Emily

=**Kazakhstan**=
 * Language
 * Gender roles
 * Family structure
 * Food gathering and/or production
 * Social stratification
 * Religious/spiritual beliefs
 * Use of art (music, painting, body modification, etc.)

https://youtu.be/FTTyMvk2y4s = =

1. Language
Kazakh is a Turkic language. It is spoken in Kazakhstan, Russian, and China by about 11 million people. Kazakh was first written with the Arabic script during the 19th century. Kazakhstan has three different alphabets. They have the Arabic Alphabet, the Latin Alphabet and the Cyrillic Alphabet.

2. Gender roles
Women in Kazakhstan play very vital roles. Women make up about half of the work force. Traditionally Kazakhstan has been a patriarchal society, with much reverence bestowed upon elderly men. In important culture symbols men tend to "represent power warrior like behaviors". In rural areas especially, women tend to be the primary food preparers and house cleaners. The men do help out around the house their jobs are typically outside jobs. The men take care of the garden, animals and cars. Men usually posses symbolic authority over women, but that is not always the case.

3. Family Structure
The dissertation thesis addresses the family form are different in the East-Kazakhstan region where specific family forms were considered marginal in the past. The new form of family structures have recently emerged to childless families, single parent families, blended or step families and families based on non marital cohabitation.

4. Food Gathering and/or Production
They enjoy serving dinners at their own homes. When guests come to visit the hosts entertain them with the best foods that they possibly can. High honors guests and relatives that haven't been seen in a long time will have horse and mutton brought out for them. Before eating the host brings out water for the guests to wash their hands. Many Kazakhs favorite meals are boiled lamb. Hospitality is a main character trait of Kazakhs. The host to any house will often their guest a place to sit at high honor.

5. Social stratification
Class and Castes. Some would argue that there is no bigger problem in Kazakhstan than rising social stratification at all levels. Kazakh capitalism has been a free-for-all, with a few people grabbing almost all of the power regardless of who suffers. The terms "New Kazakh" or "New Russian" have been used to describe the //nouveau riche// in Kazakhstan, who often flaunt their wealth. This is in contrast to the vast number of unemployed or underpaid. A culture of haves and have-not's is dangerous for a country composed of many different ethnic groups used to having basic needs met regardless of who they were or where they came from. Poverty and accusations of unfair treatment have raised the stakes in tensions between Kazakhs and non-Kazakhs, whose interactions until recently have been peaceful. Symbols of Social Stratification. The symbols of stratification in Kazakhstan are much like they are in many developing countries. The rich drive expensive cars, dress in fashionable clothes, and throw lavish parties. The poor drive old Soviet cars or take a bus, wear cheap clothes imported from China or Turkey, and save for months just to afford a birthday party or a wedding.

6. Religious/spiritual beliefs
Few people practice religion in any formal way. Kazakhs have incorporated in some of their every day lives. When they pass a grave yard they cover their faces in a short prayer if someone they know is buried there. Sometimes they say a prayer after meals. Religion was such a non-factor for so many years, and continues to occupy so little of everyday life, that it is simply not an issue of importance between Russians and Kazakhs.



7. Use of art
Under the Soviet Union, funding and support of the arts were available for those who enrolled in specialized schools for artists, dancers, and musicians. However today, government money for arts, besides what is provided through public schools and municipals houses of culture, has virtually dried up. Many artisans are supported through NGOs such as Aid to Artisans and the Talent Support Fund.Students study both Kazakh and Russian literature. Great Russian and Kazakh writers such as Tolstoy, Pushkin, and Abai are well known in Kazakhstan. A high societal value is put on those who have read the famous works and can quote and discuss them. Despite funding cutbacks, plays, dance performances, art museums, and the upkeep of historical museums are very important to the people of Kazakhstan. There are beautiful theaters in the larger cities, and almost every town has a house of culture where plays, art classes, concerts, and dance performances can take place. Many cultures in Kazakhstan have a strong tradition of instrument playing, traditional dancing, and theatrical performances.







https://youtu.be/zyi70DsfTGU

= Sources  =
 * []
 * []
 * []
 * []
 * []
 * [] (religon picture)
 * []
 * [|https://www.google.com/search?q=sheep+head+tradition&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjR_uf3zPTTAhWjwVQKHQSUDp0Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#tbm=isch&q=sheepshead+traditional+kazakhstan&imgrc=vcSNSvS8-FE9YM] : (sheep head)
 * [|https://www.google.com/search?q=kazakhstan+family+structure&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCvOXxzvTTAhVhjVQKHU0dCQ4Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=YVPTExf1jG0o2M] : (family structure)
 * [|https://www.google.com/search?q=kazakhstan+family+structure&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCvOXxzvTTAhVhjVQKHU0dCQ4Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=YVPTExf1jG0o2M] :