Event featuring notable achievements and genuine flavors

Event featuring notable achievements and genuine flavors

In the heart of Kazakhstan, the city of Astana played host to the gastronomic festival "BaiQymyz" on July 19-20. This annual event, which attracted over 70,000 guests, is a celebration of Kazakh culture, tradition, and cuisine, with a special focus on the fermented milk drink known as kumys.

Kumys: A Symbol of Kazakh Culture

With roots traced back to ancient nomadic peoples, including the Huns, kumys holds deep significance in Kazakh culture. More than just a beverage, it is a symbol of hospitality and good health. During special occasions and gatherings, kumys is often served as a treat for guests.

The Production of Kumys

Traditionally made from fermented mare's milk, the production process of kumys gives it a slightly sour taste and light alcoholic content. The fermentation can be either natural, by letting the milk sit in the sun, or speeded up using a starter culture.

Regional variations exist, with farmers in different regions using slightly different techniques or ingredients. In Kazakhstan, kumys is a staple at traditional gatherings and festivals like Nauryz. In Yakutia, a part of Russia, kumys is also produced, often using local breeds of horses.

Kumys at the BaiQymyz Festival

Farmers from all over the country demonstrated ancient recipes and approaches to animal husbandry at the BaiQymyz festival. Participants, including a farmer from Yakutia, brought several hundred liters of kumys each. The festival set a record for the amount of kumys brought by participants, totaling 30 tons.

The winners of the best kumys producers competition were from Sarjal village in the Abai region, known as the "Zhanyс" farm. The first "Er Qanaty" horse exhibition also took place at the festival, featuring various elite horse breeds.

Celebrating Kazakh Culture

The BaiQymyz festival was not just about kumys. It included masterclasses on preparing Kazakh dishes, souvenir sales, an exhibition of Kazakh horses, national sports competitions, a festive concert, and opportunities for selfies with national treasures. Leatherwork, which preserves material traditions in Kazakh culture, was also showcased.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of supporting national horse breeding and preserving Kazakh equestrian culture at the event. Almaty ceramicist Gaziz Jumabekov revived one of the oldest Kazakh instruments, the sazsyrnai, during the festival.

In conclusion, the BaiQymyz festival is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Kazakhstan, celebrating traditional practices like kumys production while promoting Kazakh cuisine and crafts. The festival's success bodes well for its continuation, with the next one timed for Republic of Kazakhstan Day.

During the BaiQymyz festival, the festival not only showcased the traditional production of kumys, a symbol of Kazakh hospitality and significant cultural symbol, but also offered masterclasses on preparing traditional Kazakh dishes, thereby highlighting the festival's commitment to Kazakh lifestyle and food-and-drink culture. Moreover, the festival's focus on cultural-travel was evident as it showcased traditional crafts and hosted traveling participants from Yakutia, offering an opportunity for travelers to immerse themselves in Kazakh culture and history.

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