The State Seal
I was watching the news on the TV the other day when an item caught my attention. It was about yet another anniversary … they are very hot on anniversaries here in Kyrgyzstan.
This time it was marking the anniversary of the adoption of the State seal, or Gerp as it is known here, as a symbol of the Kyrgyz Republic. It was officially adopted on 14th January 1994.
You can see the gerp almost everywhere in Kyrgyzstan – especially, but not only, in government buildings. It’s a bit like the British royal coat of arms which is used by the British government as a symbol for the country. In both countries, for example, many government departments use it as a crest on their headed paper.
The current symbol is circular, with a blue background, and depicts the sun rising over the mountains, a falcon with wings spread (many people think it is meant to be an eagle – oriel – but apparently it is a falcon – sokol), symbolizing generosity, vigilance and the noble intentions of the people. In the foreground are the waters of a lake. It is highly symbolic of the natural beauty, lofty ideals and sources of bounty, life and energy that surround the Kyrgyz people in their mountain homeland.
The current gerp replaced the Soviet coat of arms, adopted in 1937, but which can still be seen adorning some monuments and government buildings – of course, on the older ones. For example, there is a large representation of it over the main entrance to the parliament building, facing the statue of Lenin in the old Central Square.
It also also featured the sunrise over the mountains along with symbols of bounty and the Soviet symbols of a star and the “Hammer and Sickle”.
The wheat sheaf on the right were chosen to represent the Northern part of the country, whilst the cotton bolls on the left represented the South.
Bishkek