Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:00,752 --> 00:00:03,252
(light music)
2
00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:08,910
Full of mysteries and surprises,
3
00:00:08,910 --> 00:00:12,160
the ancient routes through central Asia still exist,
4
00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,010
like the adventurous road through the Pamir Mountains,
5
00:00:15,010 --> 00:00:16,260
to the roof of the world.
6
00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:48,530
The Pamir highway was completed in 1932
7
00:00:48,530 --> 00:00:51,823
as a gift from the Soviet state to its remote regions.
8
00:00:52,750 --> 00:00:55,600
Traveling along it today is to rediscover
9
00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,333
a route steeped in legend.
10
00:01:32,530 --> 00:01:35,930
Home to peaks well over 7,000 meters high
11
00:01:35,930 --> 00:01:39,380
and enclosed by China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
12
00:01:39,380 --> 00:01:42,150
and Afghanistan, the Pamir lies
13
00:01:42,150 --> 00:01:44,420
in the heart of central Asia.
14
00:01:44,420 --> 00:01:48,094
Our journey along the Pamir highway begins in Dushanbe,
15
00:01:48,094 --> 00:01:50,640
the capital of Tajikistan.
16
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,920
It will take us along the river Panj which forms the border
17
00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,840
with Afghanistan, through the Wakhan corridor,
18
00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,730
then 1300 kilometers on to Osh.
19
00:01:59,730 --> 00:02:04,053
Our final destination is Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
20
00:02:05,750 --> 00:02:08,010
Dushanbe means Monday.
21
00:02:08,010 --> 00:02:12,100
A century ago, this was still an insignificant hamlet.
22
00:02:12,100 --> 00:02:14,060
It was only during the Soviet era
23
00:02:14,060 --> 00:02:16,403
that Dushanbe developed into a city.
24
00:02:17,810 --> 00:02:21,330
When Tajikistan gained independence in 1991,
25
00:02:21,330 --> 00:02:23,493
Dushanbe became the country's capital.
26
00:02:25,742 --> 00:02:27,810
After a long civil war, this young nation
27
00:02:27,810 --> 00:02:31,470
is again fostering the Oriental traditions of central Asia.
28
00:02:31,470 --> 00:02:33,200
The wisdom and learning of the East
29
00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,223
are assuming importance once more.
30
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,380
The grandiose government buildings in the Tajik capital
31
00:02:46,380 --> 00:02:50,410
stand out through a wealth of Oriental ornamentation.
32
00:02:50,410 --> 00:02:52,290
The visitor feels that he has arrived
33
00:02:52,290 --> 00:02:55,580
in some splendid central Asian metropolis.
34
00:02:55,580 --> 00:02:58,240
Yet, despite all the splendor on display
35
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,670
Tajikistan is still one of the world's poorest countries.
36
00:03:01,670 --> 00:03:03,980
In order to feed their families most of the men
37
00:03:03,980 --> 00:03:06,930
have to find jobs in Russia as guest workers.
38
00:03:06,930 --> 00:03:08,610
Yet there is still an upper-class,
39
00:03:08,610 --> 00:03:10,153
which celebrates parties here.
40
00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,290
Located near the young capital Dushanbe,
41
00:03:16,290 --> 00:03:19,570
are ancient excavation sites like Hisor
42
00:03:19,570 --> 00:03:24,330
where finds date back over 3000 years to prehistoric times.
43
00:03:24,330 --> 00:03:26,913
This region was settled even in the stone age.
44
00:03:35,290 --> 00:03:37,740
Before the Bolsheviks occupied this region
45
00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:40,190
of central Asia for the Soviet Union,
46
00:03:40,190 --> 00:03:43,370
this fortress was part of the sphere of influence
47
00:03:43,370 --> 00:03:47,973
of the Emir of Bukhara, a powerful feudal ruler at the time.
48
00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,200
Today, these sites in Tajikistan are cultivated,
49
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,903
protected by UNESCO and presented to visitors with pride.
50
00:03:57,100 --> 00:04:00,790
Barely 60 years old, Dushanbe is a young city.
51
00:04:00,790 --> 00:04:03,840
The architecture reflects the Soviet era
52
00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,253
with broad streets, green zones and avenues.
53
00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,050
90% of the population are Sunni Muslims,
54
00:04:12,050 --> 00:04:14,060
but many Western faces and styles
55
00:04:14,060 --> 00:04:16,213
are also seen on the streets of Dushanbe.
56
00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:22,090
Roxana, the wife of Alexander the Great was a Tajik.
57
00:04:22,090 --> 00:04:25,650
It was she who established the reputation women here have
58
00:04:25,650 --> 00:04:28,553
of being exceptionally beautiful and self-confident.
59
00:04:35,790 --> 00:04:39,750
In Dushanbe we made the acquaintance of Pavina,
60
00:04:39,750 --> 00:04:42,510
a young woman who deals in Tajik works of art.
61
00:04:42,510 --> 00:04:45,370
Pavina supplies international trade fairs
62
00:04:45,370 --> 00:04:46,633
and local businesses.
63
00:04:51,310 --> 00:04:52,420
My name is Pavina.
64
00:04:52,420 --> 00:04:54,720
I am actually from Pamir,
65
00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,750
but I'm living here in Tajikistan.
66
00:04:56,750 --> 00:04:59,670
I am working with Pamir handmade products,
67
00:04:59,670 --> 00:05:01,210
which we are making.
68
00:05:01,210 --> 00:05:04,780
We are as a community based in Tajikistan,
69
00:05:04,780 --> 00:05:07,890
and we do this type of handmade stuff.
70
00:05:07,890 --> 00:05:11,110
So this is a special hat. This is handmade.
71
00:05:11,110 --> 00:05:13,470
And this embroidery is also made handmade.
72
00:05:13,470 --> 00:05:16,110
So you can see how does it looks?
73
00:05:16,110 --> 00:05:19,917
And so this is what actually our national skull cap,
74
00:05:20,850 --> 00:05:21,803
which we do.
75
00:05:22,828 --> 00:05:24,900
The owner of the store is chatting to Pavina
76
00:05:24,900 --> 00:05:27,207
in Tajik, a variety of Persian.
77
00:05:27,207 --> 00:05:29,957
(speaking Tajik)
78
00:05:38,060 --> 00:05:40,460
Our country is really Muslim country,
79
00:05:40,460 --> 00:05:45,460
but it's by geographic information, it's 95% of Muslim
80
00:05:46,210 --> 00:05:49,100
and 5%, let's say some Christian,
81
00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:50,870
some less of them Catholic.
82
00:05:50,870 --> 00:05:52,430
So that's it.
83
00:05:52,430 --> 00:05:56,360
But our Muslims are also free.
84
00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,360
They can freely choose what they want to be.
85
00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,890
They are educated. Only it depends on the family.
86
00:06:02,890 --> 00:06:06,227
It depends on the family and the parents,
87
00:06:06,227 --> 00:06:10,740
what they going to teach their children what to be wear.
88
00:06:10,740 --> 00:06:13,030
And actually this is free.
89
00:06:13,030 --> 00:06:16,640
Nobody, not government, not religion,
90
00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,170
push you to be what you should.
91
00:06:19,170 --> 00:06:20,760
You can choose.
92
00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,310
You have freedom. You can choose what you're wearing.
93
00:06:24,310 --> 00:06:27,090
How are you going to live your life?
94
00:06:27,090 --> 00:06:28,240
We leave Dushanbe
95
00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,660
and begin our journey on the Pamir highway
96
00:06:30,660 --> 00:06:32,573
along the border with Afghanistan.
97
00:06:40,530 --> 00:06:43,840
The road is used by powerful Chinese trucks,
98
00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:46,990
returning to China with minerals after having brought in
99
00:06:46,990 --> 00:06:49,313
cheap goods to flood the local market.
100
00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,570
The highway soon follows the Panj River.
101
00:06:54,570 --> 00:06:58,233
The natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan,
102
00:06:59,170 --> 00:07:01,813
Afghan villages are visible on the far bank.
103
00:07:05,950 --> 00:07:08,510
Driving is a challenge and the big trucks
104
00:07:08,510 --> 00:07:11,333
don't exactly improve the condition of the road.
105
00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,549
In Khorog, we visit the Aga Khan Foundation
106
00:07:20,549 --> 00:07:23,783
to learn more about the state of this mountain region.
107
00:07:24,670 --> 00:07:28,760
The manager responsible for it is Kishwa Abdul Alisha,
108
00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,060
and he's happy to provide us with information.
109
00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,810
For sure I know Tajikstan is a very young,
110
00:07:39,810 --> 00:07:42,693
like it's got independence just very recently
111
00:07:42,693 --> 00:07:45,960
from Soviet Union, and as part of Soviet Union,
112
00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,590
we were dependent on the other republics
113
00:07:48,590 --> 00:07:52,510
of the Soviet Union, economically, socially.
114
00:07:52,510 --> 00:07:56,150
And as all those links, relationships,
115
00:07:56,150 --> 00:07:59,920
particularly economic links are cut now,
116
00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:01,940
we have to re-establish everything.
117
00:08:01,940 --> 00:08:03,440
So we have to build roads.
118
00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:08,440
We have to improve the communication systems.
119
00:08:08,850 --> 00:08:11,060
We have to build bridges.
120
00:08:11,060 --> 00:08:13,070
We have to revive the agriculture sector.
121
00:08:13,070 --> 00:08:16,500
We have to revive more like the tourism sector,
122
00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:17,960
the industrial sector.
123
00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,803
But the good news is there is progress.
124
00:08:24,310 --> 00:08:27,180
Before reaching the Pamir, we visit a place
125
00:08:27,180 --> 00:08:29,663
people here are particularly proud of,
126
00:08:30,570 --> 00:08:33,510
the hot springs of Gharm-Chashma are said to have
127
00:08:33,510 --> 00:08:36,440
healing properties that help cure skin diseases
128
00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,530
and other health problems.
129
00:08:38,530 --> 00:08:41,600
Men and women alternately bathe here.
130
00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,060
Since bathers wear hardly any clothes,
131
00:08:44,060 --> 00:08:45,950
we were not allowed to film.
132
00:08:45,950 --> 00:08:48,383
After all, this is a Muslim country.
133
00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:53,670
Gharm-Chashma is 2,500 meters above sea level.
134
00:08:53,670 --> 00:08:56,350
The place is a reminder that even the mountains
135
00:08:56,350 --> 00:09:00,200
bordering the roof of the world are geologically very young
136
00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:01,693
and still not at rest.
137
00:09:04,830 --> 00:09:06,580
The landscape is barren.
138
00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:09,090
It is only along the rivers that people have settled,
139
00:09:09,090 --> 00:09:11,580
planted trees and grown rice.
140
00:09:11,580 --> 00:09:14,110
Young men are a rare sight.
141
00:09:14,110 --> 00:09:16,840
It is mainly the elderly and women with children
142
00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:18,043
who live on the farms.
143
00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,730
We heard of an old man here who still makes and plays
144
00:09:28,730 --> 00:09:31,723
central Asian instruments in the traditional way.
145
00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,330
Ever since Chinese goods began to flood central Asia,
146
00:09:36,330 --> 00:09:38,780
it is a handicraft that has become rare.
147
00:09:38,780 --> 00:09:40,980
And from a commercial point of view
148
00:09:40,980 --> 00:09:42,793
is now hardly worthwhile.
149
00:09:43,856 --> 00:09:47,120
Massyn Massinov represented the culture of the Tajiks
150
00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,820
in the Pamir even during the days of the Soviet Union.
151
00:09:50,820 --> 00:09:52,980
He learned the art from his father.
152
00:09:52,980 --> 00:09:56,210
Massinov was once also the local village school master.
153
00:09:56,210 --> 00:09:58,690
His instruments are fashioned with gouges, files
154
00:09:58,690 --> 00:10:01,340
and other basic carpentry tools.
155
00:10:01,340 --> 00:10:04,630
Inside the house the maestro showed us finished instruments
156
00:10:04,630 --> 00:10:07,743
from his collection and told us about his profession.
157
00:10:14,770 --> 00:10:19,360
To make musical instruments you need unusually strong wood
158
00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,743
wood that won't splinter or break.
159
00:10:23,370 --> 00:10:26,020
That is why most of our traditional instruments
160
00:10:26,020 --> 00:10:28,420
are made from the wood of trees that bear fruit.
161
00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,280
The most suitable type of wood comes from the mulberry tree.
162
00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,633
It hardly ever splinters.
163
00:10:37,100 --> 00:10:40,600
So it is especially suitable for making the rubab,
164
00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,143
which the Pamiri play.
165
00:10:46,660 --> 00:10:50,110
We don't buy any wood from other countries.
166
00:10:50,110 --> 00:10:53,047
We are offered good wood in places like Khorog.
167
00:10:53,890 --> 00:10:57,283
We examine it, buy it and bring it here.
168
00:10:58,230 --> 00:11:00,890
Only wood from this region is suitable.
169
00:11:00,890 --> 00:11:05,060
It's strong and resistant, it doesn't crack.
170
00:11:05,060 --> 00:11:07,000
And since it hardly rots,
171
00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,363
it preserves its quality for a long time.
172
00:11:12,495 --> 00:11:16,070
(instrument twangs)
173
00:11:16,070 --> 00:11:18,100
The maestro fashions his instruments
174
00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:20,400
in a highly personal style.
175
00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,580
These unique specimens have no need
176
00:11:22,580 --> 00:11:24,053
to fear mass produced goods.
177
00:11:35,510 --> 00:11:38,310
The impressions made by the few villages along the route
178
00:11:38,310 --> 00:11:41,950
are all similar, lots of small homesteads with fruit
179
00:11:41,950 --> 00:11:45,290
and vegetable gardens and a few domestic animals.
180
00:11:45,290 --> 00:11:48,020
Only women and children are to be seen.
181
00:11:48,020 --> 00:11:49,730
When we ask about the menfolk,
182
00:11:49,730 --> 00:11:52,270
the answer is virtually the same everywhere.
183
00:11:52,270 --> 00:11:54,030
They've left to work abroad.
184
00:11:54,030 --> 00:11:57,700
They send money, the women say, but rarely come home.
185
00:11:57,700 --> 00:12:00,387
There is virtually no other source of income.
186
00:12:10,190 --> 00:12:12,282
By chance we spotted a group of women
187
00:12:12,282 --> 00:12:14,603
who meet to do handicraft work together.
188
00:12:15,790 --> 00:12:20,640
They embroider, crochet, braid and sew in Pamiri style.
189
00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,520
The women are colorfully dressed
190
00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,900
and feel at ease with strangers.
191
00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:26,440
They make their products for traders
192
00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,653
who sell them in the towns or even abroad.
193
00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:31,780
Women also come together for company
194
00:12:31,780 --> 00:12:34,063
and to chat about everyday matters.
195
00:12:41,252 --> 00:12:44,210
The house belongs to Katemaliya Var-Teramo,
196
00:12:44,210 --> 00:12:46,013
who tells us about the tradition.
197
00:12:48,980 --> 00:12:51,860
My mother taught me the handicraft of the Pamiri
198
00:12:51,860 --> 00:12:55,010
as a child so that I would always have a profession
199
00:12:55,010 --> 00:12:57,380
and be able to support myself.
200
00:12:57,380 --> 00:13:00,780
Today I do this work out of a sense of tradition
201
00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:03,743
and passing my skills on to the next generation.
202
00:13:08,430 --> 00:13:10,540
Mrs. Teramo told us about a temple
203
00:13:10,540 --> 00:13:12,830
the women visit regularly.
204
00:13:12,830 --> 00:13:16,040
This aroused our curiosity and so we followed behind
205
00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,030
the small group in their colorful garments.
206
00:13:19,030 --> 00:13:20,910
We soon noticed that the building in question
207
00:13:20,910 --> 00:13:22,940
was not a mosque.
208
00:13:22,940 --> 00:13:26,790
You would never see horned sheep or goats in a mosque,
209
00:13:26,790 --> 00:13:31,083
more likely on Buddhist walls or an ancient Celtic site.
210
00:13:37,660 --> 00:13:40,520
A huge set of ram's horns adorn the roof
211
00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,140
and the horns of various animals can also be found
212
00:13:43,140 --> 00:13:45,943
in the interior of the freshly renovated temple.
213
00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:48,410
The women have brought gifts,
214
00:13:48,410 --> 00:13:50,740
which they place in the temple for other visitors
215
00:13:50,740 --> 00:13:52,283
who might perhaps be hungry.
216
00:13:53,590 --> 00:13:56,060
This we were told is a place that dates back
217
00:13:56,060 --> 00:13:59,513
to a Sufi saint who lived in pre-Islamic days.
218
00:14:06,110 --> 00:14:09,310
Inside the temple, the women are now circling the altar,
219
00:14:09,310 --> 00:14:12,660
which is also adorned with animal horn relics,
220
00:14:12,660 --> 00:14:15,930
a cult that presumably goes back to the fire cult
221
00:14:15,930 --> 00:14:17,563
of the followers of Zarathustra.
222
00:14:18,890 --> 00:14:21,030
This fits in with the Persian influence
223
00:14:21,030 --> 00:14:23,250
on the culture of the Pamir.
224
00:14:23,250 --> 00:14:26,820
But what is astonishing and at the same time wonderful
225
00:14:26,820 --> 00:14:29,030
is that these traditional customs are practiced
226
00:14:29,030 --> 00:14:30,673
and tolerated so openly.
227
00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,190
The scenery is getting more and more beautiful.
228
00:14:38,190 --> 00:14:40,920
Ahead of us lies the Wakhan corridor.
229
00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,470
The ruins of ancient fortresses testify to the importance
230
00:14:44,470 --> 00:14:45,833
of this historic route.
231
00:14:50,370 --> 00:14:53,840
Over 7,000 meters high the mountains bear names
232
00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,630
like Marx, Engels or Communism.
233
00:14:57,630 --> 00:15:01,763
That is how the old Soviet Union honored its highest places.
234
00:15:05,070 --> 00:15:07,340
Belonging to the old Eastern Bloc
235
00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:10,240
saved these landscapes from mass tourism
236
00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,583
and has enabled so much to be preserved.
237
00:15:22,310 --> 00:15:24,470
In the villages along the Pamir highway
238
00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:26,920
visitors can find accommodation with families
239
00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,783
in what are known as homestays.
240
00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:39,100
We're spending the night with the Malik Mamadov family.
241
00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:40,100
The daughter of the house
242
00:15:40,100 --> 00:15:41,963
is getting our sleep quarters ready.
243
00:15:55,140 --> 00:15:58,180
It's perfectly natural for travelers to participate
244
00:15:58,180 --> 00:16:01,120
in the domestic activities of the guest family.
245
00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,420
It's a way of making contact.
246
00:16:03,420 --> 00:16:06,240
The meals are basic, but tasty.
247
00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:09,350
During the daytime, the cooking is done outside.
248
00:16:09,350 --> 00:16:11,930
As master of the house Malik makes sure
249
00:16:11,930 --> 00:16:14,113
everything is clean and hygienic.
250
00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:26,440
Several women from the village
251
00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:27,990
have gathered in the courtyard.
252
00:16:28,860 --> 00:16:31,780
They're putting down tufts of dyed sheep's wool
253
00:16:31,780 --> 00:16:33,288
and carefully watering them.
254
00:16:33,288 --> 00:16:37,930
The colors are strikingly bright, beautiful, and vibrant.
255
00:16:37,930 --> 00:16:40,140
This looks like a social activity.
256
00:16:40,140 --> 00:16:42,940
There are no definite rules or patterns.
257
00:16:42,940 --> 00:16:45,150
Everything seems improvised.
258
00:16:45,150 --> 00:16:48,053
But making felt carpets has tradition here.
259
00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,980
Meanwhile, inside the house, the cooking continues.
260
00:16:58,980 --> 00:17:02,010
At altitude guests love lots of liquid.
261
00:17:02,010 --> 00:17:06,323
In other words, tasty soups with vegetables and rich cheese.
262
00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:13,540
Our host Malik Mamadov lends a hand
263
00:17:13,540 --> 00:17:16,203
and explains the homestay principle to us.
264
00:17:24,868 --> 00:17:28,320
Here in the Pamir, the concept of the home stay
265
00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:32,020
or guest house taking in travelers.
266
00:17:32,020 --> 00:17:35,287
In other words, tourists and catering for them
267
00:17:35,287 --> 00:17:37,423
was something totally new.
268
00:17:42,930 --> 00:17:47,350
Inviting outsiders like you into private homes
269
00:17:47,350 --> 00:17:50,440
of families and accepting them
270
00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,653
is something we first had to learn.
271
00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,040
Home stays are totally different from hotels
272
00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:06,650
because as long as guests stay,
273
00:18:06,650 --> 00:18:09,343
they live in the care and protection of the family.
274
00:18:10,710 --> 00:18:12,200
They are alone with the family
275
00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,690
and live in exactly the same way
276
00:18:14,690 --> 00:18:16,653
as a normal family in the Pamir.
277
00:18:18,620 --> 00:18:22,310
We try to show guests traditional Tajik hospitality
278
00:18:22,310 --> 00:18:24,750
in line with our traditions.
279
00:18:24,750 --> 00:18:28,003
We accept them as private people and treat them as such.
280
00:18:32,210 --> 00:18:34,960
What Malik doesn't mention is the low price,
281
00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,140
which travelers pay for clean beds,
282
00:18:37,140 --> 00:18:38,813
good food and hospitality.
283
00:18:39,860 --> 00:18:42,330
And it's wonderful and special for all involved
284
00:18:42,330 --> 00:18:46,330
when as a traveler, you can experience something new,
285
00:18:46,330 --> 00:18:49,630
like seeing how a felt carpet is made by hand.
286
00:18:49,630 --> 00:18:54,420
Calmly and skillfully without machinery, chemicals or tools.
287
00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:56,940
But Malik knows full well that life for the women
288
00:18:56,940 --> 00:18:59,826
and their families is not easy.
289
00:18:59,826 --> 00:19:03,480
The only problem we have in the villages,
290
00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,403
although it is a serious one is the lack of infrastructure.
291
00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,240
Everything is so far away.
292
00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,250
And any jobs at all, are poorly paid.
293
00:19:14,250 --> 00:19:17,533
There are no factories or other production facilities.
294
00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,603
That is why young people don't stay.
295
00:19:21,570 --> 00:19:25,710
They try to find at least temporary employment elsewhere.
296
00:19:25,710 --> 00:19:29,380
They also look for work abroad, but they do come back.
297
00:19:29,380 --> 00:19:32,750
Over the last 15 years, a lot of things have improved,
298
00:19:32,750 --> 00:19:35,050
but by no means everything.
299
00:19:35,050 --> 00:19:38,550
Here too people find different ways of earning money.
300
00:19:38,550 --> 00:19:42,110
It's really good if handicraft products from the Pamir
301
00:19:42,110 --> 00:19:45,530
can be sold directly to travelers without a middleman.
302
00:19:45,530 --> 00:19:48,520
In our case like traditional carpets made from the wool
303
00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,340
from our own animals.
304
00:19:50,340 --> 00:19:53,810
Otherwise people have to find different skills and talents
305
00:19:53,810 --> 00:19:56,113
for tackling their economic problems.
306
00:20:06,130 --> 00:20:08,400
Had it not been for our host
307
00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,270
we would probably never have heard about the celebrations
308
00:20:11,270 --> 00:20:13,790
taking place the next morning.
309
00:20:13,790 --> 00:20:17,630
As it is, however, we've been invited to attend a festival
310
00:20:17,630 --> 00:20:20,520
organized by the Ismaili community.
311
00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,060
Everyone has turned up.
312
00:20:22,060 --> 00:20:25,943
The old men sit together or engage in traditional games.
313
00:20:30,410 --> 00:20:32,600
The colorfully dressed women and children
314
00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,240
are enjoying the cheerful atmosphere.
315
00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,260
Young men and children are dancing.
316
00:20:37,260 --> 00:20:39,440
Young girls and older women too
317
00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,800
are moving around in public, totally relaxed.
318
00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,410
Each in her own way has made herself pretty.
319
00:20:46,410 --> 00:20:48,883
The children too are all spruced up.
320
00:20:48,883 --> 00:20:51,840
Ismailis usually live in the mountain regions
321
00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,280
of central Asia and are regarded
322
00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,383
as a cosmopolitan branch of Shiite Islam.
323
00:21:02,850 --> 00:21:05,620
Villagers have gathered here to celebrate the anniversary
324
00:21:05,620 --> 00:21:08,970
of the assumption of office of the fourth Aga Khan,
325
00:21:08,970 --> 00:21:12,293
the leader of the 50 million Ismailis worldwide.
326
00:21:13,250 --> 00:21:16,410
The atmosphere here is so peaceful, colorful, open,
327
00:21:16,410 --> 00:21:20,263
and pleasant that we stayed far longer than we intended.
328
00:21:24,691 --> 00:21:29,550
Pamir Highway now traverses passes over 4,000 meters high.
329
00:21:29,550 --> 00:21:32,410
Constantly providing us with changing impressions
330
00:21:32,410 --> 00:21:34,820
and enchanting moods.
331
00:21:34,820 --> 00:21:38,633
Rugged cliffs alternate with the passage of white clouds.
332
00:21:44,110 --> 00:21:46,660
The Bactrian camels on the other side of the river
333
00:21:46,660 --> 00:21:48,033
are in Afghanistan.
334
00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:52,240
The Russian invasion of that crisis ridden country
335
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:53,940
is said to have started from here.
336
00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,890
The region was always of interest to armies,
337
00:22:02,890 --> 00:22:05,330
drug smugglers and spies.
338
00:22:05,330 --> 00:22:08,270
But it has always attracted friends of the mountains
339
00:22:08,270 --> 00:22:10,133
and nature enthusiasts as well.
340
00:22:11,070 --> 00:22:13,540
They love and respect the special atmosphere
341
00:22:13,540 --> 00:22:15,840
of the Pamir region with its views
342
00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,593
of the Hindu Kush and Wakhan.
343
00:22:22,810 --> 00:22:26,090
Tajikistan is famous for it's idyllic mountain lakes
344
00:22:26,090 --> 00:22:28,120
at high altitude.
345
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:31,270
Geologists, ornithologists, and archeologists
346
00:22:31,270 --> 00:22:33,733
find a true Eldorado here.
347
00:22:38,950 --> 00:22:40,690
The members of one expedition,
348
00:22:40,690 --> 00:22:43,190
which by chance sought refuge in this cave,
349
00:22:43,190 --> 00:22:48,190
4,200 meters above sea level discovered stone age paintings.
350
00:22:48,620 --> 00:22:52,000
Red mineral pigment was used for ritual images.
351
00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,760
Today, we no longer know what they represent.
352
00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:58,480
What is certain, however is that human beings
353
00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,523
settled here several thousand years ago.
354
00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:07,360
Murghab is a border town of 3,600 meters above sea level
355
00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:09,130
in the high Pamir.
356
00:23:09,130 --> 00:23:13,440
For its 7,000 inhabitants this is life at the limits.
357
00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,450
Murghab lies at the same altitude as Lhasa,
358
00:23:16,450 --> 00:23:17,743
the capital of Tibet.
359
00:23:20,970 --> 00:23:22,710
Heavy trucks speed towards China
360
00:23:22,710 --> 00:23:24,913
along the dusty Pamir highway.
361
00:23:25,900 --> 00:23:29,123
Hardly any of them stop to refuel or spend the night here.
362
00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,820
Tajiks wearing hats and children at play are very much part
363
00:23:33,820 --> 00:23:35,550
of the street scene in Murghab.
364
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,650
The crescent over the mosque and prayer chains
365
00:23:47,650 --> 00:23:51,860
in the hands of the elderly are the prevailing impressions.
366
00:23:51,860 --> 00:23:53,760
The town also has a garrison,
367
00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,443
which we're not allowed to film, and a market.
368
00:23:57,370 --> 00:24:00,100
The market stalls are set up in steel containers
369
00:24:00,100 --> 00:24:02,540
so that goods can also be sold in winter
370
00:24:02,540 --> 00:24:06,153
when the temperature can easily drop to more than 40 below.
371
00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:09,710
Living conditions here seem to be right on the edge
372
00:24:09,710 --> 00:24:11,230
of what is tolerable
373
00:24:11,230 --> 00:24:14,760
and economic prospects are virtually non-existent.
374
00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,983
We found one young lady who was prepared to talk to us.
375
00:24:22,930 --> 00:24:24,980
We don't have jobs.
376
00:24:24,980 --> 00:24:27,083
We don't have factory or something.
377
00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,240
We have only old people here, the youngest people,
378
00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:35,730
they are leave us because we don't have jobs.
379
00:24:35,730 --> 00:24:37,970
And we don't have university to study.
380
00:24:37,970 --> 00:24:42,620
We have only high schools and they'll go there
381
00:24:42,620 --> 00:24:45,790
in other cities and other countries to study.
382
00:24:45,790 --> 00:24:47,040
Me too.
383
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,210
From Mughab, the third highest peak
384
00:24:49,210 --> 00:24:53,170
in the Pamir, the Muztag Ata is visible.
385
00:24:53,170 --> 00:24:56,970
It lies in China and China is what a lot of young people
386
00:24:56,970 --> 00:24:58,730
here have their sights set on.
387
00:24:58,730 --> 00:25:00,787
I want to go to Guangzhou,
388
00:25:00,787 --> 00:25:03,600
but first I want to learn their language
389
00:25:04,610 --> 00:25:09,610
because the first learn Chinese language too easy there.
390
00:25:10,130 --> 00:25:12,279
Then I want to go to Shanghai.
391
00:25:12,279 --> 00:25:13,129
And then Beijing.
392
00:25:16,570 --> 00:25:21,230
It's easy for us.
393
00:25:21,230 --> 00:25:23,963
A visa is not too hard to get.
394
00:25:26,090 --> 00:25:28,090
Whether Lenin would have liked that,
395
00:25:28,090 --> 00:25:31,490
in Murghab they've at least left his statue standing,
396
00:25:31,490 --> 00:25:34,190
but there again, you never know what the future holds.
397
00:25:42,090 --> 00:25:44,100
Anyone driving along the Pamir highway
398
00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:46,420
experiences only part of the beauties
399
00:25:46,420 --> 00:25:49,223
of this comparatively unknown mountain region.
400
00:25:50,150 --> 00:25:52,620
Many of the tours and tracking routes that start here
401
00:25:52,620 --> 00:25:54,963
have to be experienced on foot.
402
00:26:02,380 --> 00:26:05,270
We travel on towards Kyrgyzstan.
403
00:26:05,270 --> 00:26:07,560
The passes are getting higher and higher
404
00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,003
and the living conditions even more extreme.
405
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,150
Here families with their animals still climb
406
00:26:14,150 --> 00:26:15,310
to the summer pastures,
407
00:26:15,310 --> 00:26:19,159
well over 4,500 meters above sea level.
408
00:26:19,159 --> 00:26:21,826
(yaks grunting)
409
00:26:25,260 --> 00:26:28,070
In winter, the clans that spend the summer up here
410
00:26:28,070 --> 00:26:30,480
live 2000 meters further down
411
00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:32,710
with television and the internet.
412
00:26:32,710 --> 00:26:36,360
Up here, life has remained unchanged.
413
00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:38,800
At this altitude only yaks and goats
414
00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,610
are the only livestock that can survive.
415
00:26:41,610 --> 00:26:43,740
Their dung is collected and dried,
416
00:26:43,740 --> 00:26:46,118
a vital and time consuming task.
417
00:26:46,118 --> 00:26:49,500
But the fuel is essential for heating the yurts,
418
00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:51,253
for cooking and for heating milk.
419
00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:53,730
In mountain regions like this,
420
00:26:53,730 --> 00:26:56,063
there are simply no alternatives.
421
00:27:01,580 --> 00:27:04,350
While the herds are still grazing on the pastures
422
00:27:04,350 --> 00:27:07,310
the women attend to a large number of jobs.
423
00:27:07,310 --> 00:27:10,000
The sun can be powerful at altitude.
424
00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,820
Then the work is done inside the yurts.
425
00:27:12,820 --> 00:27:15,483
Today ropes are being braided from yak hair.
426
00:27:16,580 --> 00:27:19,160
Good ropes are still needed for securing the yurts
427
00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,053
and fastening loads on yaks or trucks.
428
00:27:23,210 --> 00:27:24,860
What is more, quality ropes
429
00:27:24,860 --> 00:27:28,170
made from yak hair fetch top prices.
430
00:27:28,170 --> 00:27:31,503
The women enjoy their work and chat together in Kyrgyz.
431
00:27:32,650 --> 00:27:34,460
We're still in Tajikistan,
432
00:27:34,460 --> 00:27:36,230
but the nomadic people who live here
433
00:27:36,230 --> 00:27:38,203
usually have Kyrgyz roots.
434
00:27:42,380 --> 00:27:43,690
The older women went to school
435
00:27:43,690 --> 00:27:46,520
in the days of the former Soviet Union.
436
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,740
Back then the attempt was made to domesticate the nomads
437
00:27:49,740 --> 00:27:51,963
and have them work on collective farms.
438
00:27:53,010 --> 00:27:55,710
Now it is again worthwhile moving up to the mountain
439
00:27:55,710 --> 00:27:59,150
pastures as a family to produce meat, dairy products
440
00:27:59,150 --> 00:28:02,590
and materials made from animal hair and hide.
441
00:28:02,590 --> 00:28:03,573
The work is hard.
442
00:28:04,657 --> 00:28:08,053
Absanova Asilkam tells us about it in Russian.
443
00:28:10,208 --> 00:28:13,720
When we roam here in summer with our livestock,
444
00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,220
we milk the animals and heat the milk on our stoves,
445
00:28:17,220 --> 00:28:19,330
then we beat it and separate the fat,
446
00:28:19,330 --> 00:28:22,540
which is then used to make sour cream.
447
00:28:22,540 --> 00:28:26,400
The next step is to pack the sour cream in porous sacks
448
00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:27,963
and hang them up overnight.
449
00:28:35,270 --> 00:28:38,130
By morning all the water is drained out of the sacks
450
00:28:38,130 --> 00:28:40,590
and the sour cream inside is drawing.
451
00:28:40,590 --> 00:28:44,710
We then use the sour cream to make our famous cheese balls,
452
00:28:44,710 --> 00:28:46,703
which are known here as kurut.
453
00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:50,930
They will keep in storage for quite a while.
454
00:28:50,930 --> 00:28:54,600
That is a lot of work in one day for us women,
455
00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:58,060
but it has to be done because when the livestock return
456
00:28:58,060 --> 00:29:00,893
in the evening, there is fresh milk again.
457
00:29:04,660 --> 00:29:07,240
In the evening, the women keep their eyes open
458
00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,880
for the animals and their shepherds.
459
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,597
The livestock has been out and about all day long
460
00:29:12,597 --> 00:29:14,940
feeding on the last patches of grass
461
00:29:14,940 --> 00:29:16,403
on the mountain pastures.
462
00:29:20,220 --> 00:29:23,370
The animals arrive punctually and make for the yurts
463
00:29:23,370 --> 00:29:25,420
where their calves are waiting.
464
00:29:25,420 --> 00:29:27,410
They sense that they're offspring are hungry
465
00:29:27,410 --> 00:29:28,659
and need to be fed.
466
00:29:28,659 --> 00:29:31,326
(yaks grunting)
467
00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:43,060
The nomads make use of the situation
468
00:29:43,060 --> 00:29:44,543
to tether their animals.
469
00:29:45,390 --> 00:29:47,590
Yaks offer no resistance.
470
00:29:47,590 --> 00:29:50,300
After all their young are close by.
471
00:29:50,300 --> 00:29:53,250
This proximity stimulates lactation,
472
00:29:53,250 --> 00:29:56,230
and the women start to milk the cows.
473
00:29:56,230 --> 00:29:58,720
The size of the animals doesn't worry them
474
00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,260
again because the nearness of the calves
475
00:30:01,260 --> 00:30:02,733
keeps the mothers calm.
476
00:30:05,350 --> 00:30:08,060
The noise is deafening and makes it perfectly clear
477
00:30:08,060 --> 00:30:11,443
just why yaks are also known as grunting oxen.
478
00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,720
Calves are waiting to be suckled.
479
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:25,340
Sometimes a youngster is allowed a brief sip
480
00:30:25,340 --> 00:30:26,990
from its mother's udder.
481
00:30:26,990 --> 00:30:29,063
This makes the cow then easier to milk.
482
00:30:39,866 --> 00:30:42,300
The yaks don't seem to notice whether a calf is drinking
483
00:30:42,300 --> 00:30:44,490
or they are being milked.
484
00:30:44,490 --> 00:30:47,253
The mere proximity of the calves keeps them quiet.
485
00:30:48,230 --> 00:30:50,500
A lot of animals have to be attended to
486
00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:52,500
in a short space of time.
487
00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:54,690
This is only possible because of the trust
488
00:30:54,690 --> 00:30:58,060
that exists between the milkmaids and their husbands,
489
00:30:58,060 --> 00:31:00,520
and also their sons who show great skill
490
00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:01,963
in handling the animals.
491
00:31:04,450 --> 00:31:07,900
Up here it gets dark and bitterly cold very quickly.
492
00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:11,000
The yak milk is carefully collected in cans.
493
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,433
After all it is the raw material for cheese production.
494
00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:21,600
When the cows have been milked,
495
00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:24,360
the calves are allowed to drink the rest.
496
00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:27,210
Their behavior towards their patient mothers
497
00:31:27,210 --> 00:31:28,913
is not exactly considerate.
498
00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,568
Before the sun disappears completely, the herds of goats
499
00:31:35,568 --> 00:31:39,220
also return from the slopes of the highest mountains.
500
00:31:39,220 --> 00:31:43,220
They have to be kept in enclosures with high stone walls.
501
00:31:43,220 --> 00:31:45,840
Wolves lie in wait for stray animals
502
00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:49,113
and they feel more confident taking on a goat than a yak.
503
00:31:55,030 --> 00:31:57,380
At dawn the animals leave the camp again
504
00:31:57,380 --> 00:31:59,560
to spend the whole day searching for food
505
00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,423
on the surrounding high pastures.
506
00:32:02,340 --> 00:32:04,720
They've already been milked once again,
507
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,610
the long working day of the families on the summer pastures
508
00:32:07,610 --> 00:32:10,230
at a height of 4,500 meters
509
00:32:10,230 --> 00:32:12,543
begins with the first rays of sunlight.
510
00:32:23,310 --> 00:32:26,610
The mountain pasture is no kolkhoz.
511
00:32:26,610 --> 00:32:30,590
The area and the pasturage are shared by several families,
512
00:32:30,590 --> 00:32:34,430
but each family has its own animals and thus its own yields
513
00:32:34,430 --> 00:32:36,663
with regard to milk and cheese production.
514
00:32:37,690 --> 00:32:39,328
The sour cream, which is now drained
515
00:32:39,328 --> 00:32:42,600
is placed in handy portions on something akin
516
00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,593
to a baking tray and air dried in the sun.
517
00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,490
What looks idyllic is hard work in thin air,
518
00:32:50,490 --> 00:32:52,200
in bitter cold in the morning,
519
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:56,293
in hot weather at midday and in dusty wind in the afternoon.
520
00:32:58,620 --> 00:33:00,780
Yes, of course we miss a few things up here,
521
00:33:00,780 --> 00:33:03,210
like uninterrupted power supply.
522
00:33:03,210 --> 00:33:04,750
I come from Murghab.
523
00:33:04,750 --> 00:33:07,400
In the early 90s, I moved to Karakul
524
00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:09,260
where they had electricity.
525
00:33:09,260 --> 00:33:11,290
In Soviet days the power supply
526
00:33:11,290 --> 00:33:13,470
in the towns and villages was good.
527
00:33:13,470 --> 00:33:16,430
Up here we only have electricity in the evening.
528
00:33:16,430 --> 00:33:18,300
Then our solar batteries provide
529
00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:19,930
what they have stored during the day.
530
00:33:19,930 --> 00:33:23,320
Before that we had lamps or torches.
531
00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,483
We're happy to have had solar cells for a few years now.
532
00:33:30,370 --> 00:33:32,640
The men and women from the various families
533
00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:34,740
share the heavy work.
534
00:33:34,740 --> 00:33:37,903
The pasteurization process is prepared in large vats.
535
00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:53,020
If certain bacteria are not killed off,
536
00:33:53,020 --> 00:33:55,763
the cheese won't keep, nor will it be tasty.
537
00:33:56,690 --> 00:33:58,470
The products from the mountain pastures
538
00:33:58,470 --> 00:34:01,840
are very much in demand and sell well.
539
00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:03,520
That is because the animals feed only
540
00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,770
on the finest grass and upland herbs.
541
00:34:06,770 --> 00:34:10,270
What is more, no chemicals or other foreign substances
542
00:34:10,270 --> 00:34:12,120
are added to the milk and the cheese.
543
00:34:22,330 --> 00:34:24,170
In order to pasteurize the whey,
544
00:34:24,170 --> 00:34:27,350
it's vital for the vat with the mixture of cheese and milk,
545
00:34:27,350 --> 00:34:30,663
to be heated up with yak dung, but only briefly.
546
00:34:31,630 --> 00:34:33,183
And it must never boil.
547
00:34:34,070 --> 00:34:36,270
Such scenes are reminiscent of the books
548
00:34:36,270 --> 00:34:37,803
of Chinghiz Aitmatov.
549
00:34:40,860 --> 00:34:43,500
I know Aitmatov's book from my childhood
550
00:34:43,500 --> 00:34:45,080
in the Soviet Union.
551
00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,333
We had readings and the books were free.
552
00:34:48,730 --> 00:34:50,703
I loved his book "Jamilya"
553
00:34:52,740 --> 00:34:56,247
but also "Akimene" and "Guissarat".
554
00:34:57,140 --> 00:34:58,960
They are wonderful stories.
555
00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,900
I can't remember the names of other works by him.
556
00:35:01,900 --> 00:35:03,253
It's too long ago.
557
00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:09,040
But Aitmatov became really famous.
558
00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,770
He made our way of life well known.
559
00:35:11,770 --> 00:35:14,923
He told nomad stories in other countries too.
560
00:35:16,510 --> 00:35:19,803
That's all I know about Aitmatov.
561
00:35:24,830 --> 00:35:27,890
A Meteorite impact around 5 million years ago,
562
00:35:27,890 --> 00:35:31,400
created numerous crater lakes in the Pamir.
563
00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:34,090
Karakul is the biggest of them.
564
00:35:34,090 --> 00:35:36,981
At this altitude 4,000 meters above sea level,
565
00:35:36,981 --> 00:35:39,510
there is hardly any life.
566
00:35:39,510 --> 00:35:42,343
The Black Lake lies in a lunar landscape.
567
00:35:50,020 --> 00:35:52,360
From one country to another.
568
00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:57,000
The border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is a watershed.
569
00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,033
Scenery also changes.
570
00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,390
In Kyrgyzstan the valleys are broader
571
00:36:12,390 --> 00:36:14,550
and the pastures greener.
572
00:36:14,550 --> 00:36:16,480
Instead of yaks and goats,
573
00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:18,330
there are herds of horses everywhere.
574
00:36:19,386 --> 00:36:22,620
What we know of Kyrgyz history is always associated
575
00:36:22,620 --> 00:36:26,570
with horse breeding and mounts of great staying power.
576
00:36:26,570 --> 00:36:29,150
In Soviet days however, the attempt was made
577
00:36:29,150 --> 00:36:33,000
to get the Kyrgyz to change their nomadic ways.
578
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,880
Today nearly every family keeps a herd,
579
00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:38,203
even if they have other jobs and professions.
580
00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:52,123
Horses as far as the eye can see.
581
00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:56,550
They're sold for high prices, either as animals for riding,
582
00:36:56,550 --> 00:36:59,610
or as meat delicatessen produce.
583
00:36:59,610 --> 00:37:02,400
One of the biggest horse populations can be found here
584
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:07,310
along the Song-Kul, a 280 square kilometer large freshwater
585
00:37:07,310 --> 00:37:10,813
lake in grassland at an altitude of 3000 meters.
586
00:37:14,990 --> 00:37:18,090
Next to Lake Song-Kul, equestrian sports can be seen,
587
00:37:18,090 --> 00:37:20,840
which used to be common in central Asia.
588
00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,330
The focus is on the riding skills of young men
589
00:37:23,330 --> 00:37:25,880
as they battle for possession of a sheep or a goat.
590
00:37:41,810 --> 00:37:43,890
Whichever rider manages to pick the animal
591
00:37:43,890 --> 00:37:45,860
off the ground is chased.
592
00:37:45,860 --> 00:37:49,180
It's a situation shepherds here often experience.
593
00:37:49,180 --> 00:37:52,030
An animal gets lost, is stolen or killed.
594
00:37:52,030 --> 00:37:55,143
It then has to be recovered through skill and horsemanship.
595
00:37:56,100 --> 00:37:58,490
A goat is valuable.
596
00:37:58,490 --> 00:38:00,480
It is worth nearly a hundred dollars.
597
00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,453
A lot of money here in the grasslands.
598
00:38:03,490 --> 00:38:06,437
In Kyrgyzstan, there are professional teams wearing armor
599
00:38:06,437 --> 00:38:10,080
who perform in arenas and earn lots of money.
600
00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:13,150
But whether it is there or here by Lake Song-kul,
601
00:38:13,150 --> 00:38:16,520
the best rider earns respect and is ready to tell
602
00:38:16,520 --> 00:38:18,763
a new story about the origins of the game.
603
00:38:26,890 --> 00:38:30,143
Originally, the games began with a wolf.
604
00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,939
The wolf was pulled to and fro on a horse.
605
00:38:34,939 --> 00:38:38,220
And in the end thrown at the feet of rich men.
606
00:38:38,220 --> 00:38:40,563
That is why the game is known as Blue Wolf.
607
00:38:41,610 --> 00:38:44,746
The riders then lifted it up and put it in a huge vat
608
00:38:44,746 --> 00:38:46,643
made for boiling horse meat.
609
00:38:54,010 --> 00:38:57,000
Traveling through Kyrgyzstan is easier and faster
610
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:58,933
than traveling through Tajikistan.
611
00:39:01,590 --> 00:39:03,990
Pamir lies behind us and the infrastructure
612
00:39:03,990 --> 00:39:05,090
is decidedly modern.
613
00:39:05,090 --> 00:39:09,740
Issyk-Kul is the world's second biggest freshwater lake.
614
00:39:09,740 --> 00:39:12,920
There is tourism here at the Lakeside Cultural Park,
615
00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:14,130
which calls for tolerance
616
00:39:14,130 --> 00:39:16,593
towards many schools of thought and religions.
617
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,380
The pavilion in honor of Chingiz Aitmatov
618
00:39:22,380 --> 00:39:24,563
is a particular magnet for visitors.
619
00:39:25,430 --> 00:39:27,970
In view of the many conflicts in central Asia
620
00:39:27,970 --> 00:39:31,730
people here are in search of visions and perspectives.
621
00:39:31,730 --> 00:39:34,200
In this respect, particular importance
622
00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:36,510
is attached to Chingiz Aitmatov.
623
00:39:36,510 --> 00:39:40,773
As the curator of the park Asada Yuma-Kardi-Rova explains.
624
00:39:45,510 --> 00:39:49,511
Describing Aitmatov's novel "Jamilya"
625
00:39:49,511 --> 00:39:52,180
Louis Aragon once wrote, "I swear that this
626
00:39:52,180 --> 00:39:54,987
is the most beautiful love story in the world."
627
00:39:56,712 --> 00:40:00,120
And reading Aitmatov's works is so exciting.
628
00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:04,210
In my opinion, his works are of educational importance.
629
00:40:04,210 --> 00:40:06,620
They point out the right path.
630
00:40:06,620 --> 00:40:09,247
Take the story of Mankurt in the novel,
631
00:40:09,247 --> 00:40:11,977
"The day lasts more than a hundred years".
632
00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:19,410
Mankurt stands for people who've been humiliated,
633
00:40:19,410 --> 00:40:22,010
mentally enslaved, and no longer
634
00:40:22,010 --> 00:40:23,913
have any will of their own.
635
00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:28,123
Mankurt was also a symbol of Stalinism.
636
00:40:30,490 --> 00:40:34,080
Sadly, this figure, which was created by Aitmatov
637
00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:35,893
is still to be seen today.
638
00:40:40,010 --> 00:40:42,130
We live in the modern era.
639
00:40:42,130 --> 00:40:46,100
New technologies are emerging and many correlations
640
00:40:46,100 --> 00:40:48,820
are being turned upside down.
641
00:40:48,820 --> 00:40:51,210
In these times people have to be careful
642
00:40:51,210 --> 00:40:53,090
not to become a Mankurt.
643
00:40:53,090 --> 00:40:55,740
In other words, they must not forget
644
00:40:55,740 --> 00:40:57,833
their own history and culture.
645
00:41:03,159 --> 00:41:04,710
Chinghiz Aitmatov also said, "The hardest thing for a human
646
00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:12,760
being is to stay a human being with each new day."
647
00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:15,160
And that is something we human beings,
648
00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:17,123
all of us, should think about.
649
00:41:22,150 --> 00:41:24,520
Standing near the Aitmatov pavilion,
650
00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:26,560
are sculptures which describe aspects
651
00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:28,650
of his conception of man,
652
00:41:28,650 --> 00:41:30,943
which seem to have lasting significance.
653
00:41:31,950 --> 00:41:35,296
Asada Yuma-Kardi-Rova interprets the works of art
654
00:41:35,296 --> 00:41:37,403
for visitors and school classes.
655
00:41:42,150 --> 00:41:44,640
This statue represents Boston,
656
00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,420
The man in the novel, "The scaffold".
657
00:41:47,420 --> 00:41:52,350
In the face of a she wolf grieving over her lost cubs.
658
00:41:52,350 --> 00:41:54,837
The nymph on the child's head signifies
659
00:41:54,837 --> 00:41:58,240
that offspring are sacred to parents
660
00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:02,993
irrespective whether we are talking about humans or animals.
661
00:42:04,900 --> 00:42:08,470
In this work, Aitmatov describes the relationship
662
00:42:08,470 --> 00:42:11,293
between people, animals and nature.
663
00:42:12,510 --> 00:42:15,120
His most important message is that the offspring
664
00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:17,278
of both humans and animals is sacred
665
00:42:17,278 --> 00:42:19,223
for all creatures.
666
00:42:22,290 --> 00:42:24,320
Along with sculptures of philosophers
667
00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:27,770
and scientists, the park also contains the symbols
668
00:42:27,770 --> 00:42:31,990
of all world religions, Christian, Jewish, Islamic,
669
00:42:31,990 --> 00:42:35,380
and Buddhist symbols stand for religious tolerance.
670
00:42:35,380 --> 00:42:38,090
Not something to be taken for granted these days,
671
00:42:38,090 --> 00:42:40,430
but a fitting message after a journey
672
00:42:40,430 --> 00:42:43,213
through central Asia on the Pamir highway.
53896
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.