THE ISSUES OF ORIGIN AND SEMANTICS OF KAZAKH CEREMONIAL GENRE

As all national traditions have it, wedding is known to be the most rich and colourful ceremony; its spectacular games are accompanied by songs. The content and character of wedding songs are closely associated with patriarchal ethics. A wedding ceremony started with an improvised drinking song called toi bastar (‘the beginning of celebration’), which is performed by akyns who praise bride and groom, and parents and relatives who wish the couple joy and every happiness. Zhar-zhar acquired its name from chorus that follows each verse, emphasizing the ceremonial spirit. Repeating over and over again, it had a symbolic value, expressing the idea that in the girl’s new life the groom i. e. the husband is supposed to substitute home for her, that all her thoughts and feelings now belong to her husband.