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    Nomadic Life in Kyrgyzstan

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    Although very poor, the Kyrgyz families want the best for their children. Even when this implies leaving their children behind in the valley, so they can attend school. Hagelbek, one of our hosts, told us that he sometimes does not see his children during all of summer. It must be heart wrecking to leave your children behind in the city at the beginning of spring. Nevertheless, Hagelbek is proud that his children now enjoy better education then he himself has had. For the young children living with the family in the highland areas, there is a lot of room to play. They learn a lot of things at a young age, including horse riding by the age of 3. by: jeftedebruin Views[1193] While it is a hard and sometimes lonely life, there is time for enjoying a good meal within the comforts of a yurt. The wife sits close to the kettle and pours a cup of tschai. Usually this is mixed with kumus (fermented horse milk) and sometimes some butter and salt. The self-baked bread, made in self built stone ovens, tastes best with some homemade marmalade or butter. As long as the meal lasts, the family seems to forget about life outside the yurt and the hardship of their lives. by: jeftedebruin Views[593] For most families the summer is the only season to earn money for making it through winter. The highland areas are not suited for staying during winter because of the snow. Therefore, they break up their yurts at the end of summer and move down to their poor shacks in the valley cities. In a way, Kyrgyz people may be referred to as ‘seasonal’ nomads. Each spring, when the snow melts, the families take their yurt and other belongings again and move up the highlands. This seasonal nomadic cycle continues forever, only interrupted by occasional trips to the valley in the summer to sell cattle and stock up on goods. By spending time with Kyrgyz families, it becomes clear they value the nomadic life far above life in the cities. Summer means space, freedom and abundance. by: jeftedebruin Views[575] Dogs are very important for herding the cattle over vast stretches of land. Herding however, is mainly a man’s job. The women do most of their work in and around the yurts. The daughter of a family living in a yurt in the highland area around Song-Kul lake, proudly shows one of their puppies. The pup will grow out to be an excellent cattle driver. In a way, the nomadic life seems hard and lonely at times. Perhaps this is the reason why animals are so loved in Kyrgyzstan. by: jeftedebruin Views[787] In search of the best grounds to graze on, families take their cattle to the highlands of the Kyrgyz mountain ranges. There, the best grazing areas are alongside various streams which are carving winding paths towards the valleys and lakes. The air is extremely dry, the sun can be unforgivably hot and there are hardly any places of shelter. Conditions are hard and sudden weather changes can be fatal as rock avalanches and landslides are not uncommon. Aside from the dangers, the usual scenery is breath taking in Kyrgyzstan. I genuinely wonder sometimes whether the Kyrgyz people themselves still notice this. by: jeftedebruin Views[490]
     


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