VINTAGE TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

THE LEGEND'S OF KAZAKHSTAN (Kazakhstan 🇰🇿)

Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country and former Soviet republic, extends from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains at its eastern border with China and Russia. Its largest metropolis, Almaty, is a long-standing trading hub whose landmarks include Ascension Cathedral, a tsarist-era Russian Orthodox church, and the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan, displaying thousands of Kazakh artifacts. Astana is the capital.

Kazakhstan's folklore is rich and diverse, with a long tradition of oral storytelling. Kazakh folktales often reflect the nomadic lifestyle of the Kazakh people, their close connection to nature, and their values of courage, hospitality, and wisdom.

Here are some of the most popular Kazakh folktales:

1. LEGEND OF DOMBRA:

In ancient times two Giant brothers lived in the Altai highlands. The younger brother loved to play the Dombra and would forget about everything else while playing it. The elder brother was proud and vain. Once, he decided to build a bridge across a rapid and cold river to become famous. He began to gather stones and build the bridge while the younger brother continued to play the Dombra. Days went by, and the younger brother did not help, which made the elder brother angry. He snatched the Dombra from his brother's hands and broke it against a rock, silencing the music. But, on the stone, the stamp of the Dombra remained. Many years later, people found the stamp and began to make new Dombra, and the music, which had been silent for so long, sounded again.

2. LEGEND OF THE KOZY KORPESH BAYAN-SULU:

The Kazakh Lovers' Day celebrates the heroes of the Kazakh epic "Kozy-Korpesh and Bayan-Sulu" and their beautiful but tragic love story. According to the legend, two childhood friends, Syrybay, and Karabay, decided to marry their children, who had been engaged even before they were born. Unfortunately, Syrybai died while hunting before his son was born. As Kozy and Bayan grew up, they met and fell in love, making their families very happy. However, Bayan-Sulu's father, Karabai, broke an oath he had made to his best friend and changed his plans. He decided to give his daughter in marriage to Kodar, a local paluan (strongman, wrestler) who once saved his flocks from a jute (mass death of cattle). Kodar stood in the way of the lovers, and in this love triangle, Kozy died. The grief-stricken girl decided to take revenge on Kodar by resorting to cunning. She promised to marry him if he dug a well of spring water for her. Kodar started digging the well, holding onto Bayan's long plaits. Suddenly she cut off her plaits, and Kodar died in the well. Thus, Bayan-Sulu avenged her lover Kozy-Korpesh and never came to peace with her loss. She stabs herself with a dagger on his grave. The names of Kozy and Bayan have been inseparable for ages, and their beautiful love has become a symbol of true and sincere relationships.

3. LEGEND OF MOUNT KELINSHEKTAU:

It is said that a long time ago, at the foot of Karatau, lived a nobleman who had an only daughter named Bai-Aisulu. The girl was known for her beauty, and when she turned 15, many suitors came forward to marry her. However, her father made it clear that she would only marry with her consent. Eventually, a young man won her heart, and her father prepared a large and rich dowry for his beloved daughter. The dowry was full of expensive and luxurious items, sewn with gold threads and silk. The Shanyrak was made of gold, and the uyk was made of silver. Her father personally handed her the reins of the caravan, and they journeyed towards Karatau. During the journey, the daughter became curious and decided to inspect the dowry. To her surprise, she noticed that the dishes for the dogs (itқ) were made of simple apricot wood. Displeased with this, she sent her husband back to her father's village with the request to make them out of silver instead. Upon hearing this, her wise father was deeply hurt. He regretted nothing about the dowry and had given it to her with a clear conscience. Feeling betrayed, he cursed his daughter: "You have a stone heart, so become a stone." And so it was that all of the dowry, including the camels, the yurt, the dishes, and everything in it, turned to stone. The mountain where this happened still stands today and is called Mount Kelinshektau. The daughter also turned into stone and still stands there to this day.