Nomads

Kyrgyzstan is a very beautiful country with a history of 2200 years! 

For many years Kyrgyz people lived in the mountains like nomads. Their way of life was conditioned by the geographical position and extreme climatic condition they mainly lived in the mountains. They had to roam around in order to find better meadows in order to let them graze. Only in the first half of the 20^th century they got to settle down.  Some of them live in the mountains; keeping the traditions of their ancestors ... 

Yurts are nomadic dwellings that have been used more than a couple thousand years since Kyrgyz people had been living in yurts. It has a very unusual construction of wooden base inside covered with felt and can be built without using a nail. Yurt can be built within 20 - 25 days. But the mats of a better quality can last for about 40 years. People can make the yurt within one hour. Nomads are one place to another burdened by only 3 horses. 

The yurt has two distinct parts which are the right and left sides. The right side is précised for men usually and the left side belongs to women. Men keep their weapons, horse trappings, whips. The women preserve different kinds of home fittings, kitchen pottery, tableware, as well as their jewels and ornaments on the right side. Here there is a straw mat, which serves as a partition between the kitchen and the rest of the yurt. There is a special place inside of the yurt which is on the conflicting side of the door which is called tor. This is the most honorable part of the yurt précised for the most respected elderly people or guests). Women keep here blankets and rugs which they made themselves. Women stack them on top of each other in a neat order. Nobody is allowed to use them, because it is a sign of wealth. 

 

In regular nomadic villages there are about 90-100 families and they are called ails. Some Chinese inscriptions about wars and battles the Chinese came to the land of nomads decided to attack them early in the morning. But they couldn't reach this goal.  Within one night the whole village just was gone! The whole village left the area so fast without leaving any signs that the Chinese could only guess which direction they had left.

Kyrgyz nomads most of the times chose uplands that helped them to keep track of their livestock, as well as to have a beautiful landscape around and pleasant.

With our travelling programs you will be able to practice nomadic life meeting local people and learning culture and traditions from them.