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 A number of diverse cultures thrive in Kyrgyzstan, but traditional the “Kyrgyz” culture is predominant. The culture is most concentrated in rural areas, particularly Naryn. Kyrgyz culture is a nomadic, tribal way of life rich with seasonal traditions, and unlike neighboring societies, has been entirely portable. Thus the rugged countryside's historic architecture is not buildings but transiting, self-contained communities with movable homes called yurts. Traditional life is simple but hard work surrounding animal husbandry where loyalty to the extended family and clan as well as deference to men and elders is valued centrally. Kyrgyz is a modest, conservative culture, but unlike the rest of Central Asia follows religious Islam only lightly and despite relative geographic and economic isolation is open to accepting and living alongside foreign ideas and cultures. The quiet, peaceable Kyrgyz culture makes up around 5 million residents globally.
Nomadic Traditions
Kyrgyz culture traditionally values those activities that need little equipment and can fill the empty hours between the chores of the day and sunset (a place more commonly filled by television now).
A visit to a jailoo might be the most exciting experience of any journey to Kyrgyzstan. Jailoos feature amazingly beautiful landscapes and a special ambience that has changed little in centuries. Here, the traditions of a nomadic life - whole families living together in portable dwellings called yurts ("boz ui" in Kyrgyz), tending cattle on broad pastures, singing songs and playing games that generations of shepherds have played - have been preserved.
In Kyrgyz, jailoo means a high-altitude summer pasture, usually at 2,500-3,000 meters above sea level. The distinguishing feature of summer life on the jailoos is the yurt itself, the top ventilation hole of which, tunduk, is featured on the Kyrgyz flag. Perfected over centuries of nomadic living, the boz ui is easily constructed, dismantled, and carried. The yurt's interior is warm in winter and cool in summer; it's no accident that the Kyrgyz people have used it since ancient times. At the request of visitors, a demonstration of how to erect the boz ui can be organized by a hospitable Kyrgyz family, including explanation of each detail and description of raw material of which the structure is made. Inside and out, the yurt is entirely handmade - even stabilizing ropes are braided from leather or woven from wool. With the aid of local craftswomen, tourists may try their hands at making the Kyrgyz felt carpets called shyrdaks, which cover the floor of the yurt, decorating their creations to their own taste.
A stay at a jailoo immerses the visitors in a natural environment and the atmosphere of the nomadic lifestyle, which has been practiced by Kyrgyz people for ages. As befits the jailoo's mellower pace of life, activities are flexible. How will you explore the surrounding untouched corners of nature? On horseback, searching for petroglyphs and rock paintings? Or hiking to waterfalls, impetuous mountain rivers, and bubbling streams of clean drinkable spring water? Perhaps scrambling over small glaciers? In the evening, fuel up for another day with a fireside supper, surrounded by the clean air and sounds of a pristine mountain ecosystem, and spend a night in a yurt under tent of stars.
Importantly, a trip to the jailoo is a golden opportunity for responsible tourism. Practically all elements of the tourist experience are offered by local service providers (yurts, tents, horses, food, local English-speaking guides, etc.). As a result, quality and reasonable are guaranteed, and tourism revenues stay within rural communities.
Manas
The great epic poem “Manas” contains more then a million lines and is 20 times as long as the Odyssey and Iliad together and 2.5 times longer than the Mahabharata. Taking as its subject the entire history of the Kyrgyz people starting in about the 10th century, the epic is a description of valorous feats of the central hero Manas, battling the barbarian hordes to create a homeland for his people. Before being slain in the triumphant final battle, he marries the wise Kanykei, daughter of a Samarkand khan. Sequels tell of the exploits of their son, Semetei, and his son Seitek. Along the way, the epic detours through colorful descriptions of everyday life with its traditions, customs, feasts and funerals. The manaschy is the traditional professional Manas storyteller. An esteemed bard was always welcome in any house. Many of Kyrgyzstan’s most respected historical figures, like Toktogul (of city, reservoir, and street-in-Bishkek fame), were manaschy. Singing Manas was ideally suited to the different situations and is the core of the Kyrgyz self-image.
  
Music
The Kyrgyz value music highly. Most feasts have a singing break between courses, when guests take turns belting out traditional melodies. Tone-deafness is no obstacle, and the contribution of foreigners will be much appreciated. Instrumental accompaniment has a strong tradition, too. Riddles, proverbs, and tongue twisters also have important places in the hearts of the people. The most important Kyrgyz instrument is the komuz, a three-stringed pear-shaped object made of apricot wood, usually. The strings were historically made of sheep intestine. The komuz has a quiet, amiable sound, though strange, electrified versions have begun to appear. The ability to play the komuz is widely respected, though the importance of tuning before playing seems to be less widely acknowledged. The choor (‘pipe’) is a wind instrument, from 40-100 cm long with 0 to 4 holes. It can be made of cane, honeysuckle wood, copper, or other materials, and has a nasal, buzzing tone. A clay ocarina shaped like a ball with three holes is also widespread, called the chopo choor (‘clay pipe’). The ooz komuz (‘mouth komuz’) is a small mouth harp, made of iron, brass, bronze, or copper. The sound comes from the twanging of a small metal tine, with overtones produced by positioning the player’s lips, mouth, and teeth. It is quite similar to the maultrommel of Germany, the berimbao of Spain, the Jew’s harp of the United States, and about 800 other instruments around the world.
Feasts and Holidays
Nooruz (New Year)
Nooruz is the Muslim New Year’s, and the most widely celebrated holiday in Kyrgyzstan. It has been celebrated on March 21st for more than 2,000 years. A lot of preparation goes into this special day. People buy or make new clothes, and boz ui are erected and decorated with juniper to make them as attractive as possible. In Bishkek, the colossal festivities culminate in a game of ulak tartysh (see below), and in every city and village in the land, smaller but no less lively celebrations take place. It is a great honor to take part in Nooruz, which is held in Muslim countries all over the world. Uilonuu toi (Wedding Feast)
Before they get married, the young couple’s parents prepare clothes for them. The bride’s mother, sisters-in-law and friends put up a white yurt. The groom and his friends come to take the bride away. According to tradition, the bride’s mother and sister-in-law sing koshok (a lament over her departure) and say good-bye to each other. Her sisters-in-law accompany the bride to the groom’s house, where the wedding party starts. Beshik toi (Craddle Feast)
This feast celebrates a new child’s first day in the cradle, within a week of his or her birth. The beshik is a wooden cradle used to swaddle a child until he or she starts walking. Historically, the Kyrgyz made very simple beshiks, suitable to their nomadic way of life. Two arcs are made from a bunch of dry willow as thick as a forearm; holes are made in their bases. Sticks matching these holes are attached, and wicker rope is strung between the sticks. A mattress is spread out inside. Jentek toi (Birth Feast)
New parents show their happiness by treating their neighbors, and a mark of respect is to treat people to sary mai (yellow butter). First it is put into the baby’s mouth, followed by the oldest person in the house. The sary mai is kept in a slaughtered lamb’s, sheep’s or calf’s stomach for the purpose of this feast. To honor the baby, guests bring clothes, animals or food. Relatives offer calves, sheep or lambs. They can also present a shyrdak (carpet) or horse-cloth.
National Games
Kyrgyz people usually hold their national games on public holidays and at feasts. There are many traditional horse games. Ulak Tartysh
This game takes place between two teams of 6 to 10 riders whose object is to throw a goat carcass into the opposing team’s goal. This gets extremely rough, and the strength required to muscle through the defense and heave the 20-kg carcass into the goal is daunting. Kyrgyzstan’s national team regularly takes home the world championship (though ulak is mainly a Central Asian game, Russia and India have teams, and Germany and Japan have petitioned to play in 2004). Kyz-Kuumai
This is a contest between a young man and a young woman, both on horseback. The object of the game is for the man to try to overtake the woman. The woman is given a faster horse and a head start of about 5 to 10 seconds. Only then can the young man start his pursuit. If he catches her, he is rewarded with a kiss on her face. If he does not catch up with her, then the woman gives him a lashing with a whip. Upai
Upai (‘score’) is a children’s game played with chuko (sheep bones) on flat ground. Somewhat similar to the Western game of marbles, the object is to knock as many chuko as possible by throwing a weighted chuko or large rock from a distance. Each 3 chukos knocked make one set called an upai or basym. The goal is to gain as many upais as possible. The Kyrgyz play many other games: at-chabysh (horse racing), jamby atmai (archery), kurosh (wrestling), oodarysh (wrestling on horseback), tiyin enmey (picking up a coin from the ground at full gallop), nardy (a simplified version of backgammon), and ordo (capture the king’s palace – a game played with animal’s bones (‘alchik’).
National Cusine
Kyrgyzstan hosts over 80 distinct cultures and nationalities. Unsurprisingly, its diverse multiethnic environment has influenced a variety of national cuisines and beverages, particularly from Kyrgyz, Russian, Dungan, Uzbek, and Korean traditions. Kyrgyz food is heavy on meat, dairy, and bread, and light on spices. This is less true of Dungan and Uighur dishes. Each meal ends with the “omin,” a face-washing-like motion, which gives thanks to God.
Besh barmak. For Kyrgyz people, besh barmak isn’t just an ordinary meal - it is a ceremony complete with its own traditions and customs. A whole sheep is cut up and boiled in a kazan (iron pot) until the soup from this pot is ready to be drunk and the bones with meat on them are ready to be distributed. The dish (boiled pieces of meat with home-made noodles) is eaten with the fingers (besh barmak means “five fingers” in Kyrgyz). After besh barmak, the best dish to serve the honored guest is plov. Plov is generally served as an enormous mound of rice with onions and carrots, and pieces of boiled meat on top. Among other main dishes there are also manty (fist-sized steamed dumplings filled with mutton and onions), lagman (a Dungan dish of thick home-made noodles in a relatively spicy sauce, with cabbage, onions, and tomatoes), chuchpara or pelmeni (smaller dumplings filled with onions, mutton and fat, and served in a soup), kuurdak (slices of fried mutton or beef, with onions and spices, served on a plate garnished with herbs), shorpo (soup with potatoes, vegetables, and a big hunk of mutton on the bone). The guests are also offered the different snacks as kuiruk-boor (a slice of sheep’s tail fat and a slice of that sheep’s liver, served together with spices or shashlyk – smoked kebabs of mutton (or beef, chicken, liver, or various fishes), served with onions in vinegar. Among a variety of drinks one should be mentioned separately. Kymyz is the most popular drink on the jailoo, made from fermented mare’s milk. Bozo is a thick fermented millet drink, slightly carbonated and drunk mostly in the winter. Jarma: A drink of fermented barley, drunk mostly in summer. |
