Hospitality Among the Kyrgyz

Where there is a guest, there is joy and abundance. "It is a sin to leave a hospitable home without tasting the bread," say the Kyrgyz. Indeed, it is in customs that the soul of the people lives, in traditions lies their strength.

Hospitality is a distinctive national trait of the Kyrgyz people. For the Kyrgyz, a guest is sacred. It was believed that with the arrival of a guest, the home fills with happiness (kut). In ancient times, the owner of the yurt had to feed the guest and his horse for seven days, and only then would he honorably see him off, helping him mount his horse. Each hostess always kept delicious treats saved for guests. "What if someone comes?" It is perhaps difficult to find such respectful treatment of a guest anywhere else: he is given the best place at the dastorkon, a pillow under his elbow, the best piece of lamb, and the first bowl of kumys. Anyone who enters the yurt, sometimes even a complete stranger, is seated in an honored place and treated to warm, freshly baked bread. To express their kind, as the Kyrgyz say, "white feeling," the guest is necessarily treated with kumys, ayran, or kaymak. It is important that the treat is white. Even if a snake crawls into the house, the host must feed it by pouring ayran or milk, thus expressing his goodwill towards the uninvited guest. Interestingly, in such cases, the snake never bites.

Among the Kyrgyz, it is not customary to eat alone, for otherwise, luck may leave. There was even a custom to invite a passerby into the yurt just to let him try kumys and taste hot bread. The door to the yurt was always kept open for guests. The elders would enter the yurt first, followed by the younger ones. Mandatory rules were used when receiving guests. If the rules were not followed, the head of the yurt would strictly punish the hosts. The older generation always taught their children the unspoken and obligatory rules of receiving guests: Be considerate and attentive to guests; Die of fatigue, but do not frown; Attend to guests cheerfully and joyfully, but do not be noisy and do not lose measure.

Many legends, rituals, and customs are associated with hospitality. Many of them are direct evidence of the long-established concept of valor, courage, and generosity. The elders tell how once, in ancient times, foreign travelers, tired from a long journey, entered a yurt standing by the road. At that time, the host's only son was on his deathbed. But he did not reveal his sorrow in any way so as not to darken the mood of the guests. Inviting them into the large white yurt, the host remained welcoming and smiling, treating the guests, engaging in leisurely conversation, and playing a cheerful melody on the komuz. Seizing a moment, the host briefly stepped out into the neighboring yurt, where his dying son lay, and learned that he was no longer alive. The heart of the poor father ached with grief, but he returned outwardly calm and continued the conversation. The unsuspecting guests asked the host to play on the komuz once more before they left.

This time, the komuz wept. Listening closely, the guests realized that the host was performing a lament (koshok) for a dearly departed person.

People say: If a guest enters your home, it means that luck comes with him;

A stranger who comes to you is sent by God;

First feed him, and then ask who he is;

Save the most delicious dish for the guest;

Feed not only the guest but also his horse;

Do good, and it will be returned to you.

KYRGYZ CUISINE