Kyrgyzstan-Kymyz, Traditional Beverage of the Kyrgyz People

-Script- Kyrgyz people have lived in the mountainous areas since ancient times. They are nomadic people that breed livestock and are close to nature. Kymyz is made from mare's milk. There are many ways to prepare kymyz. First and foremost thing in kymyz is fermentation starter - Korongo. Two types of fermentation starters are prepared during the winter season. First one is the dense part of ferment, lees on the bottom of special leather bucket - Saba’a, that’s left in that container to ferment until the next year. Second is refrigerated ferment. Kymyz is left to chill in cold environment. Winter kymyz is thick and easy to store. Later on, in the spring, ferment that was left on the bottom of saba’a is extracted, meshed and stirred in a little bit of water, some mare’s milk is added and left to ferment for couple days. After this fermentation, more fresh mare’s milk is added and whipped. A little later fresh mare’s milk is added for the third time and is left to mature for 2-3 days after which you get the end result – korongo. That’s what you ultimately mix with fresh mare’s milk to produce kymyz. When you first hitch the horse, within 3-4 days they become yielding. But they do go through stress for 3-4 days. They tumble, fall down. We keep an eye on them until they ease up We go out and catch horses. Its better when a lot of people are engaged in this. You finish faster. Horse rests for one and a half hour. After it rested we start milking it. We do it until seven or half past seven in the evening. The faster they are caught and tied up the faster we start milking. This tool is the most often used item by cowboys - jylkychy. Its called – ukuruk. It has to be long, light and straight. We catch wild horses with it. We keep this loose for the head to be released. Someone gathers horses and drives them to us. We approach them discreetly. Once were close we throw it on their neck. Here we got it. So that’s how we catch it along with 3-4 people. Apparently the Kyrgyz have always looked at the Pleiades constellation in doing things. It used to be called togol seasen. During togol Pleiades constellation touches the horizon. It takes 40 days for Pleiades constellation to rise again. So kymyz that was consumed within these 40 days is believed to have special, medicinal features. Because apparently during the decline of Pleiades constellation the grass is renewed and grows evenly. It is believed that most healthful and special grass grows specifically during this period. So when horses eat that grass they give the most adjuvant and valuable milk. So before milking, in early morning, horses are tied. When horses deliver they are tied up, foal crop is left loose for little feeding and that when you can start milking. My name is Kaliydin. For many years I have been making these saba’a buckets - a very traditional Kyrgyz utensil. This is a very needed item in Kyrgyz household. There will be no kymyz without saba’a. They call this area of Suusamyr – the motherland of kymyz. We’ve been around. Not many places use saba’a buckets these days. Here in Suusamyr everyone used to make their own saba’a before. Nowadays its all gone. Older generation have passed away. So Im following this tradition still. Since 1995. Here, you can see it yourself. This is horse hide for production of saba’a. We use goat skin to make chanach buckets. Basically the kymyz was prepared in saba’a, poured to chanach, sealed and hanged on the wall of the yurt. It was served to visitors and guests. As well as to people who asked for a drink to quench their thirst. Long time ago, one of our grandfathers named Nusup bred horses. I learned to do this from another elder named Eshkojo. I was interested in wool and leather processing, and ultimately this became my profession. There are many questions. Regarding saba’a. People come from outside too. From Toktogul, Talas, Jumgal, many from Chui region show interest. Saba is primarily made from horse hide. Cow hide is also used but its much thicker and and harder to stich. Its also not very suitable for smoking the hide due to its thickness. Youd have to smoke it twice. Horsehide is thinner and is smoked easier. You have to graze the skin very neatly and the horse has to be well fed too. Winter and fall are the right seasons to do it. Summer and spring hide comes out too thin. The hair is removed thoroughly and hide is stretched and left under the sun to dry. Then, when the time comes the hide is smoked. Later it is stretched, cut and sewn together. When saba’a is ready it is delivered to the buyer. Chanach bucket is made from goat skin. Goat skin is grazed and hair is removed. Its processed and crumpled. After that its smoked. And its ready. This process is more difficult in production of chanach rather than in making saba’a.