What Is Nauryz?
Nauryz (also spelled Nowruz or Navruz across the broader region) is the Persian and Turkic New Year, celebrated on or around the spring equinox — typically March 21st. In Kazakhstan, it is recognised as one of the country's most significant public holidays and is a UNESCO-listed element of intangible cultural heritage.
The word "Nauryz" derives from Persian roots meaning "new day." The holiday predates Islam and has been observed across Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia for thousands of years. In Kazakhstan, it was suppressed during the Soviet era but was officially revived in 1988, and today it is embraced with growing enthusiasm as an expression of national and cultural identity.
Traditional Customs and Practices
Cleansing and Renewal
In the days leading up to Nauryz, Kazakhs traditionally clean their homes thoroughly — a ritual symbolising the removal of the old and the welcoming of fresh beginnings. Debts are settled, quarrels reconciled, and households are prepared to receive guests with abundance.
The Yurt and Communal Gathering
Across Kazakhstan, temporary yurts (traditional Kazakh felt tents) are erected in public squares and parks. These serve as centres of communal celebration, where music, poetry recitation, and storytelling take place. The yurt itself is a powerful cultural symbol — a portable home that sustained nomadic life on the steppe for millennia.
Nauryz Kozhe
The centrepiece food of Nauryz is nauryz kozhe, a ritual dish made from seven ingredients that symbolise the seven elements of life: water, meat, salt, fat, flour, grain, and milk (or variations thereof depending on the region and family tradition). Sharing nauryz kozhe with neighbours and guests is considered essential — turning away a visitor on Nauryz is considered deeply inauspicious.
Music, Games, and Sport
Celebrations include performances of traditional Kazakh music (dombyra playing, folk songs), poetry competitions, and traditional games. Equestrian sports such as kokpar (a form of mounted polo using a goat carcass) and kyz kuu (a horse-chasing game) are often organised at larger events.
Nauryz in Modern Kazakhstan
Today, Nauryz is a three-day public holiday (March 21–23) and one of the few celebrations that genuinely cuts across ethnic and religious communities in Kazakhstan's diverse society. The government actively promotes Nauryz as a unifying national symbol, and celebrations in Almaty, Astana, and regional centres have grown in scale and visibility over recent decades.
For visitors to Kazakhstan in late March, Nauryz offers an authentic and welcoming window into Kazakh culture — a rare opportunity to share in a living tradition that connects the country to its deep nomadic and Turkic heritage.