The Kazakh Celebration of Nauryz

NAURYZ Once the Kazakh people lived in spacious steppes and at that time yet there were no calendars. They defined arrival of spring intuitively if warm sunshine started to get into the top opening of a yurta, means, to long frosty winter there came the end. According to old chronology this day usually coincided with March 21. Was considered that in day of arrival of spring there is an updating of the nature which was symbolized usually by a spring thunder. These days kidneys on trees started to bulk up, and the steppe was gradually painted by bright flowers and young greens. Holiday Nauryz - one of the most ancient holidays on Earth. He is marked out already more than five thousand years as a holiday of spring and nature updating by many people of Forward and Central Asia. The name of a holiday coincides with the name of month as Nauryz in a translation from Kazakh means - March. Kazakhs had a special custom - if in March the girl was born, it was named by Nauryzgul or simply Nauryz. The boys born this month, it was accepted to call Nauryzbek or Nauryzbay. Was considered that in March the most beautiful boys and girls as their skin was similar to the soft snow-white snow which is dropping out this month are born. In day of a holiday it was accepted to cover “dastarkhan” - a spacious cloth on which every possible viands were put. The main festive course called “Nauryz kozhe”, which was preparing from 7 ingredients: was: water, meat, salt, 7 types of grain: rice, perlovka, oats, buckwheat, corn, millet, wheat and milk. To festive "table" invited neighbors therefore on the eve of a celebration it was necessary to order housing. On one of traditions it was necessary to repay all debts, then all next year a family will be well off and in anything not to need. In day of a holiday all were kind with each other, presented with the warmest and light wishes that with approach of spring they were avoided by diseases and troubles. Many traditions of