Diversity in KG

I wake up with a Kyrgyz family, a so-called ‘pure’ Kyrgyz family. They have green eyes, white skin, long faces, and high cheekbones – somewhat similar to me. They are called ‘true Kyrgyz’ because they are supposedly how the Kyrgyz looked before the Mongols did their little tour of Asia. According to what I hear the typical Kyrgyz person (who looks more Asian) are not actually ‘pure’ Kyrgyz, but rather a mix of Mongol and Kyrgyz. However my family with their green eyes and white skin are considered to be ‘pure’ Kyrgyz. We speak in mostly Kyrgyz and a little Russian.

Upon leaving the house I will go to either the school, the local government building, or to Karakol depending on the work that I am doing that day. If I go to the school I will work with my main counterpart who is a mix of Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Tatar. Currently we are working on a project together to construct an institution whose goal would be to provide a more practical education to the rural villagers than the education system is currently providing. We speak in a mix of Russian and English. She often invites me to her house where she lives with Tatar mother, Uzbek/Kyrgyz father, two brothers, and son.

Now what is a Tatar exactly? They look like Russians, but they are Muslim and not Christian. They integrate well into Kyrgyz society and can be found living in villages in cities throughout Kyrgyzstan. They are European Muslims who were expelled out of Europe centuries ago and have resettled in Russia, they even have their own autonomy called Tatarstan. Physically resembling Russians but being Muslims they were the perfect people to be given positions of power in Central Asian countries during the time of the Soviet Union. They were given many missions and important tasks to be carried out in the newly-colonized Central Asian countries. Also, out of all the ‘national cuisines’ I have tried here Tatar Cuisine is maybe the best…

Now if I go to Karakol I will either meet with Dungun, Uygur, or Uzbek people depending on the project which I am going to Karakol for. And yes, Uygur people – the ones who were expelled to the Bahamas because they were ‘creating problems’ in China. There are not many Dungun, Uygur, and Uzbek people living in Karakol but due to their active and hardworking habits I often find myself meeting and working with them.
Dungun is a Chinese-Arabic ethnicity. Their fathers were Arabic and their mothers were Chinese. Most likely their fathers were traders on the Silk Road and wed Chinese women on their travels. The Dungun’s inherited their language from their mothers, but their traditions from their fathers. They don’t have a country of their own but live scattered throughout Western China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. They also have pretty delicious food, especially Ashlanfoo. They mostly speak Russian, but a lot can communicate in Kyrgyz as well.

And then of course there are the Russians – (surprisingly) very friendly. There are very few left in my village and those who are here are very poor, but they have such funny personalities. We have Galla the alcoholic grandma who talks in rhymes, Elias who also really likes the bottle and will chase me down on the street to give me advice about something (which can be scary sometimes), and Nina who sings while she washes the floor of the school. The Russians who live in my village are very integrated into Kyrgyz society while those who live in the city are not. I almost never find myself working with Russian people here.

And then after my day I will return back to my home with my Kyrgyz family where we all sit in the kitchen (the warmest room in the house) and eat dinner, if it’s not sheep butt!

Oh Kyrgyzstan, how you fascinate me.

Andrew