Traditions and Customs of Kazakhs

© 2014 Yerkebulan Dzhelbuldin       Dana Jeteyeva. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse   06/05/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-8068-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-8069-4 (e)

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Contents

The Yurta (kiyz ui)

The Wedding (Uylenu Toyi)

Baby birth and upbringing the child. (Bala tuu zhane tarbie)

Mysteries of Names (Esimder syry)

Family relations (Tuystyk karym-katynas)

Hospitality (Konakzhaylyk)

Greetings (Salemdesu)

Hunting (Anshylyk)

Calendar (Kuntizbe)

National Dishes (Ulttyk tagamdar)

Horse games (At oiyndary)

National games (halyk oiyndar)

Ritual—Social Song (Turmystyk dastur olendery)

Poetic contests (aytys)

The Dress (Kiyim)

Carpet making (kilem toku oneri)

The Art of Jewelry (Zergerlik koloneri)

Musical instruments (muzykalyk aspaptary)

Proverbs and sayings (Makal-matelder)

Superstitions and signs (Yrymdar)

Funeral rites (Mayitti zherleu zhane zhoneltu dasturi)

Blessing (Bata)

The Yurta

(kiyz ui)

The Yurta

Each habitant of Kazakhstan is well aware of what the yurta is. However, obviously, not all of us know the history of its appearance and customs and traditions related to it. The appearance of the yurta was the outcome of the nomadic way of life of the Kazakhs. They invented it in such nomadic conditions which is now became a real gain for the world civilization.

In most of the regions of Kazakhstan a yurta is called a kiyz ui, i.e. a woolen house, the appearance of which is referred to the midst of the 1st millennium AD and is connected to the ancient-Turkic environment. Yurtas were of different forms, sizes and constructions. During warm weather cattle-breeders lived in light transportable dwellings, during cold weather they mostly lived (excluding nomads) in constant warm dwellings—dug-outs and mud huts, which were called zherui, kara tam, shoshala. Kazakh’s summer dwellings were of two types: camel wool nomad tent, or yurta, or transportable house on wheels (kuime).

The most prevalent of all these dwellings was yurta, which reminded a rotunda by its form. The base and support of the yurta was the wall (kerege), above which rose a dome-form vault made up of radically put together poles (uyik) that were attached to kerege by one end and by other they rested against a wooden circle (shanyrak) making the top of the dome.

Kerege were made of separate intercrossing laths forming a grating, by which people could define the sizes of the yurta.

Usually it took 6-7 gratings for making an ordinary middle-sized yurta, 4-5 for compiling a yurta for poor people and from 9 to 12 for constructing a dwelling for rich cattle breeders.

Kereges were covered by decorative mats ornamented with patterns made of coloured wool and were tightened by woven stripes and ribbons. The frame of the yurta outside was covered by specially cut felt tuyirlyk (wall cover of the yurta), uzik (cover of the vault) and tundik (upper flap of the yurta), with the help of the last the day light was regulated, and which also served as a flue. Felt covers were pulled together with woven lassos and woven stripes.

The doorway of the yurta was on the southeastern side in the form of rectangle 1.5-2 meters height and 0.8 meters wide. In this aperture there were wooden doors covered with the felt curtain outside.

The inner furnishing of the yurta was dictated by traditional place of the things, furniture and appliances for different purposes, which have been establishing for many centuries.

In the center of the yurta there was a place for the hearth (oshak), honoured by the Kazakhs as a holy place of their dwelling.

Behind the oshak, right opposite the entrance there was an honourable place (tor), which was covered by the best felt and woven carpets. Behind it, along the kerege there were old chests (sandyk) with clothes put on wooden supports, which were covered by carpets, blankets, pillows, etc. gathered in a form of a hill.

The supports and chests were decorated with carvings with beautiful ornament, and usually chests were covered with felt or cloth cases (sandyk kap), ornamented with applique work, mosaic, embroidery or with patterns of pile or non-pile quality. The chests also could be made of leather with stamped ornament (zhaglan).

The space near the door (bosaga) had two different purposes: to the right there were stored food products (meat and kebeje*, kumys*(*see National dishes chapter) in leather bottle, etc.), dishes (in suspended bags, cupboards, etc.) and other kitchen appliances; to the left there were harnesses and other labour instruments.

To the right of the entrance of the yurta between bosaga and tor there was the hosts’ place. Here was their wooden bed (tosagash), the front side of which was decorated with painted and carved ornaments inlayed with silver and bone. Together with bed furnishings it was separated by bed-curtain (shymyldyk), and the kerege along the bed was covered with some pile carpet (syrmak, tuskiyz), embroidered tuskiyz or woven carpet. To the left of the yurta between bosaga and tor there was a place for the sleep of the younger members of the family. This place was laid with pile and woven carpets.

Rich cattle breeders had several yurtas. The big one (ulken ui) usually belonged to the forefather or the head of the nomad community, to the right of it there was the son’s yurta, to the left—guest yurta. Not far from them, there was a yurta for cooking (askhana ui).

The wooden parts of the yurta (suyek) were made by special masters (uishi), who lived almost in every big community. In addition, there were the whole regions, inhabitants of which were specializing on making frames for sale.

Each part of the yurta was given some special meaning. The most peculiar meaning was drawn to shanyrak (the dome of the yurta). It embodied wealth, happiness, friendship, serenity and generosity of the house. Shanyrak was a family relict, the sign of prolongation of the family. It was passed from generation to generation, from father to the youngest son (kenzhe) and embodied power and ancestors’ patronage. That house was considered among the relatives as the big house (ulken ui), or the house of black sooty shanyrak (kara shanyrak), which was really becoming black and sooty with ages. The children of a father, as soon as they started their own families brought there some part of the slaughtered cattle to please ancestors’ spirits. The brides of the relatives brought a part of their dowry to the big house in spite of the fact that the master of the yurta was the youngest brother of the husband.

Thus appeared a saying: Shanyragyn biyk bolsyn (tr.: let your house be big).

The Kazakhs said without envy and with pride and joy on the contrary, that someone’s family had grown to several shanyraks (palenshenyn aulety palen shanyrak bolypty), and they were praying for each shanyrak wishing prosperity: Shanyragyn shaikalmasyn (tr.: let your house never shatter).

Special attention was drawn to a wedding yurta (otau). According to Sh. Ualikhanov*(1935-1865, Kazakh scientist, geographer, etc.) such new and clean yurtas are usually made for a daughter’s dowry, they are never put out in winter in order not to be smoked, so they can be seen only in summer and moreover they are put only for dearest guests. The medium price of such yurta is varying from 200 to 400 sheep.

The tradition of creating a new house, new family (otau koteru) is very interesting and peculiar.

According to the customs, parents prepared a house for their son as well as for their daughter. The dowry of the daughter (zhasau) included otau (a yurta).

Following the belief, the otau should have brought happiness to the young family that is why all relatives neatly decorated it and tried to make it cosy. The participating people were the closest relatives from mother’s side (nagashy) and the neighbours.

The villagers took active part in this interesting, exciting and obligatory ceremony for the young family (otau koteru).

The shanyrak (the dome of the yurta) was lifted up with the pole tied up with white cloth.

This rite was entrusted to the most respectable person, a man, often it was the oldest son-in-law.

The writer-ethnographer Akhmet Zhunusov said about that custom:

. . . for the young couple the shanyrak is brought up only by the oldest son-in-law, who has many children. For this important occasion, the son-in-law is specially invited. For the big yurta, the son-in-law brings up the shanyrak with the pole sitting on the horse. For doing this, he gets a horse or a camel. The gift is presented by the relatives who prepare the dowry.

Usually men lifted the dome of the yurta. The fact that particular the oldest son-in-law did it for the young family had a deep meaning. He was usually a respectable person and the older he was in age the more authoritative he was. His arrival made all the habitants of the village happy, the young and the old could joke with him.

After the shanyrak was ready, first, the respected women came into it and poured fat oil into the fire. This was called otka may tamyzu and meant: Let the fire in this hearth never fade, as fire was sacred. The doorpost and threshold were also coated with oil. The first dastarkhan was spread with the richest treatings. The coming guest expressed their congratulations and wishes to them. The relatives and friends brought korimdyk (gifts) for the new house (otau), they presented cattle and other valuable presents.

The young people settled themselves in their otau to the right of of the parent yurta. The older people did not come into the youngsters’ yurta without invitation. All the villagers and relatives observed the young family, evaluated the daughter-in-law’s skills and thrift. The young woman opened the tundik (a piece of felt mat covering the shanyrak) early in the morning not only on her yurta otau, but on the neighbours’ (parents-in-law’s) as well, thus expressing her courtesy and respect.

The next very important part of yurta was bosaga (place near the door).

The young people heard the guests saying their heartiest wishes:

Kos bosagan berik bolsyn—Let your bosaga be strong.

Ak bosagadan attagan kelin on ayagymen ensin—Let the daughter-in-law step over the threshold with the right foot. Or wishes to the children:

Bosagany kerme, bosagaga bakytsyzdyk ornaydi—Don’t stretch on the bosaga, otherwise unhappiness will come into the house.

All this had big vital meaning, which was implicitly followed by the ancestors. But the Kazakhs also used other type of dwellings.

To the number of the first settled dwellings we should refer on-ground constructions reminding yurta. The similar house was called shoshala. The roof of such half-earth-house was of dome-like form, and it was dug into the earth for about 50-60 cm.

Shoshala was a house, which constituted of two-three camera-like rooms.

It has lost its meaning as a winter house for Kazakh people in ninteenth century, but existed in complex constructions as a kitchen or a pantry.

The Wedding

(Uylenu Toyi)

The usual wedding cycle from the earliest times consisted of several stages: preliminary agreement, matchmaking, bride and groom’s date, wedding in the bride’s parents’ house, bride’s move to the husband’s house, and wedding celebration in the husband’s village. Marriage of the son, who was the only family’s successor, always worried the parents.

People say that a girl of thirteen should already be a good mistress of the house—on ushte otau iesi, and a boy of fifteen—the owner of a horse and a good rider: at zhalyn tartyn miner azamat boldy.

From time immemorial, parents were looking out for the bride before their son reached full age. They were looking for the equal family, deliberately went to worthy people to talk about their children’s future, and expressed their wish to become relatives; this was called kyz aittyru.

Sometimes, the children were still very small or were not born yet at all, and their parents were already agreeing upon being relatives. They, usually, knew each other very well and were good friends. Such matchmaking was called bel kuda (before children were born). If children were sought in marriage when they were just