Kyrgyz wresting ‘Kurosh’ is one of the most ancient types of wrestling of the Kyrgyz people. Athletes wear belts and white loose pants without a shirt on. Wrestlers stand one in front of another and hold each other by the belt with both hands. A wrestler must have at least one hand on the belt of his opponent during the match. One cannot grab opponent’s legs with hands but foot sweeps are allowed. The one whose thigh, body or head touches the ground first loses. If athletes fall simultaneously and it is unclear who touched the ground first – the match starts over.

Folk tuned melodies (kuu) of different sizes are classical musical heritage of the Kyrgyz, which are performed on national musical instruments. Each of them is exceptional and unique in its own way. The main musical instrument used in solo performance of kuu is a three-stringed plucked instrument – komuz. Well-known folk tuned melodies as Kambarkan, Botoi, Kerbez, Tolgoo and Kairyk have become the basis for emergence of separate genres of kuu and have had their own impact on development of the Kyrgyz instrumental music as a whole. Performance of each kuu is distinguished by the diversity of methods of artistic expressiveness and playing technique. Kuu are divided into program and non- program musical pieces. The bases of program folk tunes are folk life, epical, and historical plots, historical geneses of which are presented before each kuu performance. Non-program kuu reflect certain life circumstances and have their own titles. They reflect deep human experiences about the meaning of life, images of the human. In general, kuu have laid the foundations for development of the Kyrgyz instrumental music. The Kyrgyz instrumental music performed by folklore groups is very popular now. No cultural event is organized without it today, whether it is a festive or a national event. Depending on the complexity of compositions, sounds of typical musical instruments of the Kyrgyz such as komuz, kyl kiyak, temir komuz, chopo-choor, dobulbas and sybyzgy are present in the instrumental music. National musical instruments of the Kyrgyz can be functionally divided into instruments bearing artistic and esthetic function, instruments bearing application purpose, and the ritual ones that combine the first two features. Along with concert and orchestral practice, some instruments of applied and ritual character continue to be used in ceremonial songs up today.

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.

Needle grass (called chiy in Kyrgyz) is used for traditional handicrafts. Needle grass grows in all regions of Kyrgyzstan. Needle grass is harvested when it is ripe between 15 of August and 15 of September. If harvested too early, needle grass become fragile, if harvested too late, it becomes too stiff at the bottom. Needle grass is harvested with roots because the bottom part is the most durable and looks like a knot that prevents chiy from falling apart. Making such mats requires mastery and patience because a craftswoman needs to wrap every stem of thatch with different woolen thread. The threads must make a pattern at the end. This makes needle grass mat making especially challenging. • When harvested, needle grass is cleared of leafs and outer layer and then dried on a sun. Depending on a size of a future mat, needle grass is cut accordingly. • Mats can be prepared manually or by using a special machine. Self-made weaving machine consist of two vertical poles with a hanger at the top. One perpendicular pole is put on top of those hangers. • The perpendicular pole has notches to hang threads. Then, weaving threads are wrapped around two equally heavy stones. • Stones are hang in such a way that they are located on a different side in relation to a perpendicular pole. • Needle grass stems are a placed in such a way that top of one stem lies next to the bottom of another stem. A craftswomen takes stones and moves them back and forth in such a way that threads wrap each stem creating a pattern. • When weaving is done, the fluffy edges of needle grass are cut even. The bottom part of the mat is not cut. The edges of mats are strengthened by a zigzag weaving. There are needle grass mats both with and without ornament.

Art metal processing works made by masters found in museum funds of Kyrgyzstan and those that are passed from generation to generation shows that the Kyrgyz possessed metal processing techniques from the ancient times. The Kyrgyz metalwork masters are named as ‘usta’ or ‘zergher’. Distinct features of different techniques of metalworking can be observed in the works of the Kyrgyz masters, such as forging, molding, appliqueing, notching metal with silver, engraving, minting, pattern plating, pelleting, fretwork and black finishing. Silver is the most common metal used by the Kyrgyz. Masterpieces distinct to the Kyrgyz jewelry making have been created with a help of simple tools used in metalworking. The kit of jeweler’s main instruments included an anvil, hammers for different purposes, dies, stamps, chisels, puncheons, mandrels, cutters, poin-tools, etc. Motives of the ornaments used in jewelry and metal works are very diverse. Of a particular interest are the Kyrgyz traditions of metalworking expressed in details of the horse equipment. They are richly decorated with metal braces covering joints of belts made by embossing technique and notching. Kyrgyz jewelers broadly used the technique of denting, that is coating notched iron plates with silver. Such coated plates of different size and forms were then used to embellish harness elements, man’s belts, knives, fire stones, trunks, cases for dishes, etc. Quite often jewelry articles were framed with granules. This technique was primarily used in woman’s adornments, such as ear-rings, rings, seal-rings, bracelets, and etc. Like formerly, granulation was combined with filigreeing and incrustation. Community of craftspeople metalworking was a purely masculine craft, but women zergers are also known.

Acknowledgment of the role of a horse is expressed in traditional horse equipment, which is divided into protective equipment and items that provide comfortable and safe position of the rider. Significant attention was also paid to an artistic decoration of details. Items of the horse equipment are made of metal, leather and wood, and decorated with stylized plant and animal motifs. Soft types of wood are used to make a saddle. Pine, poplar and beech timber possess suppleness; they do not crack or break easily. Peculiarity of the Kyrgyz saddle is a long front pommel (kash). This detail serves to tie the bridle. A good saddle is necessarily covered with leather and decorated. Stirrups for saddle can be made of leather or metal. Horse girth represents a wide durable leather belt. Metallic parts of the harness are also richly decorated. Kamchy (horsewhip) is composed of elegant handle and whip made of tightly intertwined leather.

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.

The ornament adorns all the objects surrounding the Kyrgyz from the moment of birth to the end of life. Nowadays, ornaments are very popular and used not only for decorating yurts and utensils but also for festive attires, jewelry, and souvenirs. Kyrgyz gave the patterns their own names identifying them with elements of their own and surroundings in the world around them. The shape of the symbols has reached us through the ages, almost unchanged. Kyrgyz ornaments include simple geometrical symbols, floral patterns, images of animals (both living and fantastic), nature, and stylized images of people. One of the most popular patterns are: ram’s horns, which repeats the image of this animal and represents prosperity or Umai ene, winged woman with a child, a spirit that represents fertility and protects mothers and babies. There are several types of Kyrgyz ornamental patterns: 1. Patterns symbolizing landscapes and other natural objects and processes such as Earth, a spring, eternal movement, Sun, Venus, star constellations, day and night, equinox; 2. Patterns symbolizing elements of animal kingdom such as raven claw, goose foot, ram horns, goat horns, a bird wing, a dog tail; 3. Patterns symbolizing elements of flora such as almond, clover, pomegranate, tulip; 4. Patterns symbolizing household objects as a comb, a lock, tip of a knife, köökör, a vessel for fermented milk; 5. Patterns with anthropomorphic elements.

Today, piled weaving is vividly demonstrated in the patterned piled carpets that are distinguished by their quality and durability. Sheep, caprine or camel hair is used for base of the carpets. Piled carpets are original and colorful as are other items of the applied and decorative arts of the Kyrgyz. Kyrgyz piled carpets, are weaved on a simple horizontal machine – ‘dyukoun’. Instruments of masters also include wooden comb – ‘tokmok’, which is used to nail picks and piles, a knife – to cut piled threads, and scissors – to trim the piles. Geometrical shapes are prevailing in the Kyrgyz piled carpets. These are: squares with jogged edges or elongated endings – ‘omurtka’, triangles – ‘tumarcha’, cross shaped figures – ‘chaidosh’, simple or stepped rhombs – ‘it taman’, star shaped forms – ‘jyldyz’ as well as various octangulars and etc. Plant and horn shaped motifs are also present in the ornaments such as ‘toguz doubou’ (nine hills), ‘alma kouchout’ (apple pattern) and etc.

Kurak is a Kyrgyz craft of quilting. Quilting is a process of sewing pieces of fabric together, which at the end create a common pattern. Pieces of fabric, leather and felt of various size and color are used for quilting. Kyrgyz people say that kurak is a renewal of the old, creation of something big from something small. Nowadays, kurak is still very popular craft in the Kyrgyz Republic. Quilted items are always included into a bride’s dowry. Many household items such as blankets, pillow cases, wedding curtains, table cloths, spoon bags, tea bags and other items are quilted. The quilting techniques can be divided into two categories: 1. quilting that uses triangular and rectangular pieces of fabric of different color arranged in a way that creates sophisticated patterns; 2. quilting done with thin strips of fabric of different color. One of the most wide-spread patterns is black triangle on a white background called tumracha (small amulet) or turna (crane). Another ancient ornament used in quilting is a black square put on one of the inside angles of a white square. This ornament is called boto köz (baby camel’s eye). There are more sophisticated patterns. For example, kattama kurak (layered quilting) is a square with triangles going around it. A red square and white triangles make a pattern called alma kurak (apple quilting). A square with diagonals made out of lozenges and triangles is called scissor quilting. It is used to decorate various pillows and cushions.

One of the main meat delicacies is a horse meat sausage called ‘chuchuk’. It was made out of horse intestine stuffed with horse meat and fat. Sheep meat and internal organs were used to make such delicacies as ‘jorgoom’ (made out of sheep lungs and stomach), ‘byzhy’ (a sausage made out of sheep liver, fat and blood) and ‘olobo’, that is sheep lungs filled with milk and boiled in water. Tash kordo is an ancient Kyrgyz dish. Literally, it means “food prepared on hot stones”. The separated and marinated meat is wrapped into the game skin and prepared in a hole in the ground about 1.5 m long and 70 cm wide, with stones at the bottom and sides hanged over the hot ashes.

Traditional Kyrgyz cuisine has a long history. It has been evolving for centuries and adapting to new conditions. There are various types of flour products popular in the country. The most popular is ‘boorsok’ - square shaped pieces of yeast dough fried in oil. Boorsok is important dish of all celebrations, holidays, funerals. Another widespread flour product is ‘jupka’. ‘Jupka’ is a flatbread prepared from unleavened or leavened dough based on flour, salt and water, milk and butter. The dough is rolled by hand or using a dough roller into round shape. In some communities of Kyrgyzstan, flatbread is baked in earthen or stone ovens called ‘tandyr’ buried into the ground. Kyrgyz cuisine contains different types of bread ‘nan’ such as ‘tandyr nan’ (baked in tandyr), ‘komoch nan’ (pan-fried bread on an open fire), ‘mai tokoch’ (bread fried in the oil), ‘kattama’ (bread baked in a frying pan with a large amount of butter or kaimak – fatty sour cream. Often kattama is filled with onions).

Kyrgyz people usually fermented dairy products. It can explained by the fact that fermented dairy products was the best way to preserve and consume milk. Main fermented cow dairy products are: ‘airan’ -yoghurt like product, which is fermented 5-6 hours; ‘suzmo’ which is prepared by adding some salt into airan. Suzmo also serves as a main ingredient for other dairy product such as ‘kurut’ (dried balls, made out of suzmo). Kurut used to be a snack in almost every household and has various types as ‘chii kurut’ or ‘mai kurut’. ‘Ezhigey’ is also one of the popular dairy products, which is particularly a cheese, made of sheep milk. Melted butter is prepared by boiling "kaymak" (fatty sour cream)

Sumolok is a ritual dish cooked by the entire community for spring holiday Nooruz. Sumolok is a brown, nutritious, sweet paste-like liquid dish. Children like eating it very much. Sumolok is cooked for 20-24 hours. Firstly, the oil is heated in a big pot (kazan), then the flower is fried in it and the first batch of mushed sprouts are added. When it starts getting thicker, the second and then third batches are added. When it starts boiling, it is put on slow fire for 5-6 hours. When it seems ready, the fire is put off and sumolok is left under its own steam. In the morning, the eldest women open sumolok and everyone looks at the surface of it. Various interesting lines form on the surface. They are used to make predictions for the coming year. When sumolok is cooled down it is served for the community members.

‘Bozo’ is a favorite beverage of the Kyrgyz. Usually, it is made from ground wheat, barley or corn. The basis of bozo is ‘ugut’ (malt). It is made from wheat, sometimes from a mixture of wheat with barley or millet. Preparation of bozo contains three stages. Firstly, ground cereal is poured with warm water and added some leaven. Then it is left to ferment in a warm place for a day. The second stage contains the process of cooking the fermented mass adding boiling water, constantly stirring during one or two hours. In the last stage, ‘ugut’, a bit of flour and leaven is added to the cooled mass, which is left in a warm place for a day. After the fermentation, the mass is diluted with water and filtered. ‘Jarma’ is an ancient beverage drank as a refreshing drink. It is thick and calorie-rich so that it is as good as food. People take it with them when going out to work on the fields. It is easy to make and both adults and children drink it with pleasure. Jarma is made out of talkan. Talkan is coarsely grinded barley or wheat. Barley or wheat is fried beforehand. After boiling enough talkan in water, jarma is cooled down. Then airan or grinded kurut is added. Jarma is made all year around either as a cold or hot dish or as a refreshing beverage. ‘Maksym’ is a traditional thick beverage, which is consumed in spring and summer seasons. It is very good for quenching thirst. It is also used as food, it is easy to make and nutritious. Farmers take it with them when going out to work in the fields. First, talkan is fried in a sheep fat until it turns golden-brown. The water is poured and boiled. Then, culture is added and is left for 7-8 hours for fermentation.