Independence Day in Houston: Kazakh Memory, Tradition and Community

This community chronicle documents how the Kazakh community in Houston and neighboring cities gathered to celebrate Kazakhstan’s Independence Day under the leadership of the Texas Qazaq Foundation. Through ceremony, music, youth performances and shared memory, the event transformed celebration into remembrance—affirming cultural continuity far from the homeland.

Independence is a sacred concept.

Last Sunday, the Texas Qazaq Foundation brought together the Kazakhs of Houston. People gathered not only from Houston, but from nearby and distant cities and states, even from the soil of the homeland itself—joined by American officials and friends.

This freedom was earned through the blood and souls of our ancestors—through the sacrifice of brave sons who dreamed of an independent land and gave their lives for their country and their soil. On this arduous path, all hearts came together that evening with a shared purpose: to honor and remember the heroism of those ancestors who gave their lives.

To celebrate this special day, the TQF took the lead and worked tirelessly with full dedication. The event took place in a magnificent hall located in the very center of the city of Houston. The reception of guests—the welcome, guidance, and seating—was carried out at a very high level. At the entrance, a model of a traditional Kazakh yurt was displayed. Its lattice walls, poles, shanyraq, the cornerstone of the Kazakh yurt, wall hangings, chests and ornately patterned quilts made us feel, if only for a moment, as though we had been transported back to our native land. If this isn’t teleportation, what is!

The evening opened with the national anthems of Kazakhstan and the United States. A congratulatory video message from Magzhan Iliyasov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States, was shown, and Osman Dosov, a representative of the embassy who traveled especially from Washington, D.C., also delivered his greetings. Their words lifted our spirits, and their sincere support and encouragement further inspired our work.

A representative from the City of Houston presented an official congratulatory letter from Houston Mayor John Whitmire. The Mayor of Sugar Land, Carol C. McCutcheon, also attended the evening and shared her warm wishes. As a token of respect and honor, guests were presented with a traditional Kazakh shapan, robe, on behalf of TQF. Seeing local officials congratulate our country on its Independence and express support for TQF’s meaningful initiatives brought great joy to our hearts.

We cannot fail to mention the entrepreneurs who provided financial support to ensure this cultural event was held at such a high level. Thanks to their sponsorship, we were able to unite—shoulder to shoulder—and carry this great responsibility together. For your efforts on behalf of the nation’s future and the rising generation, and for thinking not of personal gain but of the well-being of our Kazakh people, we express our gratitude.

The evening’s special guest was singer and well-known artist Ghadilbek Zhanay, who traveled especially from Kazakhstan for this occasion. He conveyed warm greetings from the homeland and performed beautiful melodies from the heart. The audience rose to their feet and danced—clearly, the people had missed such celebrations.

Students of the Houston Kazakh School also performed, singing beautifully and dancing with grace. Seeing the children’s sincere smiles and their radiant, joy-filled faces reassured us that our efforts are not in vain.

This evening was not only about celebrating our Independence but about understanding the value of this sacred concept and conveying to our brothers and sisters abroad the courage and sacrifice through which it was achieved. It was love for the homeland—for the nation—that brought our compatriots, living far from home, out into the winter cold to gather together.

Wherever we may be, our hearts beat for Kazakhstan, beat as Kazakhs. Though our buds may blossom abroad, our noble trunk and deep roots remain in our ancestral land. One of TQF’s main goals is to ensure the continuation of our core values—our language, culture, and traditions—passed from generation to generation as an enduring heritage. Even far from home, we strive to safeguard our national values, create opportunities for future generations to learn and grow, and move forward confidently toward these clear goals.

Kazakhs living abroad must respect the language, faith, and traditions of their host countries and live in harmony with local culture and ways of life, while also preserving their own language, culture and customs. We call on everyone to work tirelessly and without fatigue on this path.

May our Independence be everlasting!

My country will not perish—it will grow ever younger!
Your great glory will yet surpass countless peaks!
You are the sacred force that leads us to a perfect future.
Live on, Independence! Live forever!

Read more about Texas Kazakh community here.