Customs and Traditions in Uzbekistan

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CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

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Gymnasium No. 9, Asaka, Andijan region, Uzbekistan

Project coordinator: Mohira Hamrakulova

Participating pupils: Nosirjon, Abdulatif E.

Click here to find out more information about our school

Navruz

It’s celebrated on the 21st of March. In cities, towns and villages people celebrate this holiday, the eastern New Year, which is a holiday that celebrates the awakening of nature, and promotes friendship, fraternity and cultural and historical traditions. March is the spring equinox, meaning that the day is equal to the night everywhere on the planet. Our ancestors considered this day the beginning of the astronomical year. Uzbek scientists of the past wrote that Navruz was celebrated long, and long ago. During the Arab invasion in Central Asia, Navruz was prohibited, but after the downfall of the Arab Khalifate in the 9th and 10th centuries it was revived again. The young and the old prepare for Navruz in a flurry of spring cleaning, washing, scrubbing, painting and decorating of homes. A week before the holiday many people take part in public wide khashars, (voluntary, unpaid work performed collectively). Women cook a wide variety of delicious food such as palov, shashlik, khasip, kuk somsa and monti, and different sweets. Only the best of cooks are entrusted with the important task of making sumalak. Sumalak is boiled for more than 24 hours in big cauldrons, the bottoms of which are covered with little washed river stones and nuts. According to customs, those who get a stone when the dish is served in plates or cups will be fortunate in the coming year and their dreams will come true.

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Ramadan and Id-ul-Fitr Qurban Hait

It is the Muslims' holiday. It comes after the month of Ramadan.

We have that month twice a year: in autumn and at the end of winter. That month we have meals only in Saharlik (it means very early) and we don't eat and drink until Iftorlik (it means we open our mouth). If we keep this rite it means we keep Ruza.

On Arafa (a day before Qurban Hait) we give Polov (our tasty national food) to our neighbors and so do they. After that we have the holiday called Qurban Hait. That day we give alms to poor families and money to kids. That day we remember our dead relatives and visit their tombs in memory. It is a very old holiday like Navruz.

Here are more details about Ramadan and Id-ul-Fitr Qurban Hait:

Ramadan is one of the months in the Muslim calendar. Each new month begins with the new moon. Id-ul-Fitr is the festival at the end of Ramadan.

During the month of Ramadan we can’t eat or drink during the day. This is called fasting. We have to wait until the evening to eat. At sunset, first we have a snack and later we have a main meal. During the feast of Ramadan, people eat only from ceramic plates, using new crockery for each holiday. These pieces, and the clay from which they are made, are considered holy, or Halol, among the people of Uzbekistan.

All eating must finish before the sun rises. While we are fasting we learn to be patient.
It’s very difficult not to eat or drink during the day. Not all Muslims have to fast during Ramadan. Very old people don’t fast and children don’t have to fast until they are twelve years old. People who are on a journey can eat while they are travelling. Women don’t fast while they are expecting a baby. Ill people don’t fast but they must fast when they are healthy again. While we are fasting we pray more then usual and read the Koran more.

Id-ul-Fitr is the festival at the end of Ramadan. It begins on the first day of the next months. Before Id-ul-Fitr we give money to the poor, so that everyone will be able to celebrate the festival. On the night efore Id, we often don’t go to bed. We stay up all night and wait until the new moon appears. When we can see the new moon the festival begins. At Id we visit our friends and have parties. We give presents and cards and eat special cakes and sweets

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Uzbek Wedding

We need to have a lot of money to make weddings. Therefore, parents usually gather money almost all their life. To "give" daughter to another family, parents gather a lot of things like "40 kurpas, 30 tushaks (special things to sit on and sleep), and 25 pillows ". Kurpa and tushak are special covers, dresses for new brides, for parents of groom, for close relatives' shelves, bed, curtain and other many things. New bride can live with these things. To hold usual wedding is very expensive. That’s why we have such tale, “if parents have 3 daughters paradise doors are open to them”. During the whole life, parents save their money for doing beautiful dowries for their daughter. That’s why usually Uzbek people don't travel around the world.

By a tradition, first, groom’s parents go to the bride’s home to ask if her parents agree to connect their children's' life. Before going to bride’s home, they ask from everyone: neighbours, teacher and from other bride’s friends to find the answer for the question “what kind of girl is she?” The groom’s side usually asks many questions. Who were seven ancestors of this girl? Does she cook well? Is she going to be a good housewife or a good wife for their son? Usually Uzbek boys usually agree with their parents choice. Then parents or boy’s grandparents go to the girl’s home to ask for the girl’s hand. When they go for the first time to the bride’s home, boy’s side bring 10 “non “s, sweets and white dress for new bride with themselves in a white tablecloth. There are symbols for each of these things. For example candies “New couple's life will be sweet as candy”, white tablecloth means future bride’s sole to be as white as that tablecloth. If the bride’s side agrees, they share non (bread), and they many handkerchiefs for groom. “Ok kiydi” means “white dressing” and it symbolizes that new couples are engaged. After “ok kiydi” groom’s side should bring 80 kg of refined cotton and 60 kg of flour and some other candies. What do you think? Bride’s side gives more things than groom’s side. They buy all dresses for groom. Usually in Zags new couples of friends go to eat ice- cream and put flowers to Al-Fargoniy.

After this, they go to the registration office (in Uzbek it is ZAGS). In registration office they sign some documents and they will be married legally. After this ceremony new couples go to the boy’s home. When they will be coming to the groom’s house, candies are spread over their head. It means new couple’s new steps will bring happiness to this home. After this they go back to the bride’s home for religious agreement which will be hold by DOMLA. In this ceremony the groom's uncle should pay some money for BRIDE’S aunt. If the money is not so enough, girl’s side usually can make “discounts” with the boy’s relatives. During entreat domla asks 3 times, if the girl agrees to connect her life with the groom.

After this ceremony they go to the brides’ home to have our big wedding party. There will be Uzbek singers who sing really fast songs. Everyone dances and congratulates new brides. In the wedding bride usually wears a white dress. In Uzbek it is “kelin kuylak”. The girl often cries a lot when she says “bye” to everyone. Usually new “kelin” goes from her parent’s home forever. By the way to the boy home kelin’s relatives sing a song. Usually kelin’s relatives go to the boy’s home by bus. On the bus they sing our traditional song. This is “yiglama yor-yor to’y saniki yor yor”. It means “don’t cry, this is your day, why are you crying, on this day you should be happy”. When the bus comes to the boy’s house, boy’s mum gives sweet water. Then the boy bride carries her down the bus. If the boy side doesn’t give a knife to the girl’s brother, the bride will not get off the bus. Near the boy’s home, there will be often a fire and new brides should walk around the fire three times. It means that new brides’ life will be as warm as fire.

After this the wedding starts. First, bride should pray for everyone and to the boy’s relatives, neighbours. For this moment we’ve a special song. For each guest special song. After this songs end, the wedding party will begin, fiancée’s and bride’s friends congratulate them. After five or 6 hours long party wedding ends. On the second day there is another part of the wedding called “Yuz ochdi”. It means “face opening”. Only women participate in this ceremony. The bride wears a handkerchief covering her face with it. Fiancée's nephew opens her face later. The Fiancée's side gives gifts to the bride. After 10 days another ceremony, called “Ota ko’rdi” takes place. The bride’s father brings gifts to her daughter. The bride can’t go to her own house unless her parents call her with another special ceremony.

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