Kyrgyzstan: Traditional life of shepherd family

The shepherds of Kochkor go to the pastures of Song Kul for the quality of the grass and the freshness of its fish. From June to September Kyrgyz nomads leave the villages to go to the highlands with their herds and settle their camps on the outskirts of the lake. These camps are composed of tents and yurts similar to that of Mongolia. Traditionally, the people of Kyrgyzstan are nomads and for a large part Muslims.

Life on the set is based on the solar clock and the whims of the weather. Long before sunrise women are busy in their yurts, preparing Arak. This is mare's milk mixed with herbs that ferment for several days in a wooden case. Five to six times a day, the Arak is shaken and stirred with a stick, then consumed without moderation during the day. When you wake up, the tradition is that you drink a bowl before getting out of the blankets. Equipped with a bottle filled with this beverage, the men drive the animals on higher pastures. Herds consist of goats, sheep, horses and cattle. On average a family has thirty horses, sheep, goats, cows and some families also own camels and yaks. Sometimes accompanied by the older children, the shepherds will not return until the evening, having gathered their livestock of the mountains. Education of children is the task of the mother and the grandparents, while that of the nomadic life is that of the father.

Eric Gourlan 2003