Shumailaike ceremony of Uzbek Ethnic Group
Uzbek nationality has many traditional festivals such as Rouzhi festival, Gurbang festival, Shengji festival and Nuluzhi festival. Among others, Rouzhi festival, Gurbang festival and Shengji festival are religion festivals, while Nuluzhi festival is the authentic traditional ethnic festival.
Gurbang festival, celebrated on March 22, is Spring Festival of Uzbek and the most important ethnic festival. People would hold a great traditional party called “Shumailaike”, esp. in contrysaid. All village members sit around a circle in which several pans and stoves are set up to boil a sort porridge called “Shumailaike”. In the evening, while the porridge is boiling, people play instruments of tabur, dutar and tambourine. Accompanied by the exciting and rapid music, young men and girls are singing and dancing. Music, singing and laughter merge together to resonate in the night until the early morning of next day. Then, some respected old man share porridge to people, each Uzbek person would treat “Shumailaike” seriously. It is said that the tradition is to memorize ancestors engaging in farming.