People of various ethnic groups are celebrating the traditional
Ay Noruz Festival - the Festival of Spring - in
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region which began Tuesday.
In Shanshan County in Turpan nearly 10,000 farmers and herdsmen
of different ethnic groups gathered together in the central square
to attend the grand celebration ceremony held by the local
government.
Artists from across the country joined the local people to
celebrate the festival. Songs and lively dances were performed by
distinguished artists and local people conveyed best wishes for the
rest of the year.
"Apricots will bloom after the festival," said Hobull Tohuto, a
Uygur villager who took part, "and then it will be time to sow
our seeds as the spring is finally coming."
"Besides unique singing and dancing we Uygur people also pass on
our good wishes by bashing hard-boiled eggs against each other
during the celebrations," he said.
In Kashi in southern Xinjiang many villages as well as having
prepared performances also organized many other celebrations for
the festival such as sports competitions, the preparation of
??traditional food and a handicraft exhibition.
Meanwhile the
Kazak people in Burqin County, northern Xinjiang, also have
their own way of celebrating. ?
Cleaning the house, cooking the Noruz Rice--a special rice made
with millet, barley and cheese--and singing Noruz songs are all
activities that Kazak people enjoy to celebrate the new year.
The Noruz Festival, which has a history of over 3,000 years, is
one of the most significant events shared by various ethnic groups
in Xinjiang, including Kazak, Uygur,
Kirgiz and
Tajik. The festival starts on March 21 each year and lasts for
three to 15 days depending on different ethnic cultures.
(Xinhua News Agency March 23, 2006)
