Description: Kazakh nationality (哈萨克族), as one of the 56 ethnic minorities, mainly distributes in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It takes up a population of 1,500,000. Its ancestors dwell in the northern part of Xinjiang and the Central Asia Grassland very early, associated with ancient nomadic tribes such as Turk, Qauluq, Uighur, Kerait, Naimen, etc. historically. The word “Kazakh” mean “soldier, free man and seceder”.
Language: Kazakh composed with Arabic alphabet.
Religion: Most of Kazakh believe in Islam.
Food Culture: The diet of Kazakh lives on milk and meat. Milk is made into cheese, paneer, ghee, urum and son. Cow milk, ewe’s milk and horse milk are served as their drink, among which horse milk is the most precious. Tea occupies a special position in their daily life, brick tea in the first place, then Fuzhuan tea.
Clothe Character: Herdsman’s daily life is relevant with animal, so they take animal’s fur as the raw material of clothe. They sew overcoat with winter sheepskin instead of cloth. In summer, women wear long colorful dress. Women pay more attention to the hats. Maiden wear beautiful taqiyah cap and sometimes they put on leather cap in winter. Married women put on square kerchief attached a jewelry on the top left or white hijab.
Festival: Nowruz Festival(诺鲁孜节) is the traditional festival for Kazakh to ring out the Old Year and ring in the New Year, just the Spring Festival of Han nationality. It begins on 21st, March and keeps for three or fifteen days. People start to make New Year’s Greeting in groups at noon. After the sunset, they dance and sing to express the happiness of New Year.
just as Uygur, Eid al-Fitr and Eid Adha are the important festivals for Kazakh.
Customs: Kazakh respect for elders very much. Elder first is kept when eating and drinking. In a banquet, men and women sit separately. The custom of funeral is like this: shower the body with water, then wrapped up with white cloth, finally bury in the ground.
Culture and Art: Kazakh is good at composing legend, fairy tale, fable, love poem, narrative poem, folk song, proverb and so on. Women are skilled in producing yurt, felt products, clothing and ormaments. Men are expert in manufacturing woodenware, ironware and boneware. Kazakh nationality can both sing and dance. Dombra is their traditional musical instrument.
Add On: Hui Nationality
Uygur Nationality
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