Tuesday, April 26
Kyrgyz Crossroads: Traditional Arts in a Transitional Nation
From the man who brought you Shüüdüngüt's Road:
On March 24th, an uprising in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan
toppled the government of Askar Akayev, the nation’s President since the waning days
of the Soviet Union. Kyrgyzstan’s revolution has done little to resolve the
problems of this poor but strategically located nation, which hosts both
American and Russian airbases. Despite its recent volatility, mountainous Kyrgyzstan
is known as `the Switzerland of Central Asia,’ a remote bastion of
spectacular natural beauty. The traditional nomadic culture of the Kyrgyz people has
much in common with that of the Mongols. Both cultures make clothing, shelter,
and decorative crafts from felt, which is pressed from wool and amazingly
strong. Likewise, both cultures pride themselves on their musicians and singers.
Writer Mark Humphrey has traveled extensively in Kyrgyzstan, recording its
traditional music and documenting its folkways in photos. Experience both
Tuesday, May 10, at 7pm at:
California Map & Travel Center,
3312 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA
Website: www.mapper.com
Tel: (310) 396-6277
