Kazakhstan celebrates National Symbols Day
For every nation, its national symbols carry not only symbolic meaning, but are also an important tool in communicating its history and culture. With this idea, Kazakhstan celebrates June 4 as the Day of National Symbols, reports a Satretgy2050.kz correspondent.
For most people, hearing a national anthem or seeing a national flag provokes warm feelings of belonging and home. The anthem and the flag are being raised at championships and competition s making people proud of their country’s achievements.
The holiday was established back in June 2007 with the purpose to cultivate the formation of the national identity among people. Kazakhstan’s First President repeatedly spoke of the holiday noting the importance of state symbols and their link with the concept of sovereignty.
These three symbols - the flag, the national emblem, and the national anthem, reflect the very deep essence of Kazakhstan’s independence, its history, and development.
“State symbols are one of the sanctity foundations of our state, our sovereignty. They express the sacred unifying image of Independence,” he once said.
The National Flag
The national flag is a rectangular cloth of blue color depicting sun with rays in the center and an eagle. On vertical sides, the flag has the national ornament. The image of the sun, its rays, eagle and national ornament is the color of gold.
The author of the national flag is an honored artist of Kazakhstan Shaken Niyazbekov.
In heraldry, each color has its own specific meaning. For example, a blue-sky color symbolizes honesty, fidelity and integrity. It has also a deep symbolic meaning in the Turkic culture, where the ancient Turkic peoples worshipped the Sky as their God.
On the flag, this color reflects the pure sky, peace, and prosperity.
“According to the heraldic principles the sun symbolizes wealth and abundance, life and energy. That is why the sun rays on the flag have the form of grain, a symbol of wealth and welfare. By representing the sun at its state attributes Kazakhstan reaffirms its commitment to universal values, which also indicates that the new young country is full of life-affirming energy and is open to all countries for cooperation,” explains the Akorda website.
The National Emblem
The national emblem displays shanyrak on a blue background. Shanyrak has a special meeting in the Kazakh culture representing the warmth of Kazakh households.
It has also a special role in the country’s nomadic past, as it served as the top of yurt, once a portable house for Kazakh nomads. The depiction of shanyraq on the emblem is, therefore, no coincidence. Shanyrak has also so-called uyks diverging in all directions reminding sunlight.
“The image of shanyrak on the State Emblem of the republic is a symbol of common home and common homeland of all people living in Kazakhstan. The stable development of Kazakhstan depends on welfare of each citizen just like the strength and stability of shanyrak depends on the reliability of all its uyks,” said the Akorda website.
On the right and left of shanyrak, one could see the images of mythical winged horses and a three-dimensional five-pointed star in the upper part that demonstrates “constant aspiration of people to the light of truth and the pursuit of the sublime and eternal matter.” In the lower part, there is the inscription of QAZAQSTAN.
All images are also in the color of gold.
The authors of the state emblem are well-known architects Zhandarbek Malibekov and Shota Valikhanov.
The National Anthem
In the history of independent Kazakhstan, there have been two national anthems. Before 2006, the national anthem was based on the anthem that was retained following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The competition was announced in 1992 for the new anthem, but later it was decided to retain the same anthem
The music was composed by Mukan Tolebaev, Yevgeny Brusilovsky and Latıf Hamıdı. In 1992, new lyrics were adopted with the same melody that served as the anthem of independent Kazakhstan until January 7, 2006.
The national anthem, previously known as the song “Menin Kazakstanym” (translated as My Kazakhstan), was approved by the country’s Parliament on January 6, 2006, on the initiative of Nursultan Nazarbayev. It was first performed on January 11, 2006, during the inauguration of Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Music was composed by well-known Kazakh musician Shamshi Kaldayakov, while lyrics were written by Zhumeken Nazhimedenov and modified by Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Below is the first verse of the anthem:
Sky of golden sun,
Steppe of golden seed,
Legend of courage –
Take a look at my country!
From the antiquity
Our heroic glory emerged,
They did not give up their pride
My Kazakh people are strong!