Draft:Borik (Börik)

right|thumb Borik is the traditional national costume of the Kazakh people, made from high-quality sheepskin and decorated with fur trim. It comes in both summer and winter varieties. Depending on the type of fur used, each borik is given a different name. There are Kun-dyuz borik, Susar borik, Kamshat borik, Zhanat borik, Tulkі borik, and Eltirі borik, among others. Both men and women wear boriks. The collar of the borik typically has six or four sides. When worn, it is first measured and then cut into either four or six sides from the front. Each side of the collar is lined with two triangular pieces of cloth, and between them, a fur strip is sewn, and the whole piece is stitched tightly. Then, individual pieces are stitched together one by one, both from the front and from behind. The back is lined with high-quality fabric (silk, velvet, brocade, etc.). If the inside of the borik is also lined, its bottom is also made of the same fabric. After that, the edges of the borik's collar are lined with fabric, and the lower part is also lined with fur, looking like four layers of fur. Before wearing, boriks were adorned with various ornaments such as coins, metal plates, beads, pearls, gold, and silver threads. Sometimes, the collar was decorated with precious stones such as agate or jasper. The Kazakh people, as well as other ethnic groups such as the Karakalpaks, Kyrgyz, Bashkirs, Tatars, Uyghurs, and others, wear boriks.  

Sewing a Borik

Leather is a versatile material that is created by skinning, cleaning, stretching, and drying animal hides. Once the hide is transformed into leather, it can be dyed in a range of vibrant colors such as red, yellow, green, blue, or black. Depending on its size, leather can be cut into strips, patches, or pieces. It can also be folded into three, four, or six layers. Leather crafting is a popular activity among girls, who enjoy making soft leather pouches, cone-shaped containers, or tall cylindrical containers.  One interesting technique used in leather crafting involves sewing or tying a summer hide into the inside of a leather bag. Instead of being sewn shut, extra leather is added and stitched closed. A four-layer leather bag is sewn from the back of a sheepskin to the edge of a three-layer ear. Its edge is trimmed with fur, felt, silk, cotton, sheepskin, leather, or velvet. The underside of the bag is black, dark blue, or green, and usually two layers thick. A four-layer leather bag is a popular choice for young women, girls, children, and boys. The edge of a girl's or bride's leather bag is usually adorned with intricate openwork, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to the design. "Börik" is an ancient word derived from the word "böri," meaning skin. "Böri" comes from the Turkic peoples' ancient totem, "qasqır." All in all, leather crafting is a fascinating art form with a rich cultural history.

Decorating a Borik

The ornate hat is adorned with owl feathers at the top and embellished with beads, tassels, various precious stones, buttons, brocade, and silver along the edges. The cover is decorated with coral and intricate patterns for added aesthetic appeal. At the top, an owl feather is delicately positioned with a precious stone or coral at its base. This brocade hat is trimmed with mink and lined with either red or blue velvet. The seams of the four panels are reinforced with brocade, and the spaces between them are adorned with gold and silver threads. Girls' hats typically feature a wide brim and a taller, four-panel top, adorned with gold and silver coins, precious threads, and an owl feather. The round hat is constructed with a top made of felt or padded with cotton, quilted, stiffened, lined, and covered, and also features an owl feather. The brim is trimmed with luxurious furs such as otter, mink, fox, corsac, marten, or rabbit, ideally positioned two to three finger widths below the top. These hats are commonly worn in winter, summer, and spring.

References

"Shanyrak: Encyclopedia of Home Affairs." Almaty: Kazakh Soviet Encyclopedia Main Edition, ISBN 5-89800-008-9. https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%8B:%D0%9A%D1%96%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BF_%D2%9B%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B/5898000089

"Kazakh Culture: Encyclopedic Reference." Almaty: "Aruna Ltd." LLP, 2005. https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%8B:%D0%9A%D1%96%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BF_%D2%9B%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8B/9965260958

"Encyclopedia of Kazakh National Clothing"