KZBlog

To symbolize the revitalization of this blog, I am going to be liveblogging an event I have stumbled into. As soon as I find out what that event is, I’ll be writing it down here. I start with a question:

Why are there hundreds of school children (EDIT: I am told that they are in fact college students) lined up in the old square in Astana? On second look, they appear to be herded into corrals marked off by pink ribbon.

And they have been given blue and yellow scarves, as well as yellow shirts which I can only assume say: Мы за Казахстан or Казахстан, толбко впереод or something similarly patriotic. (EDIT: They are carrying banners that say, “We are Kazakhstan, One land” and “Kazakhstan, our land. Astana, the head city” if my Kazakh is any good, which it isn’t.)

I don’t see any “cool” people for them to sing to, and they weren’t rehearsing a little dance yesterday. It’s not a holiday. I have no idea what is going.

Oh, there’s a stage out there as well. Starting and stopping music. The bass is shaking out mirror

I have just been informed that they are going to sing the National Anthem, Menin Kazakhstanym. No one seems to know what the occasion is.

And it’s 6:12pm and we have started. The yellow-shirted students are on the stage, with yellow and blue balloons. The rest of the students, with no discernible uniform, are standing around looking bored. The speakers are speaking Kazakh, but there’s a lot of repetition of the word “Kazakhstan”. There’s also a big banner behind the stage which reads, “Kazakhstani Student Union’.

Now that some other yellow-shirted students have marched around a bit and left, the rest of the students are moving forward with yet more patriotic banners. In general, the yellow-shirted students are cheering and the others are sort of looking on.

And after some more banter, at 6:30 the national anthem did start. Although it doesn’t look like too many sang. Or put their hand on their heart, as the law now requires.

Hey, fireworks sparkling at the front.

And now they appear to be assembling out to chants of Kazakhstan! and Astana! Or rather, milling about as if something cool might happen.

So whatever the name of this day may be, have a happy one!