FAMILY RITUALS AND CEREMONIES

Domain: Social Practices, Rituals and Festive Events
Index Number: 03.01

The life of every nation to a great extent is enriched by all possible events, rituals and ceremonies, which are associated with traditional family life, and which make up distinguishing features of national culture. Traditional folk rituals and ceremonies to be found in family life are considered to be the most valuable sources for learning culture, its evolution and ethno-genetic linkages.

Family ritual (ceremony) is not only certain action, practice or festive event associated with the birth of a child and his upbringing, with the wedding, in which dominant place is occupied by colorful, bright procession, folk shows and games, songs and dances. It is also an action, practice associated with the death of a person, family member, with treatment rituals. All these, in fact, reflection of the whole history and culture of the nation with its rich traditions.

Family life of Uzbeks is a life cycle, which covers a set of family rituals connected to the birth, reaching of adulthood, twelve-year cycle (muchal), wedding, funeral, etc. From among family rituals (ceremonies) it is possible to mention wedding-ceremonial ones (beshik toy, sunnat toy, muchal toy, nikoh toy), funeral-commemorative ones (aza-motam, sadr), daily life related ones (badik, kina, alas, kushnos, mushkulkushod).