Culture 

The conditions of nomadic life style not only induced to rationality, but also to art view of daily environmental things and materials. All things are put in use: fur of animals, wool, and leather. But everything was made by the laws of beauty - sparkling magnificence of ornaments of horse and rider, beauty and luxury of yurts, bewitching painted and decorated utensils, horns of goats and mountain tops.

On the first sight - what is difficult in simple felt nomadic tent, named as yurt by the Europeans? But centuries-old use and traditions have made yurt amazingly rational as dwelling. Inside his yurt nomad found protection against heat, severe frosts, from torrential rains and strong mountain winds. Almost everything was produced of cattle breeding products: dense felt made of sheep wool, floor thick and soft coshma (large felt mat) to sleep on a floor; the most part of crockery and other necessary household utensils and clothes were made of animal leather. Today many things have changed, but yurt still the constant friend for nomads.

Arts and crafts, created by the Kyrgyz people, are original, various and have the main distinctive quality - combination of practical value in use and rich subjects of decoration. The main graphic and decorative means are color and ornamental pattern. Each kind of arts and crafts reflects special patterns, motives of environment, flora and fauna.

Kyrgyz craftsmen have reached the great skill in manufacturing patterned felt carpets - shirdaks (by using a mosaic technology) and ala-kiis (by rolling of a color pattern). Contrast colors here were used, and the red one was preferable. The high art value is represented by original mates and various hand-made crafts made of chii (chi-grass). Whipping of color wool on pedicel created those things, and each one was integral fancy by a composition.

To manufacture the souvenirs - from purses to clothes and footwear - the national embroidery is used. In the History Museum, in the Kyrgyz State Fine Arts museum one can see ancient invaluable samples of embroidery on homespun cloth, leather felt, suede and velvet. How rich imagination and fantasy of Kyrgyz craftswomen!

National jewelers have kept up ancient technology to present time. The bracelets, created by them, rings, earrings, national ornaments may satisfy the most refined tastes. Wooden platters and bowls, vessels and chessboards have diverse natural patterns of elm, juniper, poplar, birches; roots of a wild cherry tree. Carving and painting of various daily life subjects such as small trunks, caskets, supports and cases were decorated unusually.

The people who do not remember their history are the people without future. The traditions, customs and crafts kept up to nowadays with their background in a deep antiquity, are reflecting precisely all originality of people's spiritual life.

Each adult should know his seven ancestors. In case if he could not list them by names, he was named contemptuously "kul" (a slave).

Developing through ages the family life traditions reflect the wisdom, saved by the next generations. The high morals are shown in exclusive respect of adults, especially of parents. The national proverb says: "First relatives of jigit are his tribe, second are relatives of his wife, and third are relatives of his mother".

Kyrgyz hospitality is famous by its cordiality and openness. Cheerful, solemn and simultaneously family holidays were always popular and are revived again. "Djentek-Toi" - feast in a case of the child's birth. The worship fire is celebrated in Kyrgyz families and ceremony "Otko-Kirzish". Worship fire is worship the house, kind family relations, and home center.

Aitysh - the akyns' competition, impromptu composing verses and songs in support komuz (national wooden musical instrument) is one of the most interesting traditions, which developed by centuries and presently has received the new contents.

Kyrgyz's says: "Not any custom is custom, reasonable is custom".

How we can forget say about of spring holiday - Nooruz with background in antiquity! Spring Holiday Nooruz is more than 6 thousand years old. The great ancient Greek Strabon wrote about the day of a spring equinox: "From the most ancient time - the radical inhabitants of Mejdurechie are going per this day in a Fire Temple. It is the most esteemed holiday, when the merchants close shops, and the handicraftsmen stop their work. Everyone has fun and stands a treat to each guest coming to their fire".During celebrating of Nooruz all wars and conflicts were stopped, therefore Nooruz gave the meaning of love and unification of all peoples.The traditions of Kyrgyz people were almost forgotten during the Soviet period of time. After Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991 Kyrgyz people started reviving their ancient skills, ancient customs and their unique culture.