October
30
Hello everyone!
There are many important facets that
contribute to the creation of the Kazakh culture. One example we recently
watched in amazement on the television is kokpar,
a game where two teams on horseback attempt to drop a sheep’s carcass into what
resembles an open yurt. Another is food, and the hours taken to slave over a
beshbarmak. But a vital part of the Kazakh identity, as with many cultures
around the world, is the importance of music. This week we got to witness music
from across the world’s largest landlocked country: east to west, north to
south.
We got wind of a national Kazakh folk music
competition. Each of the sixteen regions sent a group of musical maestros to
the capital’s Congress Hall. The prize for the winner would be to represent the
country at an international event in Egypt at a later date. The stakes, as you
can imagine, were high, and the television cameras scattered around the room
were a stark reminder to all of the competitors about what they could achieve.
On a cold Tuesday evening, we walked across
the road to the large hall. As with many Kazakh events, we didn’t have to pay
to watch. It is incredible that we get to watch such talented musicians without
paying a single Tenge coin. The hall was close to capacity, with many in the
audience waiting patiently to cheer loudly for their region’s performance. One
of my friends who attended is from Atyrau, in the west of Kazakhstan, and was
imploring us to support them.
The event surprisingly started promptly at
7pm. The first performers had a bit of a nightmare due to a combination of a
technical fault and the desire of the singer to continue booming out his lyrics
when the microphone was screeching. I cannot say that I enjoyed that
performance. The following group, from Almaty, had a much slicker and more
vibrant production, involving dancing and singing in traditional clothing.
Indeed, much of what we saw gave us a clear
idea of what constitutes Kazakh culture. There was a group who acted out a
Kazakh wedding, and dombras were almost omnipresent in their use by the vast
majority of the regions. There were some interesting variations; the group
representing Shymkent, in the south, seemed to be having a rap battle. To those
of us who don’t speak Kazakh, however, it sounded like a shouting match. A very
loud shouting match.
The Astana group were well-polished in
their performance and, perhaps symbolically when you consider how much money is
spent here compared to other areas of Kazakhstan, were a bit different from the
rest of the regions in that they had Russian included in their lyrics as well
as Kazakh.
My favourite group were a trio of dombra
players whose fingers were almost impossible to see, such was the speed of
their harmonious work. Many dombra songs sound very similar, so it was a mark
of how good they were that I found them particularly interesting and excellent.
We stayed for ninety minutes before taking
our leave. I would have liked to stay for longer, but it had become slightly
repetitive. Work and planning had to, unfortunately, take precedence over this
fascinating experience. I was somewhat gobsmacked when I found out a few days
later that the winners were actually the very first group who had had the
microphone malfunctions. I hope their equipment works better in Egypt.
It was nice to experience something fresh
in this second year of living in Kazakhstan. Being here for a second year means
that there isn’t necessarily as much to do that is obviously ‘new’ to me. It
does, however, allow me to compare and contrast with my first year in the
steppe. One example is the weather. This time last year there was snow on the
floor and in the air; this year, the temperature is still hovering in positive
figures even as we approach the middle of November. Prices of basic foodstuffs
have risen slightly, but not significantly when I see some articles about the
price of staple foods back at home.
I am more prepared for the winter this
year. We are aware of how cold it will become, so will strive to explore whilst
this Kazakh version of an Indian Summer still holds. After all, dealing with
the cold is surely a crucial aspect of their culture, surely?
Love you all
Matt