Elements
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Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright Manage No EE00000386 Country Kyrgyzstan ICH Domain Oral traditions and representations Social practices, rituals, festive events Knowledge and practices about nature and the universe Traditional craft skills Address All regions of KyrgyzstanYear of Designation 2011
| Description | Suyunchu Suyunchu is a tradition of sharing good news. When baby is born one of the family members shares this news with other relatives. The one who communicates good news receives a gift for sharing good news. When seeing a baby for the first time, the family members also give korunduk, a gift for seeing a baby. At koiuu A ritual of naming a baby is called At koiuu in Kyrgyz. Usually, it is not the baby’s parents but paternal grandparents who get to give a name to the baby. Sometimes, this right is given to the most respect person in the community or to one who has seen the baby first. Kyrgyz people believe that name is very important and can influence the person’s destiny. When selecting a name for the infant, elders look carefully at the baby and try to pick the name that suits the baby best. Beshikke saluu A ritual of placing a baby into a cradle called Beshikke saluu is one of the major rituals followed by a feast. On a seventh day after a baby’s birth when baby’s belly button is healed, a baby is placed in a cradle. Cradle is very convenient for taking care of a baby, feeding and putting baby to sleep. According to Kyrgyz traditions, a maternal grandmother of the baby brings a cradle. All relatives, neighbors and friends are invited to a feast. Jentek toi After some time after baby’s birth, family makes a feast for relatives and neighbors. This fest is called Jentek toi. Those who come to Jentek toi give blessings to the baby and the family. Often times a sheep or a larger domestic animal is slaughtered for the feast. The clean bones of a sacrificed animal are buried in the ground. It is considered to be a sacrifice for Umai ene, the protector of women and infants. Kyrkyn chygaruu Kyrgyz people mark the 40th day after the birth of a baby - Kyrkyn chygaruu. To perform this ritual, the women take forty spoonful of water and dissolve some salt in it. Salt is beneficial for baby’s body and washes off various things. The baby’s hair is cut and is buried at a place where people do not step on. While conducting the ritual, elderly women are invited to give blessings to the newborn. Then, a first shirt is quilted for a baby from 40 pieces of fabric. The shirt is put on inside out. It is the maternal grandparents who conduct this ritual for a baby. The person who cuts the hair must be a respected person in a community. As a sign of gratitude, baby’s parent give that person a gift such as a sheep or its equivalent. Tushoo kesuu This ritual is dedicated to the first steps made by a baby. For this ritual, elders prepare a special rope made out of white and black wool. The baby’s ankles are tied with this rope. Tushoo kesuu means cutting those ropes. The combination of black and white symbolize the struggle of two eternal energies of light and darkness, good and evil. Then, young boys from the neighborhood are gathered for a race. They are put in some distance from a baby and race towards him. The one who comes first to the baby cuts the rope on baby’s ankles. The winner and the person who came second take the baby by hands and help him or her walk. According to Kyrgyz beliefs, this ritual will help the baby to walk his or her path in this life well. |
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| Social and cultural significance | Family is the foundation of the Kyrgyz society, hence the traditions and customs associated with the family have always been of great importance in the life of the Kyrgyz people. The birth of a child was considered the most important and joyful event in the life of the family and the clan. A child in a family is the successor of the clan and its traditions, it is a symbol of the immortality of the people. Child was blessed for a long and happy life by elders-aksakals, worldly-wise and highly respected among the people, elderly women. The preservation and multiplication of offspring was regarded by Kyrgyz people as their main concern, the meaning of their existence. The custom of having large offspring originated in ancient times, when a clan with a larger population successfully coped with external dangers. Under the conditions of patriarchal-feudal relations, with the patriarchal family as the main economic unit of society, a large family with many children and relatives was bound to be more prosperous compared to the small one. A family with ten or more children was considered more favourable. In the old days, the life of nomadic Kyrgyz people was extremely harsh, and infant mortality was high. Therefore, the midwives who delivered the babies did everything possible to preserve the health of the mother and the child, and for the greater effect, various rituals and ceremonies were performed to protect them from the evil spirits. Each of these rituals and ceremonies is of great significance for the Kyrgyz people and is carried out in the presence of a large number of relatives and guests, which emphasizes the importance of tribal relations of the Kyrgyz people. Traditions unite people and help them realize their ethnic identity. To this day, the traditions associated with the birth of a child in Kyrgyzstan have retained their distinctiveness and brilliance, although some of them have been simplified. |
| Transmission method | The specific features and knowledge concerning the element has been mainly transmitted in a natural way through demonstration |
| Community | Whole population of Kyrgyzstan represent practicing community of the customs and rituals related to a child-birth. Great contribution to preservation of the element is made also by researche organisation: Cultural Research Center "Aigine". |
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