Elise Colette journal

A 'place' I have visited

KYRGYZSTAN | Saturday, 29 June 2013 | Views [959] | View Larger Image

Everyday life is hard : waking up with the sun, shepherds milk the cows and the mares, before they take the cattle up to the mountains. With the horsemilk, Kyrgyz shepherds make Kumis and sell this famous fermented drink in markets around the country.

Tags: kyrgyzstan, issik kul, horse, shepherd, kumis, mountains

In May, each year, Kyrgyz shepherds take the road to the mountains with their cattle and their families. They leave villages to get back to the ancient nomad life. They live in yurts for 4 months, far away from civilization, where grass is green and nourishing for their horses, cows and sheeps. In September, when the peaks turn white, they pack back to the valleys.

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The animals often don’t belong to the shepherds who take care of them during the summer. Richer farmers pay them to go to the “jailoos” – the name for pastures in Kyrgyzstan. Every week, shepherds get down from the mountains to go sell the sheeps in animal markets that can be found all around the country.

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Elise Colette journal

A 'place' I have visited

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