Беташар

What the betashar is

Betashar comes from “bet” (“face”) and “ashar” (“the one who opens”): a rite in which the newly arrived daughter-in-law opens her face for the first time before her husband’s relatives. An improvising performer sings the betashar zhyry — a song that at once introduces the bride to her new kin and instructs her. The meaning of the rite is twofold: to show the bride to the people and to acquaint her with the new place she has come to. In December 2024 the betashar and betashar zhyry were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Who takes part

The zhyrau, zhyrshy or akyn is the performer, invited in advance and generously rewarded (with a horse, a shapan, money). Two model daughters-in-law from the close kin — the abysyn, the zhenge — lead the bride by the arms. A boy (in descriptions the younger brother-in-law) holds a stick or dombra to which the end of the veil is tied. The named relatives come forward and give korimdik; the groom’s mother embraces the bride and, as described, kisses her on the forehead.

The veil and the attire

The bride is in the saukele, over which a white scarf — the zhaulyk — is thrown (in some descriptions red or green, each colour with its own interpretation). Money and a stick, whip (kamshy) or dombra are tied to the end of the fabric; at the start of the rite the face is covered. White is the colour of purity, and the whip tied to the veil is regarded as a charm against evil and afterwards kept in a place of honour.

How the rite goes

• The bride is led out covered; the zhyrau begins the betashar zhyry.
• The song starts with the father-in-law, then the mother-in-law and the other relatives of the husband, each named by name and kinship; at the end an address to the guests.
• At each name the bride answers with a bow (salem salu), and the one named comes forward and puts korimdik on a tray. The song runs roughly: “Kelin keldi, koriniz, korimdigin beriniz” — “The bride has come — look, give the korimdik”.
• The face is uncovered gradually; at the end it is fully open. With what exactly — a stick, a whip or a dombra — and by whom, descriptions differ: there is no single canon.
• Good wishes are voiced and shashu is scattered. Afterwards the tea drinking — “kelin shay” — begins.

What is sung

The betashar zhyry usually has three parts in meaning: praise and introduction, instruction and good wishes. The singer teaches the bride how to live in the new house: not to cut across the path of her older brothers-in-law, not to gossip, not to carry the home’s secrets outside, to rise early, to speak modestly. Instruction in the form of a song is remembered better than sermons and is delivered publicly — before witnesses it is not easy for the bride to retreat.

There is no single text: the zhyrau adapts it to the particular people, so the betashar is the only wedding genre whose text is not memorised. The earliest records were made by ethnographers of the late 19th century — A. Divaev and N. Grodekov.

Korimdik

Korimdik is a gift “for the right to see” the bride: money or things that the named relatives place on a metal tray. Everything collected belongs to the new family. In the past livestock and jewellery were given — rings, bracelets, necklaces; descriptions of “ideal” gifts (a racer, a black cow, a ram with a good voice) show an image of generosity rather than an obligatory set. The singer was rewarded separately: earlier with a horse or shapan, from the 1960s–70s more often with money.

Interpretations

Researchers explain the rite differently. Some see in it the bride’s passage into a new status: the girl “dies” to her father’s clan and is “born” in her husband’s, and the veil serves as the boundary between these states. Others treat the details with caution: for instance, a folklore specialist calls the opening of the face with a dombra a modern distortion. References to a very ancient origin of the rite remain hypotheses rather than documented facts.

What has changed

In the 20th century the betashar was simplified, especially in towns, and with independence it revived. Today it is often held in a restaurant, as part of the evening celebration, rather than in a house or yurt. Experts criticise the “show” versions: the bride’s revealing attire, professional musicians and, above all, turning the rite into a way to collect money. There is also the view that the one who opens the face should not take what is collected from the guests. Sometimes the betashar is held twice — at home and in a restaurant, which also causes debate.

Interesting facts

Glossary

Беташар

The rite of unveiling the bride’s face and the song itself.

Беташар жыры

A ritual genre: praise and introduction of relatives, instruction, good wishes.

Жырау / жыршы / ақын

The improvising performer who sings the betashar.

Шымылдық

The white curtain behind which the bride sits.

Жаулық

A white scarf; in the betashar it covers the bride.

Сәукеле

The bride’s tall wedding headdress.

Көрімдік

A gift for “seeing” the bride.

Сәлем салу

The bride’s ritual bow.

Абысын

The wife of the husband’s brother; the bride’s helper.

Қамшы

A whip; in the betashar a charm.

Шашу

Scattering sweets and coins.