The epos “Manas”
The epos “Manas” is a unique product of the spiritual activity of the Kyrgyz people. The narration of the epic includes all aspects of the life of the Kyrgyz people, their worldview, ideas about the world around them.
Over the centuries, the epic “Manas” passed down from century to century, from father to son, from generation to generation. The main idea of the Manas epic is unity into a single whole, struggle for the independence. The total volume of the three chapters is 500 thousand lines. This is about 20 times the size of the Iliad and Odyssey of the ancient Greeks.
Snow leopard
The great national writer of Kyrgyzstan Asan Dzhakshylykov wrote: – Our ancestors left the model that if we lose the snow leopard, we will lose Ala-Too. For example, supporters of Manas are white leopards and snow leopards. It is like the spirit of our mountains. A snow leopard is walking on a glacier. If we destroy the snow leopard, we can destroy the glacier as well.
The snow leopard has long been considered a sacred animal for the Kyrgyz people and a supporter of the Kyrgyz people and Kyrgyz heroes.
The exact number of snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan is currently unknown. They say about three hundred. According to experts, the technical ability to accurately count the number of snow leopards is limited. If earlier a fine of 500 thousand soms was imposed on snow leopard hunters, now the new bill will increase the amount of the fine to 1.5 million soms.
Traditional drinks of Kyrgyzstan
- Kyrgyzstan is famous for a huge number of traditional drinks, but few people know what is included in this drink. One of the most famous and delicious drinks that can be found walking the streets of Kyrgyzstan is “Maksym”. Maksym is made from grains such as barley, wheat or corn kernels.
- For lovers of bitter taste, there is also one of the incredibly delicious drinks called Bozo. Bozo is a bitter drink. It is made from sorghum and grains such as wheat, corn, barley and oats. The main factor in the preparation is the special yeast from the grains. To prepare this yeast, the grain is placed in a bag, sprinkled with warm water, wrapped and placed in a warm place. When the grain begins to sprout like a white spear, it is ground in a meat grinder or hammer and then dried.
- This drink saves you always and everywhere from any heat. People call him Sherbet. Sherbet is made from fresh fruits or nuts, like fresh apples, pears, apricots, plums, cherries and other fruits.
- And of course the most famous drink in all of Kyrgyzstan is Kymys. Kymys is a fermented milk drink, usually made from mare’s milk, obtained as a result of lactic and alcoholic fermentation with the help of Bulgarian and acidophilic lactic acid sticks and yeast. Few people know that Kumis made from mare’s milk has therapeutic and prophylactic properties and is a dietary product. Now in Kyrgyzstan they are successfully used in the treatment of stomach ulcers, gastritis, diseases of the pancreas.
Beautiful riders «Amazons» of Kyrgyzstan
There is an expression: “A Russian woman will stop a galloping horse and enter a burning hut.” Kyrgyz women are also famous not only for their unusual beauty, but also for their courage and bravery. If you have ever visited Kyrgyzstan, then you definitely saw a Kyrgyz woman galloping on a horse. A Kyrgyz woman has been able to ride a horse since childhood. In the conditions of high mountains, severe winters, deep snows, where the transition with the flock takes place along the steep slopes of the mountains, through turbulent rivers, one cannot do without a horse.
In Kyrgyzstan, there is also an unusual funny Kyrgyz game called “Kyz kuumay” which means “Chase after a girl”. Game conditions: The girl chooses the best horse, and then, together with the guy who must catch her on horseback, goes to the race track, but the girl starts 15 meters earlier. If the guy manages to catch up with the girl, he has the right to hug or kiss her, if he does not succeed, then the girl turns the horse around and catches up to hit him with a whip for horses.
«Universal Kyrgyz health balm»
“Health balm ” – this is how the people of Kyrgyzstan call sheep fat, which is translated into Kyrgyz as “Koidun mayi“. In Kyrgyzstan, the older generation believes that “Koidun Mayi” will cure colds and is useful for joint pain. You just need to wipe the sore spot with melted fat.
Research results show that sheep fat is high in many saturated fatty acids, which are essential for human health and wellness. Lamb fat contains Omega-9, which increase the absorption of glucose and thereby prevent the development of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It is more often used medicinally to treat burns and as an anti-inflammatory in a variety of injections.
“Kok-boru“
“Kok-boru” translated into Russian means “The Blue Wolf” – this is the most famous national game of the nomadic people of Kyrgyzstan, which has existed for a long time. The origin of the term “blue wolf” is associated with hunters. After a successful wolf hunt, had fun with the carcass of a killed wolf, dragging while sitting on a horse and took them away from each other. After this game grew into a large-scale competition and the wolf was replaced by a goat and renamed to Ulak-Tartysh, which means – pulling the goat.
The Blue Wolf game takes place on a flat ground. Not only men can take part in the game, but also boys from 10 to 15 years old. The number of players is not limited. Today this game is adapted to the conditions and is quite civilized.
Receiving a special gift like “ram’s head” or how to understand that you are a respected guest in Kyrgyzstan?
Perhaps for many countries it will look very strange and unusual, but in Kyrgyzstan, by tradition, guests are divided by age and prestige or degree of kinship. If you are a very respected guest or elder, then according to tradition, you are served with the head, hips and pelvis of a sheep, great-grandmothers are served with the fat tail of a sheep, and women are served with the breast of a sheep.
Usually, highly distinguished guests share with other guests the ears and eyes of a sheep that were served to them, and the rest is passed on to the younger child or other younger guest.
Kyrgyzstan is rich not only in nature, but also in its traditions and customs, only by visiting this country you can fully explore what the nomadic life and nomadic people of this country are like.