Zaitunna Kalimuwa: inheritor of the Saban Festival

我叫再屯娜·卡里穆娃，塔塔尔族，

I’m Zaitunna Kalimuwa, a member of the Tatar ethnic group.

我的家乡在新疆塔城，

My hometown is Tacheng in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

我是国家级非物质文化撒班节代表性传承人。

I’m a representative inheritor of the Saban Festival, a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

撒班，就是犁铧的意思，塔塔尔族是最早也是农耕民族。

Saban means plowshare. Tatar was originally an agricultural ethnic group.

塔塔尔人热情好客，是能歌善舞的民族，

Tatar people are hospitable, and good at singing and dancing.

生活在新疆北部，主要在乌鲁木齐、奇台、伊犁、阿勒泰、塔城等地区。

We live in the northern part of Xinjiang, mostly in such places as Urumchi, Ili, Qitai, Altay, and Tacheng.

虽然人口较少，但是塔塔尔族有许多灿烂的文明、文化、意志传承。

Tatar is a small ethnic group, but we have a profound culture and a rich heritage of civilization.

塔塔尔族有很多文化习俗，其中撒班节是我们塔塔尔族的，

There’re many cultural customs in Tatar traditions, among which is the Saban festival,

一个非常典型的能够集中体现塔塔尔族传统文化的一个节日。

a typically Tatar festival that can well represent our traditional culture.

大家会聚在一起，展示塔塔尔族的一些传统的民歌、舞蹈。

(At Saban festivals,) people always gather together, performing taditional Tatar folk songs and dances.

塔塔尔族的服饰丰富多彩，

The costume of the Tatar ethnic group is very colorful.

颜色方面塔塔尔族人非常喜欢蓝色、红色和绿色。

We like the colors blue, red, and green.

刺绣的民间艺人会把自己对美好生活的一个愿望，

Embroidery artists will place their wish for a beautiful life

用自己的巧手刺绣在这个头饰和服饰上面，

on headwears and costumes they embroider.

也就是把自己一个一个对美好生活的一个愿望刺绣上去。

In other words, they express their wish for a beautiful life through embroidery.

撒班节期间有一些和农耕、生产有关的一些体育、游戏项目，

During Saban festivals, there’re sport events and games related to agriculture and production.

是比力气、比技巧、拔河、运鸡蛋，

People compete in strength and technique. They participate in the tug-of-war and the egg-and-spoon race.

它每一个项目它都会有它自己特殊的寓意。

Different games carry different meanings.

更重要的是它的美食和糕点。

What’s more important (at festivals)? Our food and pastries.

菊花肉饼，它的外形就是像一个菊花一样，

We make chrysanthemum-shaped patties with meat, onions, and black pepper.

还有塔塔尔族烤包子。

We also have Tatar baked samosa.

沙琪玛在塔塔尔又叫恰克恰克，一个迎宾客必备的一个甜品，

Sachima, also called chiak-chiak in Tatar, is a necessary dessert to treat guests.

它是用蜂蜜、鸡蛋黄、砂糖融在一起的，

It’s made with honey, yolk, and sugar,

寓意就是我们大家都能和谐地相融在一起，

indicating that we can get along well with each other.

对未来的一个甜蜜的生活的一种向往。

It also expresses a yearning for a sweet life.