Amazing Quest: Stories from Kyrgyzstan | Somewhere on Earth: Kyrgyzstan | Free Documentary

[Music] hey [Music] [Music] today somewhere on earth is taking you to central asia to kyrgyzstan where the population lives in harmony with nature the kyrgyz a semi-nomadic people of horsemen carry their cultural heritage with pride the country is a former soviet republic and since its independence in 1991 it has been rediscovering its roots and is now showing the rest of the world the extent of its riches this territory is home to a marvelous variety of wildlife and rewards the intrepid traveler with a pageant of an unspoiled realm that is still largely unexplored the mountains have protected the country and molded its culture and traditions at the heart of the rural society are the jelus the high mountain sites where the kyrgyz set up their summer encampments to graze their flocks on rich pastures until winter reclaims the peaks in the terse valley in the west of the country 13 families of herders share the jlo situated at an altitude of 2600 meters [Music] lives in this valley his devoted body and soul to the kergey's horses [Music] here the horse enjoys a privileged status for according to an ancient proverb horses are the wings of man [Music] i love them ever since i was little they stir my imagination life wouldn't be possible for us without them i love life out here in the pasture land it's how i recharge my batteries without horses just isn't a gylo i love my horses so i try to find the best spots for them when they're happy i'm happy everyone enjoys a different aspect of grazing the animals for me it's when my mind drifts off into a daydream once a day muscat rounds up the herd which may be scattered over several kilometers there are no pens no corrals the animals are allowed to roam freely the mountains form natural barriers for the cattle [Music] [Music] don't be afraid okay slip it around its neck if we move the mare away from her full she could very well kick us close to her so that way she stays calm while we milk her plus she'll give more milk spoon come on kumas is the national drink of kyrgyzstan muscat's wife is in charge of brewing the kumis to produce the alcohol she lets the mayor's milk ferment for two weeks in a wooden keg or a leather pouch at this altitude trees are very scarce so dried dung is the main fuel without the animals life in the mountains wouldn't be possible when you grow up out in nature you respect it it's normal for example we burn only materials that are already dead we don't divert streams we don't pollute the water of course you have to respect nature how can you not respect the earth [Applause] this breed of horse is called the spotted beauty it's a chariot kyrgyzstan's original dappled horse has very good qualities it's well adapted to the mountains it has better hooves than the russian horses and it stands up better to winter out in the pasture it's the kyrgyz breed a fine animal [Music] muscat raises only kirgi's horses a breed that nearly disappeared during the soviet era on account of extensive cross-breeding with russian horses he decided to bring this breed back and to let the rest of the world know about the characteristics of this sturdy horse since 2009 he's been concentrating his efforts on the spotted horse the charat in kyrgyz [Music] it has a short mane compared to other horses the other characteristics of the chariot are the pink spots on its snout and the white in their eyes these are its distinguishing marks it's more than a friend it's as if it were the human being closest to me it's only a horse but has more qualities than a human once a week during the mountain pasture season all the men of the valley get together they wouldn't miss their regular kokburu match for all the tea in china this is the last match of the season and muscat who is hosting it is going to sacrifice a goat for the occasion [Applause] [Music] there's no leather covered ball they use a goat carcass weighing between 25 and 50 kilos [Music] two teams two goals to score a player has to drop the goat onto the adversary's goal [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] is the ancestor of polo this nomad game which they have been playing in central asia for more than 2500 years could very well be the world's oldest team sport it has become the national sport and is the pride of this people it's the kyrgyz game a wonderful game it's in our blood because our ancestors played it all the time that's why we're still playing it now there are a lot of injuries we break ribs happens a lot in cookbooks when you hold the whip in your mouth and someone gives it a yank you can lose some teeth that's why i have gold teeth we really get banged up [Music] we don't feel the pain we don't know the meaning of fear it's a rough violent game and the horses play just as hard if you fall from a galloping horse you can really get hurt it's very dangerous it's because we have these strong fast horses that's why we always win [Music] nothing goes to waste in kyrgyzstan so after the kokburu match they cook the tenderized meat and enjoy a meal altogether the meat is highly symbolic they even say that it has curative powers this is the last meal they'll all have together before the winter migration muscat we wish you and your family a happy departure from the jlo and we thank you for this meal [Music] [Music] muscat is deeply attached to his horses but to earn a living he has to sell some off [Music] [Music] it's market day in the nearby village this is the first venture away from the herd for these three-year-old colts it's just a few minutes as the crow flies but several hours by the rutted dirt roads that meander through the canyons and wind along the countless bends of the kyrgyz mountains [Music] muscat's destination not far from the lake tuktogul is the village of the same name [Music] people come from all over to the cattle market to shop for tools to sell their wool to have a good time or simply to admire certain curiosities of the animal kingdom how much you asking 55. but the big attraction of the day is muscat with his handsome kyrgyz charats they're not even out of the truck and already people are asking the price how much do you want 55. how much 55. it's an outstanding horse very beautiful it's very rare to see such a horse it makes me a little sad but i have to bring them here i'd much rather not sell these beauties i'd prefer to just keep on breeding them rather than selling them but i have a new choice are so rare that they can be worth up to 10 times the average monthly salary here really but she didn't produce any foals at the time i saw her on a state farm i begged him to sell her to me for the price of two horses now i don't have any more how about you asking 110 for the two 110. can you come down a little what else make me an offer would you take 50 each no come down a little bit no no i can't 51. 51. no not possible we're not going to haggle 52 let's shake on that 53 and that's my final offer okay it's a deal thank you for raising these horses may the spirit of the animals protect you [Music] let's go [Music] the weather has changed soon the high mountains will become unlivable [Music] it's getting bad the animals risk slipping on a count of the snow bring them down saddle up your horse we'll have to leave the gilo in two or three days there's nothing left to graze on this land get ready to head down my son according to the kyrgyz tradition the youngest son is the sole heir he has to take care of his parents and carry on the family's activity we could own only one horse one cow and ten sheep life in the jlo is stripped to the essentials and everyone pitches in with the chores voodoo also works tirelessly [Music] check that the oven is closed close it otherwise the bread will burn take i don't want to leave and go back down but it's going to get cold so we have no choice if this summer could go on i'd rather stay here the mountain air is so pure we always eat wholesome food here everything is better than in the towns i hope things don't ever change up here [Music] i had a hard time finding all the animals there's only one herder left and he'll be coming down in two to three days it's time for us to move out too if we stay any longer it will snow and the animals will slip it's too cold we have to leave it's time to pack up and move down to a more clement altitude soon there'll be no trace left of their five-month-long stay at the zeilu [Music] it will take a few hours to break camp then three days to herd the cattle down through the mountains [Music] for us it's the symbol of everything good a friendship and peace it's the most noble thing in our lives it's sacred [Music] [Music] kyrgyzstan this small landlocked country is made up of high plateaus surrounded by impassable mountains an enclave of harsh serenity [Music] the tianshan literally the celestial mountains rised to an altitude of 7400 meters welcome to the realm of boundless peaks these mountains form a jewel box enclosing inestimable treasures among the jewels is the lake isi cool 182 kilometers long [Music] here on the banks of this vast lake the kyrgyz falconers come to train their eagles [Music] bastian was charmed by this paradise of raptors ever since i was little i've been fascinated by these birds then when i was 14 there was a turning point right near oreo the village where i lived there was a couple of benelli's eagles nesting so i began to observe them on my own at first then i started working on missions studying benelli's eagles later i came to kyrgyzstan in 2009 and 2010 to do a study of the royal eagle so i've loved nature and in particular birds of prey for a long time now bastian came to kyrgyzstan for the first time nine years ago as an ornithologist and naturalist he fell right in love with this country where the people are in such close contact with nature [Music] so [Music] one more guys in mind go on let her go [Music] [Music] uh [Music] oh yes you are beauty yes i raised her took care of her i'm like her father she obeys my voice and she's used to me feeding her she follows me everywhere even if i left her behind she'd find her way back home eagles really trust humans there are so many things i love about kyrgyzstan but if i had to pick one i would say the wide open spaces the fact that there are still so many wild steps and mountains that stretch as far as the eye can see that there are entire ecosystems that exist side by side with human habitats just fascinates me i like the unexplored aspect and often the wildlife like the snow leopard the muflons and the large birds of prey they live in fairly virgin territory where there are still so many out of the way spots just waiting to be discovered that's what attracted me the snow leopard is kyrgyzstan's emblematic animal king of the mountains it can live at altitudes up to six thousand meters this is a typical kind of rock where the leopards might mark their territory there are several ways that they leave their mark they often rub their neck against the rock to leave their scent so sometimes we find first stuck to the rock usually the rock is a bit polished at that spot then there are urinary markings which you can see here again it's to leave their scent sometimes there are scrape marks in the dirt and then there are the droppings so these are the four main ways for them to mark their territory the camera trap is an indispensable tool for studying the snow leopard a species in great danger of extinction it's one of the world's most difficult animals to observe being a naturalist means having a lot of passion but above all patience in nine years bastian has caught a glimpse of the predator in its natural habitat just once [Music] the very fact that it is so rare and difficult to spot is surely one of the things that fascinates me about the snow leopard and it's true that we often compare the snow leopard to a ghost in a way it is the ghost of the mountains from time to time you'll see some traces droppings scratchings and also they're captured by the camera traps so we know they're out there but it is really a ghost [Music] bastian a committed enthusiast has been leading scientific expeditions for the ngo objectif science international since 2009 to make the youth of kyrgyzstan aware of the environmental issues the organism funds expeditions with youngsters from the karakol orphanage who've lost contact with the world of nature for the next few days becca 16 sasha 13 and zarina 15 will be playing hooky from school [Music] [Music] i've never been to the mountains this will be my very first time and i'm really happy i'm very curious about it i can't wait to get there and see the wildlife [Music] it's their first time so they don't know what to expect but i'll be there to help them out they're off to the sarisat ertas nature reserve a vast protected territory of 1500 square kilometers close to the chinese border the goal is to make these youngsters aware of the wildlife they have here in kyrgyzstan to have a good time in the mountains to learn just what a reserve is why we have to protect the wildlife and to be conscious of the riches that they have here in their own country the reserve is far from everything from the city of caracal it's a seven hour journey over dirk roads they have to go over a first pass at 3 800 meters a second at 4 000 meters cross the high plateaus and trust the driver not to get lost in this mountainous maze [Music] the expeditions named panteja last 10 days they're accompanied by a park ranger and two supervisors their itinerary through the reserve is a total immersion in a natural setting that is as wild as it is hostile often the people who live in the town of carico or even in the villages rarely go into the mountains although they may live no more than 20 or even 10 kilometers away sometimes it's surprising to find out that these kids have never ridden a horse or that they haven't necessarily seen hairs or marmots even though caracal is really attached to the mountains so this is a chance to show them all this and for them to become familiar with these landscapes so that later they may want to protect them [Music] i need an assistant these teenagers are about to experience their first bivouac 4 000 meters up a reserve is a protected place where there are wild animals and where hunting's not allowed the mission covers 150 hectares and according to the genetic analyses it's home to around 20 snow leopards yes at least 20. when we find droppings we put them into this and send them to the laboratory they study it and find out if it's from a male or a female and also the age of the animal uh you see that peak you can see the bird up there baker do you see it [Music] as we do on these expeditions allows me to transmit my passions just as others did for me when i was their age i really feel like i'm passing on what was given to me today's mission will be a challenge the team has to collect a camera trap that was placed on a ridge during a previous expedition at 4 500 meters altitude the cold and mountain sickness affects people as well as horses the air is thin and the conditions are difficult but that doesn't dampen the enthusiasm of these youngsters eager for knowledge and adventure [Music] you know why we placed it here and not somewhere else because animals pass by this spot often could you hold on to that so what's this i know what that is that's a big male argali i saw a female there a lot huh at least 15. there are males and females [Music] here in kyrgyzstan bastia has found the wide open spaces worthy of his deep love of nature now that the expeditions are drawing to a close and the whole country is getting ready to face the winter he will go back to his second great passion [Music] right now my life is divided between france and kyrgyzstan i spin from may to october in kyrgyzstan then from november to april i'm a shepherd in southern france i heard merino sheep so my passion is all about animals wild ones as well as domestic ones and wide what i like is being able to combine shepherding the great outdoors and the wilderness is [Music] [Music] through the dust and heat of the dirt tracks in the south one can sometimes catch sight of an odd vehicle it's the all-terrain rust on board our ilias uzinov a kuban moidenov a pair of enthusiastic buddies 70 or 80. [Music] this project takes us out on the road for about 15 days a month there are 15 pilot villages and we stop at each one it takes a good three weeks of work to do is a mobile digital library its mission is to provide information and education to the most isolated communities of narin province the bookmobile pulls into the jlo of tashrabat back in the days of the silk road many traders would stop here like a pair of veteran house movers elias and kuban repeat the same gestures tirelessly as they unpack their modest treasures some books four computers a generator and a healthy dose of goodwill [Music] step right up kids how's it going where they'll be staying for two days and offering all sorts of services free of charge [Music] we have a very rich display of information on the economy agriculture animal husbandry on children i.t on a wide range of vocational training we also have information on human rights and reports on the international organizations working here in kyrgyzstan we cover all subjects biology chemistry english mathematics geography the program also offers adults a chance to inform and educate themselves not only appear in the mountains but also down in the villages or they don't have any libraries like this and when they bring all this up into the mountains for the children well i think it's just wonderful just look at the kids how happy they are you have one on the computer the others are reading books and looking at the pictures we're really happy and very grateful to them before embarking on the ibilim adventure iliaz worked for the un on programs fighting hunger and poverty he's very committed and works hard for his dream of a better world you see there are books and caregivers this is a children's encyclopedia you want to read it you have the animals when they evolve where they live [Music] if a human being is educated so many things in life become possible if our children are educated they will have an influence when they're adults they will contribute to the development of the country and will make it prosper they'll take an active part in society and they'll become responsible adults okay kids put down your books now i'm going to show you an educational cartoon librarian i t worker projectionist ilya's visits are always appreciated especially by the youngsters [Music] during the soviet era the kyrgyz language was pushed aside especially in the cities where russian took over kyrgyz is now gradually coming back into favor [Music] in general we offer the children's books and audio visual material in kyrgyz we make an effort to promote the language because it's our mother tongue the caravan sarai of tashrabat nestled in the mountain valley is one of central asia's most impressive stone constructions in the footsteps of centuries of travelers elias and kuban explore the bowels of the ancient building it was most likely built by christian monks in the 10th century religion carried over the great silk road spread all the way to the far east they say that there's a secret tunnel leading to china on the other side of the mountains [Music] its strange architecture and isolated location have given rise to many legends [Music] yes it must be seven eight meters deep i think that's where they threw the really naughty people so they would come to their senses now this building is really something [Music] see [Music] there never was one single silk road but rather a complex network of routes crossing the highest mountains and the most hostile deserts [Music] in addition to merchandise these roots also carried beliefs and myths for more than 15 centuries they transported people missionaries and artists traders and pilgrims central asia was a veritable crossroads of civilizations [Music] [Music] since the collapse of the soviet union and the opening of kyrgyzstan's borders exchanges of all kinds have begun again every day the bookmobile takes this modern day silk road the odyssey of ilias brings back memories of bygone days in the north of narin lies min bulac the thousand springs a little rural village like so many others but for ilias it's much more than an oasis of tranquility it embodies his personal history [Music] i spent 90 of my life here as the saying goes it's where my umbilical cord fell and it's where i grew up it's a sacred place i always love coming back here but i decided to bring the project here and work the village into our schedule once a month [Music] just hold on [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] do you have any games [Music] [Music] i attended not available run by the university of central asia airline here came along with us he's going to give you a little presentation of the traditional kyrgyz musical instruments do you know these instruments who would like to become a musician to learn but just playing an instrument isn't enough it takes talent to perpetuate the tradition this is a wooden jaw harp this instrument is over 2 000 years old a very old instrument [Music] yes [Music] music was one of the cornerstones of nomadic society for a long time the russians imposed their fashions their instruments and their scales since independence the kyrgyz have reclaimed their cultural heritage and now they teach mainly the traditional instruments you see how skillful our ancestors were to play it you have to place your tooth here and play with your tongue the air spins around it's very hard to learn it takes time this is the mother of all flutes what's try to blow [Music] bravo very good [Music] [Applause] the komus is highly symbolic of kyrgyzstan it has recovered its former status and is now once again the most popular instruments [Music] it makes me happy it may be just a small contribution but i'm proud to be making it an education we give the necessary information to the children to the adults as well and to the professors who live in these remote regions and that fills me with joy [Music] so [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary

Views: 231,564

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), somewhere on earth, amazing stories, amazing stories from Kyrgyzstan, amazing quest, Kyrgyzstan

Id: GDPYy1VsyU8

Length: 51min 36sec (3096 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 11 2022