Music	"It seems to me all the Kazak steppes are singing" -- Zataevick (a famous Kazak author) Music is a very important part of Kazak life. Traditional Kazak music is sung accompanied by a dombra. Visit here to listen to various samples of Kazak music.
	Language	The official language in Kazakstan is Kazak. It is a turkic-based dialect. Russian is still used in many parts of Kazakstan. In fact, most business transactions take place in Russian. Part of this is because Kazak was outlawed as a language during the Soviet Era. Kazak is missing many up to date technological terms because of this. Often in conversation, they will insert Russian to fill in the gaps in Kazak. Work is on going to update Kazak. To learn some Kazak, you can visit here.
	Folk Tales	Kazaks love stories. They often use stories as an indirect way to give advice, leaving the final decision up to the listener. Here is a folk tale explaining how Almaty came to existence.
	History	The history of the Kazak people only goes back to the mid-1500's. The history of the land, though, extends much farther. Come and learn their history by reading this timeline.
	Literature	During the long winter months when there was little to do but sit in their yurtas, the Kazaks would tell stories, sing songs and write poetry. Some of the most famous poets are Abai and Auezov. Here is a sampling of some of Abai's poetry that has been translated into English.
	Holidays	Kazaks love to celebrate holidays and special occasions. During these times, Kazaks often dress in their traditional Kazak clothes. Villages or city neighborhoods will set up yurts nearby where they host elaborate meals. Kazaks will frequently go to visit friends and family, bearing gifts of flowers and candy. Games, horseracing, singing contests and dancing are also part of the traditions associated with celebrations.
	Hospitality and the "Dahsterhahn"	Kazaks also love having guests and are generous in their hospitality. There is a saying, "Kazaks' hearts are like the steppes - wide, kind and generous." Regardless of the hour of arrival of the guests, Kazak women will immediately set to work to prepare a "dahsterhahn" - a table full of food. If guests arrive and the table remains empty, the host is shamed. At a minimum, each guest must sit down and have tea. Having tea includes bread, fruits & nuts, cookies and sweets.
	Nomads of the Steppe	The Kazaks were traditionally nomads of the steppe (grassy flatlands). They herded sheep and cattle from place to place. Because of this mobile lifestyle, they lived in yurts or "keez ui." Yurts are round, felt tents that have a sturdy wooden frame made of interlocking poles, which are relatively easy to assemble and disassemble. Approximately 60 poles are needed for each yurt. The top of the yurt is kept open to allow heat from the stove to escape. One Kazak saying is that the top of the yurt is open to allow light into your heart.