A special ethno camp featuring altybakan,
yurts, and artisan workshops has opened for school students in Astana.
Throughout the summer holidays, special master classes and clubs for learning traditional
crafts are organized for children. The camp offers both practical and
theoretical classes, including familiarization with the everyday life of the
Kazakh people and the mastering of various skills of the Great Steppe
craftspeople.
«I have been attending a similar club for about a year and have
learned basic textile skills. Nevertheless, I believe that at the camp, I will
be able to delve into new activities, such as working with felt and assembling
a yurt,» student Gulshakhar Amandyk said.
«I came to this camp to expand my skills. For example, I already know
how to knit, and now I’m eager to learn how to prepare various traditional
dishes, including Nauryz Kozhe,» shared student
Yerkenaz Kaukabayeva.
There is also a special school of grandmothers
at the camp. Its main goal is to promote national traditions and customs. Girls
are taught handicrafts and folk applied arts, including knitting, embroidery,
sewing, and felting. During special master classes, they learn the intricacies
of making traditional national dishes and beverages.
«We take our children to nearby villages so they can taste and
witness firsthand all the stages of preparing kymyz (fermented mare's milk) and
other traditional treats, such as tary, kurt, and Bidai kozhe - a popular
summer drink,» Lyazzat Atybai, handicraft teacher at
gymnasium school No. 78 in Astana, said.
The organizers of the ethno camp, located at the capital’s gymnasium school, also provide various clubs where children can play popular national games and learn Kazakh folk songs. The camp will continue operating until the end of July, with each session lasting two weeks.
