Nauryz Road Trip (Part 4 of 5)

During the Nauryz festivities we got to watch a game called Kuz Kuu. This is a game played by a young woman and young man (jigit) on horseback. First, the girl gets a bit of a headstart and the jigit tries to catch up with her. If he does, he gets to kiss her even if she doesn't really want it. Then, it is her turn for fun. They take off coming back and if she catches the guy, she gets to whip him with her whip. The girls playing the game were vicious. Some used their whip and others used their hands to hit the guys. Many of the guys took off their hats and waved them towards their girl as an added line of defense. The crowd really got into it. Here are some pictures that Ember took.