Kazakhstan became the 116th country for Ross Jennings, a Scottish traveler and musician on a mission to play the bagpipes in every nation. Dressed in a traditional kilt, he performed the Kazakh folk song “Dedimai au” in Astana, where local audiences warmly received him, The Caspian Post informs via Astana Times.
“In 2014, I decided I wanted to play the bagpipes in every country. I had just graduated from university and didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. Then I met some inspiring adventurers in London and thought, why not go on my own adventure? Bagpipes and travel just clicked because no one had done it before. The first country I visited was Tunisia. Now, after 11 years of traveling, Kazakhstan is number 116,” Jennings told The Astana Times.
For Jennings, the instrument is both personal and cultural.
“My mother’s family are Scottish. Bagpipes make me cry in a good way. Hearing them, especially Celtic music, speaks to my soul. Right now, they symbolize my culture, but also how international folk music can be. There are over 100 types of bagpipes in more than 40 countries, and interestingly, they originated from Iraq,” he said.
Jennings described the bagpipes as a “cultural catalyst” that opened doors to conversations and unexpected encounters.
“Often, people have never seen them up close, and of course, they are so loud. That always draws attention,” he said.
From apples to adventures
His visit to Kazakhstan was inspired in part by its status as the birthplace of the apple. Earlier this year, Jennings launched an educational YouTube channel, So Where’s It From? which explores the origins of everyday items. An episode about apples led him to Kazakhstan.
“A couple of years ago, one of my father’s friends told me apples come from Kazakhstan, which I never would have guessed. That was the spark that ignited my interest,” said Jennings.
Jennings began his trip in the capital, where he was struck by its scale, futuristic architecture, and contrasting traditions.
“It felt unusual at first, but the more time I spent there, the more I fell in love with it, the hospitality, and how green it was. One day I was in the city center, surrounded by modern buildings, and half an hour later, I met a famous eagle hunter on the outskirts. That contrast was incredible,” he said.
To connect with locals, Jennings chose to play a Kazakh melody on his bagpipes.
“I searched Kazakh folk songs on ChatGPT and Google, trying to adapt them to the bagpipes’ nine notes. Younger people didn’t recognize it, but some older listeners were listening to me for a few seconds, and then suddenly I could see them smile. It was funny because they were like, ‘Oh, hold on. I think I recognize this tune.’ So, there were kind of nice nods and smiles from different onlookers,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey, Jennings highlighted Kazakhstan’s landscapes, cultural pride, and friendliness.
“You have steppe, desert, mountains, lakes, forests - it blows my mind. And of course, in every season, it looks totally different. Two weeks isn’t enough. You need a lifetime to see Kazakhstan,” he said.
He added that Kazakhs of all ethnic backgrounds share a strong sense of national pride.
“I have met Kazakhs, Russians, Tatars, and other ethnic groups who have lived here for generations, and everyone feels proud to be part of the country. It does not matter what color your hair, skin or eyes are, there’s a strong, shared pride in being Kazakh,” he said.
Jennings also noted the warmth of everyday interactions.
“People might seem reserved at first, but when I smiled, they smiled back and said, ‘Salam.’ On social media, people are sending me kind messages and offering help. It’s so lovely. And one funny surprise, I did not realize Threads would be so popular in the country. I thought, ‘Is this secretly a Kazakh app?’” said Jennings.
