The Mystery of Issyk-Kul: A Kyrgyz Master and a Turkish Expert Revived an Unknown Musical Instrument

Елена Краснова Culture / Exclusive
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Nuraidin Abdyrazaakov, a resident of the rural district of Baytik-Baatyr in the Chui region, in collaboration with the renowned Turkish master Irfan Gurdal, has restored a previously unknown musical instrument found on the shores of Issyk-Kul.
Nuraidin was born in 1958 in the village of Kashka-Suu and is the head of a family with four children.
“I have been involved in craftsmanship for about 35 years. During the Soviet era, I created various small items. At the age of 6-7, I made my first komuz from dark wood. After 1990, I fully immersed myself in craftsmanship. My father worked as an accountant on a state farm, but there were many craftsmen in our family. My mother was a teacher. It seems that my passion for craftsmanship was passed down to me from my father, grandfather, and uncles, who were said to be komuz players and masters,” he shares.
Nuraidin began his career as a ranger in the Ala-Archa Natural Park in 1976. In 1982-1983, he transitioned to work in the water management sector. During this time, he made dishes and saddles from dried fir and juniper, and crafted whips from hooves and other materials for himself. In the difficult years of independence, he started selling his products to the "Kiyal" enterprise and other clients. In 2010, Nuraidin decided to develop his craft further and moved to Bishkek, taking a job as a security guard at a construction site near the conservatory. It was there that he saw a workshop where the famous master Suragan Aydaraliev worked, who made komuz. Nuraidin approached him for training and soon focused entirely on creating komuz, gaining significant experience.
Later, he went to study with the master Orozobai Kenchibaev from the village of Semyonovka in the Issyk-Kul region. Thanks to the knowledge he gained, the quality of his komuz significantly improved, and he also began creating dombra and kyl kyak, which were in demand among Kazakhs. Nuraidin also engaged in the production and sale of dishes, including yurts, which were used as photo zones. Subsequently, he traveled to Tajikistan, where he learned the technique of making "kүү chelek" – a vessel for extracting oil from unpasteurized milk, and began producing them himself.
Regarding his current activities, Nuraidin noted:

“For the past two years, I have been working in the workshop of the Turkish University 'Manas'. When I first arrived, the main master was Erpan, a People's Artist of Turkey, with whom I managed to study and master the craft at a high level.

Together, we restored a musical instrument similar to the komuz, which was found at Issyk-Kul. It is made half of wood and half of leather, and has four strings. It took us eight months to restore it. After Erpan's contract ended, he returned to Turkey, and now I am the chief master in this workshop,” he said.
In his career, Nuraidin has been recognized as the "Best Cultural Worker" six years ago, and two years ago he received the "Kemeneger" award from the Chui region, in addition to numerous certificates of honor. He also takes prize-winning places at kumys festivals.

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