1. A girl should not water white or black headwear. White is a sign of zhaulyk, premature ageing, and black is a sign of grief.
2. A girl should not be given zhilik (cortical bone) to eat; otherwise she would not get married for a long time.
3. Women avoid giving to anybody to wear their favorite and holiday head kerchiefs and scarfs; otherwise their happy destiny will pass on to others.
4. A woman should not go to get water at night, as her soul is gentle and timid: if she saw an animal or something, she might be scared.
5. A nursing mother must hide her bosom from other people’s eyes. While a child is fed his mother should keep silence: possible evil eye — usual thing that may lead to thrush and allergic sickness, besides, the child may choke with milk because of talking and his pharynx may get inflamed.
6. If a woman gave birth to children and they all died or were born dead, and when finally she gave birth to a healthy child, she carried him through under seven women’s legs and gave him protecting sort of name, such as Zhetpisbay (seventy + bay - "rich") so that he lived long and called for more children like himself (his younger brothers and sisters).
7. A woman that just gave birth should not keep or soak hands in cold water or touch cold things during forty days: otherwise her child would grow into a cold cruel person.
8. It is forbidden to humiliate and keep down girls, as they are future mothers, donor and heiress of life. Posterity comes through a girl. National proverbs say: «the one humiliating a girl devoids of his best rights», «A girl’s way surpasses the way of forty worthy men». Thus, Kazakhs consider girls the most precious thing of the family.
9. The one who had no sons, and only girls were born, gave the newborn girl name Ul-Tugan — «son was born», so that it became presage for the son’s birth.
10. A child that came to someone’s house was never let go without a gift. It was done so that the child remained interested in life, inquisitive, so that he was not disappointed in life, his heart did not grow cool and so that the hearth that welcomed him was warmed with nice impression and the child’s wish to visit his kind friends. Kazakhs reckon that if a child was not welcomed and left the house disappointed then happiness abandoned the roof of the house, success abandoned the throne and prosperity deserted the table.
11. Kazakhs never throw away or give away a baby’s loose jacket. According to belief a child’s happiness starts from the first day of wearing that jacket that keeps that happiness. In early days biys and citizens going to the court or to war, took their children’s jackets in their bosom. It was said that it will bring happiness and protect from harm.
12. If a first-born child is going on a long trip, people usually gather all relatives and arrange a feast. This first seeing-off signify further way of the child. Relatives tried that older people gave their blessings and that the child went on the trip with joy and radiant hopes.
13. Kazakhs do not beat their children with broom or poker: it would make the child more attractive for diseases and he might be fallen with misfortunes.
Used materials:
Dzhelbudin E.T. Traditions and customs of Kazakhs. Adet-Guryp.
