Kazakh Traditions

Shildekhana

To celebrate the birth of a baby, a shildekhana festival is held.

It is held on the day when this joyful event occurred. The person who first notified about childbirth receives gifts.

Relatives, friends, and relatives come to the home of young parents to celebrate the emergence of a new member of the community. They congratulate parents, express wishes to the baby, and in the evening - have fun and enjoy a hearty dinner. The father of the child slaughters the sacrificial lamb and distributes the meat to relatives and friends.

Qyrqynan shygaru

- literally meaning “coming out of 40 days”; it is celebrated when it is about 40 days since a child was born.

It is believed that before the end of this period, the baby is too weak and unprotected from the effects of the external environment, and especially - the evil forces. Until the end of forty days a newborn is not shown to strangers.

However, the day when this happens it is considered the second birthday, and a baby is officially presented to the relatives, and family friends.

40 days is an approximate term: for a boy, they celebrate it on 37–39th day.

Tusaukeser

- from kazakh, translated as "fetter cutting". A day when the baby took his first steps the oldest and most respected person is invited to perform a ceremony of Tusaukeser.

Usually held at 1 year birthday. The invited special guest should cut the special ropes, beset baby’s legs, in order to ensure that in future the kid could walk nicely and run fast.

Also, there are a few things put in front of the baby. It’s believed that in future the child will deal with the thing he or she chooses (makes steps toward that thing).

Sündet toi

- a circumcision ceremony for a boy of 4-5 years old. It is considered to be one of the remarkable days of a boy's life. Relatives and friends of the family gather together, eat national cuisine, and have fun.

Tilashar

- directly translated as opening of tongue/language.

A celebration organized in honor of the beginning of the school period in the life of a child. The first day at school is a very memorable moment for a child.

Tilashar is usually held at the ages of 6-7. During the ceremony, the elderly bless him to study well. Kid gets presents — “baigazy”. The main purpose of the rite is to show that a child is becoming an adult, that now a new world is opening up for him.

Atqa mingizu

- when boy saddles a horse for the first time.

A saddle is an extremely important thing for any nomad. Kazakhs taught boys to ride a horse starting from the age of five. On this day, elders blessed the young rider and parents organized a small celebration in honor of their son.

The child's first encounter with the horse is celebrated as a big event. The child is dressed in new clothes, wears uki (eagle owl feathers that are believed to protect the rider), sits on the saddle decorated with patterns (ashamai). He sets off to visit his relatives. Relatives, in their turn, throw shashu (a rite for abundance) and give various presents to the boy, e.g. various saddle accessories.