Kassym (also Kasim, Ay Dimitri ' Dmitriev Day ', eag. Kasım ) is a Gagauz national holiday celebrated on October 26 (November 8) . It was considered the beginning of winter and the end of the cattle breeding season.
Rites of the Day
On the Kasim holiday, the hosts settled with herders and other workers for the summer season and hired them for a new term.
By the Gagauz holiday, all kinds of work on personal plots were completed, the yard was cleaned up, and fresh wine was upheld in the cellar. According to the ancient custom, on the Kasim holiday, the owners, who had a significant number of sheep, made an animal sacrifice (kurban) in order to “ensure” the health and safety of livestock during the winter season. On this day, children and grandchildren come to the parental home.
The holiday of Kasim at the Gagauz is associated with the idea of cyclically dividing the year into two: from Kasym to Hederlez - winter; from Hederlez to Kasym - summer.
See also
- Dmitriev day
- Hederlez
Links
- Kvilinkova E.N. “Kasym” - the beginning of winter // “Independent Moldova”, November 7, 2001
- Happy holiday "Kasym"! // National Assembly of Gagauzia
- Gagauz traditions, holidays, customs (inaccessible link)