Customs and traditions of nomads

Customs and traditions of nomads

Bride’s send-off – “Kyz Uzatu”

Kyrgyzstan, like every country in Central Asia, carefully preserves the “golden fund” of national traditions and continues to pass it on from generation to generation even nowadays.

As in ancient times, customs come take their places. When two people want to get married, before the wedding they need to perform several rites, which will mean the union of two families – the bride and groom. Before the wedding itself, the bride’s relatives should arrange “kyz uzatu” – a ceremony of the bride’s send-off to her new family. This is one of the most ancient traditions of the Kyrgyz people, a very moving and exciting event for every Kyrgyz girl and her parents.

The bride’s send-off procedure consists of three parts.

1 part. Dressing the bride in a special outfit.
2-part. Braid weaving
3-part. Elechek winding. Girl says goodbye to her mother.

They believe that Shyokulyo and all carefully inherited things and jewelry were considered to bring happiness. In the triumph of the bride’s seeing off, one can notice the features of differences in the clothes of girls, women and venerable mothers. The celebration is invariably accompanied by the traditional music of komuz and ooz komuz.

Nowadays, people usually celebrate Kyz Uzatu in a restaurant. Groom comes first to the restaurant with flowers bouquet and waits for bride coming. The oldest and respected man reads bata (words of blessing) and than all the party begins. At the end of Kyz Uzatu, all the guests make a circle and the bride comes to each guest as if she says good-bye to they all. Grooms takes her hand and they go away without looking back.

All these you can discover in the country of mountains. Travel with us!