Since ancient times, the ancestors of Kazakhs sought to capture the environment via simple drawings on earth, in caves, ceramics, said Shaizada Tokhtabayeva, doctor of historical sciences and author of the book about traditions, customs and etiquette of the Kazakhs.

People believed that things decorated with ornaments and respective dyes had properties that were important in everyday life. For example, such things protected the owner from woes, evil eye, and gave him/her strength and good health.

"The most widespread ornaments were the ones that imitated animals, which were the basis of life and welfare of nomadic people, who lived by hunting and consumed animal meat. This animal style has become the most recognisable and important layer of the Kazakh cultural heritage in decorative arts," doctor of historical sciences said.

The most famous of patterns is koshkar muyiz, the symbol of the sheep horn. The main 'function' of the pattern is to 'stimulate' welfare, prosperity, vital force because sheep is the animal, whose meat was the main diet of nomads.


"The second important ornaments were solar images because the sun was the source of warmth and improved survival chances of ancient Kazakhs in harsh conditions of the steppe. That's why the sun was the symbol of kindness, force, nobility and a large family," Shaizada Tokhtabayeva said.


She also said that the Kazakhs used plant motifs and geometrical, domestic patterns that had the protective function. Images of arms had the same function.

And she is good at it, definitely.

"Now I have many students and more people want to do the same things I do," Nuriyash Niyazova said.

Zhannar Shurayeva and Gulmira Kedelbayeva (Almaty, Kazakhstan) have created the QURAQ KORPE brand, which combines traditions and the present.

"The idea was originally based on production of korpe (korpe means blankets, pillows and similar patchwork items – editor's note) and home textiles, but over time our customers asked us to make some clothing. They liked our approach to using natural fabrics such as linen, sateen, cotton, and that we stylise traditional things by adapting them to the contemporary life and embedding them into any modern interior," the young women said.

Zhannar and Gulmira have used the same designer's philosophy in the direction, which was new for them: national clothes must be well integrated into the everyday life.

They get inspired by everything that is sewn by the hands of mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers. Because these things are filled with such simple and important values as warmth of hands, care, love and beauty.


"We try to make our items not only quality, but also causing warm and bright emotions. We hope to make our contribution to the preservation and revival of our traditions," Zhannar and Gulmira said, smiling.