The younger generation has already forgotten many holidays and traditions of the Kyrgyz people. One of them – “Jailoo” – is one of the oldest holidays of the Kyrgyz nomads. A holiday on summer pastures for the surrounding population when one Kyrgyz clan invited another clan or the population of one region invited the population of another region.
In every Kyrgyz family, there should always be mares among the livestock that went up to pastures every summer. After all, the national Kyrgyz drink is made from mare’s milk.
Having prepared a large amount of the traditional fermented milk drink “Kymyz” and frying a lot of meat, they invited guests – their neighbors, who, in turn, also reciprocated. Thus, the celebration could last up to several days.
During the celebration, shepherds sang the traditional Kyrgyz rider’s songs “Shyryldan” and “Bekbekey”, as well as singers and songwriters sang all sorts of songs, told epics, komuzists sang melodies, manaschi recited “Manas“. All this celebration was accompanied by various national Kyrgyz games, which added beauty to the “Jailoo” holiday.
One of the holidays similar to the “Jailoo” holiday is Nooruz (or Novruz) celebrated on March 21, the day of the vernal equinox. It is this period that is considered to be the new year, the beginning of the season of growth and prosperity. Nooruz is celebrated by more than 20 peoples and nationalities around the world.
In Kyrgyzstan these days, we celebrate both local and international holidays such as:
- – New Year
- – Orozo Ait (Islamic holiday celebrated in honor of the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan)
- – Kurman-Ait (Islamic holiday celebrated 70 days after Orozo Ait)
- – An Orthodox Xmas
- – International Women’s Day
- – Labor Day
- – Constitution day of Kyrgyzstan
- – Victory Day
- – Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan
