Kyrgyzstan, Song Kül, June 2000 / Kyrgyz is derived from the Turkish word for forty and refers to forty clans. The forefathers of the Kyrgyz were Turkish nomads. They migrated about a thousand years ago from North East Siberia and Mongolia, moving southwards to the Tien Shan Mountains in Central Asia.
Kyrgyzstan, Söng Kül, June 2000
Kyrgyzstan, Altyn Arashan, June 2000 / In May, the Kyrgyz travel with their herds to the higher planes of the Tien Shan Mountains.
Kyrgyzstan, Tash Rabat, June 2000 / Fermented horse milk, Koumis, is the national drink of Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan, Altyn Arashan, June 2000
Kyrgyzstan, Altyn Arashan, June 2000 / Ulak Tariysh is an old tradition in Central Asia. It is a competition between two teams of six to ten horse riders. The very skilled horsemen are able to grab a carcass of a goat weighing twenty kilos off the ground. The team that first throws the carcass into their opponents’ goal is the winner.