Making Beshbarmak: Games for Central Asian Cultural Heritage

TL;DR

This paper presents 'Making Beshbarmak,' an interactive digital game that educates players about Central Asian cultural heritage through traditional cooking, aiming to promote cultural appreciation and preserve nomadic traditions.

Contribution

It introduces an open-source, interactive game prototype that combines storytelling and cultural education to foster cultural identity and preservation among Central Asian communities.

Findings

Engages users in learning about Beshbarmak and Central Asian traditions

Provides an accessible digital platform for cultural preservation

Fosters cultural identity among diaspora communities

Abstract

This paper introduces "Making Beshbarmak", an interactive cooking game that celebrates the nomadic ancestry and cultural heritage of Central Asian communities worldwide. Designed to promote cultural appreciation and identity formation, the game invites players to learn and recreate the traditional dish Beshbarmak through an engaging step-by-step process, incorporating storytelling elements that explain the cultural significance of the meal. Our project contributes to digital cultural heritage and games research by offering an accessible, open-source prototype on p5.js, enabling users to connect with and explore Central Asian traditions. "Making Beshbarmak" serves as both an educational tool and a platform for cultural preservation, fostering a sense of belonging among Central Asian immigrant populations.