Kazakh child raised abroad surprised by ram's head

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakh cuisine is rich in traditions and symbols. Recently, a video of Kazakh children who grew up in London trying a sheep's head for the first time has gained popularity online. Their reaction has attracted the attention of users.

A video is gaining popularity on the Internet, in which a Kazakh family living in London introduces their children to national traditions. The video has already collected about two million views and a lot of positive comments.

In the video, the father treats the children to a ram's head - an important element of the Kazakh feast. He offers them to try parts of the head, such as the tongue, eyes, and ears, one by one, accompanying this with explanations. One of the sons asks questions in surprise but accepts the offered delicacy with respect and gratitude. The others do the same. Such a reaction from children who grew up far from Kazakhstan delighted the viewers.

"If you decide to move abroad with your family, do not rush to teach your child the language of this country. Speak only Kazakh at home. Your child can quickly master English, but forget his native language. I have seen many parents who communicate with their children in another language. Do not repeat their mistake.

Then, depending on your situation, try to visit the country once a year with your family. Then your child will not forget his traditions, culture, and relatives. The most important thing is that in the future you will be able to communicate with your grandson in Kazakh," the author captioned the video.

@qaramanuly

Тағдыр айдап, отбасыңызбен шетелге көшетін болсаңыз балаңызға сол елдің тілін үйретуге асықпаңыз. Үйде тек қазақша сөйлесіңіз. Кішкентайыңыз ағылшынды тез меңгеріп кетуі мүмкін, бірақ ана тілін ұмытып қалады. ⠀ Баласымен басқа тілде түсінісіп жүрген қаншама ата-ананы көрдім. Олардың қателігін қайталамаңыз. ⠀ Сосын жағдайыңызға қарай отбасыңызбен жылына бір рет елге келіп тұруға тырысыңыз. Сол кезде балаңыз дәстүрі мен мәдениетін, туысқандарын ұмытпайды. ⠀ Ең бастысы, бұйырса, немереңізбен болашақта қазақша сөйлесу мүмкіндігіңіз еселене түседі.

♬ original sound - Galymzhan Qaramanuly

"Such well-mannered children, they take it with both hands, say "thank you," "Having moved to England, they still speak pure Kazakh, well done!" "What wonderfully well-mannered and cultured children! I thought they would not support it and would throw it away," "Even though we do not live in England, my son does not eat meat. He only eats meat from the store," "Well, it is great to clearly speak your native language, even if you live in a foreign country," "Well done guys! We live in a village, and the children are scared when they see a head, not to mention other parts," users wrote.

We contacted the author of the video, whose name is Galymzhan Qaramanuly. He said that he is originally from Kyzylorda and has been living in London with his family for over five years. Galymzhan shared that he is raising four children and runs a blog on social networks.

"It is important for me that children know their roots. At home, we speak only Kazakh, observe traditions and visit Kazakhstan every year. I shot the video about the ram's head spontaneously, just for stories, but it caused a huge response. People are happy that we preserve the culture and praise the children for respecting their elders.

Every summer, during school holidays, we spend a month and a half in Kazakhstan. We visit different cities, meet with relatives and friends. I want my children to know their homeland not only from textbooks, but also from personal experience. We have been to Astana, Almaty, Kyzylorda, Aktau, Atyrau. This helps children realize who they are and be proud of their roots," he shared.

Galymzhan's wife is a journalist working on Kazakhstan projects, and his children study in British schools and universities. However, despite the lack of a Kazakh language environment in England, the entire family speaks exclusively their native language at home. The Kazakh also noted that even abroad it is important to maintain the language and traditions.

"Often say that it is difficult to learn Kazakh in Kazakhstan, but believe me, it is even more difficult in England, because no one speaks Kazakh here. However, we preserve our native language, speaking only it at home. We always observe traditions, celebrate national holidays, cook baursaks, wear Kazakh national clothes, and participate in international school days. This is important so that children do not forget where they come from. We also tell foreigners about Kazakhstan, who will learn that we have such a beautiful and huge country," the Kazakhstani emphasized.

According to Galymzhan, the popularity of the video is explained by the interest of viewers in how Kazakhs, especially children, perceive their native traditions abroad.

"The head is usually given to the most respected person at the table. In our family, I play this role. In the video, I share parts of the head with the children. For example, ears are given so that the child is attentive and able to listen. I was amazed at how many people responded. Viewers not only praised the children but also shared their knowledge of traditions. For example, I was reminded that you can't give eyes to different people so that they don't quarrel.

I think the video became popular because people are interested in how our traditions are perceived by those who live abroad. Especially if they are children. This is a topic that is close to many because Kazakhs have different customs in different regions. Viewers not only supported us but also began to share their knowledge and memories," he concluded.

By the way, users recently shared their experience of transporting kazy abroad. Read more here.