Archive sections: ‘For the Record’
Beshkempir, (known in the West as “The Adopted Son”), a film by Aktan Abdikalikov and was made in 1988. It was his first feature film and has been hailed as “a worldwide success”.
Ernest Abdyjaparov was born in Bishkek in 1961. After finishing High School, in 1978, he made several applications to enter the All Union Cinematography Institute in Moscow – ironically, as it turned out, unsuccessfully. Instead, he launched himself into a varied career which included: a year with the Music School of the Osh Pedagogical Institute; [...]
Tolomosh Okeev, (1937-2001), was a film director whose output attracted admirers from abroad as well as at home. His shot his first film, “There are horses”, in 1965, and his last in 1986.
The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, (HIPC), operated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), was established in 1966 to offer debt relief and low interest loans to countries that qualified for the programme so that they could reduce their external debt to sustainable levels. It was felt that no poor country [...]
September 1st is known as Dehn Znanniy, (Knowledge Day, or Day of Knowledge), as it is the day when the school year traditionally starts in Russia and many other former Soviet republics, including Kyrgyzstan.
Traveling from Bishkek to Lake Issyk Kul, after 112km, the road enters “Boom Gorge”, which lies at the eastern end of the Kyrgyz Range and provides the only corridor between the two. Converging together through this narrow canyon are a highway, a railway, and the Chu River.
The Chopo Choor is one of the oldest of Kyrgyz traditional instruments. Originally a children’s toy, (hence it is not difficult to play), it has developed into an instrument with a fine timbre and in the hands of a master can produce haunting melodies. Originally it was found mainly in the rural areas in the south of [...]
Among the numerous national instruments the most widespread and popular is the komuz, which has rich repertoire. It is a stringed instrument, made from a single piece of wood (apricot or juniper are the favoured timbers), and plucked like a guitar. While playing it, the three strings are clasped by the left hand to the [...]
Beshbarmak is, perhaps, the most typical of all Kyrgyz dishes. The dish is meant to be eaten with the hands, not with a knife and fork! – “Besh” means five, and “barmak”, finger. Beshbarmak is served when guests arrive and at almost any festive gathering. This meal consists of noodles, which are mixed with boiled [...]
Doughs occupy an important place in Kyrgyz cuisine. The popular, ancient, ritual dish of boorsok is cut pieces of rolled dough deep fried in oil. They form a traditional table “decoration” and are produced in large quantities to be spread over the dastorkon (tablecloth) at every major celebration.
