News about Kyrgyzstan, tourism, attractions, Kyrgyz cuisine, history, traditions, and customs

Culture

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Epigraphy
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Folklore
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Kyrgyz heroic epic "Manas"
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The epic "Manas" in prose
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Poetic retelling of the epic "Manas"
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"Semetey" - poetic story
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"Semetey" in prose
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Religion
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Ethnography
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National games
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Customs
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Myths and legends
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Kyrgyz fairy tales
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Kyrgyz cuisine
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Meat and offal dishes
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Soups of Kyrgyzstan
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Main dishes of Kyrgyzstan
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Sweet dishes of Kyrgyzstan
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Drinks of Kyrgyzstan
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Salads and appetizers
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Flour products
Family and Marriage among the Kyrgyz
Customs

Family and Marriage among the Kyrgyz

Family and marital relations among the Kyrgyz in the past were closely dependent on patriarchal-feudal relations. The dominant form of family was the individual (small) family. However, it still retained many features of its predecessor—the patriarchal family—and was not the only form of family. There is reliable information that in the 19th century, alongside the small family, a significant number of undivided large families continued to exist among the Kyrgyz, externally possessing many

11.12.2014, 21:21
Ethnic Connections with the Kazakh-Nogai Circle of Tribes
Ethnography

Ethnic Connections with the Kazakh-Nogai Circle of Tribes

Other lines of connections among the Kyrgyz are significant, especially the ethnic ties with the Kazakh-Nogai circle of tribes. Attention should be drawn to facts such as the presence among the names of Kyrgyz tribes of the left wing of the ethnonym bechine (pichine), which leads us northwest from Tian Shan into the Oghuz environment, as it is not difficult to see the medieval ethnonym "Pecheneg" in it; in some Kyrgyz legends, the country of Bulgar is mentioned, from which some

29.11.2014, 10:53
Dictionary of Kyrgyz Artistic Terms
Culture

Dictionary of Kyrgyz Artistic Terms

Aidar kel — wind incantation. Aitym kuulor — virtuoso instrumental performances. Aitysh — a major singing and poetic competition among akyns. Akynek — comedic women's or children's song-dialogue. Akyn — folk-professional singer and improvisational poet. Alym sabak — singing-poetic competition among akyns "catch the line". Arman — genre of lyrical song. Arnoo ыры — akyn's dedicatory song. Asa-musa (asa-tayak) — musical-noise instrument. Atkaruuchu — performer. Ashyktik

09.11.2014, 22:56
Folklorists of Kyrgyzstan
Folklore

Folklorists of Kyrgyzstan

In the post-October period, a new stage begins in the study of Kyrgyz musical folklore, laying the foundations for the formation of a musicology school in Kyrgyzstan.

09.11.2014, 22:25
Etiquette - a set of universal rules for communication and behavior norms
Culture

Etiquette - a set of universal rules for communication and behavior norms

Identifying the ethnic specificity of etiquette is a rather complex task, for which a large number of source materials have been collected and analyzed. The results of this research allow us to assert that Kyrgyz etiquette represents a set of universal rules of communication and norms of behavior that have arisen based on universal moral and ethical needs, and that correspond to notions of morality and humanism. The main findings of the research are reflected in the following conclusions: 1.

04.11.2014, 19:44
Features of Ethno-Etiquette among Modern Kyrgyz
Culture

Features of Ethno-Etiquette among Modern Kyrgyz

Understanding the culture of a people is impossible without knowledge of the behavioral rules accepted in society. The term "ethno-etiquette" encompasses a complex of concepts related to a variety of ideological and cultural-historical factors and phenomena. As noted earlier, the study of the peculiarities of Kyrgyz etiquette utilized information from various sources: ethnographic, linguistic, folkloric, and literary. Valuable materials for this research included the Quran, the epic

04.11.2014, 19:26
Small Epic
Kyrgyz heroic epic "Manas"

Small Epic

The small epic encompasses a total of about 30 separate dastans and poems. While it significantly lags behind the large epic in overall volume, it surpasses it in the richness of themes, plots, and musical arrangements.

04.11.2014, 14:05
The Storytellers of the Great Epic "Manas"
Kyrgyz heroic epic "Manas"

The Storytellers of the Great Epic "Manas"

Storytellers - Manaschy The great epic owes its thousand-year existence and development to the storytellers - Manaschy. Manaschy is a folk professional artist who possesses the poetic and musical mastery of orally conveying the content of the epic. The word “manaschy” is relatively new, arising in connection with the study of the great epic.

04.11.2014, 13:32
The Great Epic
Kyrgyz heroic epic "Manas"

The Great Epic

The so-called Great Epic is the main genre of the epic culture of the Kyrgyz people. The Great Epic, collectively titled "Manas," consists of several large parts named after the main heroes according to a genealogical principle. Each part is dedicated to the life and activities of representatives of one clan led by Manas.

04.11.2014, 10:32
Ethical Concepts and Etiquette in the Works of Kyrgyz Thinkers
Culture

Ethical Concepts and Etiquette in the Works of Kyrgyz Thinkers

The spiritual culture of the Kyrgyz people, expressed in the philosophical and poetic creativity of akyns, is characterized by a person's striving for happiness and the search for paths to perfection. The issues of nurturing morality, humanism, and compassion occupy a significant place in the philosophical poetry of Kyrgyz thinkers, and therefore it can be rightly considered a collection of moral and ethical norms of human behavior in Kyrgyz culture. A distinctive feature of Kyrgyz folk

03.11.2014, 20:00
Genealogy of the Bashkir Tribe of Kyrgyz
Ethnography

Genealogy of the Bashkir Tribe of Kyrgyz

According to the genealogy (shézhere) preserved from the time of our ancestors, the progenitor of the Kyrgyz Bashkirs (in the sense: Bashkirs of the Kyrgyz clan), living in the village of Tashly in the Alexandrovskaya volost of the Bugulminsky district, was called "Kurkod-ata," (originating) from the Kyrgyz yurt, a descendant of Sayd (from the clan of Muhammad); (he lived) on the Bukhara road, by the Sea of Syr. His (Kurkod-ata's) son was Akhmed bi, from him Mukhammad bi, from

02.11.2014, 20:20
Eastern Tien Shan, Pre-Tien Shan, and Priirtyshye - Historical and Genealogical Connection with Kyrgyz Tribes
Ethnography

Eastern Tien Shan, Pre-Tien Shan, and Priirtyshye - Historical and Genealogical Connection with Kyrgyz Tribes

The next territory of interest in terms of historical and genealogical connections with Kyrgyz tribes is the Eastern Tian Shan and Pre-Tian Shan (we primarily mean the territory of Dzungaria and Kashgaria), as well as Priirtyshye. In his time, A. N. Bernsham noted that historical documents (Tibetan documents published by F. Thomas) contain mentions of Kyrgyz tribes in the pre-Tibetan areas and in the territory of Eastern Turkestan, dating back to the 8th to early 9th centuries. S.E. Malov, in

02.11.2014, 19:26
Etiquette and Moral Culture of Modernity
Culture

Etiquette and Moral Culture of Modernity

A brief overview of the evolution of ideas about etiquette in the context of world culture provides an opportunity to analyze and evaluate the diversity of etiquette rules, regulations, and prescriptions. At the early stages of its development, etiquette was identified with the action of magical rituals. In a class-based society, court etiquette served as a tool regulating the arrangement of political power among classes and estates. Finally, the emerging trends towards the democratization of

25.10.2014, 19:12
Democratization of Etiquette in Bourgeois Culture
Culture

Democratization of Etiquette in Bourgeois Culture

As we can see, etiquette in the feudal era not only became more complex but also aestheticized and even evolved into a form of art, thereby fulfilling its segregative function in society. It is no coincidence that the Enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century spoke out sharply against it. The theories of the Enlightenment reflected the objective process of societal stratification and its instrument—the feudal etiquette—when the power of inherited privileges, ranks, and titles was replaced by

25.10.2014, 09:52
The Etiquette of the Kyrgyz
Culture / Customs

The Etiquette of the Kyrgyz

In the last decade since the birth of an independent state, numerous problems that had been brewing for many decades have intensified. During the years of Soviet power, the Kyrgyz people lost much of the moral values that had been carefully passed down from generation to generation over the preceding centuries. The leveling of national distinctiveness and the orientation towards the values of the Soviet totalitarian regime led to the perception of domestic culture as second-rate. Sovereignty

20.10.2014, 14:34
Ethnic Composition of the Kyrgyz
Ethnography

Ethnic Composition of the Kyrgyz

One of the most important features of the ethnic composition of the Kyrgyz is its complexity, diversity, and mixture. This cannot be seen as anything other than the result of relatively recent ethnic processes. This complexity of the ethnic composition led prominent researchers such as V. V. Radlov and N. A. Aristov to erroneous conclusions about the existence of a special link in the clan-tribal structure of the Kyrgyz, analogous to the Altai "sёёk," understood as a blood-related

19.10.2014, 14:17
The Legend of the Tower of Buran
Myths and legends

The Legend of the Tower of Buran

Once, Khan Baytik decided to capture Tokmak. Not far from the city, in a gorge, he left his daughter with her entourage, while he and his army headed towards the city. The khan dealt harshly with the townspeople: he spared neither the old, nor the women, nor the children—he ordered them all to be killed. Only one old woman managed to escape.

19.10.2014, 10:06
Tolubai-Synch — Expert in Racing Qualities of Horses
Myths and legends

Tolubai-Synch — Expert in Racing Qualities of Horses

Once upon a time in the mountains lived Tolubai-Synch — an expert on the racing qualities of horses. One day, he was sitting in the mountains, holding a horse's skull in his hands, and lamenting bitterly. At that moment, a bay (a type of horse) passed by. He saw Tolubai, rode up to him, and asked what was troubling him. Tolubai replied, "There was a good horse, but it fell into bad hands and died." Then the bay invited him to choose a good racehorse from his herd.

19.10.2014, 09:58
Tulpar Kokcholok
Myths and legends

Tulpar Kokcholok

Once upon a time, there lived a man named Dzhancharbek. He decided to organize a feast and began to gather people. As with any celebration, various games, races, and archery contests were arranged, where participants shot arrows at a bag filled with silver hanging high. Whoever hits it gets to take it. People gathered, and horsemen brought their best steeds.

19.10.2014, 09:50
The Death of Iskander
Myths and legends

The Death of Iskander

Iskander gathered a huge army and set off on a distant campaign. During the long siege of a city, he fell seriously ill. Feeling death approaching, he ordered his vizier to gather the army and return home. On the way back, his illness worsened, and feeling the breath of Azrael upon him, he asked the vizier to convey three last wishes to his mother:

19.10.2014, 09:44
The Legend of the Snake Venom
Myths and legends

The Legend of the Snake Venom

Once upon a time, there lived three orphaned brothers. Every day they went to the forest to gather firewood. One day, a heavy rain caught them. They took shelter under a large tree. By chance, the youngest brother found a large burrow in the ground beneath the tree, which turned out to contain a lot of honey. The brothers were delighted with the find and kept sending the youngest for more honey.

19.10.2014, 09:31
On the Language of Beasts and Birds
Myths and legends

On the Language of Beasts and Birds

Once upon a time, there lived two khans next to each other. Each of them had a son. From childhood, they taught their sons everything. One day, during a conversation, the sons said to each other: “We have learned a lot, but we do not know the language of birds and animals.” And they decided to go to a sage.

19.10.2014, 09:26
Star of Cholpon
Myths and legends

Star of Cholpon

A khan's shepherd fell in love with the beautiful daughter of his lord. He came to propose to her. But she, laughing, said to him: "If you bring me the star Cholpon, I will become your wife." The young man returned home in despair. His mother asked him why he was sad. The son told her about his sorrow. His mother comforted him, asking him not to be sad. She had long hair. She cut it and began to weave a rope. And she wove it very long. The young man climbed up this rope to the

19.10.2014, 09:21
Aysulu
Myths and legends

Aysulu

Once upon a time, there was a khan. The khan had a daughter. Her name was Aiy-Sulu, and she was as beautiful as the moon. One day, an evil sorcerer saw her and wanted to steal her. Meanwhile, her father intended to marry his daughter off to another khan.

19.10.2014, 09:13
Manas Names the Villages
Myths and legends

Manas Names the Villages

Manas was once at Issyk-Kul. At the place where the village of Tamga is now located, he marked his stamp and said that the ails should be named Tamga.

19.10.2014, 09:04
Achuu Bulak — The Evil Spring
Myths and legends

Achuu Bulak — The Evil Spring

ACHUU BULAK. Not far from here, in a small gorge, there is a spring. It was formed a long time ago—when the Kyrgyz were at war with the Kalmyks. The Kyrgyz had already driven the Kalmyks into the mountains. They captured the young son of the Kalmyk khan Changalmak and killed him in the gorge. The khan buried him there. After some time, a spring with clean, cold, tasty water appeared at the site of the grave. However, anyone who drank water from this spring fell ill in such a way that they

18.10.2014, 22:16
Ala-Mysyk
Myths and legends

Ala-Mysyk

A long time ago, among the high mountains, there lived a poor shepherd with his wife and small son. The shepherd loved his son very much. He saw in him the continuation of his lineage.

18.10.2014, 21:59
Legends of the Origin of the Bugyu Clan
Myths and legends

Legends of the Origin of the Bugyu Clan

In one clan, there were three people left: an old father, his son, and his daughter-in-law. They had no children. The old man began to complain to Allah: "Oh, Allah, do not torment me! Help me continue my lineage."

18.10.2014, 19:12
Legends of the City of Cholpon-Ata
Myths and legends

Legends of the City of Cholpon-Ata

CHOLPON AND THE TWO HEROES. This happened long ago when the Kyrgyz lived as one tribe among the high snowy mountains. In this tribe, there was a young and beautiful girl named Cholpon, with eyes bluer and purer than the high sky and brighter than the stars shining in it. Two heroes, Ulan and Santash, fell in love with Cholpon—strong and brave, ready to give their lives for the heart of the wonderful Cholpon. She did not know whom to prefer. The heroes began to fight among themselves: they tore

18.10.2014, 18:59
The Emergence of Legends and Traditions of the Kyrgyz People
Myths and legends

The Emergence of Legends and Traditions of the Kyrgyz People

“The people... are the first in time, beauty, and the genius of creativity, philosophers and poets... It is essential to know the history of the people, and it is equally necessary to understand their socio-political thinking. Scholars—cultural historians, ethnographers—indicate that this thinking is expressed in fairy tales, legends, proverbs, and sayings... In the simplicity of words lies the greatest wisdom...” M. Gorky.

18.10.2014, 16:31