Mourning for Kököktöy. Part - 5 After that, sixteen young men began to rub his lower back. At that moment, a messenger from the Chinese arrived. He looked at Koshoy and said: - But the fighter is already too old! Joloy will defeat him in his sleep.
Plant-based Food. In the second half of the 19th century, a significant place in the dietary habits of the Kyrgyz was occupied by plant-based products. Both cultivated and wild plants were used, with cultivated plants playing a dominant role. Research confirms that agricultural skills were well-known among all groups of Kyrgyz. Agriculture was most widespread in the regions of the Ferghana Valley, Ketmen-Tyube, Talas, and Issyk-Kul valleys. In the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan, they grew and
The Arrival of Manas in Karkyra And exactly on the fourth day To the green shores of Kegen Came er-Manas with his Warrior entourage. And with cries of "Manas! Manas!" The Kyrgyz rushed to meet The valiant army of Manas. With an old man's stingy tear Khan Koshoy embraced Manas. — At last, the people have waited For their support and stronghold! Here are Konurbay and Neskara, The gluttonous fat man Zholoy Caused a ruckus yesterday. Having come to visit us at the feast, They
KOYLUBAI Once upon a time, there lived a peasant named Koylubai. He was a brave and resourceful man, but very poor. He had little land and no livestock at all. The wealthy landowners always tried to oppress him. Right next to Koylubai lived four rich peasants, brothers who were greedy and cruel, earning them the nickname "Four Wolves." One day, the brothers sowed wheat on the slope of a mountain, while Koylubai sowed millet lower down.
Tanning of Suede. For this purpose, the skins of sheep, goats, mountain goats, and roe deer were used. The skin of the latter was valued significantly higher due to its durability and water resistance. "Kyrgyz people highly value the skin of kiyika because the strongest and most waterproof chombars are made from it. Chombars made from any other skin get wet even from rain, while in kiyika chombars, one can safely float on water without getting wet." After soaking in a saline
Two Groups of Storytellers: Performers of "Manas" and Performers of "Semetei" The storytellers were divided into two groups: manaschi (performers of "Manas") and semetei (performers of "Semetei"), with the former being those who performed all three parts of the trilogy, while the latter performed only "Semetei" and "Seitek," and from "Manas" only separate episodes. Whether this division existed from ancient times or was a
Meat Dishes. In the second half of the 19th century and until the beginning of the 20th century, meat played an important role in the diet of the Kyrgyz. The Kyrgyz consumed mutton, horse meat, beef, and to a lesser extent camel meat and goat meat. In areas where yaks were raised, yak meat was often consumed. Mutton and horse meat were especially valued. In wealthy households, beef was looked down upon as it was considered smelly - sasyk, and those wealthy individuals who owned a large number
ZAR AND MEER Once upon a time, it is said, there lived a king. This king lost his vizier, and he appointed his favorite servant, a dashing young man, in his place. One day, the king went falcon hunting with his new vizier. The king said to the vizier: — If I have a son and you have a daughter, you will marry her to my son. If you have a son and I have a daughter, I will marry my daughter to your son. And if we both have sons or daughters, let them be friends for life.
Invitation to the Memorial for Koketey Here in the vastness of Karkyra, Setting up yurts with a hearth, They let the cattle roam on the slopes of the mountains. In cauldrons, in bags — the kumys Poured out with milk. The son of Koketey, Bokmurun, Called the young Aidar, To saddle the stallion Maanikер, He ordered to prepare for the journey. — You inform the whole region, That in late autumn, when The cattle will gain weight, When the forage of the summer pastures Will burst the camel's
Methods of Raw Material Processing The processing of livestock raw materials, as well as the preparation of various items from it, was carried out by both men and women, with responsibilities strictly divided between them. For example, it was always men who slaughtered the animals. They also processed the skins, from which they made harness accessories, containers for storing bowls, shoes, and straps for fastening parts of the yurt. The skins of small animals (sheep, goats) were processed by
Memorial for Kёkёktёy. Part - 4 Six hundred logs of larch were tied together, and a rope was woven from forty-two cords. At the top of the larch, they tied the targets - this was arranged for shooting practice. Everyone who considered themselves a marksman prepared to try their luck. They shot from early morning until the scorching noon, expending all their arrows, but no tricks or techniques could knock the targets off the pole.
Milk and Dairy Products. In the traditional diet of the Kyrgyz, among all products available to the general population, milk and dairy products were prominent. They consumed sheep, cow, mare's milk, and to a lesser extent, goat and camel milk. The Kyrgyz of the inner Tien Shan, Alai, and Pamir also used yak milk, which was characterized by high fat content. Whole milk was consumed very sparingly; it was given to children mixed with various types of cottage cheese and also for medicinal
Ayran Ayran is a fermented dairy product common in Central Asia. It is a thick mixture that tastes similar to yogurt. Ayran has been consumed for 15 centuries, and its invention is attributed to Turkic nomadic tribes. They spent their lives on the move and needed a drink that could quench their thirst and hunger on the road. They noticed that if they added a special starter culture to their favorite milk, it would sour, acquire a pleasant taste, and last a long time. Later, to their delight,
Common form of performance for storytellers of "Manas" When comparatively studying the biographical data of the storytellers of "Manas," one can establish common traits among all of them. Before the start of storytelling activities, all manaschi were, to some extent, improvisational singers. However, even after becoming storytellers, some of them continued to perform and compose songs in other genres. Almost everyone knows, besides "Manas," many other works of
THE CLEVER FARMER There lived a khan. One day he decided to amuse himself and ordered his loyal horsemen — Asan and Usen — to find and bring him a foolish person. The horsemen set off to fulfill the khan's command.
Processing of Hides and Leathers Animal hides and the leather made from them were of significant importance in the daily life of the Kyrgyz in the past. They extensively used raw materials from domestic and wild animals (horses, cows, camels, yaks, sheep, and goats, as well as foxes, martens, otters, mountain goats, and roe deer). In addition to meeting the family's needs, a large number of hides were sold. They were sent to the markets of Central Asia and directed to Russia and Kashgar.
Mourning for Khan Koketey in the Karkyra Valley Rich and glorious Koketey, By the will of God and fate, Reached his last days. He coughed and groaned loudly, The wise elder sensed: His years were over, That in a day, or maybe two, He would leave this life forever. To give his last will, He called his brother Baymurza. — I feel my death has come. I have one heir — Carefree, young Bokmurun. He didn’t wipe his nose in childhood — And that’s how the people named him. He is only fifteen years old.
Mourning for Kököktöy. Part - 3 Manas was placed in the yurt of the glorious and renowned girl Toorun. The entire people who had come to the ash, pushing each other, were eager to see Manas and crowded around his yurt. Chagyray, the skilled sonchi who served Khan Alooke, wanting to find out what Manas was like, peeked through the hole of the yurt. However, the fearsome appearance of Manas frightened him so much that his heart could not withstand such fear and burst.
The Food Culture of the Kyrgyz The formation of the traditional food culture of the Kyrgyz went through several stages, determined by the peculiarities of ethnic history, economic structure, and ethnocultural contacts with neighboring peoples. The first fragmentary information about the peculiarities of Kyrgyz food from the second half of the 19th century is found in reports, accounts, and works of travelers and scholars who visited Kyrgyz lands before and after its annexation to the Russian
The Most Famous Manaschi The modern storyteller Shapak Urysmendiev was born in 1863 in what is now the Chuy region, in a family of farmers. In his childhood, he began working in agriculture and later lived off the income from it. The profession of a singer was a side endeavor for him as a lover of the art. Shapak did not receive formal education but can read. He became a true storyteller only as an adult, although he had known and performed separate excerpts from the epic before that.
HOW THE BOY SAVED HIS CITY In ancient times, there lived a warlike khan named Zhanibek. He became famous for his brutal raids on neighboring khanates. One day, the countless armies of Khan Zhanibek besieged the city of Khan Sultanmamyt. The inhabitants of the besieged city were told by the enemies: — If you do not surrender within three days, we will destroy your city!
Tandoor Samsa Of course, nothing compares to samsa from a tandoor! If you have the opportunity to use a tandoor, the samsa made at home will be incredibly delicious, aromatic, and appetizing. INGREDIENTS
Memorial for Kökötöy. Part - 2 The people rejoiced in the freedom of the new pasture. It was convenient for the livestock and suitable for memorial feasts. Then the people began to prepare for the noisy feast, searching the surroundings for sources of clean water and gathering fuel.
A tale of how Manas' relative Kozkaman wanted to poison him with poison Hey! The head of all khans, Esenkhan, Gave an order to the satraps: To go to Manas and kill him! To whoever accomplishes this, He promised publicly To reward them with a khanship. When the invader Alooke Drove the Kyrgyz from their homeland, The descendant of Orozdu — Usen Took the name Kozkaman for himself, And stayed hidden there. No Chinese knew That Kozkaman was Kyrgyz. And so Kozkaman decided With his elder son
Togolok Moldo and Sayakbay Karalaev Sayakbay Karalaev The most outstanding storyteller of our time is Sayakbay Karalaev from the Bugy clan. He was born in 1894 in what is now the Jeti-Oguz district of the Issyk-Kul region. His father was a poor man. From childhood, Sayakbay worked as a hired laborer. In 1916, the 22-year-old young man participated in the uprising of the Kyrgyz people and fled to China with some comrades, but was detained by tsarist soldiers on the way. Some of those detained
ZHÉERENCHÉ-CHÉCHEN AND KARACHACH In ancient times, there lived a man named Zhéerenché-chéchen. Chéchen means "eloquent." He was nicknamed this because he was wise and resourceful in conversation. He had a son named Telemyrza, about whom the wise Zhéerenché heard every day from the people: "He is such a deceiver, such a liar; he has never spoken a single word of truth in his life." Telemyrza would kill a crow and boast that he had killed a gazelle. In reality, he could do
Bal (sweet drink) Popular among the Kyrgyz, bal is a sweet hot drink made from honey with the addition of black ground pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and bay leaves. Ingredients:
Mourning for Kökötöy Kökötöy, the khan of Tashkent, had eleven daughters but no sons, and this saddened his heart. The daughter of the mergen, the beautiful Bektoru, fell in love with the batyr Töshtük and became pregnant by him. When Töshtük was about to leave, Bektoru asked him: - Tell me, what should I do with the child that lives in my womb, as your amanat?
The Marriage of Manas to Kanikei Hey! Manas, who had two wives, Lived in this world for thirty years. And he often began to grieve, That until now there were no children. And Karabork and Akylai Managed to get along with each other And share their husband at night, But they could not together Give Manas a son. Seeing how his friend was sorrowing, Almanbet said to Manas: — Although you have two wives, At thirty years old, you are still a bachelor. You did not court them at all, And did not go
THE FOOLISH KHAN In ancient times, there lived a rich khan. He had plenty of livestock, but not much wisdom. One day, this khan called his son to him and said: — My son, I have heard that there lives a wise old woman in the neighboring aul. I want to hear her advice. You go and invite her to me, but do not tell anyone about this. The son agreed, but immediately told his companions about his father's request and ordered them to bring the old woman. The khan's son met her.
Horse Equipment. The horse harness kit, known as jabdyk (also abzel in southwestern regions, am abzeli), included: saddle (eer, eger), stirrups with straps (uzyongulor, boolorumenen), potfei, flanks or crupper (kuyushkan), girth or breastplate (komelduruk), girths with strings to secure the blanket or cushion to the saddle (basmayyldar, kyopchuk bastyrgych byshtandary menen), saddle pads or underlays for the saddle (zheldikter, zha-azdar), sweat cloth with a sweat cloth roof (terdik, ichmegi
The First Records of the Texts of the Epic "Manas" Until now, we have mentioned those storytellers of "Manas" from whom no recordings were made. We now turn to the biographies of the second group of singers, from whom full-fledged recordings of the texts were made in a scientific context. The first of this group is Sagymbay Orozbakov. The great akyn (Chon akyn), as the people called him, was born in 1867 in the locality of Kabyra in the Issyk-Kul valley. His father was a
Halvaitar — a liquid halvah-like mixture. Ingredients: 100 g of lamb fat or melted butter 100 g of nut kernels 1 cup of flour 1 cup of granulated sugar 1—3 cups of water 0.25 tsp of vanillin Preparation: In different countries of Central Asia, it is made with varying consistencies by diluting with different amounts of water, but within the limits specified above. First, heat the fat or oil, cool it down, add the flour, and stir while placing it back on the heat, gently warming it until the
The Tale of How Almanbet Came to Manas The khan Manas gathered the heroes And said: — I look at you And see boredom and despair. Intrigues, gossip, fuss — There’s no escaping them anywhere. The native land beneath our feet — There’s no reason for us to go to battle. There’s no need for military campaigns — Our steeds are growing fat. Now all that’s left for us Is to grow fat, grow old, and die. What a bore! Damn it! Maybe we should all go hunting? Like in battle, To amuse our hands there,
THE CONSPIRACY OF KOZKAMANS Years passed, and the Kyrgyz lived peacefully with one another. But this very peace troubled their enemies. One day, the Kangai ruler Esen, disturbed by the well-being of his neighbors and fearing that difficult days might come for his own people, gathered all forty clans of the Kalmyks, Kara-Kitay, and Manchus and began his speech as follows: – Listen everyone and do not say later that you did not hear. The Kyrgyz ruler Manas has united all his tribes into one
The Wise Girl In ancient times, there lived a khan named Sarybay. One day he gathered his people and said to them: — For forty years I have been your khan and have seen much during this time; I have drunk and eaten as much as was destined for me. Now I have only to die, but I have no children to whom I can pass on the khanate. Choose for yourselves a new khan. And Sarybay's people replied: — You appoint us a new khan!
A traditional Central Asian dish with Chinese roots. Manti consists of dough filled with meat, steamed in a special pot called a kaskana (manti steamer). Manti can also be prepared in a steamer if a manti steamer is not available. The filling can vary. Primarily, it includes meat (lamb, beef, chicken, pork). Vegetable manti, manti with herbs, and cottage cheese are also made. In Kyrgyzstan, the most common filling for manti is finely chopped lamb or beef with onions. Often, pumpkin or jussai
Women's Jewelry by Kyrgyz Jewelers Women's jewelry made by local jewelers is an essential attribute of the traditional attire of a Kyrgyz woman. The ancient wedding headdress—shekulë—is richly decorated and consists of a tall cap on a frame, adorned with rows of stamped silver plates, coral threads, and glass beads. The set of a woman's adornments included various earrings: stamped (round, oval, pear-shaped), usually made of two joined halves, as well as forged ones with simple
First Singers The collection and study of biographical data on the singers of the "Manas" epic began only after the Great October Socialist Revolution. Therefore, the material we have is primarily a description of the life and activities of those singers who lived relatively recently or are still alive today. The further away from our era the singer lived, the more scarce the information about him becomes. For a number of singers from the 19th century, we only have fragmentary data
The Tale of How Almanbet Came to the Kazakh Khan Kokche Hey! Having fled from China, Almanbet Wandered the world for many days, And arrived on the vast steppes In the blessed Sar-Arka, Where the Kazakh hero Aydarkan Ruled for many years with his son. Seeing the traveler in the distance, Kokche's son came out to meet him. — Who are you? Where are you headed? What fate has brought you to us? And according to the steppe tradition, Taste some food, and then You will get to know me! — My
MARRIAGE OF MANAS TO KANIKEI "If he does not peacefully hand over the populous Bukhara, I will attack the city and take it by force," thought the grim and frowning Chubak, who had left Alai with a firm intention to seize the throne of the Bukhara khan, Temir. His battle horse, Kogala, crushed stones into dust with every step, racing forward like a fearsome bird, while the hero, girded with a double-edged damask sword, led a numerous army, riding atop his horse. When he reached the
THE HERO ALMANBET IN THE CAMP OF MANAS In the camp of Karaborka with iron gates, having spread several layers of blankets under himself, placing a few down pillows under his head, stretching out his arms and legs, the hero Manas sweetly slept – and dreamed a dream. He dreamed that while riding along a foothill path, he found a sword in a sheath with a golden tip, and that sword was three to four arshins long, with a copper handle and a smooth grip, with a curved blade and the sharpest edge. He
Characteristics of the socio-economic stages of development of the Kyrgyz people in the epic "Manas" The epic of the Kyrgyz people "Manas" glorifies the feats of the legendary Kyrgyz hero Manas and narrates many social and domestic events related to his life and activities. The significance of the epic for characterizing the socio-economic stages of development of the Kyrgyz people is immense. In "Manas," we see a reflection of clan, patriarchal-tribal, and
HAWK AND OWL Once upon a time, there was an owl. One day, she fell seriously ill and could not fly out of her nest for food. Then the owl turned to the hawk: — Hawk, my hero, do a good deed — help me. The hawk agreed. He began to feed the sick owl and take care of her. The owl got better.
Blacksmithing and Jewelry Art. The processing of metals, known to the Kyrgyz since ancient times, and the technical and artistic techniques developed by the 18th-20th centuries, reveal continuity with ancient traditions. Blacksmiths (temirchi, temirusta, kara usta, and in northern regions sometimes darqan) provided tools and equipment for crafts, agricultural production, and household industries. The master performed all the work himself: preparing the metal, making products, and finishing
Asip (sausage) Asip is a lamb sausage made from offal with rice. This dish is part of Kyrgyz cuisine, and it's not too difficult to prepare. Well, maybe a little more complicated than making cutlets. Cooking description:
Tale of Almanbet Hey! At that time, China was ruled by The sons of Khan-Kakanchyna: Esen, Kary, Alooke And the youngest brother Aziz. One day the brothers gathered, They came to Esen's palace: They finally decided To marry off the younger Aziz. He was already over twenty-five, But still could not Find a bride for himself. And Esen-khan himself commanded To gather beautiful maidens From fifteen to twenty — To choose the highest beauty. From the Huanghe to the Irtysh, And from the Amur to
Almanbet Comes to Kokcho. Part 2 Drunken Kokcho sometimes came to his senses and could barely see Almanbet before him. – You have Akerketch on your mind, you have been watching over her for a long time. You are thinking about Akerketch, you are keeping an eye on her anyway, – mumbled Kokcho.