Download - OATG. Oxford Asian Textile Group

NEWS
6
The unknown Kyrgyz textile museum
Just off the main street in the small Kyrgyz town of Kochkor, a few miles west of Lake Issyk Kul,
there is a surprise awaiting the diligent traveller. This small market town is a well-established stopoff
for anyone travelling from the capital Bishkek down towards Naryn and the border with Xinjiang.
Most people stop for delicious manti, laghman or the hot shorpo soup .
But tucked away in a backstreet, far from the bustle of the main road, there is an extraordinary
little museum. Run by Lilya Ayipova and her sisters, the Kochkor-Kutu Museum of Ethnography
and Traditional Art is a remarkable place. Hidden behind large metal gates, with no sign of
what lies beyond, the museum has no official back and is the creation of Lilya and her family.
―My sister was travelling in Xinjiang and she was struck by the number of old Kyrgyz textiles
and jewellery pieces in the markets,‖ says Lilya. ―She realised that these pieces were disappearing
from our own country, so she spoke to our mother about it and we decided to create a museum
to show off the traditional work of this region.‖
Some of the first pieces for the museum came from Lilya‘s grandmother – wonderful
Lilya Ayipova from the Kochkor-Kutu museum
pieces of dowry silver, including hair
dressings and bracelets. Soon the three
small rooms became a repository for weavings,
embroideries and other items of folk
art. In one corner lies a dozen or so coiled
yurt tent bands (ormuk), most of them old,
but including a few new ones that are made
for sale to tourists. Next to them is a collection
of reed screens (chii), decorated by
wrapping each reed with coloured wool to
form a composite pattern.
In the next room, there are literally
hundreds of old textiles, spread out over
metal rails that line the wall. Here you will
find tush kyiz made to decorate the most
auspicious spot in the yurt and behind
which the bedding is stored during the day.
Behind the textiles on display there are
cupboards filled with more examples.
―We have around 3,500 textiles
here,‖ says Lilya. Most of them were
brought here by local people who wanted
to make sure that our culture was preserved.
In another room there are wonderful
examples of nineteenth century brocade
coats, felt boots, winter coats and fur hats.
Another room is also a shop where
the museum sells good examples of local
felt work including large appliqué mats
(shyrdak) and simpler ala kiyiz carpets. In