KARAKALPAK NATIONAL CUSTOMS

The next ritual connected with matchmaking was the so-called "kamyrzhagu", i.e. according to this custom women smeared the faces of the matchmakers with dough made of flour mixed with ash, sometimes the smearing was even done with liquid clay - "ylayzhagu". After breakfast the matchmakers were invited to "tamasha" (sports spectacles), but the matchmakers did not come out for a long time, knowing that they could be smeared with dough. Then they were asked again to come out for "ylak" - goat-pulling, assuring that they did not have any dough, that they, the girls' fellow villagers, were quite satisfied with the previous day's ceremony of pouring water on the matchmakers. After this, the senior, respected matchmakers, who had not been smeared, came out; they called other matchmakers coming out of the neighboring yurt. But here the women and girls, lying in wait for the matchmakers, smeared their mouths, heads, noses, and entire faces with dough. However, these matchmakers, passing by the neighboring yurt, where their fellow villagers were still sitting, told them to go out and that they were not smearing

anyone here.

Of course, the matchmakers who came out of the house were also smeared with dough. Other matchmakers were subjected to the same actions. Only some were spared by the women - at the request of the elders. The genesis of this rite, like su kuyar, apparently goes back to the desire to protect the matchmakers from malevolent spirits, and in a later period, both of these rites acquired the meaning of a protest against the violation of the principle of matrilocality of marriage. After the above-mentioned ceremony, the young matchmakers began the game of "y lak" - goat-tearing, and the elders entered the house and talked with the bride's parents about the composition and size of the kalym. The kalym of the Karakalpaks was very large compared to the kalym of neighboring peoples. It was calculated mainly by the number of heads of cattle and horses. Sometimes the size of the kalym was determined by the instructions of the clan elite of the aul - biys, atalyks, and also ishans. For example, it is known that during Oraz atalyk (second half of the 19th century), when a certain Davletmurat married Babajan's daughter - Ayimkhanbike, Oraz atalyk himself determined the

In this case, each animal was valued by a certain number of "tuars". Thus, according to informant Kdyrniyazov Seitniyaz (a 75-year-old Karakalpak living in the Kuibyshev state farm in the Kegeyli district), the kalym for the Karakalpaks was from 40 to 100 tuars. One cow, depending on its age, etc., was worth from ten to twenty tuars. An obligatory part of the kalym was alty "zhaksy" (literally six good ones), namely "kos myltyk" - a hunting rifle (it could be replaced by a riding horse); bas at - a good horse with a saddle and all the horse equipment; tet at - a young horse; bas ogiz - a good working bull; teto giz - a working bull recently trained to the yoke; segiz zhel baspak - eight barren cows. The total cost of the cattle (with a kalym of 60 tuars - 32, with a kalym of 40 tuars - 12) was to be paid

in cows; later it took the form of money.

The payment and distribution of the received kalym among the Karakalpaks were not strictly family-oriented: all the close and distant relatives of the groom participated in collecting funds for it; perhaps this determined its large size. After determining the size and composition of the kalym, the matchmakers and relatives of the bride asked the mullah to read an excerpt from the Koran to secure the concluded agreement, which was called "pate oku" among the Karakalpaks. After reading the Koran, the participants in this agreement broke a previously prepared flatbread, as a symbol of the inviolability of the agreement, and ate it together.

By this time, tamasha, that is, "y lak", ended, the young matchmakers returned to the house designated for them and asked the owners to allow them to go home. Usually, the matchmakers were asked to stay for a few more days, but they insisted, saying that they had business at home, that they needed to go. Then the girl's relatives brought "togyzlyk", which included the following items: one bracelet (bilezik), five skullcaps, ten arshins of material, 10 "kadak" of tea (1 kadak - pound, equals 400 grams). But the matchmakers did not accept this offering the first time, saying that it was very little for them, that there were many people left in their village with whom they would definitely have to share. Then

the bride's side added some more things and food to the "togyzlyk", so that it would be enough for all the matchmakers, their relatives and neighbors. When distributing the "togyzlyk", seniority and privileges of various tribal groups were taken into account. The eldest matchmaker was given more than an ordinary matchmaker; then the matchmakers were given representatives of the tribal divisions of the arys kungrad, and then the representatives of the arys on torto uru. After this, the matchmakers returned home. The collection of funds for the kalym began. As noted above, all the relatives and some fellow villagers took part in this. After some time, women from the bride's side arrived, the number of which varied from 3 to 7; these included "zhenge" (the wife of the bride's elder brother); "dayi apasy" (the sister of the bride's mother) and other women. They brought with them "tos" (brisket) and "tos baursak" (cookies fried in oil and resembling a brisket in shape). This visit of women was called "irge kornu" (acquaintance with the groom's house). They were received very hospitably and seen off with valuable gifts.

The next stage of the Karakalpak wedding was "esik ashar" the first visit (bukvalyu opening the door) by the groom to the bride's house; after paying half of the kalym, the groom could visit the bride's house with his friends. This was preceded by another ritual, which the Karakalpaks called "henna toi". Begdullaev Latip, 65 years old (a Karakalpak who lived in Nukus, Frunze Street, 6) says the following about the previous existence of "henna toi": "Before the arrival of the groom for the "Yesik ashar" ritual, the girl (bride) prepared for this: she smeared her hands with henna and with her girlfriends went to one of the holy places (a mosque, a cemetery, a mazar), the groom was supposed to come there with his friends. The bride's zhenge (she also led her girlfriends) introduced the young people. Sometimes the groom and the bride saw each other for the first time only here. They walked around the grave of a saint or a mosque and called on the saint to be a witness to their contract. After this, the young people went to the bride's house, where the traditional "Yesik ashar" ritual was supposed to take place. In modern Karakalpak life, this ritual has been completely forgotten, as evidenced by the fact that during the survey, informants could not answer questions about the meaning

and existence of this ritual. But older people remember the existence of henna toy as a preparation for the first meeting with the groom and as an important moment of the wedding ritual. This is reflected in the proverb that is still widely used today, which was said in case of haste ("Sheshennin hnatoy barma" i.e. "Are you in a

hurry for the henna of that mother?")

The very fact that most people, even older people, do not exist and do not know

about this custom speaks of its antiquity and uselessness.

The groom came to "Esik ashar" to get acquainted, with his friends and older fellow villagers, usually in the amount of seven people. According to the explanations of many informants, the odd composition of these people is explained by the fact that the bride "kalynlyk" was already considered their person, she should soon become their woman, and with her their number became even. They took cattle, sugar, tea, tobacco, poppy heads (as a drug), etc. with them for the bride's fellow villagers. Upon arrival at the bride's aul, the senior members of this groom's group could go straight to the bride's house, while the groom and his friends stood at the edge of the aul and waited for the meeting girls and women. Upon seeing them, the guests went to meet them in the following order: the groom walked in the middle, with his friends on both sides and in front. Upon meeting, these two groups greeted each other according to the traditional Karakalpak custom, i.e. the groom and his friends greeted each other first. The greeters could not find the groom for a long time and, having finally found him, they examined his pockets: the groom was supposed to put money in one pocket and sugar, tea, etc. in the other. The greeters took all of this. Then the groom and his friends were allowed to move towards the aul, stopping at some places to pay the ransom from the things they had brought, otherwise the women said, "the groom's legs will hurt." For crossing the bridge, they took a ransom of "kopir kade," for entering the aul - "aul abai," there were ransoms for passing by the house of the elders of the aul, for entering the house "esik ashar kade," etc. Usually the groom and his friends were received in the house of the bride's brother. At the entrance to the house, an old woman stood in front of the groom and his friends. She let the first of the groom's friends in, and then lay down in front of him on the threshold, blocking his

entry and letting him in only after receiving a gift, which the Karakalpaks called (kempir oldi kade" (ransom for a dead old woman). All previous ransoms were paid by the groom's friend who had already been let into the house, and the money the groom had was taken away by the women when they inspected his pockets. Therefore, the groom stood in front of the lying old woman at the threshold for some time and could not enter until the women of the village went to the elders, the matchmakers accompanying the groom, and received a ransom from them, and this ransom was the largest. Then the groom entered the house (yurt) was deliberately filled with smoke (all places from which smoke could come out were covered in advance, for cleaning the air from smoke, for ventilation, the groom's side paid a ransom "from zhagar kade". After this ransom, the groom They took a ransom for the right to sit down "otyryu kade". Before they could sit down, the guests had to give a ransom to the children - the so-called "shabdyrma kade" (sprinkling). After the children, adult men and young men of the village entered the house and also received a ransom "erler kadesi". Then the women came and received their share of the things brought by the groom and his friends. After these numerous ransoms, the bride's side began to prepare a treat, slaughtered the cattle brought by the groom. The groom had to give a ransom to the cook (oshak kade) - for making a fire. Then the girls of the village came to the groom and his friends, led by zhenge, the traditional "otyryspa" began - with tea drinking in honor of the arrival of the groom. At the same time, unwritten rules of behavior were strictly observed. For example, the participants of these gatherings had to observe the sequence and gradualness of all stages of the otyryspa. There were even rules on how to serve tea and rules of traditional etiquette. Let us give an example of the rules of tea drinking at otyrspa, which were reported in 1973 by Berdimuratova Ulbossyn (born in 1906, a Karakalpak woman), who lived in the city of Chimbay: first of all, she said, tea was served to the groom's friends first; in return, they sent the girl's side a cup of tea or a teapot with sugar tied in a knot. The girls, having tasted the tea from this teapot and sugar among themselves, sent back to the groom's side a bracelet, money, etc. tied in a knot. Sometimes, a girl could, having poured tea into a cup, present it to a guest she liked, who, having drunk the tea, held the cup until

the girl took it back. The men's side could drink the entire bowl of tea that was served, but the girls could not do this, as they were supposed to return the unfinished bowl of tea. Otherwise, the groom's side would reproach them for not knowing the order of "otyryspa" and for disrespecting them. Otyryspa ended with an answer to a riddle asked by the groom's side. In many cases, the girls found a witty and apt answer, but otherwise they fulfilled some of the groom's demands, in particular, to continue otyryspa, sing songs, etc. In the case of the correct answer, they had the right to disperse. By this time, dinner was already ready, and special rules were also respected during treats. For example, the bridegroom "TOS" was considered a share of only the bridegroom "Kүye". Women, giving the brisket, demanded a ransom "Pla to K and D." that is the ransom for the knife. According to the rules of traditional etiquette, the groom did not have the right to eat all the brisket, he was supposed to leave some of her “Sarkyt” girlfriends of the bride. After dinner, the cycle of ceremonies associated with the first meeting of the bride and groom began and the Muslim rite of the wedding-neke took place. According to some informants, a religious ceremony of the wedding in a later period was performed in the groom’s house, after the traditional rite of “Beth Ashar” (opening the face of the bride).

However, this option is not characteristic of the Karakalpak wedding, according to tradition, a certain took place in the house of the bride’s father. Two senior people who came with the groom, as well as two venerable Aksakal from the village of the bride, participated in the rite. As witnesses of marriage, they were called "AT". The choice of these witnesses required the consent of the young, so they sent one young man to the groom and the bride to obtain their consent. The groom usually said: “Ba gyhh a cap”, that is, consent immediately, but they often could not find the bride for a long time, since she was hiding from the first meeting with the fiancé. Finally, everyone found, persuaded for a long time and she agreed, calling specific persons from a kind that she trusted to be witnesses. Further witnesses, the groom and the bride were brought into a special yurt specially prepared for committing. Here, Mullah asked the young people if they agree to this union. After receiving their consent, he turned to witnesses who, having thrown a black and

white rope around his neck, expressed their consent aloud the following verses:

Then Mullah read a prayer over a cup (grains) with water (a certain suu), where silver coins were lowered. The edge of the cup on both sides had special slots. After reading the prayer, Mullah gave the water from this cup first from one cut to the groom, then from the other, a noose, then to everyone present. Usually there was not enough water for everyone. For committing the rite of marriage, Mullah received coins and a cut of fabric remaining in a cup. After a certain groom and the bride were considered legal spouses, and women prepared them by the first night. To do this, they provided a special yurt, where women and wife led the bride, and

his friends were the bridegroom.

After some time, both sides left the groom and the bride and the wife, who received a number of ransomes from the groom for the meeting (Kohni Zalatar), for touching the bride’s hair (shihpar), for the guards of the young (Ityryldau, for the bed (Tosexalar) And so on the young one left the young people on the wedding night The bride’s side was to return to the bride’s contributed part in the morning, the groom and his friends were preparing to go home for their solemn wires. The groom and his friends knew that the bride's side to allow themselves to joke over them, for example, often the horse was deliberately saddened, or they put the bone under the saddle so that the groom sits on the horse, etc. His horse was landed from both sides The girls were held, and in front of the wife, for which they all received a ransom (Zangibasar). This ended the traditional ritualism of the first meeting of

the young, “Esik Ashar”. Since that time, the groom had the right to secretly visit

his bride, although many knew about his visits.

From our description it is clear that the complex of rituals “Esik Ashar” was characterized by numerous small ransomes that had inappropriate origin and different meanings. For example, numerous obstacles on the path of the groom to the bride’s house had a goal not against the groom and his friends, but apparently against evil, ill -owned spirits, evil spirits, the desire to deceive them and protect the groom from hostile forces. The dowry included a yurt with all the accessories, household items; Sometimes rich parents gave her daughter, in addition to these things, livestock, arb, etc. In addition, the bride prepared gifts for relatives of the groom Ak Tachia (white a skullcap) for the elderly, Ak Zhegde white scrap for the old women and othersmaller gifts for all kinds of ransom. All these things from the Karakalpaks were called «Ileu." It should be noted that the size of the dowry was not determined by custom and was not determined by any contracts. The size of the dowry mainly depended on the state of the parents, however, the Karshgyn carpet, Zanezes (Shymyldyk), the traditional headdress of the bride “Kyzyl Kiimehek” was an obligatory minimum in dowry.

The dowry covered all the necessary things of life and they did not mix with the common things in the house. If the composition of the items of the dowry was large, then they tried to place them in a separate yurt, and these things were considered the property of the bride, her future children, the husband was not right to dispose of things from the dowry without the consent of his wife. In the event of a divorce, the dowry was completely returned to the woman.

Betashar (Idrisova H.)

The most beautiful ceremony is considered to be "Betashar"-(opening the bride’s face). This is the entrance of the bride into the house of the future husband. The bride is dressed in her parents' house. She must wear a white dress with a closed neck and arms. On her head is a scarf, over which is a transparent big, white scarf. One end of the white veil is connected to the special cloth. The other end of the cloth is connected to branch of fruit tree and a boy at the ages of 8-11 holds the branch during the ceremony.

The young daughters-in-law from the groom's side - "jengeler" take her by the arms. They lead the girl to the guests, where they are met by a wedding officiant, who will conduct the "Betashar" ceremony. A Wedding officiant must know the rules of "Betashar", be able to sing and witty.

First a wedding officiant sings about how beautiful the bride is, how slender and well-mannered. How wise and smart is her future husband, how fair are the groom's parents. Then he sings about how the bride is obliged to honor the groom's parents, to be a daughter to them, to respect her elders and to be an exemplary wife and worthy mother. Gradually, the wise wedding officiant introduces the young daughter-in-law to the guests and numerous relatives of the groom.