09/13/2026
Gulkayyr, from Chon-Alai in Kyrgyzstan’s Osh region.
I was first drawn to Gulkayyr not only by her incredible layers upon layers of traditional dress but because, among the many stalls at the market, she was one of the few people I saw actively at work on her craft. She was weaving a patterned ‘бoo’ or ‘boo’ one of the traditional woven bands used to bind and decorate a Kyrgyz yurt. She was doing so with such focus that I was almost hesitant to interrupt. When I finally approached her, though, she seemed fairly open to taking a break.
Dressed in clothing she had made entirely by hand, Gulkayyr explained that her headdress follows a tradition associated with marriage: a kalyak with a durya headscarf, worn over an inner cap called a kep takiya. She described these traditions as reaching back through generations of Kyrgyz history.
I have to note this explanation was entirely possible thanks to _kyiall. Seeing me struggle with the basic interview questions I had prepared on my phone in Russian, this sweet young woman taps me on the shoulder and asks if I needed help… to phrase it as a question was just being polite, it was clear I needed all the help I could get. With her mother patiently looking on, Kyial jumped into the stall and served as an invaluable bridge between Gulkayyr and I, turning what might have been a brief encounter into one I could truly learn from.
When I(we) asked Gulkayyr what she would like people to know about her culture, her answer felt particularly fitting:
“Our culture is very broad and vast, our history is very rich, and it’s impossible to tell it all briefly.”
A sincere thank you to Gulkayyr for her time and beautiful work, and to Kyial for stepping in to help me understand just a little bit more of it.
VI World Nomad Games, Kyrgyzstan, 2026.
*Disclaimer: As mentioned my Russian is non existent, and my Kyrgyz is worse… If I’ve written anything in error or something was lost in translation, please do let me know!
