According to Kazakhstan Travel,
Nauryz symbolizes the renewal of nature and people and the beginning of a new life. The vernal equinox is the day when the long-awaited spring comes to drive away severe frost, when birds return from the south to their nesting places. This day has been celebrated for centuries by all Turkic peoples. Translated from Farsi, “Nowruz” means “new day”. Its spelling and pronunciation differ in various countries - Novruz, Nawroz, Norooz, Nawrouz, in Kazakhstan - Nauryz. A new day starts in a clean house, in a clean body. This is the period when everything starts anew.
For the nomad Kazakhs, the change of the seasons was of great importance. Winter was the most difficult time of the year. In this time the Kazakhs lived in kystau (winter pastures for livestock). In the 12-cycle calendar, jutes (mass death of livestock) occurred every five to six years. If people and cattle survived winter, it was considered to be a success. Therefore, the oncoming of spring, when people moved to kokteu (spring pastures), brought a lot of happiness.
In Cleveland, Aigerim Alibek organized a celebration of Nauryz among the Kazakh community. They made a yurt and all the decorations inside the yurt were completely made and sewn by her. A yurt is an ancient version of the modern tent. Historically, they were used by nomadic tribes and herders across Central Asia, designed to easily dismantle when a community needed to move from one place to another.
Yurt for Kazakh Nauryz made by Aigerim Alibek
They cooked Kazakh national dishes, sang and danced Kazakh traditional songs and dances.
Kazakh Nauryz celebration in Cleveland
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