Journey North Mystery Class Spring 2005

Introducing Mystery Class #6--Bishkek, Krygyz Republic
( 42.900 N, 74.600 E)

Greetings from Bishkek, Krygyz Republic
	Bishkek is located near the north central border of our nation.

My name is Pam Randles, and I am a United States' teacher from Alaska, and recently I was a visiting teacher at the Chui Oblast School Gymnasium in the Krygyz Republic --a/k/a Mystery Class #6!

Our school is actually located in a small village called Verensovka, located just outside of Bishkek, the captial city of the Kyrgyz Republic. Bishkek is located near the north central border of our nation, on the Great Silk Road that connected China with the Middle East and Europe.

Before there were large ocean going ships, before the Eurpoean Age of Exploration, people and goods traveled the Silk Road to trade. They traveled by camel caravan and stopped at caravanserais along the way. The caravanserais were places where the camels and people could rest and also sell their goods. The caravanserais still exist, as do the camel caravans. Nowadays, trade is mostly done with trucks.

This building is a Yurt

Our people, the Kyrgyz people, have been tradespeople and nomadic herds people for thousands of years, and they still are in most of the country.

We have horses and large hunting dogs, as well as large birds, like eagles, for hunting. In the summertime, when we want to graze our sheep, goats, cattle and horses, we live in yurts and move around the mountains. A yurt is a portable house made of a wooden frame, thick felt walls and a canvas cover. Inside we hang beautiful carpets on the walls and the floor. There is a smoke hole in the ceiling, and that symbol is on our national flag. It symbolizes our homeland. We are proud of our long and rich history.


Inside a yurt we hang beautiful carpets on the walls and the floor, and host ceremonial meals called a "dastorkan".	This view is looking up at the smoke hole in the ceiling of a yurt. The image of the smoke hole is on our on our national flag.

On our paper money, the som, there are pictures of poets and dancers and leaders. One of these leaders was Manas. There is a long poem about his adventures. Special people called manaschis have memorized these long poems and can tell these stories for hours, even days. when a manaschi is going to tell stories, people gather and share a big meal called a dastorkan.

The men in Kyrgyzstan wear tall white hats that represent the mountains here. The design on the hats represents the horns of mountain sheep.

Our country is 97% mountains. There is a big lake in the north east called Issyk Kul, which means warm lake. It is called that because it doesn't freeze in winter. The Silk Road went along the north shore of this lake, and there are some sunken cities from those days.

Recently, we had a big political demonstration. Some of the foreign newscasts called it a revolution. Lots of people came to Bishkek and took over the President's house, the White House. They want to hold free and fair elections. The elections are now scheduled for June.


Our nation's president, wearing one of the tall white hats that men wear in our nation.	The White House is also the home of our nation's president, just like the White House in the US.

We hope you have enjoyed learning about our nation and city--we have enjoyed being a secret Mystery Class!

Best wishes to you all!