Sakal-Akesi

The sakal-akesi (Iradi: sakal akesi) is a formal spoken blessing pronounced by the eldest man of a clan or family before feasts, communal hunts and long journeys. It is a form of the wider Central Asian blessing known as bata.^[1]

The elder speaks in rhythmic, often rhyming lines while those present hold their hands open with the palms upward. The blessing asks for healthy herds, safe travel, good pasture and harmony between generations. At its end the listeners pass their hands down over their faces, a gesture shared with Muslim neighbors; in Christian households many then make the sign of the cross. Clan councils in the Autonomous Tribal Regions are also opened with a blessing of this kind.^[1]

References

1. ^ Central Asian Folklore Society (2021). Epic Cycles and Horseback Chants of the Northern Valleys. Talas State University Press, Talas, pp. 135–158.