Kazakh clothing

Traditional Kazakh male clothing.

The garb of Kazakh hunters.

A Kazakh man chases a woman wearing traditional garb.

Fur coats are worn in the cold of winter.

Kazakh clothing is a style of clothing worn by the Kazakh people, often made up of materials suited to the region's extreme climate and the people's nomadic lifestyle.^[1] In most cases, they are decorated with elaborate ornaments, such as those made with bird beaks, animal horns, hooves and feet.^[2] Contemporary Kazakhs usually wear modern, Western clothing, but these Turkic people are also seen wearing more traditional clothing for holidays and special occasions.^[3]

Materials and production methods

Traditional materials used in Kazakh clothing include cloth, skin, felt, and fur. Embroidery, fur, jewelry, and ornamentation may also be used for decoration. ^[4]

Imported materials such as silk, brocade, and velvet can also be used in the production of clothing, but they are more expensive than traditional materials.

Traditional materials such as wild horses' hair, foxes' fur, sheep's wool and rabbit hides are all used in the production of various items of clothing. The preparation of these materials includes skinning, drying, and greasing the hides with a mixture of sour milk and flour. After four days, the skins are washed and soaked in a heavily concentrated salt water brine. Following a further period of drying, the underside of the hide is scraped with a skinning knife before being heated. This gives the skin its final, whitish color. The fur is then ready for being dyed in a variety of colors. Yellow dye is made using the crushed root of a Taranovy plant. Red dye is made from the root of a plant called Uiran Boyau, and orange dye is often made from the dried crusts of pomegranates.

Kazakhs will often use white fleeces, and consider the wool from the neck of sheep valuable. The hair of the Bactrian camel is also used in more luxurious pieces of clothing. As a pure undercoat collected after the camel has molted, it is considered particularly valuable.

A Bactrian camel having its hair sheared and used for clothing.

In ancient times, imported cotton, silk, and woolen fabrics were used by Kazakh nomads. The feudal nobility would use imported fabrics to make their clothing, while less affluent Kazakhs wore more easily accessible materials such as furs, leather, and self-made woolen pieces. Fabrics were home-spun, and produced on a primitive horizontal-type machine.

Female apparel

Koylek (or Koilek)

Women wear a shirt-like garment known as a koylek. Different fabrics are used for various purposes, with more expensive fabrics for festival wear, and common fabrics for everyday use. The dress is made by folding an integral piece of fabric in half and sewing the sides laterally from the armpits to the bottom hem.

-Kunikey koylek

A style of koylek usually worn by unmarried Kazakh girls which is typically made by light, soft fabric that accentuates the waist. "Kunikey" literally means "sun-like" in Kazakh, and the word is used to describe the radiance and enigmatic beauty of this type of clothing.^[5]

Trousers

Kazakh girls wear trousers sewn from sheepskin, homespun cloth, and dense cotton fabrics. Trousers may be short (shalbar) or long (dalbar).

Kupe (or Kupi)

A kupe is a coat worn by both women and men which is typically made of fox fur though it may occasionally be made from goatskin. It is usually lined with camel or sheep wool and hemmed with otter fur on the sleeves to keep people warm during early spring and fall.^[6] Women's kupe is distinguishable from men's kupe from its embroidary design on the collar.

Shapan (or Chapan)

One of the main Kazakh articles of clothing is the shapan or chapan, a spacious long gown.^[7] These robes are not gender specific, like other articles of clothing, and they are commonly worn by both men and women.^[8] Shapans are sewn from various fabrics, and are available in a range of colors, most often monochrome or dark. They are lined with a layer of wool or cotton wool. Festive shapans are sewn from velvet and decorated with applique, brushing, and gold embroidery. This type of gown was part of the clothing of rich Kazakhs.

-Syrmaly

A variety of shapan that is quilted and strengthened with denser fabric.^[9]

-Kaptal

A variety of shapan that has linings inside to keep the wearer warm during severe weather.

-Shabu

A variety of shapan that is trimmed with fur. ^[10]

Female headgear

Different pieces of headgear indicate a woman's relationship status. Unmarried girls wear a skullcap scarf and a warm cap with a fur edge. For wealthier girls, these hats are made of a bright velvet fabric and embroidered with a golden thread.

Brides

An authentic photo of a Kazakh bride in her ceremonial wedding garb, complete with headgear.

The headgear of a bride is called a saukele. These head-dresses are often over a foot tall and are embedded with very expensive ornaments such as pearls, coral, and pressed silver.^[11] Long suspension brackets called zhaktau are fastened to either side of the saukele, framing the bride's face. They are sometimes long enough to reach down as far as the bride's waist.^[12] Less prosperous women make these head-dresses from cloth or satin and decorate them with glass beads. The zhaktau are added later on.

Childbirth

After the birth of her first child, a woman uses a headgear made of white fabric, which she will often wear for the rest of her life. The details of the headgear vary from region to region. It consists of two parts: the bottom (kimeshka) is placed on the head and then the top is twisted to form a turban.

Male apparel

Men wear two types of skin shirts without an undershirt, a pair of inner and outer trousers along with loose-fitting, gown-like outer clothing made from various materials. Leather and cloth belts are also obligatory.

Shalbar

In the 18th century, the top trousers, shalbar, were sewn from homespun camel hair fabric and skin. They bore embroidered silk patterns in vegetable-shape designs, the ends quite often sheathed by an ornate band, lace, and edged with fur.

Camisole

Camisoles were sewn from monochrome dark fabrics and occasionally from striped or motley fabrics. They had a cloth lining often insulated by a thin layer of wool.

Shapan (or Chapan)

See above: Female apparel

-Zhargak shapa

Popular among young Kazakh men, the zhargak shapa is decorated with traditional patterns and designed to wear in important occasions and events.

Ton

A coat, or ton, is a common article of winter clothing for the Kazakhs. It is often, but not always, made of sheepskin. It can also be made of the skin of raccoon (Janat ishik) or silver foxes (kara tulki). Nobles often wear fur coats that are made from luxurious blue cloth, which is covered and trimmed with a special beaver skin; these are called kok ton.^[13] Tons are often made by sewing together tanned sheepskins with wool on the inside, while more prosperous Kazakhs wear tons made from the fleeces of four- to five-month-old lambs.

Male headgear

Aiyr Kalpak

A pointed cap with divided turn up usually worn by bai (rich man), mapile (man of nobility) or the upper class. ^[14] The cap is often made from exquisite fabrics and decorated with unique ornamental patterns to demonstrate the wealth and social status of the people who wear them. Symbolically, the divided turn-up represents wealth and power.

Borik

A rounded warm cap, trimmed with astrakhan otter, marten or raccoon fur. ^[15]

Tymak

A fur hat worn by men in harsh winters to keep their ears and head warm.

Kulapara

A type of hood worn by hunters, shepherds, and herdsmen that is attached to the collar of the coat. ^[16] For camouflage purposes, hunters wear different colored kulapara in different seasons when they're out hunting; a white one in the winter snow, a green one in summer, and a yellow one in autumn to blend into the environment.

Takiya

A light, rounded men's hat that is decorated with patterns which typically include zoomorphic embroidery, flowers, and animal horns.

References

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