Kazakh people celebrate traditional New Year Nowruz

Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hanoi Kanat Tumysh met with Vietnamese press. (Photo: TGCC)

In the middle of March, the people of Kazakhstan are joyfully celebrating the traditional New Year of Nowruz, also known as the Spring Festival, one of the biggest festivals of the people of Central Asia and some Muslim countries such as Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan. This is the holiday marking the first day of Spring, the beginning of the new year, according to the ancient Persian calendar. On February 23, 2010, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution No. 64/253 officially recognizing March 21 every year as the International Day of Nowruz.

On this occasion, reporters from The World and Vietnam Newspaper met and discussed with Mr. Kanat Tumysh, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Vietnam about the Nowruz festival and prospects for promoting Vietnam - Kazakhstan relations.

Nowruz - Kazakhstan's biggest festival

Ambassador Kanat Tumysh said that Nowruz is the biggest traditional holiday in Kazakhstan, associated with the season of natural renewal. Today, Nowruz is celebrated all over the world, especially in 13 countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

In Kazakhstan, Nowruz is a national holiday and is celebrated over three days, March 21, 22, and 23, starting at the time of the Spring Equinox, when the length of day and night is equal. After this day, the length of day is longer than the length of night. This symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, the victory of good over evil, and the renewal of nature.

However, Kazakhs usually celebrate Nowruz for 10 days according to the ancient calendar, starting from March 14, called Nowruz-nama. Each day has its own name and nuance. For example, March 14 - Meeting Day, March 15 - Thanksgiving Day, March 16 - National Culture and Traditions Day, March 17 - Family Day, March 18 - National Costume Day, March 19 - Innovation Day, March 20 - Traditional Sports Day such as Wrestling, Horse Riding, March 21 - Unity and Solidarity Day, March 22 - New Year's Day.

The festival ends on March 23 with rituals of purification by jumping over bonfires. Over the next 10 days, people clean their homes, play folk games and cook traditional food.

Nowruz is Kazakhstan's biggest traditional holiday, associated with the season of natural renewal. (Photo: TGCC)

Nowruz is a traditional festival of hundreds of years of Muslim origin, to express the worship of nature of the ancestors of thousands of nomads. The people of Kazakhstan believe that, during these days, they will escape the cold of winter and enjoy prosperity, warmth as well as the increase in the number of livestock they own.

To make the ceremony solemn and proper, each Kazakh family spends time preparing carefully, from the presentation of food to costumes. During the festival, each family usually prepares a customary feast including 7 main traditional dishes. When the feast begins, everyone will enjoy it together with the hope that every day of the year will be prosperous, life will be full, joyful and happy like the New Year.

Vietnamese Lunar New Year and Nowruz festival have many similarities

According to Ambassador Kanat Tumysh, Vietnamese Lunar New Year and Kazakhstan’s Nowruz have many similarities. These holidays both originate from agriculture, symbolizing the beginning of the farming season, when farmers go to the fields. This is also an occasion for people to wear nice clothes, visit relatives and friends, and exchange best wishes.

According to custom, Nowruz is celebrated for 3 days, quite similar to the traditional Vietnamese New Year, when people visit relatives and wish each other a new year of good luck, prosperity and well-being.

For both Kazakhs and Vietnamese, ancestor worship is very important, symbolizing the connection between generations. Kazakhs call this activity “aruakh”. People go to cemeteries, visit the graves of their loved ones and pray.

In the days before Nowruz, people release fish and do not cut their nails or hair. Similar customs are observed in Vietnam. People clean and decorate their homes, throw away old things and prepare traditional feasts.

During the festival, each family usually prepares a traditional feast consisting of 7 main traditional dishes. (Photo: TGCC)

For Nowruz, Kazakhs prepare a special stew called “nauryz-kozhe”. This dish consists of 7 natural ingredients - water, salt, cereals, meat, dairy products, onions, and noodles. Each family can change the ingredients, but it must have 7 ingredients, because this is a sacred number, symbolizing abundance. Many different ingredients combined in one dish symbolize unity, prosperity and happiness.

The Kazakh offering tray consists of seven items: barley, milk, “ayran” yogurt, clean water, meat, onions and salt. The Vietnamese wrap banh chung, make banh tet, banh giay, and cook delicious, unique dishes to treat family and friends.

Mr. Kanat Tumysh said that in order to strengthen international cooperation, consolidate peace, and enhance understanding of the culture and customs of Central Asian countries, this year, the Embassy of Kazakhstan plans to organize the Nowruz festival at the Hanoi College of Commerce and Tourism on March 19. Here, Hanoians will have the opportunity to enjoy traditional dishes of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Kazakh people celebrate the festival with folk dances and games. (Photo: TGCC)

Vietnam-Kazakhstan relations continue to grow

Over the years, Vietnam-Kazakhstan relations have been continuously strengthened. The official visit of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Vietnam in August 2023 created a new impetus for bilateral relations. During the visit, the two countries signed 1 State-level cooperation agreement, 8 Government-level agreements and 40 trade agreements.

In the economic field, two-way trade turnover is growing. In 2022, this figure only reached 250 million USD, by 2023 it will double to about 500 million USD, and by 2024 it will reach 900 million USD. The two countries are gradually approaching the important milestone of 1 billion USD. However, the potential for bilateral cooperation is still very large. The two sides aim to increase trade turnover to 2-3 billion USD in the coming years.

A highlight of bilateral relations is the aviation sector. Over the past years, the number of flights between Kazakhstan and Vietnam has increased from two in 2012 to 42 per week, connecting Astana, Almaty with Phu Quoc and Nha Trang. Flights are operated by Kazakhstan Air Astana, Kazakhstan SCAT Airlines and Vietjet Air.

Air Astana, the national airline, is expected to open a direct flight to Da Nang on June 4 this year. The two sides are actively developing the opening of the “Middle Corridor” trans-Caspian railway connecting Vietnam, ASEAN countries, China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

On March 19, 2024, the Embassy of Azerbaijan and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Vietnam jointly organized the Novruz festival for the first time at the Hanoi College of Commerce and Tourism.

Cooperation between localities has also developed very positively. Hanoi and Astana, Ho Chi Minh City and Almaty established sisterhood relations since 2012. Localities signed Memorandums of Understanding on establishing sisterhood relations such as Bac Ninh province and East Kazakhstan province (2024), Da Nang city and Aktau (January 2025).

The two countries are currently promoting the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing sister-country relations between Hung Yen and Kyzylorda provinces, Ha Long city (Quang Ninh province) and Turkestan city (Turkestan province), Thanh Hoa province and Almaty city. The establishment of this framework contributes to strengthening political relations, economic development, cultural and educational exchanges between localities of the two countries.

In the cultural field, Kazakhstan has established good cooperative relations with the Vietnam National Academy of Music. Many Kazakhs like Vietnamese traditional musical instruments, especially those made from bamboo.

Bright prospects

Ambassador of Kazakhstan Kanat Tumysh affirmed that Vietnam is a rapidly developing country, with an increasingly important role and voice in Southeast Asia. The two countries have similarities in culture, history, geopolitics and maintain a good traditional friendship. Despite the serious consequences caused by natural disasters last year, along with the economic and geopolitical crisis in the world, the economies of the two countries are still growing strongly.

Guests attend the Novruz festival at Hanoi College of Commerce and Tourism, March 19, 2024.

The diplomat excitedly said that the two sides are promoting many activities of great significance this year, such as increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels; developing cooperation in many fields such as agriculture, culture, tourism, sports, education, justice and anti-corruption, culture, trade and logistics. Notably, in May in Astana, the Vietnam Cultural Days will be held and the Vietnam Cultural Year in Kazakhstan will be inaugurated. 2026 will be the Kazakhstan Cultural Year in Vietnam.

Quoting the medieval Kazakh philosopher Al Farabi, "Society is united by love, lives by justice and survives by honest labor" and the profound teaching of President Ho Chi Minh, "Remember, a storm is a good opportunity for pine and cypress trees to demonstrate their strength and stability," Ambassador Kanat Tumysh expressed his belief that bilateral relations will continue to be strengthened in the coming time.

On the occasion of Nowruz, Ambassador Kanat Tumysh wished the Vietnamese Party and State leadership, headed by General Secretary To Lam, new achievements in the cause of innovation, bringing Vietnam to continue to rise into a new era, and wished the Vietnamese people happiness and prosperity!

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nguo-i-dan-kazakhstan-tung-bu-ng-don-cha-o-tet-co-truye-n-nowruz-307981.html