You are here

Home » Kazakh national games and entertainments. Traditions of Kazakh people.

History of kokpar.

National games on horses of Kazakhs.

This is horseracing struggle, horsemen struggle for goat taking-over. “Kokpar-kokbori” means the Kazakh grey wolf. The wolf was the bitterest enemy for nomads and if somebody could kill it, he should bring the wolf’s head to the progenitor as a symbol of heroism.
The day of the wolf’s killing was an original holiday. Everyone tried to take the wolf`s carcass to aul and struggle with each other for it. Sometimes the wolf’s carcass was replaced by headless goat.
Nowadays we have only the name of “grey wolf” game, but its form and rules changed in accordance with social and economical conditions of life. Nowadays “Kokpar” is one of the best horse sports game and none of any holidays is held without it.
The game has two variants. The most widely used is “zhalpy-tartys”, when many horsemen take part in this game and everyone struggles for the animal’s carcass. The other variant is “Doda tartys”. The group of people, consisting of certain number of horsemen struggles with each other.
Since 1958 “kokpar” competition has been carried out on the racecourse of hippodrome. The game duration was 5 or 15 min. Till 1958 “kokpar” has been carried out during holidays on the stripping without established rules.
“Kokpar” has been included on the first All-Union horse sports competitions as one of the main kinds of the program competitions.Kokpar - Kazakh national games.Kokpar - Kazakh national games.Picture artist K. Talzhanov "Kokpar".Kokpar end XVIII с.Kokpar in Kazakhstan.Kokpar in Kazakhstan.Kokpar in Kazakhstan.Pray before kokpar.Kokpar in Kazakhstan.Kokpar in Kazakhstan.

Authority:
Life and culture of Kazakh people. Kenzheahmetuly S. Almatykitap, 2006

Photo
Alexandr Petrov.