The handshake is one of the most popular gestures of etiquette used in meetings, farewells and appointments. In the world culture experts count more than 2000 symbolic hand gestures. Many experts associate the handshake gesture with military etiquette, i.e. such a greeting is a sign of mutual trust, a symbol of alliance and friendship.
In Kazakh men’s world there are several ways of greeting. S.S. Tatubayev notes that the gesture “qol alysip amandasu” (or “qol alysu”) – historically accompanied by a verbal greeting of Arabic origin “Assalaumağaleikom” – “Peace be upon you” – the younger, extending both hands, approaches the elder with open hands. The elder in return also extends both hands and replies, “uağaleikum uassalam” – “and peace be upon you”, and takes his hands [9, с.72]. The prerogative is with the right hand (the analysis of the gesture itself shows that the left hand is “supporting”, so to speak), as it stands out in a simpler version – the right hand – kol beru. A. Baiburin and A. Toporkov [1] have noted the privilege in the gestures of the right side: Among Mongols the right hand is “the giver of grace” and only with it something is given and accepted; among Muslim peoples it is considered ritually “pure”, with it food is received, etc. Kazakhs cross the threshold only with the right foot. Sh.Zh. Tokhtabaeva writes: the right hand – honorable, it takes and brings gifts, and the left performs the hygienic procedures of intimate places[10, с.44].
Another way of greeting for Kazakhs is “qol alysyp, tös soğysyp amandasu” – “greeting eacer by shaking hands and hugging, literally touching each other’s breasts” [9, p.78]. This gesture is interpreted as a sign of reconciliation and brotherhood.
Among Kazakh men the rite “tös soğysu” (literally touching the breasts), practiced when trying on opposite sides, “tös kağystiriu” is also used in the ceremony of recognition of the fathers of the groom and the bride of each other by matchmakers (qudalyk – myn zhyldyk) – matchmaking for millennia.
