2017 in Bishkek, a dog show in which a dog wearing an ak-kalpak parades caused a national scandal. Several elected officials, including the ruling Social Democratic Party, castigate what  they consider an insult to the motherland: in a country subject to ethnic tensions since the fall of communism in 1991, sensitivity is great on questions of national identity and traditions. Proposals drafted in response during the first quarter of 2018 aim to make the wearing of the ak-kalpak compulsory for the President of the Republic, ministers and certain other dignitaries during official ceremonies and international meetings6,3, to introduce a fine for "disrespecting ak-kalpak", prohibiting its importation or formally conferring it the status of "cultural symbol". Note that President Sooronbay Jeenbekov repeatedly wore the traditional hat during the  election campaign, but had not done so since his election in October 2017. "Ak-kalpak craftsmanship, traditional knowledge and know-how related to the making and wearing of the Kyrgyz male hat" was inscribed in 2019 on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in December 2019.