We’re Calling Our Girl (Bizdin Kyzybyz Chakirapatabiz)

Yes, my family ‘called their girl home’ this weekend. I am not sure what that exactly means but apparently it’s been a year since the oldest daughter in my family got married and they haven’t ‘called her home’ so in order to avoid the ‘shame of the Kyrgyz’ my family just threw a huge party for all of the neighbors in town, the relatives of their daughter, and the relatives of the husband of their daughter. Yes, there were more than 80 people in our house of 4 rooms. I have no idea how they fit…

Now calling the girl home involved the slaughter of some animals which were purchased at the Mal Bazaar last Sunday in Karakol.

We purchased for the slaughter – The Cow with the Red Hair and The Sheep with the Big Butt – all for the price of 33,000 som! Oh, it was so sad looking at that cow with its red hair knowing it would be slaughtered in just a couple of days. I even felt a little pity for big butt….but I was more scared that they would ask me to squeeze the bok yashik (case were the feces is stored) like they did on Victory Day.

Luckily they didn’t ask, but I still saw – lost my appetite for the weekend and in order to avoid that 17th round of vodka shots that if not taken would bring upon ‘the shame of the Kyrgyz’ – I locked myself in my room for most of Saturday and Sunday.

Oh, and the best part was that the night before this giant party their daughter actually gave birth to their first grandson so she could not come to the party. But my mom here, Gulmira Apa was happy because she was able to give the ‘Calling of the Girl’ and ‘Welcoming of the Baby’ Party at one time.