NOMADS ARE HEADING WEST The concept of the "Great Migration of Peoples" was introduced into science by Western European historians, designating the period of the collapse of the Roman Empire and the settlement of its lands by "wild" Germans, Slavs, and proto-Turkic tribes in the 2nd to 5th centuries. A powerful impetus to this process was given by the nomads inhabiting Central Asia. At the turn of the old and new eras, the steppe came to life. Suddenly and swiftly, the
BARSKHAN - THE CITY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT The medieval historian of the Persian and Arab world, Abu Said ibn Mahmud Gardizi, in his work "Zayn al-Akhbar" ("The Beauty of Narratives"), provides a description of several cities on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, some of which later sank underwater. These are the cities of Yar, Ton, and Barskhan, where the great linguist Mahmud Kashgari was born, the author of the famous dictionary of ancient Turkic dialects ("Divan
Childbirth Pishpek District, Buraninskoye Village During childbirth, men can assist. If the woman lacks strength, the man stands behind her, wraps his arms around the birthing woman, and presses on her abdomen from above. A long stake is driven into the ground, and the woman kneels before it, holding onto it1, while using her hands to position the child in the womb. Scaring is not used.
RECEPTION OF SCYTHIAN AMBASSADORS BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT The morning appointed by Alexander for the crossing had arrived. In the midst of preparations, a rumor spread that Scythian ambassadors had arrived from the other shore. Warriors gathered from all around to watch as two dozen barbarians in simple clothing rode through the camp, accompanied by Ptolemy's warriors. They were unarmed. Their faces were grim.
Shirak - a simple sack shepherd who gave his life for the Motherland In ancient times, the Persian king Darius I, who conquered many nations, came to the land of the Sakas and demanded "land and water," meaning "submission." The Sak leaders gathered for a council. Their army was small: many tribes were wandering far in the steppes and mountains. It took time to gather them. The leaders argued for a long time, searching for a way out. Some suggested retreating far from the
Marriage (Summary)94 Belek Soltonayev Kudalyk — entering into kinship through the marriage of a son or daughter. The choice of family for entering into kinship is dictated by considerations of personal friendship (kudanda; belkuda — an agreement made before the birth of children), to support an existing kinship connection (syoyokkuda), or for political reasons (syoyoktushtum — entering into kinship).
TOMYRIS In the summer of 530 BC, approaching the river bordering the territory of the Scythians, Cyrus II sent envoys to propose marriage to the widow Tomyris. The queen understood that the Persian ruler was not interested in a wife, but rather in vast lands, wealth, and the brave warriors of the Scythians. And Tomyris refused. The reason for war was sufficient, and the Persians began to cross the river. The Scythians did not hinder this: Tomyris believed that it would be harder for the
In the Groom's Village r. Big Keben Batyrkhan Upon the arrival of the bride, women from her husband's village greet her in the steppe; she dismounts from her horse and continues on foot. Both the escorts and the greeters quickly ride to the village with all their belongings and prepare the brought orgё. The bride is led to the orgё on foot. As she approaches, she is met by the young man's mother with a plate of boorsak, sugar, raisins, etc. (chachyla) and scatters all this
Departure of the bride to her husband's village Halas Cholonkulov kainazar The next day (after the kız oyun and wedding night. — B.K., S.G.) the bride's parents lay out all the dowry in the orgyo, all the household items — jaiyp berdy (put on display)72, so that the participants of the toya can inspect it during the feast. If the dowry is rich, with many robes and other clothing, they stretch ropes from the orgyo to the father-in-law's yurt, etc., as needed. The groom's
THE HOLIDAY OF THE SAKE NOWRUZ Here’s how Nowruz was celebrated among the river Saka. ...Only the next day by evening, grandfather, son, and grandson reached Roksanaka — the residence of the ruler of the river Saka.
Marriage Ceremony Osh District, Actor Kumbel Ray Kuvaev The groom and bride are tied together with ropes before the nikah, and then their supporters pull them in different directions62. r. Bolshoy Kebin Zhanteli After the preparations are completed (for departure. — B.K., S.G.), on the eve of the departure, they call the mullah, slaughter a ram, and have a feast. The mullah takes a cup of water63 and asks the groom and bride, who sit during the ceremony behind the koshoje, about their consent
The Last Feast at the Bride's Father's House Talas Cholponkulov kainazar Jekach zhuktir — the sending of the wooden frame of orgyo (house jekach) from the groom to the bride's village. He is accompanied by the groom's mother.
The First Wedding Night Zhanyzak solto By the evening before the departure, all the dowry is packed into the orgё. Soft items, nine pieces of each kind, are stacked, and the bride is awaited by the groom. From the father's yurt, a young woman is brought to the groom on a white felt42. He accepts her, and they sleep on this soft bed.
Pre-marital meetings of the groom and bride rch. Makmal-Naryn near Toguz-toro Batyrkhan The discussion about the kalym (bride price) only occurs when it is time to marry the betrothed (if the betrothed were underage children. — B.K., S.G.). Until then, the groom's father only sends gifts to his matchmaker. The 14-16-year-old groom begins to visit the bride's aul before the kalym issue is resolved and brings gifts for her father — livestock. He travels with friends. He stops somewhere
WEDDING RITUALS AMONG THE KYRGYZ This work is a publication of ethnographic materials by the remarkable scholar F.A. Fielstrup, who was repressed in the early 1930s. It is dedicated to the customs and rituals of the Kyrgyz and some other Turkic peoples in various aspects of daily life, primarily rituals related to the birth and upbringing of children, weddings, and burial-memorial practices. The book provides insight into the economic activities, celebrations and entertainments, traditional
"Barskoon" Barskoon is the name of a village located on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul. The elders say that a long time ago, a Russian man named Boris settled on the shore of the lake. He built a house, planted a garden, and started growing various fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, potatoes, melons, and watermelons. This was an unprecedented, new phenomenon in this area. After some time, a Kyrgyz family settled nearby. The head of this family had never seen the fruits that grew in
"Kokuy-Kul" Among the high mountains lies a small but very deep lake called Kokuy-Kul. Children often ask their parents about the origin of the lake's name and in response, they hear an ancient legend. It happened a long time ago. On the shore of the lake lived a shepherd who had a wife and five small sons. The father was always busy with his shepherding duties, grazing sheep in the pastures, on the slopes, and in the hollows. The children stayed at home with their mother,
How Lake Issyk-Kul Came to Be Many legends have been woven by the people about how Lake Issyk-Kul appeared. This is one of them. In ancient times, where the high-altitude lake now splashes, there stood a large and beautiful city. One day, a great disaster struck—a powerful earthquake that spared neither buildings nor people. The ground sank, and the resulting hollow filled with water. A lake formed in the place of the city. It so happened that the day before the terrible earthquake, a group of
"The Old Man and the Millstones" Once upon a time, in one of the villages by the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, there lived an old man. He needed round stones to grind oats and wheat. In those days, round, flat stones were used for making flour. One day, the old man rode his donkey to the lake shore to find suitable stones. A long time passed before he finally found what he was looking for. One of the stones was very large, and the other was small. The old man put both stones in a bag and
"Forty Girls" Whether it happened or not, no one knows. One of the legends states that long ago, the Kyrgyz had a tradition of celebrating the Day of God. On that day, everyone would have fun, fry boorsoks (bread baked in oil or fat), cook shorpo (meat soup), and visit each other's families. Girls and boys, dressed in their best clothes, would set out to visit the residents of other ails scattered among the mountains. On one such day, forty girls, dressed in bright silk outfits,
SEVEN MONTHS UNDERGROUND. Part 3 Seven long months behind, How the hero lives underground. He set off on a distant journey, To bring back his little sister, And he did not know that here He would be mining lead and mercury. He learned to forge stone, To knead it like clay, and to mold, To cast heavy metal, He learned many useful secrets. Every day the attentive brother, He is glad to see his sister, They discuss their affairs And encourage each other with words. It has become easier for Maktym
CONVERSATION IN THE YURT. Part 2 Olokon rises, He heads towards the yurt, Gripping the horse firmly by the bridle. And leads it by the reins, He passes the wide meadow — Who is there in the yurt — an enemy or a friend? He shouted loudly: “Who is here? A man or an evil demon? I swear — and honor is my pledge. I will see you now. If you are a simple man, I want to ask for directions. If you are a shaitan or an abrek, Then a fight is no trouble for a batyr. For thirty days misfortune chased me
Dzhanar and Olokon SONG OF INTRODUCTION The path of the akyn is shrouded in fog... A torrent of feelings and thoughts swirls, But will it flow into the dastan Or dissipate like mist? Whatever it may be — believe in good. Cast away doubts — forward, pen! The poet begins the tale, And the soul, agitated, burns, Perhaps the sound of the poem and light Will illuminate someone’s heart. Intoxicated by inspiration, He is under the sway of his dreams... And perhaps tomorrow he will Re-read, tear the
Reins The caravan was moving through the gorge. At the very front was the respected elder, followed by younger relatives, and at the end were the youngest. A young jigit, who was in the middle, was constantly talking about something, asking various questions, and generally did not stop. The elder said to him: - Jigit, hold your reins.
Curse A little boy heard the word "curse" from the adults and immediately ran to ask his grandfather about it. - Grandpa, what is a curse? Does it always come true? The grandfather replied in a quiet voice: - No, my son, only three curses always come true: the curse of one's parents, the curse of a beggar or a helpless person, and the curse of a widow or an orphan.
To Remain Human In one village, there lived an extraordinarily beautiful mulatto girl, who had many admirers, and each of them sought her hand in marriage. But the girl was very modest and wise. One day, misfortune came to their village. A huge monster blocked the river with its body, the water of which was used by all the villagers for drinking and watering their crops. Shortly after, due to the scorching sun, a famine began in the village.
White Scarf Once, after a funeral, the young men were dismantling the yurt to return it to its owner, and they tied a white scarf to the tundyk. A boy who was helping them did not know this ancient Kyrgyz custom and immediately ran for advice to his grandfather — the respected aksakal.
Hunter Bagysh (based on a Kyrgyz folk tale) “Long, whether poor or rich, Once upon a time, there lived on earth” - Thus, tales usually begin. About Bagysh, believing in the tale sacredly, I will tell you in a new way.
The Bride and the Matchmakers In one family, there was a daughter of marriageable age. One day, matchmakers came to their house. The father, being a wise man, said: - It is a sin to keep an adult daughter at home. We have known you for a long time; you are good people, and we can become related. The satisfied matchmakers left. Days and weeks passed, but no one else came. After some time, new matchmakers arrived. The girl's father also gave his consent. But these matchmakers also left and
Drink for the Thirsty Once there lived a rich man who helped people as best he could. He considered himself a righteous man. One day, he decided to test his fate - to go out into the vast steppe to meet a wise saint who could bless him and fulfill his cherished dream. He prepared for this meeting for a long time, fasting, making sacrifices, and giving gifts to the needy. On one of the favorable days, he went out into the steppe, holding a ladle of water in his hand. As soon as he had left the
The Power of Motherhood Many tales are dedicated to the woman-mother. Here is one of them. Once upon a time, there was a very stubborn and willful son of a widow. He constantly contradicted his mother. One day, the mother, losing her patience, asked him: — What about your duty as a son, my dear? I dedicated my life to you! The next morning, the son decided to "settle" all his "debts" to rid himself of his mother's care. — What should I do to fulfill my duty as a son?
Dignity In ancient times, in a certain village, women began to take their own lives one after another. Some hanged themselves, some jumped off cliffs, and some stabbed themselves in the chest, as if an epidemic had swept through. Nothing and no one could stop them - neither prohibitions nor decrees. Then the khan decided to consult a sage for advice on how to protect the women from such a dangerous epidemic. Without much thought, the sage advised issuing a decree that the bodies of those who
Trust In a mountain village lived a beautiful young couple. He was a smart, agile dzhigit. She was a radiant beauty and a skilled craftswoman. They lived happily, much to the envy of their fellow villagers. But after a while, it seemed as if a black cat had run between them, as their relationship soured. Mutual distrust arose, and the gossip and rumors from the neighbors only intensified their disagreements. One morning, after waking up and stepping out of the yurt, the dzhigit saw strange
Last Hope This is an old story. One khan became rich at the expense of the common people and became very harsh and unjust towards them. The people endured his mockery for a long time and, eventually, united, they overthrew him, captured him, and imprisoned him in a dark cell. He remained in captivity for a long time, and one night, death came to him. And, if for the khan power and wealth had been above all else before, now he asked death for only one thing — to grant him hope for one more day,
Mother's Milk It was a long time ago, during the time of the Kyrgyz war with the Dzungars. One day, one of the Kyrgyz heroes was captured. For the Dzungars, the main goal was to find out how to penetrate the fortress and destroy the Kyrgyz army. Unable to withstand the torture, the hero revealed the secret. After that, the Dzungars managed to capture the fortress, and the Kyrgyz troops were forced to temporarily retreat. The Kyrgyz elders were puzzled as to why the best and bravest
The Donkey Once, a donkey fell into a well. The owner thought about what to do. Finally, he made a decision; he figured the donkey was old, and the well needed to be closed anyway. It simply wasn't worth the effort to pull the old donkey out. He invited all his neighbors to help him bury the well. Everyone eagerly took up shovels and began to dig and throw dirt into the well. The donkey realized what was happening and began to make a terrible noise.
Unspoken Words One man constantly conflicted with his wife and could not find common ground with her. He decided to go to the elder and share his concerns. After carefully listening to the young man, the elder told him to remember all the bad words his wife directed at him. The young man did as the elder instructed and came back to recount word for word how his wife scolded him. Then the elder said to him: - This time, if your wife starts scolding you again, think about what good words she
The Tale of the Bright Night. Part 3. Chapter 3. And the next day before the crowd A fight on the peaks, a fierce fight, Two brave men have begun — Fiery hearts, And, giving blows to each other, Crushing each other's chests to blood, Both heroes fell! ...And the archers hear the call! They aim to strike — the jambe, The strings ring out loudly. And they spare neither arrows nor strength... Here Chorten invited Chilten To try to obtain the jambe... Chilten was glad to test his fate. He
Unwanted Money This happened at the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War. In a Kyrgyz village, a young dzhigit worked as a cashier and anxiously awaited being sent to the front. One day, unable to bear it any longer, he ran away into the forest, taking all the money from the cash register with him. The villagers searched for him for a long time in all the surrounding areas, but they could not find him, remaining without money in such a difficult time. Only after the war ended did the
The Dream of Aikokul. Part 3. Chapter 1 What frightened and confused Aikokul as she awoke from her sleep? But an invisible point Suddenly pierced her heart. Or will someone close to her Be struck by a cruel fate? Or are her dearest ones Now ambushed by an enemy? A delusion — Three days ago A dream brought a haze: With fire-like eyes, spotted and striped, A wild goat appeared to her. It bent down, preparing to leap, And brave Chilten was on guard — He grabbed its fur, mounted up... And the
Best Solidarity A year after their wedding, the husband went on a business trip. Delayed, he informed his wife that he had stopped by to visit his best friend, while he had actually managed to take a trip to Issyk-Kul. The clever wife sent telegrams to all his friends. And she received completely identical replies from them: “Don’t worry, he’s with me.” Now that’s true male friendship! Worship Long ago, on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, there lived an old woman of about eighty. Nearby, in her
Poison: Evil or Good? Three friends argued about the properties of poison and its significance for humans. - Poison heals people from ailments, - asserted the first, - the best doctors use it to help their patients. Poison is good.
What the Stone Mirror Revealed Part 2. Chapters 4-5 Beyond the sands— the blooming grasses... The edge of meadows and cool oak groves. Here the heroes set up camp, Resting, unsaddling their horses. And they run to bathe on the shore. ...They have lived here many days. And Chilten, as before, was gloomy, Gazing at the deep blue. Sometimes he spoke with the cuckoo, Sometimes he stroked the grass by the shore. Enthralled by the beauty Of the noble brave man, To the light With a song, rose the
The Eternal Bride In the times when the Kyrgyz still lived along the banks of the Yenisei River, there was a custom among them. They never referred to any of their women as "old woman." All married women were necessarily called daughters-in-law. One foreign guest asked a Kyrgyz elder why they did this. - You always say girl (kız) or daughter-in-law (kelin). Why do you call even those women who are already of advanced age daughters-in-law?
In the Captivity of the King of Jackals Chapter 3 The travelers ride through the forests. Bees gather honey here, The voices of springs Entice the thirsty with the splash of water. And they reached the chain, Like beads, of even mountains, And arrived at the lakes, Painting the blue heights. Here flowers are more numerous than stars, And the grass is human height Hiding large game, And it’s impossible to catch prey in the meadows. Herds run here, Like the furious wind of deserts, And, as if
Everyone has their own happiness We cannot say what a person needs for happiness. But each of us seeks in life and strives for what is especially lacking. Once, children were asked to draw what they imagine Heaven to be like. The first child drew toys, the second an apple, the third a person with three legs, and the fourth a smiling child in their mother's arms.
