Culture of Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has a wide mix of ethnic groups and cultures, with the Kyrgyz being the majority group. It is generally considered that there are 40 Kyrgyz clans, symbolized by the 40-rayed yellow sun in the center of the flag. The lines inside the sun are said to represent a yurt. The dominant religion of Kyrgyzstan is Sunni Islam (91%). The Russian population is Russian Orthodox.

Languages

Kyrgyzstan is the only former Soviet Central Asian republic to start out with two official languages, in this case Russian and Kyrgyz. An aggressive post-Soviet campaign was established to make the latter the official national language in all commercial and government uses by 1997; Russian is still used extensively, and the non-Kyrgyz population, most not Kyrgyz speakers, are hostile to forcible Kyrgyzification.

Kyrgyzstan has a high literacy rate (99%), and a strong tradition of educating all citizens. However, its ambitious program to restructure the Soviet educational system is hampered by low funding and loss of teachers. School attendance is mandatory through grade nine. Kyrgyz is increasingly used for instruction; the transition from Russian to Kyrgyz has been hampered by lack of textbooks. It remains to be seen whether Russian will continue as the second language of choice, or whether English will supersede it as a lingua franca.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of Kyrgyzstan

In 1992, the population of Kyrgyzstan was estimated as being 52% ethnic Kyrgyz, 22% Russians, 14.5% Uzbek, 1.9% Tatar, 0.5% Ukrainian, a population of Chinese Muslims known as the Dungan (1%), and small community of Germans. Of some potential political significance are the Uyghurs. That group numbered only about 36,000 in Kyrgyzstan, but about 185,000 lived in neighboring Kazakhstan. The Uyghurs are also the majority population in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, whose population is about 24 million, located to the northeast of Kyrgyzstan.

Literary works

Manas is a traditional epic poem of the Kyrgyz people and the name of the epic's eponymous hero. The poem, with close to half a million lines, is twenty times longer than Homer's Odyssey and one of the longest epics in the world. It is a patriotic work recounting the exploits of Manas and his descendants and followers, who fought against the Chinese and Kalmyks in the ninth century to preserve Kyrgyz independence.

Textiles

Kyrgyz felt rugs

Kyrgyz women produce a wide range of textiles, mostly from the felt of their sheep. Ancient patterns are nowadays adapted to the tourist and export market, but it is still a living tradition, in that all yurts and most houses contain hand-made carpets or rugs called shirdaks (for examples see images)

Tush kyiz are large, elaborately embroidered wall hangings, traditionally made in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan by elder women to commemorate the marriage of a son or daughter.

Colors and designs are chosen to symbolize Kyrgyz traditions and rural life. Flowers, plants, animals, stylized horns, national designs and emblems of Kyrgyz life are often found in these ornate and colorful embroideries. Designs are sometimes dated and signed by the artist upon completion of the work, which may take years to finish. The tush kyiz is hung in the yurt over the marriage bed of the couple, and symbolize their pride in their Kyrgyz tradition.

Flat cushions called xxx are usually made in shadow-pairs. These are seen on every chair, padding the seat.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Kyrgyzstan

Sports

Football

• Kyrgyzstan national football team
• Kyrgyzstan national futsal team
• Football Federation of Kyrgyz Republic
• Kyrgyzstan football records
• List of football clubs in Kyrgyzstan
• Abdygany Radzhapov Central Stadium

Rugby

• Kyrgyzstan national rugby union team
• Kyrgyzstan women's national rugby union team

See also: Rugby union in Kyrgyzstan

Tennis

• Kyrgyzstan Davis Cup team
• Kyrgyzstan Fed Cup team

Buzkashi

See also: Buzkashi

Traditions

Illegal, but still practiced, is the tradition of Bride kidnapping.

See also

• Kyrgyz music
• LGBT rights in Kyrgyzstan (Gay rights)
• Islam in Kyrgyzstan
• Scouting in Kyrgyzstan
• Bergtal
• Cuisine of Kyrgyzstan

References

• Handrahan, Lori. 2004. “Hunting for Women: Bride-Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan.” International Feminist Journal of Politics, 6:2 (June), 207–233.

• Kleinbach, Russell. “Frequency of non-consensual bride kidnapping in the Kyrgyz Republic.” International Journal of Central Asian Studies. Vol 8, No 1, 2003, pp 108–128.

• ——, Mehrigiul Ablezova and Medina Aitieva. “Kidnapping for marriage (ala kachuu) in a Kyrgyz village.” Central Asian Survey. (June 2005) 24(2), 191–202.

External links

PBS Frontline/World documentary and related pages. The Kidnapped Bride March 2004

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This article contains some text originally adapted from the public domain Library of Congress Country Study for Kyrgyzstan at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/kgtoc.html