I'm a bit behind on my blogging--thanks to a lot of work and a never-ending cold--but I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from Nauruz, which is one of the biggest Kazakh holidays and was celebrated on March 22. Easter (which is today in Kazakhstan) isn't a big holiday. I only saw a few stores offering some tired looking cakes in honor of the Russian Orthodox Easter, but Nauruz is a big deal.

Some weeks before, Nauruz posters and signs began to decorate the city. The one below (which was on the National Libarary) reads "Nauruz--Happy Holidays!" and the one above reads "Nauruz--The Great Day of the People." In addition (and this was my favorite), paper mache flowers, exotic sculptures and, yes, life-size camels began to decorate the city's parks and cities.

Nauruz itself is an ancient holiday--traditionally, it was supposed to mark the beginning of the new year as well as the spring equinox--and is still celebrated to this day all over the Turkic and Iranian world. Though Nauruz was banned during the Soviet period, Kazakhs have fully embraced its revival post-independence. Like any other good holiday, there is lots of eating involved (the most traditional dish is Nauruz koshe, which is a kind of soup that consists of seven types of grains). On Nauruz, familes pay visits to one another--there are traditional Nauruz greetings and even handshakes! In the villages, kokpar or kyz ky, traditional Kazakh games on horseback, are some of the main events.

The night prior to Nauruz is also an important holiday. During the night, a Santa Claus like figure "Qyzyp ata" visits homes. In his honor, the house should be cleaned, one candle should be lit and all the dishes in the house should be filled with different types of grain and milk products.