Gulijanar, a student at Ili Senior Technical School in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang tells of her passion for learning Aken Aytes, a Kazakh folk art, from her father.
Aken Aytes, or Aken Songs, is a folk art form popular among the Kazakh ethnic group, in which the performer improvises a song while playing the dombra. The performer is also called an Aken, which means "poet" in Kazakh, as the lyrics are always beautiful, humorous or inspiring.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
