NUR-SULTAN – “Edges of East” Festival under the cycle "Ethnicity Day", organized by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan of Nur-Sultan was held in capital’s park Zhetisu last weekend.

Kazakhstan is a multinational country, where more than 130 ethnicities live in harmony and peace. Each ethnos carefully keeps the centuries-old tradition, culture, music, songs and dances.

Creative collectives of ethno-cultural associations of capital prepared and have shown the best performances representing their originality and culture.

According to the organizers, the festival is aimed at promoting the culture and traditions of ethnic minorities living in the capital and demonstrates the achievements of ethno-cultural associations of the city.

As Head of Secretariat of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan in Nur-Sultan Lyazzat Kusainova noted, the audience had the opportunity not only to see the performance by ethno-cultural associations, but also to get acquainted with the culture, traditions of different ethnicities, taste dishes of national cuisines.

"As the expression says, "It is impossible to live in the society and be free from society", we daily intersect with cultures and languages of the peoples inhabiting our republic. In everyday life we don't notice it, but such events give us an opportunity to see all the diversity, colorfulness, value of traditions, regardless of which ethnic group they belong to. In any case, it is interesting, informative and instructive. In our difficult time, adherence to folk customs and traditions, study of native languages contribute to the upbringing of a healthy citizen of the country. A person who is interested in folk culture and studies languages of other nations is not standing still, is developing and growing, and such people are the main wealth of our country," Lyazzat Kusainova concluded.

Chengryu Choir of Ethnocultural Association of Koreans in Nur-Sultan

The festival began with a performance of the song "Jindo Ariran" by the choir "Chenryu" of the Ethno-cultural Association of Koreans of Nur-Sultan. Also, musical traditions of different people were presented by creative groups of Tatar, Bashkir, Uighur, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Kurdish, Karakalpak ethnocultural centers.

Dance group of the Republican Cultural Centre of Uighurs of Kazakhstan

The audience enjoyed a dance group of the Republican Cultural Centre of Uighurs of Kazakhstan with dances "Bairam" and "Kashkar Kyz", the defile of the ethnic Karakalpak costume by the public association "Zhaikhun", a gymnastic dance number from "Kyrgyzstan-Astana", a musical number from Amira Pulatova and Lyalya Usabayeva.

Defile from "Karakalpak Ethnocultural Association "Zhaikhun"

Tatar-Bashkir Cultural Center "ТАN"

Tatar-Bashkir Cultural Center "ТАN"

Amira Pulatova, "Uzbek Ethno-cultural Centre of Nur-Sultan" 

Aksholpan Baltabayeva, “Kyrgyzstan-Astana” 

The creative team of the Tatar-Bashkir Cultural Center "ТАN" demonstrated a theatrical performance of the holiday "Sabantui" with songs, games and dances.

Uzbek Ethno-cultural Centre of Nur-Sultan and the choreographic group "Astana"

The concert continued with a colorful presentation of the Uzbek custom "Kelin Salom" performed by the dance group "Astana Gunchalari" and "Astana".

Demonstration of Dungan wedding hairstyle

The greatest interest of the audience was aroused by the demonstration of the Dungan wedding hairstyle by the Dungan ethnocultural center "Yunchi".

Ethnocultural Dungan Centre "Yunchi"

According to Zulfiya Mukhanzayeva, Head of Dungan centre, such a hairstyle cannot be done in a beauty salon. The art of creating a traditional wedding hairstyle is passed down from generation to generation from Dungan women. 

A lot of gel fixer and threads are used to lay the Dungan hairstyle, and then they are supplemented with flowers and wedding decorations.

The culmination of the festive event was the gathering of yurt kerege by representatives of all ethno-cultural associations. As it is known, the Kazakh yurt is a traditional dwelling, embodying the symbol of the Motherland, the ancient culture of the Kazakh people, and shanyrak is a spiritual unity and kinship of all people of Kazakhstan.

You can see a photo album HERE

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