Etiquette norms connected with jurta

Jurta, being as one of the ancient forms of nomads dwelling, embodies complicated world outlook complex. Rather small area of jurta was precisely organized; a place and way of sitting of its inhabitants were precisely marked depending on sex, status in system of relationship and property. It remains still little researched a question about semantics of poses sitting in jurta and, more widely, etiquette norms connected with jurta. Not going into details of research of all etiquette complexes, we shall stop at some important moments.

Сүйеніп отыруға болмайды, тіреліп отыруға болмайды (Suenyp otyruga bolmaidy, nyrelip otyruga bolmaidy) – it is forbidden to sit, having leant to something, leaning on something is a pose of a sick man.

Таянып отыруға болмайды (tayanyp otyruga bolmaidy) – it is forbidden to sit, having propped up the ground with hands, it is a pose of grief, burning, meaning death. The expression жер таянды means «to grieve strongly, to mourn». There is a steady interdiction «артыңа таянба» (artyna tayanba).

It is forbidden to prop up loins – беліңді таянба (belindy tayanba). If the man sits so, this pose means– «a weak man». It also a pose of crying women that mourn over dead person.

It is forbidden to prop up a cheek – жағыңды таянба (zhagyndy tayanba); forehead – маңдайыңды тіреме (mangdaiyndy tireme) (this pose also is considered designating grief, care etc.).

It is forbidden to sit, having lifted hands above a head or having put in pawn them behind head – қолынды төбеге көтерме. It is not allowed to link fingers of hands in the lock – қолынды тарақтама (kolyndy taraktama), қолынды қусырма (kolyndy kussyrma), or қолынды құдай байлайды (kolyndy Kudai bailaidy)– «God will bind your hands».

It is forbidden to sit, having embraced a knee or having linked hands in the lock on a knee – тізеңді құшақтама, керме(tyzendy kushaktama ,kerme).

It is forbidden to stretch oneself in front of strangers-жұртқа қарап керілуге болмайды (zhurtka karap keriluge bolmaidy). It is forbidden for young people to lay in jurta-жастарға жамбастап жатуға болмайды (zhasstarga zhanbastap zhatuga bolmaidy), (it is a pose of the elderly men); to eat reclining-жатып ішу болмайды (zhatyp ishuge bolmaidy), (it is a pose of the sick man).

It is forbidden to sit, having extended legs forward-көсіліп жату, they say «ит аяғын көселеді», which means «The dog lays on extended paws». Such pose is allowed only small children.

It is not recommended to sit squatting in jurta. This pose is considered extremely men; at the Kazakhs it means that the man is in a hurry, has come for a short while. Usually a sitting in such pose person is told: «Жөндеп отырсайшы, асығып барасың ба? Қойың кетіп барады ма?»(zhondep otyr. Koiyn ketyp bara ma?) – «Have a seat correctly! Are you in a hurry? Is your herd scattering?». Probably, roots of the similar relation of Kazakhs to this pose are explained by representation that «if to sit in such a way, you can become poor». So only the poor men, wanderers, who did not have families, neither cattle, nor property sat in such a pose.

The correct way of sitting at the Kazakhs for the man considers «молда құрып» (molda kuryp), having curling up legs; married women, housewives – with face to the center, on tucked under her the right leg, the left leg is bent in a knee. The female way of sitting at the Kazakhs considers also following: the woman sits by a side, having tightened to herself legs; feet of should be covered with hem of a dress.

The national tradition developed rather strict etiquette norms connected with jurta. At the Kazakhs a horseman should come up to the jurta from the back, back side of the jurta: «To pass in front of the doors, instead of behind it, is considered impolite… It is necessary to stop and to tether a horse behind a nomad tent, and then to call owners by words: «Speak! Is anybody here?» (I wish to talk, are there owners in jurta). There is an analog interdiction ер алдынан өтпеу(er aldynan otpeu) – «to not pass a road to the man, or he will not be lucky».

Also it was forbidden to enter jurta with lash in a hand; in former times «…If someone entered in jurta of the sultan with lash in a hand… The sultan has the right to order to take away his horse». A lash was used not only by riding a horse; it was also a subject of arms of the nomad. The interdiction to bring it in jurta was similar the instruction to take out knives out of belts and to leave outside fire-arms. The given actions should, apparently, demonstrate absence of hostile intentions of the visitor.

It is forbidden to enter jurta, having something in a mouth: «to enter jurta with food in a mouth is bad, to leave, on the contrary, is good».

The person who entered jurta had to eat some food, тамақ ауыз тию (tamak auz tiy), literally «to touch by a mouth food». If the visitors come during dinner or tea not absolutely ready, they necessarily should wait and taste meal or drink.

As it is possible to assume, etiquette norm of Kazakhs regulating behavior in jurta and in the area near it, are connected with traditional moral representations and values of the nomad society.