Customs and traditsion of the Uzbek people

Customs and traditsion of the Uzbek people

Hospitality and respect for the elderly are the main features of the Uzbek family. Usually, Uzbeks live in multi-generational families, so large houses built on land are preferred. The tea ceremony has an important place in life as an element of hospitality. Making tea and sharing it with guests is the exclusive right of the host. Invitations to lunch and dinner are always welcome and you are expected to arrive on time. When planning a visit, it is recommended to take souvenirs or sweets for the host's children. Usually only men shake hands. Women and men seated in the background accompany this joke with their right hand over their heart and their heads slightly bowed. It is traditional to ask about health during a handshake. work and home situation. In villages, when a guest arrives, women usually do not sit at the same table with men so as not to interfere in the conversation. It is not polite to admire and pay attention to the beauty of women. Shoes are removed upon entering the building. It is necessary to occupy the place indicated by the owner of the house. The farther from the entrance, the more respectable.

Ceremonies
Rituals of the Uzbek people were formed as a result of the complex combination of cultural skills and traditions of all tribes and peoples who participated in the ethnogenesis of the Uzbeks over the centuries. They are more original, bright and colorful and return to tribal patriarchal relations. Many rituals follow family life and are associated with the birth and upbringing of children, weddings, and funerals.
Ceremonies related to the birth and upbringing of children (cradle-wedding, circumcision), wedding (blessing-wedding, wedding) are of particular importance. Often they represent a combination of Islamic rituals with ancient forms associated with mystical practices. With the adoption of Islam, many family and daily customs were influenced by it, and Muslim religious ceremonies entered the life of Uzbeks. Friday is a holiday celebrated with communal prayer (prayer) in the cathedral mosque. Patriarchal traditions continue to live on in the mosque, teahouse, market-oriented and male-only social life.
Cradle wedding
Cradle wedding (wooden cradle) is a ceremonial celebration associated with the first placing of the baby in the cradle. It is one of the most ancient and widespread ceremonies in Uzbekistan. Usually, such an event is held on the 7th, 9th or 11th day after the baby's birthday. In different regions, the ceremony has its own characteristics and depends on the income level of the family: wealthy families usually celebrate this event on a large scale, while poor families celebrate on a moderate scale. The crib (cradle) and baby supplies are provided by relatives of the baby's mother. Flat bread, sweets, toys are placed on the table.
Gifts are prepared for the baby's parents, grandparents. Decorated cribs, tablecloths, and gifts are loaded into the car. All the guests go to their parents' house to the sound of trumpets, trumpets and tambourines. Traditionally, the baby's grandfather takes the delivered cradle on his right shoulder, then passes it to his son's right shoulder, and then hands it to the baby's mother. Previously, the faces were covered with white flour to ensure that all intentions of the guests were pure and good. Guests are invited to a lavish table in the living room, and while the guests help themselves, listen to music and relax, a baby wrapping and cradling ceremony is performed in an adjacent room with elderly women. At the end of the ceremony, guests come to look after the baby, bring him their gifts and throw parvarda (local sweets) and sugar squares on the crib. At this time, the ceremony ends and the guests return home.
Circumcision
Circumcision is another ancient ceremony of the Uzbeks, which was sanctified by Islam (circumcision wedding). This ceremony is held among boys aged 3, 5, 7, 9, rarely 11-12 years old. The recitation of the Sunnah is supervised by the community. After the birth of the son, the parents start preparing for the circumcision wedding by gradually buying it. Several months before the ceremony, which includes the "wedding", preparations for it begin immediately. Relatives and neighbors help in sewing blankets and preparing wedding gifts. All this should be done by women with many children. Before the event, the Qur'an is recited in the presence of the elders of the neighborhood, the imams of the mosque and their relatives. A table is set for the event, after which surahs from the Koran are read, and the elders pray for the child.
Tong Pilov
The morning pilaf ceremony is held during weddings (circumcision wedding or marriage ceremony) and commemoration ceremonies (20 days and 1 year after death). The organizers of the wedding agree in advance with the neighborhood or community gathering and determine the day and time in the morning. Invitations for this day are sent to relatives, neighbors and friends. In the evening, the day before the event, a "carrot-making" ceremony is held, which is usually attended by neighbors and close relatives. After the ceremony, all participants are invited to the table. Performers are usually invited to the "carrot cutting" ceremony. At the table during the feast, the elders divide the tasks among those present. Morning pilaf should be ready by the end of morning prayer - "morning prayer", because the participants of such prayer should be the first guests. At the end of the Fajr prayer, the trumpet, sunlight and sound of the tambourine announce the beginning of the Fajr prayer.
Guests sit around the tables, and after reading the blessing, bread and tea are served. At this time, pilaf is served on lagans (large trays) - one to two. After the feast, the plates are removed, and the guests bless again and leave, thanking the host. After they leave, tables are quickly set up to receive new guests. The morning pilaf ceremony usually lasts one and a half to two hours. During this time, invited performers will sing songs. At the end of the morning pilaf, gifts are given to honored guests - usually chapans (traditional men's clothing). The difference between the memory pilaf and the holiday is that the guests sit on the seats and read the surahs of the Qur'an and remember the deceased. The feast ends with the recitation of the Qur'anic surahs. Performers are not invited to the commemoration ceremony, the tables are set at a moderate level compared to the celebration. It is necessary to emphasize the peculiarity of celebrating and commemorating Palov only by men.
Fatima-Tuy (Meeting)
The marriage is conducted with the permission and blessing of the parents and is conducted in several stages. When someone's son grows up, parents start looking for a suitable girl for him. Close relatives, neighbors, friends take part in this process. After finding a girl, the mother's or father's aunts come to the girl's house with some pretext to look after her, to get to know her parents and the home conditions of the future bride. After that, neighbors and friends gather information about the chosen girl's family. If there are positive referrals, players will be sent. Fateha-0tuy (betrothal) is one of the main rituals of suitors. The suitors set a date for the engagement.
On this day, the elders of the neighborhood, the chairman of the neighborhood, and girls gather at the bride's house. When the mediators explain the purpose of the visit, the "breaking of bread" (literally "breaking of bread") ceremony begins. From this moment, young people are considered engaged. "Blessing wedding" ends with setting the wedding day. Each mediator is given two loaves of bread, sweets and gifts by the girls for the bridegroom and his parents. When the mediators return to the groom's house, trays with gifts are accepted from them, and the "sarpo kurar" ceremony (presentation of gifts) begins. Usually, a woman with many children opens a table. Everyone in attendance enjoys cookies and sweets brought from the bride's home. This ceremony concludes the marriage ceremony. From the "Fatikha wedding" to the wedding ceremony, the parents of the young people decide on the dowry and organizational issues related to the wedding ceremony. A few days before the wedding, a "girl's dinner" ceremony is held at the bride's house, to which the bride invites her close friends and relatives.