Postcard from Bishkek

Back in 2007, the Kyrgyz Post Office issued a stamp showing a man looking awfully looking like Santa Claus: a jolly looking, “portly”, round faced old man with red cheeks, sporting a long white beard, and a flowing red coat … apart, perhaps, from the fact that he was wearing a white Kalpak – the traditional felt hat worn by Kyrgyz men.

The decorated “Christmas tree” – it would have course have been a “New Year Tree” – in the background and the birds bringing letters to join a pile stacked up in front of him, all added to the “identikit” picture that we have of Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Sinterklaas, Père Noel, Padre Noel, Pia Natal, Babbo Natal, Daidi na Nollag, Siôn Corn, Dzmer Papik, Mos Crăciun, Noel Baba, Télapó, or Ded Moroz (Father Frost).

In fact, despite the clear references to the Western traditionally image, as the text at the foot of the stamp made clear, this was a representation of Ayaz Ata … Frost Father … a Kyrgyz equivalent.

The story of Santa is far from clear … emerging with elements from lots of different cultures over the centuries, from Norse mythology to Christian hagiography.

The story of Ayaz Ata is slightly easier to track down – but like the stamp, bears resemblances to elements that could have been drawn from many different sources.

Ayaz Ata is actually found in several Turkic cultures, (from Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as well as Kyrgyzstan), and can be traced back to the pre-Islamic Winter God, made from moonlight as it freezes in the cold air … blown from the Pleiades and ushering the cold season.

For the record: I am told that in all the Turkic languages Ayaz means something like “Bitterly Cold”

The onset of cold weather would have been a time for gathering the clans and organizing an entertainment … and entertainments almost always involved gifts.  Unlike Santa, however, who sneaks around climbing down Chimneys to leave anonymous gifts, Ayaz Ata, (and his Russian equivalent, Ded Moroz), do it openly as part of the celebrations.

These days, schools organize yolkas, parties that take place around a large decorated fir tree – a yolka in Russian – with the “Santa equivalent” handing out parcels to all and sundry.  Usually they are similar – typical of an egalitarian society –  often simple confectionery, although it is sometimes known for presents to be targeted to the individual recipient.  

However, that’s may have more to do with the Russian tradition than Kyrgyz.

Like Ded Moroz, (Father Frost – the traditional Russian version of the mysterious gift giver), he is often depicted being accompanied by his granddaughter Kar Kyz, (Snow Maiden - Snegurochka in Russian … she’s sometimes called Aksha Kar).

.

Elsewhere in the world there are whole host of Christmas gift givers – other Santa equivalents, (such as Ekhee Dyyl,  Sagaan Ubugun and Yamal Ini in the former Soviet Union) … but that’s a different story.   

There is some speculation that Ayaz Ata is not specifically a New Year character … perhaps more closely associated with a period slightly earlier in the year, (and some people actually mention Halloween), which is more likely to be associated with the onset of Winter rather than after the Winter Solstice.

If that’s the case, then Ayaz Ata has already done his job – probably before most of the “Christmas Gift givers” even got started.  Although Santa is likely to be a little busy tonight, in some parts of the world, he has already had his busy night – whilst in others, it is yet to come … next week, for example, ushering in the New Year.

.

Although Ayaz Ata is traditional and distinctly grounded in nomadic Kyrgyz culture – I am not sure that all the Kyrgyz would embrace him, as he can be traced to a pre-Islamic culture.  Last year there were calls from prominent figures for the Kyrgyz to avoid celebrating New Year as there was nothing Islamic about it.

This year, it seems that Tajik Television has taken this argument a bit further … banning New Year Trees and appearances by Ded Moroz and Sengurochka from Tajik television screens. Company bosses are adamant that it was an independent decision and that there was no pressure brought to bear on them from the authorities … which may well be true as the, now, traditional fir tree has gone up in Dushanbe’s main square … just as ours has, here in Bishkek.

 

 

Tags: Calendar, Legends, People, Traditional_Culture