Kyrgyzstan National Hat Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Since March 5, 2011, Kyrgyzstan has observed National Hat Day thanks to the initiative of filmmaker Yrysbek Jabirov. The ak-kalpak is a Kyrgyzstan cap that distinguishes the Kyrgyz from other ethnic groups in the region while also advocating for inclusiveness. Since 2011, the hat has been considered a “de facto” national symbol. In contrast to other traditional Kyrgyz garments, men of all ages continue to wear this garment in both the city and the mountains. The fifth of March has been observed as National Ak-kalpak Day since 2017.

The background of Kyrgyzstan National Hat Day

When and where hats first appeared is unknown, but some of the earliest drawings date back to 3200 B.C. in Ancient Egypt. During the Middle Ages, hats were used to target specific demographics as status symbols. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council ordered Jews to wear distinctive hats and other clothing to identify themselves. Prior to the nineteenth century, women typically wore handkerchiefs or loose bonnets. During the first half of the nineteenth century, these bonnets grew in size and ornamentation. At the turn of the twentieth century, more women’s fashions emerged.

Throughout the 1960s, men’s hats were a standard and expected fashion accessory.
Hats for men, such as the traditional Kyrgyz ‘Ak-kalpak’, are both fashionable and culturally significant. Kyrgyzstan, officially known as the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked mountainous country in Central Asia where the Kyrgyz people reside. Its history encompasses numerous diverse cultures and empires.

As part of the Silk Road and other commercial routes, Kyrgyzstan has been at the crossroads of numerous great civilizations despite its physical isolation due to its mountainous terrain. Kyrgyzstan has been ruled by a succession of tribes and clans, with several instances of greater dominance. A cultural cap, the Ak-Kalpak, is contested by men. This hat was added to the list of humanity’s intangible cultural assets in 2019.

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KYRGYZSTAN NATIONAL HAT DAY ACTIVITIES

Give information about Kyrgyzstan.

Share with your friends, family, and coworkers interesting facts and information regarding Kyrgyzstan National Hat Day. To assist you, conduct online research on Kyrgyzstan.

Buy an Al-kalpak

Males traditionally wear hats in Kyrgyzstan. You may still participate in the festivities if you purchase this hat for a male companion.

Make an Al-kalpak

Learn about the history of the Al-kalpak and then attempt to construct one. Share photographs of the hat on social media with the hashtag #NationalKyrgyzstanHatDay.

5 fascinating facts about the Al-Kalpak

In December 2017, a Shiba Inu, a Japanese dog breed, wore a kalpak at a dog exhibition in Bishkek.

Kalpaks must be made entirely of natural felt made from 100 percent wool.

In accordance with Kyrgyz tradition, the kalpak should not be placed on the ground or near a person’s feet.

In 2016, a group of Kyrgyz students in central Bishkek constructed a three-meter-tall kalpak in celebration of Kalpak Day.

Kyrgyzstan’s “The Epic of Manas” is the longest poem in the world, with 500,000 lines.

KYRGYZSTAN NATIONAL HAT DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	March 5	Sunday
2024	March 5	Tuesday
2025	March 5	Wednesday
2026	March 5	Thursday
2027	March 5	Friday