Brief Encyclopedia Signs and symbols of Kazakh culture
Börik
Another, no less important headgear for men and girls was the borik. Its shape varied according to the sex of the owner, but in any case valuable fur of otter, beaver or fox was sewn on the underside of the hat. It is believed that the term « börik» comes from the word «böri» – wolf. As is known, the wolf fur – a sign of the wolf tribe – was worn on the head by the Huns, and since then every fur cap is called bürik ( börik ) by all Turks. This cap symbolizes in all its meaning the sacred significance of the wolf, its role as a totem-predecessor and protector. Girls have crowned börik with owl feathers, the same garment was worn by young dzhigits: singers, akyns, i.e. people of creative activity. Wearing by representatives of esoteric steppe tradition once again emphasizes the sacral status of this headgear. Otters (kūndyz) and beavers (kamshat) were valued not only for the quality of their fur, but also seemed to be fertile animals, which led to their use in decorating this börik. Girls’ headdresses were decorated with silk fringe, beads, coral and others. White and red colors dominated the girls’ headdresses Kazakhs called BÖRIK «kieli» (sacred), which should not be thrown and hung as high as possible. Aq qalpaq is a headdress for men made of felt with different cut variations. Without going into details of the cut, it has a conical shape with a narrow high crown and a rounded or pointed crown. The lower parts were curved and formed wide fields. They were sewn with a strip of black or red fabric. The shape, reminiscent of a mountain and an elevation, goes ics back to the ancient Turkic cult of the Mountain of the World. A similar headdress is still popular among the Kyrgyz, who consider it a symbol of mountains and purity. Experts note that pointed and cone-shaped felt headdresses have a thousand-year history and were a symbol of rulers and kings. Of particular importance is the «ayir qalpaq», which refers to the sacred (upper, heavenly) world. The main decorations were symbols and signs – a horse, a bird, an argali, the world tree, etc. The ayir qalpaq was richly embroidered with
ШайгОзова Ж.Н., Наурзбаева А. Б.
Краткая энциклопедия знаков и символов казахской культуры.
Алматы: КазНИИК, 2023.