Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-06-14
rw q HE Kirghiz are divided into
two branches; the Kara Cor
Black) Kirghiz, who inhabit

two branches; the Kara cor
Black) Kirghiz, who inhabit
the ,:l.1nds of the Russo
Chinese frontier On the headwaters of
iihe Yensei river, and the KirghiZ-Ka-
zaks or Kirghiz-Riders, who live on
the steppes of the central Asiatic
plateau and extend as far west as the
yolga. The Kirghiz- KAYAKS are a
Monaghan people, whose APP
peafance inclines to the Monaghan
type but whose language has pre-
kerted its primitive Tatar (Turkish)
form, writes f. Nelson Fell in Asia.
They number about two million souls
end are scattered over wide terri
tory OF about two million square miles
in extent.
During seven years the writer lived
10 intimate association with this peo-
de. as employer of the small fraction
If them willing to work in and around
The mines, and as friend and com
ranion Of the large majority of them.
who preferred to carry on the spirit of
their race on the open steppe, meet
log the sun in his daily course over
the boundless plateau and watching
their animals under stars at night, fit
ting from pasture to pasture as their
focks and herds required fresh graz
iag.
Here is n people which neither
fows nor reaps, and which takes no
thought Of the morrow, but unthink-
ingly relies upon nature to provide for
its wants by natural increase; which
preserves its own integrity and con-
tlnulty, not by restraints imposed
from the outside. but by restraints
Imposed by the individuals upon them
selves; which cares for the stranger
Ivy the divinely imposed duty of hos
ritality, which provides for the ia
therless and the old and infirm by self
imposed rules and customs: which re-
spects its dead and raises monuments
to protect their remains and which
(probably since its adoption of Mo-
hammedanism) believes in a future
life. The Kirghiz have been Moham~
medans for three or four centuries.
The essence of their code is kindness
and selfrestraint; kindness TO man an
beast and to the helpless and weak.
and self-control which arouses the
sincere respect of our unbridled west
ern natures.
Their PatriarchaI Government.
They are a strictly nomadic pec0le,
who have wandered over this semi
arid land for centuries and have ac-
CURED prescriptive title to 1t, with
out any centralized form of govern
ment to assert their rights to it
against intruders. Their form of pa
triarchal self-government Is quite well
defined to themselves but almost invls-
ible to our centralized minds. Each
Aool Ga settlement of 10 or 20 tents)
Is in charge of headman, sometimes
n sultan" in whom all the property
OF the AOol is considered to be vested.
This over-lordship usually passes
from father to son without friction
and the responsibility for the physical
well-being of the Aool rests with him !;
the rules for the care of the old and
young are prescribed by ancient GUS
tom. and the harmony of the Aool is
rarely disturbed.
1t Is gay life which the Kirghlz
lead in their tents in the summer.
Chattering an unceasing chatter, they
watch the sun slip across the sky and
night finds them chattering still. If a
stranger comes in sight they jump
into their saddles and rush helter-
SHELTER to meet him. With loud cries
of "Amannf Amann, Bail" they wei
come iiri and seize the reius of his
horse, drag him at headlong speed into
the.s Aool and lead him into the tent
suitable to his rank The intensity
Of the chatter increases; the koumis
IS whipped to n foam in the huge
skins which contain II and poured into
large how'll from this It is served
in smaller painted bowls, made of
wood and holding about n quart, to
each person present.
The kirghiz Tent.
1t is a gay, merry life, and In the
tents of the rich patrlarcAs. it is one
Of considerable dignity. Their tents
are Of snowy white felt with the edges
gaily embroidered. The ropes passing
over such a tent are of camers M a.
whose strands are of varied and .
colors. Like all yurtas. it is circular
IN shape with a semi-circular dome
like top. A large one win be % feet
in diameter, and the interior is free
from all distractions. The top is open
TO the SKY, but can be closed at night