The Interior Decoration of Southern Kyrgyz Homes

The Decoration of Southern Kyrgyz Dwellings

A prominent role in the decoration of the living room belongs to the carpets laid on the floor. They are especially used to adorn the part of the floor that is closer to the wall where the bedding is stacked, as this place is traditionally considered the most honorable, just like in a yurt, and continues to be called "tor." Cleanliness is always maintained here; stepping in with outdoor shoes is not allowed.

In homes, there are also items from the yurt, such as bags, or rather, only the upper part of them, decorated with appliqué, embroidery, or pile fabric. Having lost their utilitarian purpose, they are now used as elements of decorative adornment. They are usually hung in the upper part of the side niches.

It is clear that folk creativity is always vibrant; the skill and ability to decorate the interior of one's dwelling in accordance with national traditions and tastes are constantly evolving. The creative activity of the people never weakens. The tendency to create new forms, new techniques, and new means of artistic expression increases with the growing cultural level and aesthetic needs of the people. In southern Kyrgyzstan, for example, there is a tendency to create distinctive friezes in the home. With the help of colorful, rhythmically repeated patterns applied to paper, Kyrgyz women decorate the walls. Embroideries made on strips of white fabric are hung along the tops of the walls. This type of decoration resonates with the decorative strips "tegirich" that were used to adorn the interior of the yurt. In the eastern part of the region, walls are adorned with unique plant-like patterns, especially where tea sets are stored. It is the duty of architects to develop these and other folk initiatives in the design of new dwellings.

Embroidered towels have become widely used in households, hung on the walls. Windows are draped with curtains (terezhe parda), and tulle curtains. Clothes hangers specially made for clothing are covered with white material, the ends of which are adorned with embroidery and lace. Such curtains have become widespread in the south and are called kiyim parda ("kiyim" means clothing). Curtains are now hung on doors.

To complete the picture of the interior decoration of a modern living room, it is necessary to mention the introduction of beds and tables, which are now increasingly becoming almost essential items in this room. A wide bed (often with a spring mattress) serves as a storage for bedding, is covered with a purchased bedspread, and is adorned with embroidered and lace valances. Sometimes all bedding is placed on the bed, leading to the decline of the traditional "zhuka." This is particularly noticeable in the homes of the rural intelligentsia.

The table is usually placed against the wall facing the "ayvan" (or courtyard) and is used for the radio. Here, children also do their homework. Low tables, which have become so widespread in northern Kyrgyzstan, have not taken root in the south.

The decoration of the first room — "ashkana" — is different. Its main purpose is practical, for cooking.

Niches are arranged on both sides of the stove-fireplace, as well as in other walls, except for the one adjoining the living room. The fireplace is the center of household items. Here, the new wonderfully combines with the old: alongside the still-preserved wooden bowls, plates, spoons, ladles, leather bags "chanach" ("mesh"), and leather tablecloths for kneading dough, there are separators, enamel, and aluminum dishes.

Essential kitchen utensils include a cauldron ("kazan"), kettles for boiling water ("kumgan"), a mortar, tongs for coal, scrapers for cleaning the cauldron, and a "tutkuch" for grasping it. In the niche near the hearth, the most essential everyday products — tea and salt — are stored. Here, a mat (usually made of fur) is often laid in front of the fireplace, where the hostess sits while preparing food.

If there are no niches in the kitchen, dishes are placed on a bench or on a specially made clay elevation. In many homes in the western part of the region, hanging shelves (dar, charmek) characteristic of Uzbek dwellings are used.

Almost all homes of southern Kyrgyz have preserved a wooden pole with forks ("ala bakan"), which was used during the nomadic lifestyle in the yurt. It is still kept in homes, placed in a corner near the fireplace, and continues to be used as a hanger. If there is no pantry in the house, a large wooden chest (sandyq) is placed in the kitchen to store grain and flour.

Thus, in the interiors of sedentary dwellings, there is a diverse combination of items from the material culture of a distant past and modern origins.

Wall Niches in Southern Kyrgyz Dwellings