NUR-SULTAN – Petropavlovsk resident Vladimir Pekarsky featured a video in an ice hole in which he performed “Kara Zhorga,” a Kazakh folk song and dance. His videos on the TikTok account are going viral with thousands and even millions of hits.
Vladimir Pekarsky, 28, bathes in an ice-hole when the frost outside feels like -45 degrees Celsius.
For Pekarsky, a paratrooper in the past, diving into the ice-hole is nothing out of the ordinary. The most important thing is to choose the right day. It is better when the air temperature is lower, he said.
Along with promoting a healthy lifestyle, Pekarsky wishes to show and promote national traditions.
“We promote patriotism, that we need to serve and honor our homeland. As a citizen of my country, I want everyone to know about Kazakhstan. It is important to have a support group with you. Many people write that they will go with me tomorrow; it is great that this idea lights up in their heads as well,” Pekarsky said.
In one of his videos, he dances the Kara Zhorga, drinks the national drink kumys (fermented mare’s milk), eats a popular Kazakhstan chocolate and eats an ice-cream saying ‘welcome to Kazakhstan’.
It is important that people stay in the water for no more than two minutes, he added.
“When it is 30-35 degrees Celsius below zero, the ice-hole does not freeze because people are constantly swimming in it. The water would usually freeze in two hours. However, the number of people swimming is increasing each year, because it gives you a spectacular emotional rush. I think if you try once, you won’t be able to stop,” Pekarsky explained.
