Traditions and Culture

The Epic of Manas

Among all the fascinating Kyrgyz legends, the Epic of Manas is the most famous story of them all. This epic tells of Kyrgyz’s national hero – Manas. The original tale was first told more than 1000 years ago, and was passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation until it was finally preserved in written form in the 1800s. The first complete version of the Epic of Manas was published in the 1920s.
The Epic of Manas tells of a story about a warrior who united the tribes and established a homeland for his people. Whether Manas was real person or only a fictional character, the influence of his story on Kyrgyzstan is undeniably significant. For example, all students in schools today are required to learn about the story of Manas. Even the national flag of Kyrgyzstan serves as a reminder of Manas’ story. The 40 rays of sun displayed on the flag represents each of the 40 tribes that Manas had united. You will also notice that many places and landmarks are named after Manas (e.g., the Manas International Airport).
In Ala-too square (city central square in Bishkek), the once massive statue of Lenin, erected by the Soviet Union, was later replaced by a statue called Erkindik (Freedom) in 2003. In 2011, when the Kyrgyz republic celebrated its 20th anniversary of independence, the Erkindik was replaced by a statue of Manas.

Chinghiz Aitmatov (Чинги́з Айтма́тов) (December 12, 1928 – June 10, 2008) was a Soviet and Kyrgyz author who wrote in both Russian and Kyrgyz. He is one of the best-known figures in Kyrgyzstan.
During the Soviet period, he was awarded the Soviet State Prize for literature in 1968, 1977, and 1983. Among his most important works are Trudnaya pereprava (1956; “A Difficult Passage”), Litsom k litsu (1957; “Face to Face”), Jamila (1958), Pervy uchitel (1967; “The First Teacher”), Proshchay, Gulsary! (1967; Farewell, Gulsary!), and Bely parokhod (1970; The White Ship, also published as The White Steamship). His works have been since translated into many other languages.
In Kyrgyzstan, you will find many places and streets named after Chinghiz Aitmatov. As you tour around Bishkek, the main statues that you will see in the city center (at Ala-too square) are Manas (the country hero) and Chinghiz Aitmatov. If you have a chance to visit the Ruh Ordo Cultural Center (located at Cholpon-Ata in the Issyk Kul region), you will see “Aitmatov’s museum house” where there are a number of statues dedicated to the stories and novels that Aitmatov had authored.

World Nomad Games is an international sport competition dedicated to ethnic sports played in Central Asia. The first three World Nomad Games (in 2014, 2016 and 2018) were all held in Cholpon-Ata (whereas the next World Nomad Games will be held in Turkey in 2020). The Games were inaugurated in 2012 by the Kyrgyz government with the plan to revive and preserve the nation’s nomadic culture. This competition is the largest international project held in the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Games are the only major event in the world that holds different ethnic sport-related competitions. In 2018, 3,000 athletes from 77 countries participated in the Games, in which there were 37 types of ethnosports in the competition. For example, there was wrestling, Yurt Building (Nomadic houses), horse racing, Kok-boru (where horse riders would compete for a goat carcass), Horseback Archery, etc.

The Yurt is one of the most symbolic features of the Kyrgyz culture. Tracing back to nomadic times, Kyrgyz would live in yurts all throughout their lives. The yurt represents their home, their family, their lifestyle from birth to death. The importance of the Yurt to the Kyrgyz people is reflected on the national flag of Kyrgyzstan, where you can see the symbol of the Yurt – Shangyrak (the upper part of a yurt) being placed at the center on the flag.
In modern times, most of the people are now living in apartments or houses rather than inside a yurt. However, you can still see the yurt everywhere. During important festivals Kyrgyz families will build a yurt to mark their celebration of a special event. Yurt camps are also found in many tourist areas to give visitors an experience of nomadic culture. Despite its primitive appearance, the yurt actually offers a very comfortable place to stay as it is cool inside during summer and warm during winter.
If you want to join a Yurt-building workshop, click

Beshbarmak (бешбармак) is Kyrgyzstan’s national food. In Kyrgyz language, “Beshbarmak” means “five fingers”, symbolizing that the dish is typically eaten with your hands. Beshbarmak consists of horse meat and homemade noodles. Most often, people will prepare and share Beshbarmak during their festivals and celebrations.

The Manti (манты) is a steamed dumpling with meat and onions inside. You can find it in all restaurants including fast food restaurants all around the country.

The Samsa (самса) is a savoury pastry often filled with meat and/or vegetable. The most common filling is a mixture of minced lamb, but you will also find chicken and cheese options as well as other vegetable alternatives. When you walk in the city, you can find it sold at street vendors, supermarkets, restaurants, and basically everywhere else in Kyrgyzstan!

The Plof (плов) is the most popular food in Central Asia and you can find it in every restaurant and fast food shop (but its taste varies among different countries). To prepare it, the chef will first cook the meat (generally mutton or beef), then he will add fried carrots and garlic. Finally, everything will be mixed together with cooked rice.