Post Tagged with "Kyrgyzstan"

Traditional and modern: two Kyrgyz weddings

In Kyrgyz culture marriage is one of the most important decisions and acts of person’s life. Family definitely stands among highest priorities of Kyrgyz people and marriages are meant to last for a lifetime. Therefore the wedding is very important not only for the bride and groom, but for their extended family and friends.

Kyrgyz weddings incorporate rituals, some of which often controversial. For example it is quite common to marry in a white “western style” gown, but along the “western” style wedding it’s mandatory to conduct the ritual of nikkah, the muslim traditional ritual of marriage. In other words, just like Kyrgyz culture, Kyrgyz weddings represent mix of traditions and cultures, which are cherished and influential in Kyrgyzstan.

Bakytbek Tokubek uulu and Meerim Avtandil kyzy

To get a clearer picture of what a Kyrgyz wedding looks like, I have decided to describe two real weddings, one done in modern “western” style and another in “traditional” Kyrgyz style.

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My City: Bishkek

I have got very diverse relationships with places, each city or village either loves me or not, so do I. The idea of creating a photoblog named “My City”, with series of photographs of different cities occurred long ago. But finally it is coming to life.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to present the rubric “My City” and the first city is MY BISHKEK.

Brief introduction: Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, post-soviet republic, located in Central Asia. Bishkek turned this year. It has rich history and full of life. You can find old buildings from the times before the revolution. You can find revolutionary and Soviet signs and signs of modernity.

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“Long Distance love” – a film about love and more

The Kyrgyz documentary film “Long Distance love” was filmed by Swedish team Magnus Gerttenom and Ellen Jonsson. The film is based on real events and was filmed over two years. Film premiere was held at the “private show” Kyrgyz Cultural Center.

The film narrates about the fate of Alisher Sultanov, a resident of Osh city (in Southern Kyrgyzstan), forced to go to Russia to earn money to feed his young family.

The train to Moscow

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The film “Almaz” as a personification of Kyrgyzstan

Elnura Osmonalieva’s “Almaz” is the first full-length documentary filmed in Kyrgyzstan in the past fifteen years. Directed of “Almaz” by an alumnus of the American University of Central Asia, the film has already gained festival success and has been recognized for the depth and complexity of the topic.

Critics and sociologists believe this film is not just about one character, but about Kyrgyzstan as a whole. Cinema critic Gulbara Tolomusheva drew an interesting parallel between “Almaz” and our country: the same age, 19 years, the same background, and the same dramatic twists and turns. According to her, this film is a microcosm – a private story about the fate of an entire country.

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Picture Postcards: Just Married Decorated Cars

Have you ever wondered how many countries include decorating their cars as a part of the wedding ritual? Do people do this in your country? Here is a photo of a car from Turkey by Liz at Pocketcultures and one from Kyrgyzstan from the Sons of Hedin website.

'Just Married' in Turkey by Liz at Pocketcultures

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Urban Style Challenge: Bishkek vs Vancouver

This is the first post of a new series called Urban Style Challenge. Every week, we will compare the fashion trends of two cities in a playful manner. Join me, Ana, on this fascinating journey around the world of street fashion and style that will put a smile on your face and get you ready to face the week ahead.

Our contributors Nargiza and Kelly kicked it off by writing about Bishkek City (Kyrgyzstan) and Vancouver (Canada), respectively.

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