Materials
foal
ICH Materials 52
Photos
(14)-
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Ayghyr kosu
Ayghyr kosu is a rite succeeding the milking. Young men lead stallions (ayghyr’s) out and keep them in check until women take milk away with them. Then the bridles are taken off and the stallions join their herds.\nKazakh spring horse-breeding rites mark the end of the old and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in the traditional knowledge of nature and in the millennia-aged close relations between man and horse, these rites involve skills inherited from the nomadic ancestors and adapted to the present day reality. The festive rites compiles of the triade: (1) .‘Biye baylau’; (2) ‘Ayghyr kosu’; and (3) ‘Kymyz muryndyk’.\n‘Kymyz muryndyk’ (metaphorically, ‘initiation of koumiss’) is the 'first koumiss sharing' rite, opening a season of its making and drinking.
Kazakhstan -
The custom of giving ablution to a child
Mongolians consider childbirth as a good omen. Mongols perform an ablution to a child in order to honor the one who has adapted the form of a precious human being and has been born on the earth as a little citizen of the state. A new born baby is washed ceremonially with pure water of its birthplace and welcomed by parents and relatives, and life-long name is given. It is a sole that a midwife, who plays a main role in the custom of naming and giving ablution to a child, is considered as the most respected guest of that custom. People who joined in this ceremony including midwife are giving gifts to new born child, such as clothes and items, and close relatives give a foal, calf and baby camel for purpose of preparing livestock of future herder. During the ceremony, people say praises, sing a lullaby and songs that compliments the parent.
Mongolia -
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Men's discussion
The local community is actively involved in preparation and conducting an annual event.\nThe preparations go all year round (cutting wool and horse hair, getting good stallions for herds, weaving ropes and foal slips, repairing ware, cutting juniper for smoking vessels, cooking ritual food). Blessed by the elders, the ‘first milking’ day comes in early May, when mares have foaled and grass grown. In total the rites take about 3 weeks until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, taking place in every house of the village, are over.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan -
Mare milk libation ceremony
The libation ceremony starts with horses are gathered and brought to the tethering line at sunrise. At first, the first-born foal is caught and hitched to the tethering line. When catchers finish tethering the foals, they place their lasso poles in row at the back of the ger. All gathered people can then enter the ger and have tea. Then they go out of the ger, where upon the milking of mare begins. The first mare is milked by a man. This is vistage of ancient tradition. After milking the mares, a milk libation ceremony is performed. The general proceeding is the same as other feast proceedings. But their contents are different. It reflects the manner and movement of tethering foals or colts and mare's ferment milk-libation.
Mongolia -
Mare milk libation ceremony
The libation ceremony starts with horses are gathered and brought to the tethering line at sunrise. At first, the first-born foal is caught and hitched to the tethering line. When catchers finish tethering the foals, they place their lasso poles in row at the back of the ger. All gathered people can then enter the ger and have tea. Then they go out of the ger, where upon the milking of mare begins. The first mare is milked by a man. This is vistage of ancient tradition. After milking the mares, a milk libation ceremony is performed. The general proceeding is the same as other feast proceedings. But their contents are different. It reflects the manner and movement of tethering foals or colts and mare's ferment milk-libation.
Mongolia -
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Before Start of the Festive Event
The preparations go all year round (cutting wool and horse hair, getting good stallions for herds, weaving ropes and foal slips, repairing ware, cutting juniper for smoking vessels, cooking ritual food). Blessed by the elders, the ‘first milking’ day comes in early May, when mares have foaled and grass grown. In total the rites take about 3 weeks until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, taking place in every house of the village, are over.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan -
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Tether a foal
'Tether a foal' - this is the rite and a part of the Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan -
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Tether a foal
'Tether a foal' - this is the rite and a part of the Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan -
Foal weanling ceremony
When the summer ends and the cold days of autumn starts, Mongolians do this custom as weanling or release the baby foals and mares to their flock of horses. Mongolians release the foals from their tethers on the Dog Day of autumn and do the ceremony of folding the ropes and tethers or foal branding ceremony in that day. In order to do this ceremony, they make a fire near the tether of foal for firing the horse brand, and start branding foals. After branding they put the brand into airag in vessel and come to the ger and have an airag. They do an airag libation to the blue sky and mother earth. Depending on the weather and landscape, the weanling ceremony is done differently in Mongolia. After the libation, the feast starts with general proceeding of other feast.
Mongolia -
Foal weanling ceremony
When the summer ends and the cold days of autumn starts, Mongolians do this custom as weanling or release the baby foals and mares to their flock of horses. Mongolians release the foals from their tethers on the Dog Day of autumn and do the ceremony of folding the ropes and tethers or foal branding ceremony in that day. In order to do this ceremony, they make a fire near the tether of foal for firing the horse brand, and start branding foals. After branding they put the brand into airag in vessel and come to the ger and have an airag. They do an airag libation to the blue sky and mother earth. Depending on the weather and landscape, the weanling ceremony is done differently in Mongolia. After the libation, the feast starts with general proceeding of other feast.
Mongolia -
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Biye Baylau greasing a peg
'Tether a foal' - this is the rite and a part of the Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders. It is a component of the Biye Baylau. A woman is greasing a peg for tethering a foal with May (butter) to ensure blessing and favorable sacral attitude.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan -
Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: Biye Baylau greasing a peg
'Tether a foal' - this is the rite and a part of the Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders. It is a component of the Biye Baylau. A woman is greasing a peg for tethering a foal with May (butter) to ensure blessing and favorable sacral attitude.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.
Kazakhstan