Abstract
In this chapter, the song heritage of SaryArka (Arka) is examined as a strategic resource for sustainable cultural development and contemporary cultural tourism. The study is grounded in an interdisciplinary synthesis of ethnomusicology, cultural geography, the soundscape approach, and the theory of intangible cultural heritage. SaryArka, within the borders of the modern Akmola region, is interpreted as a cohesive musical landscape in which the natural morphology of the steppe, the acoustic environment, and the oral-professional song tradition form an interconnected artistic and cultural system. Particular attention is devoted to the classical legacy of the Arka sal and seri of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries – Birzhan sal, Aqan seri, and Ukili Ybyray – as bearers of an artistic model that unites sound, space, and the collective memory of the steppe civilization. The research identifies correlations between the region's landscape characteristics, vocal-performative practices, and the symbolic–semiotic structure of the song text.