Jane’s travelogue

Sarala-Saz Jailoo uploaded on 1 August 2008

On the road to Sarala-Saz uploaded on 1 August 2008

The road to Sarala-Saz uploaded on 29 July 2008

The road to Sarala-Saz was rough. As you can see, the earthen bridge was washed out and we had to ford the river in our ancient bus... which of course got stuck. Ahh, Kyrgyzstan :-)

Kurosh: traditional Kyrgyz wrestling uploaded on 29 July 2008

Oodarysh: wrestling on horseback uploaded on 29 July 2008

The goal of Oodarysh is to knock your opponent from his horse.

Ulak-tartysh scrum uploaded on 29 July 2008

Ulak-tartysh is a traditional Kyrgyz game in which two teams compete to see who can get the headless carcass of a goat onto a target first. The carcass is fresh, the goat being slaughtered just prior to the game. The winner traditionally gets to keep the carcass; the meat, having been tenderized by the intense pummeling of the game, is supposed to be quite delicious.

Ulak-tartysh: dead goat polo uploaded on 28 July 2008

Ulak-tartysh is a traditional Kyrgyz game in which two teams compete to see who can get the headless carcass of a goat onto a target first. The carcass is fresh, the goat being slaughtered just prior to the game. The winner traditionally gets to keep the carcass; the meat, having been tenderized by the intense pummeling of the game, is supposed to be quite delicious.

Tyiyn Enmey: Pick up the coin uploaded on 27 July 2008

Tyiyn Enmey - which means "pick up the coin" in Kyrgyz - is a traditional Kyrgyz horse game in which riders pick up a coin from the ground while at a full gallop. At the Horse Games Festival in Sarala-Saz, they substituted paper for the coin, but the concept remained the same.

Tyiyn Enmey: Pick up the coin uploaded on 27 July 2008

Tyiyn Enmey - which means "pick up the coin" in Kyrgyz - is a traditional Kyrgyz horse game in which riders pick up a coin from the ground while at a full gallop. At the Horse Games Festival in Sarala-Saz, they substituted paper for the coin, but the concept remained the same.

Sarala-Saz Jailoo uploaded on 27 July 2008