Turkmenistan, a country steeped in history and cultural richness, offers a fascinating lens through which one may explore national identity. During this brief talk, Gulshat Rozyyeva attempts to delve into the complex world of Turkmen national identity or Turkmenchilik through the lenses of Turkmen women’s attires. Through a multidisciplinary approach drawing from political science, history, and gender studies, she examines the symbolic significance of women’s clothing in reflecting Turkmen cultural heritage, social dynamics, nation-building strategies, and tribal affiliations. Through case studies and visual analysis, Gulshat illustrates how women’s clothes serve as a powerful medium utilised by the Turkmen government to express and reinforce Turkmen national identity as well as preserve cultural heritage from both Westernisation and Islamisation.

Gulshat Rozyyeva is a PhD Candidate at Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, the Australian National University. Her research interests lie within Central Asian region, primarily shedding light on an under-researched country of Turkmenistan. As Gulshat is originally from Turkmenistan, and has spent lengthy time in Kazakhstan, she brings unique perspective into studying the Central Asian region with training in Political Science and International Relations, and area specialisation in Central Asia. Gulshat’s academic works focus on migration and diaspora studies, and her Master Thesis on migration behaviours of Turkmens was published at the Kazakh National University named after Al-Farabi.