Kyzyl Tuu

Kyzyl-Tuu village is located near beautiful Issyk-Kul Lake. It is famous with its masters in making traditional Kyrgyz yurts. The yurt is a nomadic dwelling, suitable for moving from pasture to pasture in the mountains. A wooden circular frame covered with felt allows rain waters to stream down quickly. Made of natural materials, it has simple design, cool in summer and warm in winter. It is light but strong enough to withstand the nature’s hardships. “We learn the craftsmanship of making yurts from our fathers and grandfathers by helping them. This is the way how this mastery is passed through generations”, - says Akylbek Akmatov. His wife, Dinara, is a master in making traditional felt carpets – shyrdaks. As a mother of a daughter, she prepares dowry for her like her mother did when she was a young girl. She also makes interior decorations for yurts. Making yurts is not easy work – everything is handmade using simple tools and techniques. But Akmatovs think that it is better to work at home instead of joining labor migrants abroad. They are proud of having such unique skills and enthusiastic about the future of the yurt. Apart from traditional use of yurts in families, today they are widely used in the big festivals, celebrations, and ethno-tourism.