KYRGYZSTAN — This Central Asian country is now preparing for the third and final fourth stages of its Kyrgyz Aty ("The Kyrgyz Horse") Festival. In charge of festival planning was Frenchwoman Jacqueline Ripart, head of the Kyrgyz Aty Foundation, the non-profit organisation hosting the event.
The festival was made possible with support from the French Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, local authorities and several international NGOs accredited to work in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. According to Ripart, the festival aims not only to preserve the wide variety or Kyrgyz horse breeds, but also to revive lost traditions, games and customs of the country's nomadic past.
The first part of the festival was held July 18 and 19 near Murgab in the Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan, which is inhabited by Pamir Kyrgyz ethnic groups. The second celebration took place at the end of August, near the base of Peak Abu Ali ibn Sina in the Alay region. The third and penultimate event is planned for Oct. 24 and 25, in the mountain valleys of the Toktogul area. The final celebrations will take place on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, near Barskoon on the shores of the Issyk-Kul Lake.
First held in 2005, the Kyrgyz Aty Festival takes place in regions where old traditions of horse-breeding have been maintained. The festival includes horse racing and Kyrgyz equestrian sports. Riders display their prowess, accompanied by folk concerts and storytelling.
"In addition to the races, there was also a crafts fair to showcase the unique needlework traditions of nomadic Kyrgyz peoples. Handicrafts were both on display and available to purchase," says Oktomkan Abdyldayeva, director of the Ene-Nazar nongovernmental organisation.
In addition to local horsemen, the Kyrgyz Aty festival was attended by equestrian enthusiasts from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Germany and France.
Oodarysh, a traditional form of wrestling on horseback, captivates the crowd. (Photo by Aleksey Osokina)
Opening the Kyrgyz Aty Festival in Alay. (Photo by Aleksey Osokina)
The first part of the festival was held July 18 and 19 near Murgab in the Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan, which is inhabited by Pamir Kyrgyz ethnic groups. The second celebration took place at the end of August, near the base of Peak Abu Ali ibn Sina in the Alay region. The third and penultimate event is planned for Oct. 24 and 25, in the mountain valleys of the Toktogul area. The final celebrations will take place on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, near Barskoon on the shores of the Issyk-Kul Lake.
First held in 2005, the Kyrgyz Aty Festival takes place in regions where old traditions of horse-breeding have been maintained. The festival includes horse racing and Kyrgyz equestrian sports. Riders display their prowess, accompanied by folk concerts and storytelling.
"In addition to the races, there was also a crafts fair to showcase the unique needlework traditions of nomadic Kyrgyz peoples. Handicrafts were both on display and available to purchase," says Oktomkan Abdyldayeva, director of the Ene-Nazar nongovernmental organisation.
In addition to local horsemen, the Kyrgyz Aty festival was attended by equestrian enthusiasts from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Germany and France.
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