ceres country profile - kyrgyz republic

7/30/2019 CERES Country Profile - Kyrgyz Republic

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Country in a Box:

The Kyrgyz RepublicKirgiz Respublikas

A Teachers Guide

Compiled by the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European StudiesEdmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown Universityhttp://ceres.georgetown.edu

Tash Rabat in Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan
http://www.ceres.georgetown.edu/http://www.ceres.georgetown.edu/


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Kyrgyzstan in a Box: Table of Contents

Facts at a Glance 3-6

History of Kyrgyzstan 7-10

Timeline of Major Events in Kyrgyz History 11

Kyrgyz Culture 12-14

Folklore: The Manas Epic 15-16

Additional Resources 17

Rich Kyrgyz Hunter with Eagle Painting by Vasily Vereshchagin (1842-1904)


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Kyrgyzstan: Facts at a Glance_______Text and map taken directly from Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook:Kyrgyzstan. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kg.html

Country Name:Kyrgyz Republic

Capital:Bishkek

Background: A Central Asiancountry of incredible naturalbeauty and proud nomadictraditions, most of Kyrgyzstanwas formally annexed to Russiain 1876. The Kyrgyz staged amajor revolt against the TsaristEmpire in 1916 in which almostone-sixth of the Kyrgyzpopulation was killed.Kyrgyzstan became a Sovietrepublic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwidedemonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar Akaev, who hadrun the country since 1990. Former prime minister Kurmanbek Bakiev overwhelmingly won thepresidential election in the summer of 2005. Over the next few years, he manipulated theparliament to accrue new powers for the presidency. In July 2009, after months of harassmentagainst his opponents and media critics, Bakiev won re-election in a presidential campaign that

the international community deemed flawed. In April 2010, violent protests in Bishkek led to thecollapse of the Bakiev regime and his eventual fleeing to Minsk, Belarus. His successor, RozaOtunbaeva, served as transitional president until Almazbek Atambaev was inaugurated inDecember 2011, marking the first peaceful transfer of presidential power in independentKyrgyzstan's history. Continuing concerns include: the trajectory of democratization, endemiccorruption, poor interethnic relations, and terrorism.

Location: Central Asia, west of China.

Area: Total: 199,951 sq kmCountry comparison to the world: 87

Land: 191,801 sq kmWater: 8,150 sq km

Area - Comparative: Slightly smaller than South Dakota

Terrain: Peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 mHighest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m


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Red field with a yellow sun in the centerhaving 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyztribes; on the obverse side the rays runcounterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; inthe center of the sun is a red ring crossed bytwo sets of three lines, a stylized representationof a "tunduk" - the crown of a traditionalKyrgyz yurt; red symbolizes bravery and valor,the sun evinces peace and wealth

Natural Resources: Abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals;locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead

Environment - Current Issues: Water pollution; many people get their water directly from

contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soilsalinity from faulty irrigation practices

Population: 5,604,212 (July 2014 est.); Country comparison to the world: 114

Urbanization: Urban population: 35% of total population (2010)

Life Expectancy at Birth: Population: 70.04 years; Country comparison to the world: 147Male: 66.04 yearsFemale: 74.24 years

Ethnic Groups: Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%,Ukrainian 1%, Uighur 1%, other 5.7%

Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox20%, other 5%

Education Expenditures:6.8% of GDP(2011); Country comparison to the world: 25

Government Type: ParliamentaryDemocracy

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from theSoviet Union)

Legal System: Civil law system whichincludes features of French civil law andRussian Federation laws

Executive Branch: President AlmazbekAtambaev (since 1 December 2011); Head ofgovernment: Prime Minister JoomartOtorbaev (since 2 April 2014, acting since 26

March 2014); First Deputy Prime Minister Tayyrbek Sarpashev (since 2 April 2014); DeputyPrime Ministers Valeriy Dil, Abdyrakhman Mamataliev, Elvira Sarieva (all since 2 April 2014)

Legislative Branch: Unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kengesh (120 seats; memberselected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


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The Som:Kyrgyzstan was the first country in Central Asia to

introduce its own currency (May 1993) following thecollapse of the USSR.The Kyrgyz bills were well designed and contain severalnotable people in the arts. One is the Great KyrgyzBallerina Bubusara Beyshenalieva in the 5 KGS bill.There are also patrons of the arts, architecture, and music.Trekking and camping in the countrys mountainousregions is very popular thus, the countrys natural beauty

reflected on the bills, such as the Khan Tengri mountains,translated into Turkic as Rulers of the Sky. Water sportexists but only at Lake Issyk-Kul. Its also on the billnoted for its beautiful scenery, and the fact that it doesnt

freeze in winter due to its hot temperature.

(http://famouswonders.com/kyrgyzstani-som/)

Judicial Branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme andConstitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jogorku Kengesh on therecommendation of the president; their mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court ofArbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of theNational Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Political Parties and Leaders: Ar-Namys Dignity Party (Feliks Kulov); Ata-JurtHomeland (Kamchybek Tashiev); Ata-Meken Fatherland(Omurbek Tekebaev); ButunKyrgyzstan All Kyrgyzstan(Adakhan Madumarov, Miroslav Niyazov); Respublika (OmurbekBabanov; Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) (Almazbek Atambaev)

National Anthem: Name: "KyrgyzRespublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni"(National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic)lyrics/music: Djamil Sadykov andEshmambet Kuluev/Nasyr Davlesov and

Kalyi Moldobasanovnote:adopted 1992

Economy - Overview: Kyrgyzstan is a poor,mountainous country with a dominantagricultural sector. Cotton, tobacco, wool,and meat are the main agricultural products,although only tobacco and cotton areexported in any quantity. Industrial exportsinclude gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,and electricity. The economy dependsheavily on gold exports - mainly from outputat the Kumtor gold mine - and onremittances from Kyrgyzstani migrantworkers primarily in Russia. Followingindependence, Kyrgyzstan was progressivein carrying out market reforms, such as animproved regulatory system and land reform.Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth ofIndependent States (CIS) country to beaccepted into the World Trade Organization.Much of the government's stock inenterprises has been sold. Drops inproduction had been severe after the breakupof the Soviet Union in December 1991, butby mid-1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The overthrow ofPresident Bakiev in April 2010 and subsequent ethnic clashes left hundreds dead and damagedinfrastructure. Under President Atambayev, Kyrgyzstan has developed a plan for economicdevelopment in coordination with international donors, and has also expressed its intent to jointhe Customs Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Progress in fighting corruption,


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improving transparency in licensing, business permits and taxations, restructuring domesticindustry, and attracting foreign aid and investment are key to future growth.

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $14.3 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world:145

GDP - Real Growth Rate: 7.4% (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 17

GDP - Per Capita (PPP): $2,500 (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 185

GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 20.8%, Industry: 34.4%, Services: 44.8% (2013est.)

Agriculture Products: Tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep,goats, cattle, wool

Industries: Small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators,furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Current Account Balance: -$1.125 billion (2013 est.); Country comparison to the world: 121

Exports - Commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - Partners: Kazakhstan 26.2%, Uzbekistan 26.1%, Russia 14.6%, China 7%, UAE6.1%, Afghanistan 5.2% (2012)

Imports - Partners: China 55.2%, Russia 17.4%, Kazakhstan 7.9% (2012)

Debt - External: $3.859 billion (31 December 2013 est.); country comparison to the world: 128

Exchange Rates: Soms (KGS) per US dollar 48.87 (2013 est.)

Military expenditures:3.74% of GDP (2011)

History of Kyrgyzstan


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The Battle of Talas 751 AD:This little-known battle between the army ofImperial Tang China and the Abbasid Arabs hadimportant consequences, not just for China and

Central Asia, but for the entire world.At the time, nobody could have known that oneparticular battle, which took place on the banks ofthe Talas River in present-day Kyrgyzstan, wouldhalt the Arab and Chinese advances in Central Asiaand fix the boundary betweenBuddhist/Confucianist Asia and Muslim Asia. Inaddition, the battle was instrumental in transmittinga key invention from China to the western world:the art of paper-making, a technology that wouldalter world history forever.

Chinese records state that the Tang army was

30,000 strong, while Arab accounts put the numberof Chinese at 100,000. The total number of Arab,Tibetan and Uighur warriors is not recorded, buttheirs was the larger of the two forces.Of the tens of thousands the Tang sent into battle,only a small percentage survived.The Abbassids could have pressed their advantage,marching into China proper. However, their supplylines were already stretched to the breaking point,and sending such a huge force over the easternHindu Kush mountains and into the deserts ofwestern China was beyond their capacity.

Despite the crushing defeat of Kao's Tang forces,

the Battle of Talas was a tactical draw. The Arabs'eastward advance was halted, and the troubledTang Empire turned its attention from Central Asiato rebellions on its northern and southern borders(Text fromhttp://asianhistory.about.com/od/centralasia/a/BattleofTalas.htm)

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Text taken directly from Library of Congress Website:http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/kgtoc.html

Stone implements found in the Tian Shan

mountains indicate the presence of human society inwhat is now Kyrgyzstan as many as 200,000 to300,000 years ago. In the meantime, beginning about1000 B.C., large tribes collectively known as theScythians also lived in the area of present-dayKyrgyzstan. Excellent warriors, the Scythian tribesfarther west had resisted an invasion by the troops ofAlexander the Great in 328-27 B.C.

The first Kyrgyz state, the Kyrgyz Khanate,existed from the sixth until the thirteenth centuryA.D., expanding by the tenth century southwestward

to the eastern and northern regions of present-dayKyrgyzstan and westward to the headwaters of theErtis (Irtysh) River in present-day eastern Kazakstan.In this period, the khanate established intensivecommercial contacts in China, Tibet, Central Asia,and Persia.

The Mongols' invasion of Central Asia in thefourteenth century devastated the territory ofKyrgyzstan, costing its people their independenceand their written language. The son of Chinggis(Genghis) Khan, Dzhuchi, conquered the Kyrgyz

tribes of the Yenisey region, who by this time hadbecome disunited. For the next 200 years, theKyrgyz remained under the Golden Horde and theOriot and Jumgar khanates that succeeded thatregime. Freedom was regained in 1510, but Kyrgyztribes were overrun in the seventeenth century by theKalmyks, in the mid-eighteenth century by theManchus, and in the early nineteenth century by theUzbeks.

Between 1710 and 1876, the Kyrgyz were ruledby the Uzbek Quqon (Kokand) Khanate, one of the

three major principalities of Central Asia during thatperiod (see fig. 3). Kyrgyz tribes fought and lost fourwars against the Uzbeks of Quqon between 1845 and873. The defeats strengthened the Kyrgyzwillingness to seek Russian protection.

The Tsarist Era:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/kgtoc.htmlhttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/kgtoc.htmlhttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/kgtoc.html


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In 1876 Russian troops defeated the QuqonKhanate and occupied northern Kyrgyzstan.. In thelast decades of the nineteenth century, increasingnumbers of Russian and Ukrainian settlers moved intothe northern part of present-day Kyrgyzstan.

Nevertheless, in most regions traditional life continuedlargely as it had before 1870.By 1915, however, many Central Asians outside

the intelligentsia criticized the Russian Empire'srepressive policies. The Kyrgyz nomads sufferedespecially from confiscation of their land for Russianand Ukrainian settlements. Russian taxation, forcedlabor, and price policies all targeted the indigenouspopulation and raised discontent and regional tension.The bloody rebellion of the summer of 1916 began inUzbekistan, then spread into Kyrgyzstan and

elsewhere.

The Soviet Era:

Kyrgyzstan was briefly independent during thechaos of the Russian revolution in 1917 before beingreabsorbed.. In 1926 the official name changed to theKyrgyz Autonomous Republic before the regionachieved the status of a full republic of the SovietUnion in 1936.

The most important single event leading toindependence grew from an outburst of ethnic friction.Tensions very likely had existed between the Kyrgyzand the Uzbeks throughout the Soviet period, butMoscow was able to preserve the image of Sovietethnic harmony until the reforms of Gorbachev in themid-1980s.

In the general atmosphere ofglasnost, an Uzbek-rights group called Adalat began airing oldgrievances in 1989, demanding that Moscow grantlocal Uzbek autonomy in Osh and consider its annexation by nearby Uzbekistan.

The confrontation that erupted over control of that land brought several days of bloody riotskilling at least 320 Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in Osh.

Four months later, the Republics president, Masaliyev failed to win the majority of Supreme

Soviet votes required to remain in power. In his stead, the Central Committee of the CommunistParty of the Soviet Union (CPSU) surprisingly selected inexperienced academic Askar Akaev,who was serving as head of the republic's Academy of Sciences.

Kurmanjan Datka:Kurmanjan was born into a nomadic family ofthe Mongush clan in the Alai Mountains. In1832, the local feudal lord, Alimbek, who hadtaken the title, Datka, andruled all theKyrgyz of the Alai, was attracted by theyoung, vivacious woman, and married her. Aninstrumental politician in the increasinglydecrepit Kokand khanate, Alimbek wasmurdered in the course of a palace coup in1862 and Kurmanjan was recognized by thekhans of Bukhara and Kokand as ruler of the

Alai and given the title of Datka. In 1876the Alai region was annexed by the RussianEmpire. Recognizing the futility of resistance,Kurmanjan Datka persuaded her people toaccept Russian overlordship. From(http://studentwork.kloop.kg/2010/02/20/kurmanzhan-datka/)


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Independence:

On August 30, 1991, days after the coup began,Akayev and the republic's Supreme Soviet declaredKyrgyzstan an independent nation. Under PresidentAskar Akayev, Kyrgyzstan developed all the

institutions of a modern democracy, including anopen press, an independent judiciary, and a freelyelected parliament. Yet the new country experiencednumerous challenges. The continuing outflow ofethnic Russians (who constitute the greater part ofKyrgyzstan's technicians), the war in Tajikistan(which has driven refugees and "freedom fighters"into Kyrgyzstan), the growing evidence of wide-scale official corruption and incompetence, risingcrime, and--more than anything else--the spectacularcollapse of the economy increasingly charged the

country's political atmosphere in the first half of the1990s.

Revolutions:

(http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/326091/Kyrgyzstan)Flawed parliamentary elections in 2005 and awidespread perception of government corruption ledto mass demonstrations in March of that year. Theseprotests, quite surprisingly, led to the sudden andrapid collapse of the Akayev government. Thepresident fled the country on March 24 and resignedseveral days later. In July elections, which werelargely deemed free and fair by Western observers,Kurmanbek Bakiyev was chosen president.Protest against Bakiyevs increasingly authoritarianpolicies and accusations of corruption both played arole in the outbreak of violent unrest in April 2010,but the more immediate cause appeared to be a steepincrease in the cost of utilities. In early April,thousands of protesters attempted to storm the maingovernment building in Bishkek in an apparenteffort to overthrow the government. Failing todisperse the crowds with tear gas and stun grenades,riot police fired with live ammunition, killing some80 people and wounding hundreds more. By theearly hours of April 8, Bakiyev had fled the capitalby plane, and the opposition had announced theformation of an interim government led by RosaOtunbaeva.

Roza Otunbaeva:

Kyrgyz politician who served as president(20102011 ) of the interim government ofKyrgyzstan that came to power with the ouster

of Pres. Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Otunbayeva completed her education in Russia,earning a degree in philosophy from MoscowState University in 1972. In 1992, a year afterKyrgyzstan gained its independence from theSoviet Union, Otunbayeva was named thecountrys first ambassador to the United States.She held this post until 1994, when she waselevated again to foreign minister, this time inthe government of Pres. Askar Akayev.Otunbayeva became ambassador to the UnitedKingdom in 1997.

In 2004 Otunbayeva broke with former allyAkayev, accusing him of corruption andnepotism. In 2005, she was part of theopposition against the President during the TulipRevolution. Otunbayeva won a seat inparliament in 2007 as a member of the SocialDemocratic Party. By that time she had placedherself in outspoken opposition to Bakiyev,whom she felt displayed the same tendencytoward corruption as his predecessor.

After the second revolution in 5 years, the

provisional government was put into place withOtunbayeva as interim president; hergovernment announced that she would remain inoffice until the end of 2011 when Presidentialelections will take place. (Text from:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1697211/Roza-Otunbayeva)


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Almost two months after the transfer of power, ethnic violence between the Kyrgyz majority andthe Uzbek minority erupted in the south of the country, particularly in and around Osh. With theinterim government unable to bring the region under its control, this ethnic violence resulted inthe deaths of scores of Uzbeks and a smaller number of Kyrgyz, as well as the dislocation ofhundreds of thousands. Reports also alleged that atrocities had been committed by Kyrgyz

troops, suggesting that the military was not fully under government control. The interimgovernment did not immediately respond to these allegations and instead accused Bakiyev offomenting the unrest. Meanwhile, Uzbeks claimed zones of autonomy in the south and refused toaccount to the central government, threatening to fracture the country.

Although the violence had cast into doubt the ability of the interim government to hold ascheduled referendum on a new constitution, in late June the vote took place as planned. Thenew constitution was approved by some 90 percent of voters in an election internationalobservers held to be free and fair.

Democracy:

In October 2010 Kyrgyzstans first parliamentary elections proceeded without violence or majorvoting irregularities, a development that was hailed as a step forward for democracy in CentralAsia. Five parties received enough votes to enter parliament. The nationalist Ata-Zhurt party,which included several associates of former president Bakiyev and opposed the new constitution,garnered the most votes, although no party achieved a majority. A coalition government wasformed with Almazbek Atambayev, of the Social Democratic Party, serving as prime minister.He resigned in September 2011 in order to contest the upcoming presidential election.

Atambayev won a commanding victory in the October 2011 presidential election, receiving morethan 60 percent of the vote. His large margin of victory over the second-place candidate, whosecured less than 15 percent of the vote, eliminated the need for a runoff. The peaceful election

was hailed as an important achievement for Kyrgyzstan, although international observers notedvoting irregularities in some areas of country.


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Timeline of Major Events in Kyrgyz History_______Text taken directly from BBC News. Timeline: Kyrgyzstan. Available at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1296570.stm

10th-13th centuries - Kyrgyz people migrate southwards from the Yenisey River region incentral Siberia to the Tian-Shan region.

1685 - Kyrgyz people settle in the area that is now Kyrgyzstan; area conquered by the Oirats, aMongol people, after centuries of Turkic rule.

1758 - Oirats defeated by Chinese Manchus and Kyrgyz become nominal subjects of Chineseempire.

Early 19th century - Kyrgyz come under the jurisdiction of the Uzbek khanate of Kokand, tothe west.

1876 - Russian forces conquer the khanate of Kokand and incorporate what is now Kyrgyzstaninto the Russian empire.

1916-17 - Many Kyrgyz seek refuge in China, across the eastern border, following the Russiansuppression of rebellion in Central Asia and the outbreak of civil war in the wake of the 1917October Revolution in Russia.

1920s - Many formerly nomadic Kyrgyz resettled as part of land reforms; improvements in

literacy and education made.

1936 - Kyrgyzstan becomes a constituent republic within USSR.

1991 - Kyrgyzstan declares independence

2005Tulip Revolution: President Askar Akayev, resigns as president after a wave of protests.

2010 April- Opposition protests spread from northern Kyrgyzstan to capital Bishkek, sweepingPresident Kurmanbek Bakiyev from power. Opposition leaders form an interim governmentheaded by former Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva. President Bakiyev resigns and is given

refuge in Belarus.

2010 June - More than 200 people are killed in clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbek ethniccommunities in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad. Hundreds of thousands of people fleetheir homes.

2011 October - Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev wins presidential election with more than60% of the vote.


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Besh Barmak

Manty

Kyrgyz CultureKyrgyz CuisineText and pictures taken directly from: http://www.discovery-kyrgyzstan.com/archive/2005/7_article.php

Kyrgyzstan stood on the crossroads of the Silk Road, and the caravan routes which

crossed the territory carried not only goods for trade, but also brought examples of variouscultures: Turkish, Persian, Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Russian, and European and these mingledwith the culture and traditions of Central Asia. As a result Kyrgyz cuisine has absorbed elementsfrom all of the cultures with which it came into contact, and although many dishes that you willfind are common throughout Central Asia, it is still possible to find examples that have preservedtheir original, national identity.

It is said that the food in Central Asia falls into three different types: the subsistence dietof the once nomadic peoples such as the Kyrgyz (mainly meat, milk products and bread); the dietof settled Turkish peoples (the Uzbeks and Uighurs) including pilaffs, kebabs, noodles and pasta,stews and elaborate pastries and breads; and dishes which come from the South (Iran, India,Pakistan and China) with more seasoning and herbs.

One of the most essential features of Kyrgyz cuisine is that dishes should preserve theirtaste and appearance. For example, there are almostno dishes comprising puree, minced, or choppedmeat, (although there are a few exceptions.) Also,Kyrgyz dishes tend to have a plain taste; sauces andspices are used in only small batches, althoughspices are used more often in the South. Sauces areintended only to bring out the taste of the dish not tochange it.

Traditional Dishes:

Beshbarmak - The Kyrgyz national dish is BeshBarmak, the "Five Fingers", so called because it wastraditionally eaten by hand. It is essentially meat(horse, beef, or mutton) boiled in its own broth forseveral hours, served over homemade noodles. This dish is most often made during a feast tocelebrate a birth or important birthday, or to mourn a death, either at a funeral or on ananniversary.

Lagman - Lagman is a dish that consists of thickhomemade noodles covered in chopped peppersand other vegetables in a vinegary, spicy sauce.

This is served almost everywhere in Kyrgyzstan,but is said not to be a Kyrgyz dish at all, butrather a Dungan one.

Manty - Manti dumplings usually consist ofground lamb or beef wrapped in dough and thenfried, boiled or steamed.


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The Komyz

The Temir Komyz

A Manaschi

Kyrgyz Arts

Manaschi: If the story of Manas is central to Kyrgyz

traditional culture and character, psychology and spirittheManaschi holds a special place of respect in Kyrgyz Culture. Themanaschi, (traditionally they are always menalthough somewomen have taken to narrating the story as well), alternatesbetween a rapid declamatory style when narrating factualinformation, and a strongly rhythmic recitative for depictingdialogue and direct quotation. They use dramatic gestures,changes in tone, pitch and facial expressions as an integral part oftheir performanceemploying all to hold the attention of theaudience. It is possible, (probable, even) that, as the epic did notexist in written form until quite recently, that it may have changed

quite considerably over the years ... even if the main episodes arestill intact. Improvisation was a highly skilled art amongst thenomads - and many akyns were masters at it.

1

The Komuz:This three-stringed plucked fretless lute is theinstrument most identified with the Kyrgyz people. It is

used both to accompany singing and as a virtuosic soloinstrument. For more information on the komyz(literally, 'instrument').

2

Temir komuz:

The so-called 'iron instrument' is what many in the Westcall a Jew's harp. The harp is placed in the mouth andplucked.

1http://celestial.com.kg/articles/people/Persons/Manaschi/Manaschi_432.htm2http://www.kyrgyzmusic.com/


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The Epic of Manas

The great epic poem Manas containsmore than a million lines and is 20times as long as the Odyssey and Iliadtogether and 2.5 times longer than the

Mahabharata. Taking as its subject theentire history of the Kyrgyz peoplestarting in about the 10th century, theepic is a description of valorous featsof the central hero Manas, battling thebarbarian hordes to create a homelandfor his people. Before being slain inthe triumphant final battle, he marriesthe wise Kanykei, daughter of aSamarkand khan. Sequels tell of theexploits of their son, Semetei, and hisson Seitek. Along the way, the epicdetours through colorful descriptionsof everyday life with its traditions,customs, feasts and funerals. Themanaschy is the traditionalprofessional Manas storyteller. Anesteemed bard was always welcome inany house. Many of Kyrgyzstansmost respected historical figures, likeToktogul (of city, reservoir, and street-in-Bishkek fame), were manaschy.Singing Manas was ideally suited tothe different situations and is the coreof the Kyrgyz self-image. (From:http://www.muzatravel.com/kyrgyzsta

n/culture.htm)

Kyrgyz Literature:

The literary history of the modern-day Kyrgyz begins in theearly 19th century. Before the Bolshevik revolution Kyrgyzwas written in the Arabic alphabet; this was reformed and

standardized in 1924. In 1927 the Kyrgyz writing system wasswitched to one based on the Latin alphabet, and in 1941 thiswas replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet, which continues in usetoday in Kyrgyzstan.

Written Kyrgyz literature arose from rich oraltraditions and was at the outset exclusively poetic. Manuscriptpoems derived from the oral epic cycle Manas written byKyrgyz in their own language survive from around the turn ofthe 20th century.

The tremendous growth in literacy among Kyrgyzduring the Soviet period was mirrored by significant strides in

the sphere of creative writing. Kyrgyz folklore provided theblueprint and materials for poetry of the first half of the 20thcentury by Aal Tokombaev, Joomart Bknbaev,Kubanchbek Malikov, and Jusup Turusbekov. Prose fictionwas among new literary forms that appeared under Sovietauspices and reached a high level of cultivation. The first shortstory published in Kyrgyz was Kasmal Bayalinovs Ajar(1927); the first Kyrgyz novel was Tglbay Sdkbekovs

Keng-Suu (193738; Broad River, the name of the villagethat is the novels setting).

The short-story writer, novelist, and essayist ChingizAytmatov enjoyed international acclaim and a dominantposition in Kyrgyz literature in the second half of the 20thcentury with such early works as Jamila (1958; Eng. trans.Jamilia), a tale of love amid changing times.


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Folklore: The Manas Epic

_______From: http://www.silkroadfoundation.org/folklore/manas/manassec4.html

In this excerpt Manas performs his first great deed.

6380 Would that God not show such athing--With flags and red banners waving in thedust,Making a disturbing hue and cry,Carrying crescent-shaped black banners,Making an alarming hue and cry,

On the other side of the mountains,On this side of Kangay,Came the Manchus with the envoy ofEsenkhan,The land guardianOf the Kara Kalmyks and Manchus,

6390 Who had heard a rumor:

"The countless unruly livestockOf the Burut Kyrgyz JakpHave been grazing on our land," he heard.Carrying seven flagsAnd taking seven hundred warriors,The leader is the giant Kochku.Heading the seven hundred warriors,Kochku arrived suddenly.Kochku, the warrior of the Kalmyks

6400 Wreaked great havoc.That pig had prepared himselfTo root outJakp with his forty Kyrgyz families,To wipe them out completely,To pick apart the fabric of their lives,To bring on them a great disaster,That pig had waited, indeed,To plunder Jakp's livestockAnd add them

6410 To Esenkhan's riches.Imposing Kochku and his warriors,Galloped up,Riding a chestnut horse,He set out filled with wrath,With his orders from Esenkhan,The brave Kochku had no choice.He took with him the best guards,The most skilled spearmen,All together with seven hundred warriors

6420 That Kochku arrived now,His men wearing large coats of mailAnd large mail shirts,Dirt flew in the sky,Soldiers marched in disorderly array,What the soldiers carriedWere mighty bows and metal-tipped arrows,


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They came and threw their demandsIn the face of bay Jakp.His howl enough to shatter stones,

6430 Kochku came with threat of forceHis shouts enough to break one's head:"Good-for-nothing, devious man with amustache,Your heart is wicked, troublesome Burut,Possessing countless livestock,You've let it go to your head,You came to Altay as an exile andprospered.Obey my orders, Burut,Hand over to us at once

6440 Your rascal son Manas.If you don't agree to itAnd dont give Manas to us,Death awaits you right now,I will completely destroy you.You, the good-for-nothing Burut,Obey my order, Burut,Give Manas to us, Burut,If you don't comply,If you don't hand Manas over right now,

6450 You and your Kyrgyz people of fortyfamilies,I will plunder your mares,I will teach you a lesson.If I really get madI will smash your brains out!I came to take Manas

With your permission, my Burut,If you don't grant my requestAnd don't give what I ask,I will create a disaster,

6460 Just wait and see, my Burut,I will plunder your people,And cast you from your seat of honor intothe grave,Plunder your four kinds of animals,And make your head spin!I have an order to carry out,Good-for-nothing, devious Burut,I will confiscate your treasure bags,Esenkhan has given me an order.He is my master in Beijing,

6470 I have my commanders and khans,So, accept my words,Without any argument and quarrel,Give me Manas,Good-for-nothing, devious Burut,You were driven away from your Kyrgyz,And suffered, unable to find your homeland.Raising countless livestock,You have been using, indeed,The foothills of Altay.

6480 Saying that your son's name is 'Fool,'You've been betraying, indeed,Our king Esekhan.You've been hiding, indeed,You dmpeki son, Manas.You wanted to reach your peopleAnd become a respected leader,And enjoy your life every day,


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Select Bibliography of Sources on Kyrgyzstan

Abazov, Rafis. Historical dictionary of Kyrgyzstan Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, 2004

Abazov, Rafis. The Kyrgyzs: A Modern History Routledge, (2012)

Anderson, John, Dr. Kyrgyzstan : central Asia's island of democracy Australia: HarwoodAcademic Publishers, c1999

Antipina, Claudia; Temirbek Musakeev; and Rolando Paiva (Photographer). Kyrgyzstan Skira(March 27, 2007)

Gullette, David. The genealogical construction of the Kyrgyz Republic : kinship, state and"tribalism" Folkestone : Global Oriental, 2010

Hewitt, Richard The Kyrgyz Kalpak Sonoon Jer (March 5, 2009

Hiro, Dilip. Inside central Asia : a political and cultural history of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan, Turkey and Iran New York : Overlook Duckworth, 2009

Howard, Keith and Saparbek Kasmambetov. Singing the Kyrgyz Manas: Saparbek

Kasmambetov's Recitations of Epic Poetry. Global Oriental 2011-02-28; Har/Com edition(February 28, 2011)

King, David C. Kyrgyzstan (Cultures of the World). Benchmark Books (NY); 1 edition(September 2005)

Kuehnast, Kathleen R. Better a hundred friends than a hundred rubles? : social networks intransition--the Kyrgyz Republic Washington, DC : World Bank, 2004

Mitchell, Laurence. Kyrgyzstan (Bradt Travel Guide) Bradt Travel Guides; 1st edition (February26, 2008)

Tranum,Sam. Life At the Edge of the Empire: Oral Histories of Soviet Kyrgyzstan Sam Tranum& Co., 2009)

ceres country profile - kyrgyz republic

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