Ancestral flames, sheephead feasts and knucklebones game —this is how nomads ring in Nauryz

euronews (in English)

Digital nomads and travellers welcome spring on the Kazakh steppe in Nauryz - where ancestral flames, sheephead feasts and knucklebones games kick off a 10-day nomad festival.

Transcript

00:01Every March, as winter draws to an end, nomads mark nature's renewal with Nowris, a celebration of spring arriving.

00:08This custom is widely celebrated in the Turkic countries of Central Asia and beyond.

00:13In Kazakhstan, Nowris is an important tradition that stretches back centuries.

00:18Hearty feasts, time-honored rituals, and boundless hospitality.

00:22This is how Kazakhs welcome the arrival of spring.

00:25Join me as I celebrate the full magic of the season, the Nomad way.

00:30This is Modern Nomads.

00:35For nomads, Nowris begins before the spring equinox with celebrations kicking off on March 14th and peaking from the 21st to 22nd.

00:44Before the first signs of spring, Kazakhs light a sacred fire atop Ottan Mountain in Mangastau's Adai Atak complex.

00:54These rituals remain deeply authentic.

00:59Each year, the younger Jews' tribal descendants take turns leading the festivities.

01:04This year, it's the Adai-Kusai lineage's turn.

01:07This year, it's the Adai-Kusai lineage's turn.

01:11The event of the third target was released at the territory in the Kaza.

01:14The Battle of Malis in the Kaza is the Jewish national speed.

01:15It's a day that the Kaza is the YouTube channel.

01:18This year, we became a group of knights from the Kaza.

01:20Nowris and his region, we become a native warrior.

01:23In the Kaza, I became a native by the Kaza.

01:24But the heart of Nowris unfolds the next day.

01:26Amal, the festival of renewal.

01:29But the heart of Naoris unfolds the next day, Amal, the Festival of Renewal.

01:40It's a day of reunions, nomads embrace, exchange blessings, and celebrate surviving winter.

01:49Modern nomads, entrepreneurs, travelers, and digital wanderers see this holiday as a time

01:55for renewal and reconnection, like Mandy from Quebec, who came to explore the culture.

02:00I could see myself as a norban because I've lived in Canada and I've never had a home for

02:05like a year and a half. I've always been moving. I could see a bit similarities between my lifestyle

02:09and the lifestyle of the Kazakhs. Everybody just wants to show me like their yukht and just the food

02:15that they prepared. This is the best time to savor Kazakh cuisine. Tables are overflowing with

02:22delights like borsas, fried bread, and kurdak, meat stir-fry.

02:30Festivities continue with folk music,

02:36traditional games, and the thrilling Alaman Vayge horse race.

02:41In Kazakhstan, Naoris celebrations culminate on March 21st and 22nd with festivities nationwide reaching

02:53their most vibrant in Astana.

02:56Nomadic games spring to life, inviting all to partake in archery, tug of war, and asoktos,

03:13a traditional Kazakh game played with sheep knuckle bones. Visiting from Turkey, Farhad underscores the

03:18significance of preserving Naoris traditions for future generations.

03:22For the Turkish nations, this is a celebrating new year. It's like Christmas. You know, it's that

03:29important. It connects us with our roots. It is good to use its power and with this empowering go to the

03:36future. So I think this is why it's important for this generation to keep it and carry it on.

03:43Other must-visit spots in the capital, festive town squares, alive with performances, exhibitions, and fairs.

03:58A diverse array of artisan goods awaits, sure to impress even a seasoned eye.

04:03Jeanne Agul, a shopkeeper at the fair, shares how nomadic life inspires her craft.

04:08It's been a part of the country. It's been a part of the country.

04:30But of course, the highlight of this holiday is Naoris Khojer, Kazakhstan's signature seven ingredient soup,

04:36symbolizing prosperity, health, and renewal. Rich in fermented dairy and grains, it was a vital

04:42source of nourishment during lean spring months, embodying the essence of the new year.

04:49And now it's time for me to enjoy my Naoris Khojer and soak in the celebration.

04:53Happy Naoris from Kazakhstan!

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