Tokayev urges Kazakhs to replace hugs and kisses with traditional etiquette
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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Sunday called on Kazakh citizens to abandon hugs and kisses in favor of traditional greeting etiquette. Speaking at a polling station briefing, he said he had personally initiated a new code of conduct. He criticized men embracing and kissing each other, including military officers.
Key Facts
- Tokayev made the remarks on Sunday during a briefing at a polling station.
- He said he personally initiated a new code of conduct to revive traditional Kazakh etiquette.
- Tokayev specifically criticized men embracing and kissing each other, including generals in military uniform.
- He suggested men should shake hands firmly, smile, or place the right hand over the heart instead.
Traditional Etiquette Push
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the initiative during a Sunday briefing at a polling station. He stated that observing the behavior of young and elderly people led him to conclude that Kazakhs should return to their ancestral customs. Tokayev said it is unacceptable for men to hug and kiss each other, for women to kiss men, or for men to kiss women. He emphasized that such behavior never existed in Kazakh customs.
Military Conduct Criticism
Tokayev expressed particular displeasure that people in military uniform, including generals, embrace each other. He argued that Soviet marshals who won the Great Patriotic War could not be imagined hugging and kissing each other. The president recommended that men shake hands firmly rather than offering a limp hand like a 'warm cutlet or twig'. He added that a smile or placing the right hand over the heart is sufficient when genuinely pleased to see someone.
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Tokayev urges Kazakhs to replace hugs and kisses with traditional etiquette
