The Kazakhs also practiced the good custom of helping each other. If a person refuses to help someone who is in trouble, he loses the right to be helped by others, and at the same time he is seen by his fellow tribesmen as a spoilsport.
When the Kazakhs meet a happy event, they have to scatter milk lumps, square candies, fruit candies, baulshak, etc., so that people can grab them and share the joy. The Kazakhs call this ceremony of blessing and joy "Chashu", which means "spread".
Respect for the elderly is a traditional virtue of the Kazakh people, young people to see the elderly to take the initiative to greet greetings, into the door or walking, to let the elderly go first, eat and drink tea to invite the elderly to sit on the seat.
"Kazakh" turned into Chinese means "brave free people". The Kazakhs are one of the world's most famous nomadic peoples, and at the same time an important transnational ethnic group with a total population of more than ten million. The history of the Kazakhs can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, and they are widely distributed, with traces of their activities in the strategically important hinterland in the center of the Eurasian continent, from the Altai Mountains and the Tian Shan Mountains westward to the Caspian Sea, a vast area of more than 3 million square kilometers. At present, there are more than 1.2 million Kazakhs in Xinjiang alone, mainly in the northern and eastern regions of Xinjiang.
First, sports and recreation
Kazakh recreational activities, both with their own national characteristics, but also a wide range of mass participation, and its entertainment and horseback riding, grazing, hunting and other production activities are closely related to the main horse racing, wrestling, gripping sheep, the girl chased, horse jousting and so on. It is said that the gripper activity originated in the Middle Ages. At that time, the wolf on the pastoral industry is quite serious, the herdsmen on the wolf especially hate, once the wolf was hunted, we will be a surge on the scramble, so happy for fun. Later, the wolf gradually evolved into a mass entertainment activity. In the Kazakh people, horse racing is not only the personal matter of the participants, but also the matter of the honor of the whole clan tribe. Horse racing in the prizes, the owner generally will not take possession of the existing, but a considerable part of them to relatives, friends, and everyone together to share.
The girl chases: "girl chases" Kazakh language "Kizkova", is the Kazakh young men and women love a kind of horse sports activities; is also a young man and woman to express their feelings of love in a special way. Young men and women get to know each other and understand each other through the "girls' chase", and in the end the lovers end up in love. The "girl chase" is generally held in the summer and fall season in the open, flat meadows, near and far herdsmen are riding to visit. It is said that a long time ago, there are two Kazakh tribesmen head of the marriage of children, in the girl ready to pass the day, to meet the bride intended to praise their groom's horse is the best thousand miles. When the bride's father heard this, he said, "The horse my daughter rides is the best horse, if you don't believe me, you can have a race, if your horse can catch up with my daughter's horse, the girl will pass through the door today, or else we will talk about it some other time." So the race began. The girl because of the young man early favor, so deliberately slow down the speed pretend to let the young man catch up, take the opportunity to communicate and exchange, return she let the young man in front of the run, their own in the back of the chase, the results of the "chase the girl" into the "girl chase". So "girl chasing" came into being. Since then, the Kazakh people have many young men and women is through this playful chase each other and communication to produce a good feeling, sprouted love, and married for life. Nowadays, this activity is no longer limited to young men and women, sometimes some married adult men and women will also participate in it, but generally require that men and women should be of similar age, because then you can casually play games and jokes. There are many beautiful legends about "Girl Chase". Once upon a time, a white swan turned into a woman and married a hunter, who became the founder of the Kazakh people. On the day of their wedding, they rode two white horses, like white swans, flying around and chasing each other. It is said that this is the origin of "girl chasing". This legend reflects the fact that this kind of horse game is a custom inherited from ancient times. The "girl chase" is held on festive occasions and is one of the most important elements of folklore activities. The hospitality of the Kazakh girls will invite visitors from afar **** with the participation of this horse recreational activities.
Grippe: Grippe is a kind of horse recreational activities held by the Kazakh people for praying for blessings, and at the same time, it is a kind of strong confrontation, fierce competition, set of courage, tenacity and resourcefulness in one of the horseback sports competitions. Gripping sheep is a traditional sports activity generally loved by all brotherly ethnic groups in Xinjiang, especially Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik and other herdsmen are good at this kind of horse movement. In the summer, the pasture green grass, grass, horse strong time, herdsmen in the leisure time, groups of spontaneous organization of the gripper activities.
Wrestling: Wrestling is one of the traditional sports activities of the Kazakh people, it is a kind of strength and skill of the confrontational sports. Every wedding, circumcision, anniversary rituals will be held wrestling activities. Wrestling on horseback, also known as wrestling on horseback. Its way is to participate in the activities of people divided into two groups, one-on-one competition, the two than the strength, than skills, to see who can pull each other down from the back of the horse, or directly to their own horse, that is, counted as a victory.
Horse racing: Horse racing is a traditional sports and recreational activities that Kazakhs love very much. Horse racing and race horse race two kinds. Race horse, is more than the speed of the horse endurance, steady and beautiful. Generally used is more than five years old adult horse, rider is also an adult. Prancing horse race is also more than five years old horse, to participate in horse racing riders are mostly twelve or thirteen years old boy. Among the Kazakhs, horse racing is not only a personal matter for the participants, but also a matter of honor for the whole clan and tribe. Horse racing is often held at weddings and important festivals, and is often the final finale, that is, once the horse race is over, the celebration is finally over.
Immediately wrestling: also known as horse wrestling, the way is to participate in the competition is divided into two groups, one-on-one competition. Two people than the power, than dexterity, to see who can pull each other away from the horse and thrown on the ground, or hold to their own horse is considered victory. There are many people watching the game, onlookers hope that the tribal players win, from time to time for the players shouting and cheering.
Horseback tug of war: two people riding on a horse, pull a two-meter-long leather rope, the middle of the ground to draw a long humorous boundary, who rode the horse with good, who can pull each other across the boundary river.
Horseback riding grab cloth: this is one of the recreational activities of the Kazakh young people to exercise the body riding skills. The cloth is about one meter long and red or green in color. At the beginning, the first by a young man with a cloth riding horse gallop, others ride the horse tail chase. The person who is being chased finds that he is about to be caught up, and must quickly give the cloth to the person who catches up with him first, and then everyone continues to chase after the person who gets the cloth for the second time. This goes on continuously, as if it were a relay race. Riders cross rivers and mountains, breaking through the many obstacles in the way, and playing until everyone has a good time. This activity is mainly to exercise the young horseback riding skills and will.
Shooting Yuanbao: There are two ways to shoot Yuanbao, one is to shoot Yuanbao with arrows; the other is to use the gun Yuanbao. The former is a recreational activity of selecting the divine archer that has been passed down since ancient times; the latter is formed in recent times. In ancient times, arrows were used to shoot golden gourds, which was later changed to arrows shooting Yuanbao. The way is to set up a high pole, the upper end of the tie a horizontal wood, the yuanbao wrapped in red silk cloth with a thin rope tied to one end of the horizontal wood, with an arrow to break the rope hanging yuanbao. The contestant gallops his horse from more than a hundred paces away and shoots an arrow at the target at about fifty paces. If the rope is broken, Yuanbao landing, then you can get Yuanbao, and is known as the "God archer", after this activity changed to the rifle shot silver coins.
The Kazakh "Chashu": all ethnic groups have to people to express their blessings, such as Tibetans offer Hada, Mongolians to the milk wine, and the Kazakhs in the happy event, but to spread the milk lumps, sugar cubes, fruit candies, Bauer Shak, etc., this blessing and welcome the ceremony, the Kazakhs call it! "Chashu" means to spread. Kazakh grassland encounter happy events, are to engage in "Chashu", so that people rush to eat, share the joy. Grassland on the honored guests, but also to engage in "Chashu", to show respect and welcome. Generally, "Chashu" is carried out by a woman, who must be older, have a full set of sons, a living husband, and be highly respected and loved by the public. It is believed that such a woman will bring good luck and happiness to the people. Some "Chashu" are organized by their own people. Such as the first time in the summer milking horse milk, the location of the milking horse to drink milk tea, and to invite neighbors and friends and relatives to drink. At the same time also in the foal head and tethering foal pile smeared with some ghee, at this time, by the family's older women to spread the joy of food, in order to pray for human and animal prosperity, good luck and peace.
Aiga Lek Dance: Aiga Lek Dance, that is, the moon dance, is a widely popular in the Altay region of the Kazakh folk collective dance, can be a few men and women or more than one person in formation into a circular crescent-shaped **** dance. The dance is characterized by two people jumping, mostly clapping, tiptoe, ***, mutual beat, self-point, point to point, double and double rotation, side-by-side rotation, rotate, change position rotation, exchange partners. Cheerful rhythm, action amplitude is large, quite beautiful, infectious, and action is simple and easy to learn, beginners within ten minutes can master the essentials, half an hour after the dance can become skilled partners. Moon dance is a way for young Kazakh men and women to pass on their feelings. Every year on the grassland held Akan singing event, after a day of bustling, the elderly and children have been tired, back to the felt room to rest, adults gathered in the felt room to raise a glass of wine, the first love of the young man and the girls are still full of energy is not yet exhausted, they dance under the moon with the joyful music, pairs disappeared in the hazy moonlight... ...Tourists can sing and dance with local young men and women around the bonfire on the banks of the Erqis River.
Akan Playing and Singing: Akan Playing and Singing is one of the oldest and most mass traditional cultural activities of the Kazakh nation. During festivals, red and white celebrations, and even the arrival of friends, or at the time of the annual mountain blossoms, the herdsmen who can sing and dance well, gather together, embracing the Dongbula, improvising poems and playing their own songs, which is called Akan Playing and Singing. Its form and size varies, there are dozens of people, hundreds of people, and even thousands of people, with recreational and competitive song of two, the scene is cheerful and enthusiastic, forming the grasslands of a strange, beautiful national landscape, if the tourists at this time in person, will experience the original, rich national flavor, and forget to come back.
Second, taboos
Kazakhs in their daily lives there are many taboos, such as can not ride a fast horse rushed straight to the door of the host, because it will be considered provocative or mourning and transmission of inauspicious news; as a guest, can not sit on the host to put food on the box or other living utensils, they believe that the food is the gift of heaven is holy; do not sit on the bed in the felt room, should be Sit on the carpet, do not stretch out your legs and do not take off your shoes; do not cut your nails or yawn when you are talking or eating, otherwise it is a great disrespect to the host; when the host is cooking, the guest should not move the cutlery, and should not fiddle with the food or lift the lid of the pot with his hands; the host should not refuse to cut the meat to the guest, or to give the guest the bedding to stay with him for the night. Before and after the meal, the host will give the guests water to wash their hands, after washing, do not fling your hands, but should directly use a towel to dry the water stains on the hands; and can not praise the host's children face to face, especially can not say that his children "fat", and can not praise the host's livestock and hounds, etc. face to face; can not be chased and hit the host's hounds and watchdogs, but also Don't count the number of livestock in the host's house in front of you; don't cross the ropes tied to the livestock; when walking, you should walk around the sheep, not to mention riding straight to the sheep; don't count the number of people with your hands or sticks, or you will be thought to count people as livestock; don't be a guest in a Kazakh house for more than two days; when returning a borrowed horse, you should take off the saddle, or you will be thought to be impolite.
Third, felt house
Kazakhs have long lived a nomadic life by the water and grass, very early invention of nomadic life for easy relocation similar to the yurt-style mobile housing - felt house. Kazakh felt house mainly consists of skeleton, wall, roof, felt, door 5 parts, of which the skeleton of the felt house is made of willow made of round fence and the top of the circle composition, the fence with horizontal and vertical interlocking connected with the composition of willow railing, can be free to dismantle and close the round top of the circle is both the roof and the window, the appearance of the yurts and yurts, the daytime uncovered to ventilate the light, the cover at night in order to prevent the wind and cold, the door is usually facing the south-east. The felt room is decorated with certain characteristics, the center is a fire, the right half of the food, cooking utensils, the upper right is a bed, felt wall tapestry with various patterns, the ground is covered with carpets, the felt room is placed above the box, etc., the left side of the felt wall where the pad table, pad table with bedding, pillows. Townspeople like to arrange tapestries on the walls of their bedrooms or living rooms, like brightly colored ornaments, enjoying modern life at the same time, still retaining the traditional culture of the Kazakh people.
Fourth, the funeral
In the Kazakh people, there is a concept of soul immortality, they believe that after death, the soul will leave the human body and exist independently, so pay special attention to the funeral after death. The funeral is basically carried out in accordance with *** religious rules. Unlike some other ethnic groups, whenever someone goes to condole with the body to say goodbye, usually by the female relatives of the deceased to embrace each other, together with the mournful singing of elegy, and through this way of crying and singing, to tell people about the life of the deceased. After the end of the condolences, according to the regulations by the religious people in accordance with the mahogany with water for the dead body purification, and then wrapped in white cloth, and finally held a prayer ceremony for burial.
V. Religion
The Kazakhs used to believe in primitive religions, Buddhism, Nestorianism, and so on, and only later practiced *** religion. Even after the belief in *** religion, they still retained a lot of primitive religious relics. Such as nature worship, animal and plant worship, ancestor worship and shamanism. In the 8th century AD, *** religion began to spread into the Kazakh steppe, and after the 15th century, it gradually took over the dominant position. In the Kazakh customs and habits, with a strong *** religion color festival there are two main: Meat Festival and the Gurbang Festival.
Sixth, etiquette
The Kazakh people's life etiquette is unique and distinctive. They mainly include birth rites, cradle rites, full moon rites, circumcision, weddings and funerals. Different from the full moon ceremony of the Han Chinese, the Kazakh full moon ceremony is held on the fortieth day after the birth of the baby. On this day, the whole body of the baby is specially cleaned and rubbed with goat oil and the hair is shaved.
In the grass-roots pastoral areas of the Kazakh families, there is still a custom known as "returning the child". "Returning the child" means that each newlywed couple has to give the first child born after marriage to the man's biological parents. The grandparents treat the child as if he or she were their youngest child. From a young age, they refer to each other as father (mother) and son, both in and out of the home. The child is referred to as brother and sister-in-law (or sister) to his/her real biological parents. The parents also address their children as siblings. This custom is not common among other ethnic groups.
The Kazakhs are so hospitable that there is a saying among them: "A part of the heritage of our ancestors is reserved for guests. As long as there are Kazakhs along the way, then even if you walk for a year, you don't need to bring a grain of food or a penny." Of course in a tourist service area like Kanas, everyone is engaged in a kind of commercial operation, a feeling you may not experience. But if you have time to visit other remote pastoral areas, the Kazakh people that kind of innate hospitality and charity you can really appreciate.
The Kazakhs always greet each other when they meet. Especially in the case of distant guests, the host will not only take out the fragrant milk tea, oil fruit, cheese, candy and other good food available at home, but also special slaughter on a fat sheep to entertain guests, as a sign of respect. Kazakhs have a lot of rules when eating meat, especially when eating meat with sheep's head on it. When the host puts the plate on the table, all the guests present, first pray for blessings, and then the host and the guest take the head of the sheep in the plate, and cut off the head of the sheep on the right cheek of a piece of meat to the seat of the older host to show acceptance of the host's hospitality, and then cut off a sheep's ear to the host's family of children or the youngest person in the seat. This means that they should listen to the words of their elders, after which the sheep's head is returned to the host. Only after the end of the above etiquette, everyone began to cut meat to eat.
VII. Marriage customs
In the past, most of the marriages of the Kazakh people were arranged by their parents, and they were obvious buy and sell marriages. The success of the marriage often depends on the amount of money gift, in the past the Kazakh people have such a saying "beautiful girl worth eighty horses, a person gave birth to a few daughters, can become a big Bayi (i.e., big landlords, big tycoons)". Nowadays, there has been a big change in this bad custom and idea. Nowadays, Kazakhs still pay a lot of attention to the right family for marriage. In addition, the man's family pays special attention to the woman's mother; they have a proverb: "The mother is the daughter's shadow; if the mother is good, the daughter will not be wrong." According to Kazakh custom, close relatives of the same tribe, especially within seven generations, are not allowed to intermarry. The Kazakhs have a very solemn marriage ceremony, a series of visits and joyful entertainment activities are held before the wedding, and they are as enthusiastic to participate in the wedding of any family within the clan tribe as they are to do the wedding in their own family, joyful and ****. On the day of the wedding, the man and the woman, as well as the singers on both sides, sing many of the agreed-upon wedding songs. Among them is the bride's weeping goodbye song to her parents and family when she finally leaves them. After the girl is married, the first time back to the bride's home, the bride's family will also give the girl to send a generous gift, the conditions of the general to send 100 sheep, 15 horses. Those who are in poor condition should also do their best to show their support. Kazakh married men and women in the daily production of life on the division of labor is very clear, belongs to the typical "men outside, women inside".