Along the Silk Road is a project which aims to connect Eastern cultures with the West, providing a sanctuary for weary travellers, and a platform for worthy causes. Its latest event, “The Spirit of Taklamakan“, presented a beautiful evening of Uyghur music and food, while serving those noble aims.
Ruigoord is a village to the north of Amsterdam, and which is part of the municipality’s rich history in punk venues. While in the 1960s, it had been planned to become an extension of the Port of Amsterdam, 1972 saw its vacant buildings occupied. The ‘free zone’ established a flourishing community of artists, which resisted eviction before being legalised in 2000.
The latest arrival to the proud, creative tradition fostered in Ruigoord is Along the Silk Road. The burgeoning event series takes place in the village’s former church, and aims to provide a “journey connecting East and West” through culture.
One of the organisers will be familiar to regular Indy Film Library readers. Xousha Eisenhardt is a filmmaker and artist, whose experimental short Laaggedij won Best Experimental Film at the 2024 IFL Awards. This might be a very different project – but according to her, storytelling is still at the heart of the experience.
“Our goal is to bring attention to often-overlooked musical and artistic traditions from across Central Asia and beyond, reaching as far as East Asia,” Eisenhardt explains. “Each edition is a multidimensional experience – we don’t just focus on music, but also incorporate traditional food, tea, incense, dance, storytelling, and mythology. Every event is centred around a different cultural minority.”
Each event sees the Ruigoord church transformed into a Chaikhana (a traditional tea house) along the historic the ancient trade route – from which the project takes its name – that connects China with Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The atmosphere of Along the Silk Road’s neo-Chaikhana aims to capture the essence of that ancient space – “a sanctuary where travellers can rest together, shake off the dust of their journey, drink tea and share stories”.
Taking place in May, the latest edition of Along the Silk Road highlighted the rich nomadic culture of the Uyghur people. Welcoming around 80 guests — a vibrant mix of Uyghur families, Ruigoord locals, and invited guests – the night of revelry also presented a crucial opportunity to humanise a community being exploited and ethnically cleansed by the government of China.
Eisenhardt continued,“Given the current oppression faced by the Uyghur community, we felt it was crucial to offer a platform for their cultural expression. Their music, stories, and traditions are at risk of disappearing, and this event was a way to honour and preserve those elements in a time of silence and erasure.”
The night of delicious food, haunting melodies and flowing dances did that and more – giving members of the Uyghur community in the Netherlands a welcoming space to remember their roots; other guests a chance to explore the beautiful and historic culture of a group they might only have heard of in passing previously; and presenting a united front of hope and resilience against the persecution the Uyghur people continue to face. By the end of the event, everyone in attendance had united in the festivities, and even the least coordinated of film journalists had become involved in the dancing.
After the success of the latest night out in Ruigoord, the church will once again transform into a Chaikhana on the 10th of July. The upcoming evening will focus on Japanese culture, and include live music featuring the flute and shō, a traditional tea ritual, and a Japanese food stand.
“The next event will take a slightly different path, focusing on Japanese culture through the ancient Kojiki myths,” Eisenhardt concludes. “These stories will be narrated by German Popov, who also curated the last edition. German has travelled extensively through Central Asia, researching ancient instruments and connecting with traditional musicians.”
More details about Along the Silk Road can be found via the project’s Instagram, or on the Ruigoord community website. Meanwhile, tickets to the Japonesque showcase are available via Weeztix.