ichLinks

Traditional knowledge related to the technique of leather work and leather products manufacturing
Historically, livestock herding has been one of the main livelihoods of the Kyrgyz people. That is why leather crafting has become an important craft and many household items are made out of leather. The skin of such domestic and wild animals as cows, horses, camels, yaks, sheep, goats, foxes, otters, mountain goats and deer is used for leathercraft. Sheep and goat skin is most widely used due to their accessibility. Sheep leather is used for making shoes and cloths. In the context of nomadic and pastoral lifestyle, dishes made out of leather are still popular. The vessels for milk products such as sabaa, kookor, konok, konochok were made out of processed camel of cow skin. The vessels are smoked with juniper or pine branches before use. Cattle skin is used to make leather for some household items such as wooden chests for dishes and utensils, horse tack (stirrups, various strips, reigns and whips), etc. Both women and men are engaged in leather work. At the same time there is a clear separation in labor. E.g. only men slaughter and skin animals. Men also process leather for horse tack and other large things. Women process skin of smaller animals such as sheep and goats. Women make such household items as vessels for milk products, various bags, sacks and cup-holders. Kyrgyz people tried to decorate leather items just like any other household item. There were many ways to decorate leather items. E.g. cup-holders were decorated with silver clips or patterns were craved right on the surface of leather. Leather items were made in different shapes. E.g. kookor, a vessel for kymyz, was made in a shape of an anchor, cup holders were cylindrical or semi-spherical. Carving or stamping patterns on the leather surface looks very good because it livens up the monotonous surface and makes it more pleasing to eye.

#leather craft #leather work #leather products manufacturing #sheep skin #goat skin #cow skin #craftsmen communities #nomadism

Kyrgyzstan

Kymyz muryndyk ('initiation of koumiss') Traditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders
Kazakh spring horse-breeding rites mark the end of the old and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in the traditional knowledge of nature and in the millennia-aged close relations between man and horse, these rites involve skills inherited from the nomadic ancestors and adapted to the present-day reality. The main constituents of the element are: 1.‘Biye baylau’ (literally, ‘tethering mares’), the ancient 'first milking'; rite encompassing the separation of mares and foals from herds, tethering them, greasing ropes and pegs, milking mares, greasing and smoking vessels for koumiss, fermenting the first-day milk, and celebrating with songs, dances and games. 2. ‘Ayghyr kosu’ (figuratively, ‘stallion’s marriage’) is a rite for adjoining stallions in herds. taking place on the same day. This rite is considered as a recent one that emerged in response to shifting from nomadic life to settling. 3. ‘Kymyz muryndyk’ (metaphorically, ‘initiation of koumiss’) is the 'first koumiss sharing'; rite, opening a season of its making and drinking. The above rite names are equally used also for their scope. The preparations go all year round (cutting wool and horse hair, getting good stallions for herds, weaving ropes and foal slips, repairing ware, cutting juniper for smoking vessels, cooking ritual food). Blessed by the elders, the ‘first milking’ day comes in early May, when mares have foaled and grass grown. In total the rites take about 3 weeks until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, taking place in every house of the village, are over.

#horse #horse-breeding #spring #festival #kymyz #muryndyk #koumiss #drinking #sharing #may

Kazakhstan 2018

Traditional knowledge related to the wood carving and wood product manufacture
Wood carving and wood product manufacture among the Kyrgyz originated in ancient times. An example is the manufacture of wooden parts of the yurt, komuz, which have become the pinnacle of the handicraft creativity of the people. Modern travelers are very familiar with the Kyrgyz yurt, construction of which is made only of wood by the true masters. Wood items decorated with carvings and paintings have been harmoniously fit into the complex of interior of the yurt. These are chests ‘sandyk’, wooden bases on which felt mats, carpets and bedding items are placed; coffrets for food, cloth and horse gear hangers ‘ala bakan’; boxes for dishes, stirrer for kymyz ‘pishkek’, biler for drinks and other liquids, wooden blocks for lamps – ‘chirak paya’. Woodworks are done by the men named as ‘jygach usta’. Materials used for different woodworks depend on elasticity or firmness of the wooden species: birch, cottonwood, sump-weed, juniper or nut-tree. They are cut easily and flexible enough to get desired shape. Instruments used in woodworks are: saw, adze, single bitted axe, knife, hewing with blade in the form of groove, hatchet with plane, wood auger, strop used to make walls of the yurt.

#wood carving #woodworking #wood product manufacture #birch #cottonwood #sump-weed #juniper #nut-tree

Kyrgyzstan

Biye baylau (‘tethering mares’) -Traditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders
Kazakh spring horse-breeding rites mark the end of the old and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in the traditional knowledge of nature and in the millennia-aged close relations between man and horse, these rites involve skills inherited from the nomadic ancestors and adapted to the present day reality. The festive rites compiles of the triade: (1) .‘Biye baylau’; (2) ‘Ayghyr kosu’; and (3) ‘Kymyz muryndyk’. ‘Biye baylau’ (literally, ‘tethering mares’), the ancient 'first milking'; rite encompassing the separation of mares and foals from herds, tethering them, greasing ropes and pegs, milking mares, greasing and smoking vessels for koumiss, fermenting the first-day milk, and celebrating with songs, dances and games. The preparations go all year round (cutting wool and horse hair, getting good stallions for herds, weaving ropes and foal slips, repairing ware, cutting juniper for smoking vessels, cooking ritual food). Blessed by the elders, the ‘first milking’ day comes in early May, when mares have foaled and grass grown. In total the rites take about 3 weeks until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, taking place in every house of the village, are over.

#biye baylau #horse-breeding #horse #milking #tethering #mare #may #ulytau #nomadism

Kazakhstan 2018

Terisakkan Spring Festival of Horse Breeders: First Milking
On the day of biye baylau, the first milking is always performed by women. Men assist them, bringing foals, one by one, to mares for suckling and then taking them back to allow for milking.\nTraditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breeders – taking place in Terisakkan Village – mark the end of the previous and the beginning of the new yearly horse-breeding cycle. Rooted in traditional knowledge about nature and the age-old relations between man and horse, the rites involve skills inherited from nomadic ancestors, adapted to present-day reality. The rites take around three weeks in total, until the koumiss sharing ceremonies, which take place in every household, are over. The rites open a new yearly cycle of reproduction and manifest traditional Kazakh hospitality. Faced with the forced transition in the twentieth century from a nomadic way of life to a settled one, bearers have adapted the traditional form of horse breeding to meet present-day conditions to ensure its continued viability.

#horse #horse-breeding #spring #festival #traditional knowledge #may #biye baylau #ayghyr kosu #kymyz muryndyk #milking #tethering #mare #ulytau #nomadism

Kazakhstan

Leather bag _saba_ and a wooden stake used for making kymyz
\n

#nomads #mare #cow #camel milk #food #beverage #leather bag

Kyrgyzstan

Dream marathon of Sarsenbay Kotyrashev
At the age of 72, Sarsenbai Kotyrashev, a retired blacksmith from the village of Ulytau in Kazakhstan, set out on a remarkable solo journey — walking over 8,000 kilometers across all 17 regions of the country. With a handmade cart and the flag of Kazakhstan waving behind him, Sarsenbai’s mission was not only personal but deeply patriotic. His goal was to promote Ulytau, the historical and spiritual heart of Kazakhstan, and revive cultural traditions such as the Kokmaysa festival and the ancient koumiss ritual Kymyzmuryndyk.\n\nAlong the way, he shared stories of Ulytau’s rich heritage, sacred sites, and the legacy of Kazakh craftsmanship, working in collaboration with UNESCO to document intangible cultural heritage. Despite his age, Sarsenbai averaged 40 kilometers a day, enduring harsh weather, rough terrain, and physical challenges—all while being supported by a small team of medics monitoring him remotely.\n\nHis journey captivated the nation and turned him into a cultural icon. But Sarsenbai didn’t stop there. In 2023, at 73, he announced an even more ambitious dream: to walk around the world. Starting from Atyrau, Kazakhstan, his planned route spans Europe, the United States, China, and back to Central Asia. Through every step, he continues to raise awareness of Kazakh culture, identity, and resilience, proving that it’s never too late to follow your dreams — and inspire a nation in the process.

#kazakhstan #ulytau #kokmayaa #koumiss #kymyzmuryndyk

Kazakhstan 2023

Ancient Rites of Horse Breeders: Biey Bailau. Kumyz Murindik
Ulytau is the geographic and historical center of Kazakhstan where the Kazakh Khanate appeared. Central Kazakhstan is rich in historical monuments. The history and traditions of Kazakh horse breeders have been maintained since the Paleolithic times. The traditions include: biye baylau, separating dairy mares from the shoal or the feast of the first milking; ayghyr kosu, joining a stallion to the herd or the stallion’s wedding; and kymyz muryndyk, beginning to make and drink kymyz or festive of the first kymyz. Inextricably linked with one another, these traditions mark the beginning of a new horse-breeding cycle and form an integral part of Kazakh intangible cultural heritage.

#horse #horse-breeding #spring #festival #kymyz muryndyk #koumiss #drinking #sharing #may

Kazakhstan 2016-05-02

kymyz