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March 22 is Nauryz Meyramy, the holiday of the arrival of spring and the day of the spring equinox. It is an official holiday in Kazakhstan, celebrated with ethnovillages, cultural and sports events, and various fairs.

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Culture of the Great Steppe

Kazakhstan is located in the heart of Eurasia - at the intersection of key transportation routes. For millennia, the country's territory has served as a connecting bridge between the East and the West. Its strategic position has facilitated not only the active growth of trade but also the exchange of cultural and scientific achievements. The Great Silk Road passed through the lands of modern Kazakhstan. Caravans transported furs, gold, spices, and silk. Since ancient times, the vast steppes have united peoples and preserved many valuable artifacts. The word of Turkic origin 'Kazakh' means 'Free man,' and Kazakhstan is a country historically inhabited by freedom-loving nomads. At various stages of history, unique civilizations arose and developed here, and their heir is the modern state with a rich past and a multicultural heritage

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Aigerim Musagazhinova: "Kazakhstan is a country of new gastronomic discoveries"

Aigerim Musagazhinova is a Kazakhstani ethnographer, PhD in history and an expert on traditional Kazakh cuisine. For over 15 years, she has been studying and reviving the gastronomic heritage of her people: collecting forgotten recipes, systematizing them, and exploring the cultural aspects of nutrition.Many articles have been written about her about the revival of national cuisine, but Aigerim spoke especially for the Qazaq Culture website about the nation's ethnocode, clean eating and the important connection between a farmer and a consumer.- Aigerim, you talk a lot about the importance of telling about the richness of our national cuisine and culture. You are constantly looking for new recipes and traditions of your ancestors. How did you come up with the idea of ​​popularizing ethnoculture in Kazakhstan?- I am an ethnographer myself and since 2001 I have been traveling to villages and regions, spending a lot of time on expeditions, studying intangible culture and heritage. At first, I was interested in family and everyday rituals, but over time I became interested in food and national cuisine. I was a little offended to hear that Kazakh cuisine is supposedly limited to baursaks and kuyrdak. But in fact, there are more than 40 types of kumys, and the technologies for preparing it are different. Then I realized: we have a huge and rich food culture, and we need to talk about it, share it, and preserve it.- National cuisine is not just food, it is a whole philosophy. What dishes do you especially remember?- Each region has its own “flagship” dishes. There are recipes that were traditionally prepared only by women, or vice versa - only by men. The first dish in my ethnographic menu was ulpershek - a symbol of parental love for a daughter.For example, shubat differs in taste and cooking technology in different parts of the country: it all depends on the climate, water, and grasses on which the animals graze. Our cuisine is a real treasure trove, and we must pass this knowledge on to the younger generation.- You recently published a book, “Kazakh Cuisine: Taste and Traditions,” where you collected 50 unique recipes out of more than 200 found during expeditions. What are your plans now?- Yes, creating the book required a lot of effort. Now I understand: it is important not only to preserve the recipes, but to develop domestic production. We have already studied the product, its properties, and the characteristics of the regions. It saddens me that today's youth is carried away by energy drinks that are harmful to health. Why not tell us about the barberry leaves that grow in our mountains? You can make tea from them — it is a natural antioxidant!Our ancestors have been drinking mare's and camel's milk since time immemorial. And today, in modern realities, we can quite easily develop our own production of kumiss, shubat, along with any fashionable drinks.And the aroma of thyme, sorpa, beshbarmak is part of our ethnic code.- You also opened a chain of ethno-gastronomic restaurants. These are more than restaurants — they are cultural spaces. Tell us about the concept and the uniqueness of the products.- I especially like tare — a product that we associate with mother's milk. It does not contain gluten, it is very healthy. We brew tea, coffee, and cook porridge based on tare. We even developed a special technology for making coffee based on tare.Now many restaurants are opening with an ethno-concept — and I am only happy about this. But it is important not just to copy, but to develop a local product, to study the characteristics of each region. This is the only way we can build a strong gastronomic identity.I also believe that it is important to train farmers, to reduce the distance between them and consumers. I am for honest, clean production. It should be important to us what our animals eat and how the product gets to the shelves.- So you think that gastro-tourism is also a path to cultural revival?- Absolutely! We have everything to show Kazakhstan to the world as a real gastronomic country. Kumys tours, tastings, participation of farmers in festivals, creation of regional brands.It is important that domestic farmers know each other, interact, participate in joint projects. This is the only way we will preserve our real cultural code.

Regions and places to visit

Discover the best places to visit in Kazakhstan. Explore the regions and find out what makes them unique.

Akmola region

Akmola region is one of the largest and most developed regions of Kazakhstan and ranks ninth in size. It borders with Kostanai region in the West, North Kazakhstan region in the North, Pavlodar region in the East and Karagandy region in the South.

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Heritage

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ABOUT KAZAKHSTAN

In this section, the users will find information about the development and prospects of Kazakhstan

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HISTORY

In this section, there is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Kazakhstan

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UNESCO HERITAGE

The UNESCO World Heritage List includes both natural and cultural monuments of Kazakhstan. These include the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the petroglyphs of Tamgaly, Saryarka - Steppes and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan, the Turan Deserts, the Western Tien Shan, as well as a complex of sites of the Great Silk Road in the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor.

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MUSEUMS AND RESERVES

Museums and reserves are important institutions that preserve cultural, historical and natural heritage. Museums collect and display works of art and historical artefacts, while reserves protect natural resources and ecosystems, ensuring their safety for future generations.

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GOLDEN FUND

In this section, the users can get acquainted with the Kazakh talents who have gained worldwide fame

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CINEMA

Pearls of national cinema: retrospectives and long-awaited premieres

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ARCHIVES

This section provides access to a rich historical collection of documents and archival materials of Kazakhstan

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Become a batyr

Upload your photo and try on the look of a Kazakh batyr or a Turkic amazon with the help of artificial intelligence

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