 On March, 17, Tuva celebrated a bright and cheerful holiday to say good-bye to winter - Maslenitsa. Cheerful celebration, songs with balalaika, folk games - all this went on at the main square of the capital. When the children played at "Little stream" and "Old felt boot", the adults competed with Maslenitsa stilts and played :Gorodki". There was no avoiding those who wanted to take part.
There was along line waiting to go up the Maslenitsa pole. On the words of the organizers, it is child's play for Tuvan heroes to conquer the Maslenitsa pole . And that is how it was this time as well. The prizes were given out quickly. But even after that many brave guys successfully defeated the wooden pole.
On Maslenitsa, men compete with brawn and brains. This time, they were asked to compete in brawn and to lift weights of 32, 45 and 55 kg. the cold and wet snow was no obstacle for epic heroes of Kyzyl. A young man from Kyzyl Ivan Byvshov managed to lift a 45 kg weight 22 times. It is a record of today's competition.
The holiday culminated in burning the straw effigy of winter. For many it was a new discovery that together with the effigy, one is also supposed to burn "handkerchiefs of tears". These handkerchiefs, symbolizing the grief and injuries of the past year, are burned, after the owner writes all the worst things of the year on them. The nation was happy to burn the sadness of the past year, and welcomed spring.
 There was a competition for the best Russian courtyard with participation of working teams of the capital.
They were all good, but one of the best were representatives of Kyzyl TEC. The Head of the republic examined every courtyard and expressed his personal appreciation to the collective of the city kindergarten No.31, to whom he also gave a prize - a set of equipment. In the name of the Supreme Khural delegates, the vice-speaker Olga Kolchikova presented a valuable painting to the workers of the Kyzyl TEC.
Presenting a speech to the gathering of citizens, the head of the republic noted that Maslenitsa is an international holiday. It unites Russians and Tuvans, Bashkirs and Armenians, as well as other representatives of other ethnic groups. "This holiday gives a us a chance to embrace each other, - noted Sholban Kara-ool. - My dear countrymen, I greet you with one of the most bright and cheerful holidays of Russian people -  Maslenitsa. Tuvans had just celebrated just such a holiday - Shagaa. And literally in a few days, Moslems will celebrate Navruz. And all of us are one big family!
My greetings are for both the young and the old! And also for working teams, who organized such magic today here on our square. Thank you! Take good care of each other! Well, and we will try to work even better for the prosperity of our republic!"
Speeches to citizens of Kyzyl were also presented by the leaders of the Parliament, mayor's office and khural of Kyzyl.
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