The Republic of Kazakhstan – General Information

Where is Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan is located south of Russia in Central Asia, northwest of China. It was the second largest of the former Soviet republics, after Russia.

Source for this section:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kz.html#Govt

 [Kazakhstan Flag]

Did you know…?

• The country is slightly less than four times the size of Texas
• It shares it borders with: China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
• The population is roughly 15,143,704 (July 2004 est.)
• Its nationality: Kazakhstani(s)
• Ethnic groups that make up the country: Kazakh 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Uygur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)
• Religions represented: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
• There are two languages spoken in Kazakhstan: Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
• The capital of the country is Astana -- the government moved from Almaty to Astana in December 1998
• The country obtained its independence from the Soviet Union on December 16, 1991
• Type of government republic: authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
• The currency is Tenge (pronounced “ten-gay”)

A bit of background on Kazakhstan

Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the 1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures. This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many of these newcomers to emigrate. Some of the issues being addressed in current day Kazakhstan include: developing a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states and other foreign powers.

Holidays & Traditions

Source for this section: http://www.president.kz/       

NAURYZ - a holiday of spring, is the most momentous and ancient festivity of Oriental nations. In fact, it is a New Year's Eve according to the ancient Oriental calendar. It has yet another name "Ulys Kuni"("The first day of the New Year") or "Ulystyn uly kuni" ("The great day of the people").

They say that the more you celebrate the Nauryz holiday, the greater your success throughout the year.

When the holiday comes, Kazakhs put on festive clothes, pay visits to each other, and exchange congratulations, best wishes and good luck in the coming year. The festivities are accompanied by widespread merry-making, games, traditional horse-races, and various other activities.

Traditionally they cook and make all sorts of tasty meals during the holidays, symbolizing well-being and abundance in the coming year. The feast is usually served at noon, and is preceded and followed by a prayer in honor of the fore-fathers. At the conclusion of the feast, the eldest of those present gives his blessings (bata) so that prosperity will be with the family.

When Kazakhs celebrate Nauryz, presence of the number seven is essential - it embodies seven days of the week – the time units of universal eternity. In front of aksakals ("white beards"or old men) they put seven bowls with the drink of "Nauryz-kozhe", prepared of seven grades of seven types of cereals.

BERKUTCHI, or “hunting with a golden eagle,” is a tradition that has been practiced for ten centuries. The Kazakh belief is that presenting a fledgling hunting bird to a boy is tantamount to wishing him to be a brave and strong young fellow.

Training a golden eagle is a rare and painstaking art. The bird just caught (photo at left) is being slowly trained to its master (a berkutchi). The man training the bird doesn't sleep for several nights with the bird being subjected to similar discomfort. First, the bird must take food (pieces of raw meat) from its master's hand only. When the eagle gets used to the hunter, its horse and its dog, it undergoes the next phase of training: first it "hunts" stuffed foxes and only after mastering that will it then proceed with real hunting.

OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS

Source: http://kazakhstan-gateway.kz/

January 1-2: New Year

March 8: International Women’s Day

March 22: Nauryz

May 1: Day of Unity of Peoples of Kazakhstan

May 9: Victory Day (the national holiday in honor of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945)

August 30: Constitution Day

October 25: Day of Republic

December 16: Independence Day

National Cuisine

Source: http://kazinfotour.tora.ru/ingl/kazak/tradis_ing/dishes_ing.htm         

The life of Kazakh people, their traditional crafts, relationships, customs and traditions are perhaps best reflected through the country’s traditional dishes.

The table manners of nomads, filled with so many customs and rituals continue to find their place in current time. Historically, the entire clan and tribe shared the joys and sorrows of life; and any unexpected traveler was an honored guest. Any steppe inhabitant knew that he was a welcome guest and had a right to his share. This steppe tradition was strictly observed and is still observed today by the host of any house. A violation of this tradition was regarded as an insult to the honor and dignity of the guest and shame to the host. Some time later this violation merited a sort of punishment. That explains why every host regarded the ritual of hospitality as sacred rule and welcomed guests warmly and with all attention and kindly saw them off with good wishes.

Customarily, the guest was first treated to kumys, shubat or airan, and then to tea with milk or cream, baursaks, raisins, irimshik, kurt. Then followed appetizers made of horseflesh or mutton - kazy, shuzhuk, zhal, zhaya, sur-yet, karta, kabyrga. Flat cakes made of flour were always offered.

The main traditional dish of Kazakhs is besbarmak. It is mostly saved for guests and eaten by hand (bes barmak-means five fingers). Besbarmak is usually cooked of fat mutton and parts of smoked horse meat and horse delicacies like kazy and shyzhyk. The meat is boiled; boiled separately is a thin paste. Boiled parts of the meat are put on the paste and spiced with a special flavoring called tuzdyk. As the custom demands, the host serves the meal in special crockery - tabak. The bas-tabak, which is placed before the most honorable guests, is used to serve the mutton head, zhambas, horse meat delicacy and other fatty parts. The esteemed guest (usually the oldest one) cuts bits and parts from the head and offers them to the other guests at the table. The distribution of the parts of the meat from the head represents and is based in traditional wishes. When given the palate of the meat, it expresses the wish - "be wise and eloquent"; the larynx - a gift to sing; the skin of the forehead- "be the first among equals". Meanwhile one or two dzhigits (young man), sitting next to the esteemed guest, start cutting the boiled parts of meat to pieces and the dish is again spiced with tuzdyk. The guests are offered to help themselves to the dish. The youth and children usually sit at the sides of the table dastarkhan. They receive meat directly from the elders. The custom is called asatu and symbolizes the desire of the youth to experience the long and good life the elders have experienced. When all the meat and sorpa (soup with large fat content) have been eaten and drank, the most respected guest thanks the hostess on behalf of all the guests and blesses the hosts of that house.

During its century-old history, the Kazakh people have accumulated experience in processing and cooking meat and milk dishes. Present-day life has replaced some of this history with dishes made of vegetables, fruits, fish, sea products, as well as baked goods and sweets.

The present-day entertainment has changed in some details but continues to observe the ancient laws of hospitality. More importantly, its boundaries have broadened: the present-day dastarkhan gathers not only Kazakhs but also numerous guests living in one big multinational family - Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Germans, Uigurs, Dungalts, and Koreans. So the present-day Kazakh cuisine includes not only traditional Kazakh dishes, but also dishes of the Uzbek, Uigur, Russian, Tatar, Korean and other cuisines. It is common to serve international foods along side pure national foods.

Additional Resources - General Information

WEBSITES

http://www.president.kz/                                 Kazakh Government’s official website

http://www.ecotourism.kz/index.htm             Kazakhstan Tourist Association

http://kazinfotour.tora.ru/ingl/kazak/                General information about Kazakhstan

http://www.kazakhstan-gateway.kz/?lang=en  General information about Kazakhstan

BOOKS

The Soul of Kazakhstan, by Wayne Eastep and Alma Kunanbay, thesoulofkazakhstan.com, 2002

An extensive list of books about Kazakhstan is available at: http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/bookstore/kazinfo.html           

 

Kazakhstan Adoption

Source:  http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/kazakhstan_adoption.php

The breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to a sharp decline in the Kazakh economy which contributed to a large number of children being abandoned and living in orphanages. Although the economy has made a come back in recent years, due to economic reform and foreign investment, the number of children living in institutions has grown. According to Adoptive Families magazine, more than 3,000 Kazakh children have been adopted by families in the U.S. since 1997.

The majority of the people in Kazakhstan include a mix of native Kazakhs and Russians who have migrated there since Russia conquered the area in the 18th century. Children available for adoption are usually of Russian and/or Asian background. Children adopted from Kazakhstan in 2003 were evenly split between boys and girls and one third of the children were under a year old at the time of adoption. The Kazakhstan government requires adopting parents to spend at least two weeks visiting a child in his residence city before applying for adoption. Kazakhstani law also provides for a 15-day waiting period after the court hearing before the adoption becomes final.

Additional Resources - Kazakhstan Adoption

WEBSITES

http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/kazakhstan_adoption.php     Adoptive Families Magazine

http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_408.html        US State Department

http://kazakhadoptivefamilies.com/     

Created by an adoptive mom designed for all families who want to adopt or who have adopted from Kazakhstan. There is also information for anyone wanting to learn more about the country, culture and language.

http://www.kazakh-aul-us.org/ a nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the cultural needs of American families with children from Kazakhstan and to teaching children who live in Kazakhstan about American culture.   

ONLINE COMMUNITIES

Search “Yahoo! Kazakhstan Adoptions”

Eastern European Adoption Coalition Internet Mailing list: www.eeadopt.org          

BOOKS

The Russian Adoption Handbook: How to Adopt from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova by John H. Maclean, iUniverse.com, 2004