Shishkebek Shishkebek is a dish from Kyrgyz cuisine, consisting of kebab made from lamb or beef, marinated in onions and vinegar with the addition of spices. Ingredients:
The Influence of Other Peoples on the Craftsmanship of Kyrgyz The builders of Kyrgyz houses in the 19th century were masters from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Uyghur, and Russian (since the end of the last century). In some areas, local Kyrgyz and those who came from Kashgar also built houses. Among our informants were Kyrgyz masters whose teachers were their fathers and even grandfathers. This fact may serve as indirect evidence that southern Kyrgyz began constructing settled dwellings a long time
The Escape of Kanikey to Bukhara. Part - 2 Bakay, after losing his support Began to wheeze from grief, unable to bear He fulfilled the last wishes of Kankor Left his affairs, began to herd camels One morning, after praying for the hero He decided to visit Semetey, his orphan When he arrived, he saw that from the palace and throne Nothing was left at all
Military-Police Institute and the Institute of Seniority The Military-Police Institute in ancient times was called "choro" or "kyrk choro" (forty heroes), later - "zhigitter" - "jigits", "jasak" - lieutenants, "atkaminer" - horsemen (late 19th - early 20th century). Initially, this institute was the foundation of a military-democratic structure, and later became the personal guard of khans and tribal leaders. In conditions of
The Escape of Kanikei to Bukhara. When Manas died, Kёbёsh became the khan in his place, while his brother Abike and Adzhibai went to Hindustan and Afghanistan at that time to settle the quarrel of three khans. At that very moment, old Jakyp plotted something evil against Kanikei. One day he summoned all his children and angrily said to them:
The Orphan. Part - 1 In ancient times, there were many orphans on the earth. One of them served as a shepherd for a wealthy man. One day, the orphan boy was herding sheep on the slope of a mountain. At noon, he dozed off next to the sheep, and when he woke up, the flock was gone; it had been stolen by thieves. The boy ran for a long time in search of the flock through the gorges and ravines, but all in vain. Suddenly, he saw three men resting on a hill. He ran up to them and plaintively asked
"Mai Tokoch" The cuisines of nomadic peoples are simple. They predominantly feature dishes made from meat, milk, and flour. Therefore, such flatbreads replace bread for first courses, and they are also served with tea. In modern Kyrgyz cuisine, there is an effort to preserve traditions and national dishes. The pancakes made from this recipe turn out fluffy, airy, and delicious. To prepare Kyrgyz pancakes, you will need the ingredients listed below.
Roofing of Houses The construction of the walls of the house is preceded by the laying of the foundation (pai duval). For this, a trench is dug 25–30 cm deep and about 60–80 cm wide. Pre-assembled boulders of various sizes are laid in it and covered with sand and fine gravel. In older houses, trenches were not made; the walls were placed directly on the ground or on stones laid in a row on the ground. Frame houses are more often built in the western regions of the area, using all the
Childhood and Youth of Semetey. The Escape of Kanakei to Bukhara Brother of Kyobesh, Abyke, and Adzhibai Went to Afghanistan and Hindustan, at that time To bring reason to this land To settle the endless quarrel of the khans Evil was plotted against Kanakei by Jakyp He called the children to him and said: - Six thousand dzhambas, a thousand beaver skins Ormonbek, son of Tekechi, has bribed Bakai!
Slavery in the Social Structure of the Kyrgyz Among the Kyrgyz of the South, there also existed a category of sharecroppers - chayrikers, day laborers - mardikers, characteristic of the Tajik and Uzbek populations of the Fergana Valley. In the trade sphere, there was a layer of people daldalchy, ortomchu, engaged in intermediary services: facilitating transactions, reconciling the interests of the seller and the buyer. Between the strata of the rich and the poor were the middle class - orto
CONTINUATION OF THE EPIC: "SEMETEY" The death of the beloved hero, the sorrowful end of the poem, did not satisfy the listeners. The tale was supposed to have a continuation, especially since there was a reason left - the main rival of Manas, the treacherous instigator of all bloody confrontations, Konurbai, escaped in the "Great Campaign." The beginning of the poem "Semetey" is tragic. Power is usurped by the envious relatives of Abike and Kebesh, who destroy
THE DOUGH GIANT An old man and an old woman had no children. And they were very sad about it. One evening, after kneading the dough, the old woman went outside and, with a plea, raised her hands to the sky: “Oh Almighty, if only you could turn this dough into a child!”
Kyrgyz-style 'Snails' with Onions Delicious fried flatbreads are very popular in Kyrgyzstan, where they are served hot, straight from the skillet, usually with soup. In this case, the "snails" called "kattama" can be made with or without yeast, but the sweet and slightly spicy caramelized onions in this recipe are essential. INGREDIENTS:
Three Methods of Wall Construction among the Kyrgyz When starting to describe the types of houses and estates, it is necessary to first provide a general overview of the building material and some basic technical methods used by the southern Kyrgyz. In the comprehensive work of A. K. Pisarchik, all the main data on the techniques of house construction in Fergana are presented. Similar methods are observed in the construction practices of various regions of Southern Kyrgyzstan. The main
Religion in the Epic "Manas" Comparing variants recorded from the words of different narrators, it is easy to notice not only thematic and plot coincidences but also certain similarities. They sometimes concern the composition of the epic; for example, the campaigns of Manas to the North and West are only mentioned by the narrator Sagymbay Orozbakov, while the pilgrimage of Chubak to Mecca is noted by Sayakbay Karalaev. Sometimes the well-known motif of the unification of Kyrgyz
Poor Kyrgyz in the Second Half of the 19th Century A numerous social category consisted of the poor - kedeiler - ordinary nomads and farmers. During military actions, they formed the backbone of the khan's armies, while in peacetime, kedeiler were the support of the tribal elite. In the 18th and the first half of the 19th century, the poor were generally economically viable, providing for themselves all that was necessary. In case of war, they had at least two battle horses and armor at
The Death of Manas At night, secretly Kanykey Gathered the loyal warriors, Far along the mountain paths She led them to the gorge in the morning. At the cliffs on the stone wall She made them break through a passage And there, for eternal rest, She built a grotto for Manas. When Kanykey returned: — Is everything ready? — asked Manas. — Now call my relatives here, My friends and warriors, I want to see them one last time… And people came from all sides To pay their last respects. When all the
Khan Janibek Once, Khan Janibek summoned the leader of one of the ails, Sultanmamit Khan, and said to him angrily: — Your stallions attacked my mares, and they are about to give birth to foals. Pay me for this, or you will be in trouble! Saddened, Sultanmamit Khan returned to his ailing and began to collect tribute from the people. He noticed a beardless young man sitting on a horse, staring at what was happening. Sultanmamit Khan got angry and shouted at him: — It's people like you who
Shirin alma. In translation from Kyrgyz, it means – sweet apple. To prepare this dish, you do not need any exotic ingredients or special spices, which are usually abundant in Eastern cuisine recipes. Shirin alma can be very easily and quickly prepared at any moment in any kitchen, and anyone without culinary skills can do it.
Kyrgyz Settlements The character of the settlement, as well as the dwellings themselves, shows great diversity in southern Kyrgyzstan, influenced by a number of historical, social, economic, and geographical factors. Kyrgyz villages in the 19th and early 20th centuries were sharply different from the Tajik and Uzbek villages bordering them. The latter were characterized by narrow (straight and winding) streets with high walls surrounding each homestead.
Manas's Testament Embracing Kanike by the shoulders, He said to his beloved: — Be brave, my faithful, It seems my time has come. Take care of yourself for our son! When you bury me, Run to Bukhara, to your father — Let our Semetey grow there! Here, in his homeland, He will not see bright days. And the brothers Abike, Kobesh Will not let you live here, And if you resist, They will find a reason and kill. And they will turn our son Into a mankurta right away, Forcing him to herd cattle.
Kyrgyz Elite During the dominance of the Kokand Khanate, some changes occurred in the social hierarchy. Many southern Kyrgyz rulers of clans and tribes became part of the ruling elite of the khanate: Kubat bi, Akboto bi, Azhy-bek datka, Alimbek datka, Kurmandzhan datka, and others. Additionally, part of the khanate's cavalry consisted of Kyrgyz warriors, led by Kyrgyz military leaders. The khan conferred titles upon the leaders of Kyrgyz clans and tribes: datka, bek (head of a bekdom - a
THE FORTUNE TELLER Once upon a time, there lived a poor man with a nagging wife. One day, his wife said to him: — Are you a man or not? How long will I have to walk around in tattered rags and only dream of being full someday? Go and bring me money for food and new clothes! — Who will give me money? — the husband was surprised,
Return from the Great Campaign. Part - 2 When they passed the Great Wall of China, They settled down for a rest, Suddenly someone in the distance saw, That behind them a horse was coming, The rider lay, embracing the horse, The helmet and armor shone in the sun — And everyone recognized: it was The horse of Almanbet — Sarala. — My Almanbet! You are alive, dear! Has God truly forgiven me, If you have returned alive? — Manas cried out with joy And, despite the wounds and pain, Ran to meet his
Shepherd's Soup If you want to experience the charm of the nomadic life of a Kyrgyz shepherd and feel like a free herder in the valleys of Kyrgyzstan, then you can simply prepare a real Kyrgyz shepherd's soup. The base of most soups is broths made from meat, poultry, game, and vegetables. In the menu, soup usually comes first or follows a cold appetizer. Prepare shepherd's soup according to our delicious and quick culinary recipe from the national Kyrgyz cuisine.
Sedentary Life among the Kyrgyz The transition to sedentary life, being an extremely complex process, involves "the replacement of one form of economic life — pastoral-nomadic, with another — agricultural-sedentary," which led to a significant disruption of long-standing traditions and primarily a change in the form of housing. Initially, the yurt retained its significance as the main dwelling. In winter, it was insulated. Later, the yurt became only a summer dwelling and was used
Return from the Great Campaign. Part - 1 On one of the gloomy nights Kanykey woke up in tears, Taking the infant in her arms from the swaddling, Sobbing, she gave him her breast. And, recalling the terrible dream, She could not hold back her tears. By the river, a little gray bull Suddenly began to bellow like a child — Almanbet has probably perished. And the white falcon in flight Broke its mighty wings — It seems Chubak has fallen into trouble! The chinar tree, standing tall, Suddenly fell
Hero. The Institute of Heroism evolved from a military-democratic structure. The main purpose of a hero (baatyr) is to ensure the safety of society. From ancient times until the early 20th century, the hero was a key figure in military operations, a commander over a group of fighters. Among the outstanding, fearless, and far-sighted heroes emerged the founders of nomadic khanates, states, and empires. In the history of the Kyrgyz people, there is a notable array of heroes who took the
KARACH THE HERO In ancient times, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had two sons — Egizbek and Segizbek. They lived in prosperity, confident in their future. When the children grew up, their father sent them to graze cattle in the most remote pasture, visiting them only once a year. On one of those visits, the father saw that the yurt where his sons lived was destroyed, the cattle had been stolen, and the children had disappeared. In despair, the father wept and returned home,
The Death of the Heroes A rumor swept through China That Khan Manas was wounded. The spirit of the Kangai people rose. For Konurbai and Neskara Their long-awaited hour had come. Surrounding Beijinge in three circles, To ensure that not a single one Of the buruts left China alive, And to drive out the Muslims, They incited the townspeople to revolt. And behold, a hundred thousand troops Marched towards the city of Chet-Beijing, To capture and destroy the Kyrgyz forces. Raising Manas' red
Chyz-byz Chyz-byz is a well-known dish of Kyrgyz cuisine. It is a dish of shepherds, which they used to eat and still eat during their long journeys across the pastures. In Kyrgyz cuisine, the dish is made from lamb meat and lamb offal. During cooking, it is important not to stray far from the pan. You need to keep everything under control, stir, and add the ingredients one by one. Chyz-byz cooked over an open fire, infused with smoke, is undoubtedly delicious. But it can also be prepared in
Settlements and Permanent Housing The 19th century was a turning point in the life of the Kyrgyz. It marked the beginning of their settlement on land. One of the most important factors that led to the gradual transition to settled life among the southern Kyrgyz was the historical event of Southern Kyrgyzstan's annexation to Russia. This decisively changed the lifestyle of the Kyrgyz: conflicts and wars between Kyrgyz tribes and neighboring peoples ceased, economic life began to stabilize,
Prayer of Manas Almighty God! My Creator! I am on my knees before you. You gave us the sun above, You illuminate the earthly world, Dimming the light at night, You leave us with darkness. Holy prophets, wise men You give us, Creator, yourself. You send us brainless, foolish fools To the earth. So that we live in wars and struggles, You send us enemies. Giving the heart flame and love, You create heroes yourself. Creator of heaven and earth, Only you can judge us! I led your sons into battle,
Bais, Biis, and Manaps The measure of wealth and the main equivalent in trade and economic relations was livestock; accordingly, the prosperity of a household was determined by its quantity. Bais were categorized based on the composition and size of their herds, as well as their lifestyle and personal qualities: “1) chon bai - big bai or mart bai - generous (a wealthy person who was not stingy and was acquainted with the powerful); 2) saran bai or koltukchu bai - stingy bai (lived poorly,
THE WOODCUTTER SULTANALY Once upon a time, there was a woodcutter named Sultanaly. When the time came for him to marry, he took as his wife the daughter of a poor man, just like himself. Her name was Umsunay. They formed an ordinary young family, as they say, two poor people and one horse. Later, they had a son whom they named Myrza. To feed his family, Sultanaly had to work twice as hard, but the money he earned was barely enough to survive. Sultanaly really wanted to save some money to
The Beginning of the Battle. Part - 2 Hearing the joyful news, Kanykey was not pleased: — Taking Beijing, the Chinese throne, He has doomed himself to death. Let him return quickly — Here a son has been born, Semetey! And if suddenly he perishes there His father, my beloved, Our only child Will become an orphan from swaddling clothes, — Kanykey wept bitterly. Shuutu rushed to Beijing, Brought news to Manas, That a son had been born to him, That they named him Semetey, And that Kanykey asked To
Dymdama Dymdama is a mixture of vegetables that are stewed in a special way. It has many names - dymlyama, dumlyama, domlyama. There are similar dishes - khashlama, basma. The vegetables are partially steamed, while the lower layers cook in their own juice. It is very tasty and healthy. Traditionally, it is made with lamb with fat tail. However, it can be made with any meat. The amount of vegetables can vary depending on the size of the pot. The vegetables used for dymdama include cabbage,
Migrations of Kyrgyz to Jailoo A significant event in the life of nomadic Kyrgyz was the migration from winter camps to spring and then to summer pastures (jailoo). The migrations of southern Kyrgyz have been described by some travelers. Such a description can be found, for example, in G. E. Grum-Grzhimailo: "Already in early spring, in April, as soon as the buds of trees begin to unfold and the ground is covered with fluff, the Kyrgyz from Andijan, Osh, and Margilan emerge from their
The Beginning of the Battle. Part - 1 From morning till night, the slaughter went on, And from night again until morning They fought, sparing no lives. A mountain of corpses rose high. And the blood from the fateful battle Flowed like a red river. And everywhere there were groans, curses, screams, You could not distinguish strangers from your own. Zholoya er-Chubak caught up, Pierced him through with a spear, But then the Chinese khan Ushan Drove a spear into Chubak's side. And the
Social and Professional Structure. The Kyrgyz did not have closed caste associations, typical of the settled population of Turkestan, except for the so-called chosen ones of the spirits - carriers of special knowledge and skills of a religious-mystical nature, although sometimes such people were also newcomers from outside. It was not necessary to have wealthy and noble ancestors to gain authority among one's tribesmen; the main thing was to show energy and skill, courage, and bravery.
Part - 3 Meanwhile, the dzhigit who stole the stone and threw Chotur into the well arrived in Baghdad and presented the magical stone to the Baghdad padishah. In gratitude for the gift, the padishah appointed him as his vizier. Soon, Chotur also reached Baghdad. The treacherous dzhigit saw him, went to the padishah, and said: — A homeless young man has arrived in our city. He is plotting evil against you. He must be killed at all costs! The padishah ordered to capture Chotur and throw him into
The Beginning of the Battle Karagul rushed to the khan And informed Konurbai That the cunning Almanbet Had stolen the entire herd of Kyrgyz. — I will pierce the traitor and fugitive Through and through with my spear Or I will capture him alive! Binding him, I will bring him to the square, And publicly cut off his head! — Roared Konurbai in anger. In the narrow gorge on both sides Almanbet and Syrgak lay in wait, To set up an ambush there, To wipe out the troops from above, And to capture
Yutaza (a dish made from sour dough, steamed) Yutaza is a national dish of Kyrgyz cuisine that will appeal to those who love steamed dishes. It is a very interesting yet simple recipe. Yutaza is made from yeast dough, which is greased with oil, rolled into tubes, and steamed. Ingredients:
Yurts of Rich Herdsmen vs. Dwellings of Poor Shepherds The yurts of rich herdsmen were usually large: they consisted of ten or more lattice segments. Such yurts were commonly referred to as "ordo uy." While fulfilling orders for wooden parts of yurts for wealthy individuals, craftsmen connected the lattice framework with silver hinges; each dome pole, and sometimes even the wooden rim, was adorned with silver decorative plates. Special attention was paid to the decoration of the yurt
The Death of Manas. In Talas that night, Kanikei woke up in fear from a terrible dream. The heavy-horned gray bull Roars by the riverbank. Is my sultan Alma really lost? The white falcon Akshumkar, who chased the raven, Suddenly lost his wings. Has Chubak, my sultan's friend, Met with terrible misfortune? Has my priceless Syrgak really died? The tall chinar Helplessly bent towards Kybla, By the golden throne, on which my sultan sat, When he was the khan of eighteen nations, One leg broke.
Social Hierarchy of Men A man was considered the continuation of the family line, the heir to family traditions, and the life and safety of the family and clan depended on his actions. A boy was raised in harsh conditions. His life consisted of the following stages: infancy - bala chak, childhood - testier, adolescence - balagat boz ulan, young adulthood - zhigit, maturity - chon kisi, old age - aksakal, and elder - abyshka, chal. From an early age, boys were introduced to work. Their
Part - 2 Chotur thanked his friend, said goodbye, and set off on the road that his adoptive father had advised him against. Terrifying beasts ran out to meet him from time to time, but they did him no harm. Chotur traveled for a long time, grew tired, and decided to rest. He dismounted from his horse, tied it up, and let it graze. He then sat down to the side. At that moment, he noticed a snake skin.
In reconnaissance They came to the valley of Teshik-Tash, Where fragrant flowers Bloom on the meadows, Fruit gardens are in bloom And tea bushes grow in the fields. Here Almanbet dismounted from his horse. He fell face down into the grass And, like a child, began to cry: — Forgive me, my land! Syrgak, this is my homeland! My mother gave birth to me here, And from the umbilical cord, The native land accepted my blood. Here along the riverbank I ran barefoot in my childhood. Over there, under