Forgotten Memories of the Kyrgyz Traditional Climate Adaptation Techniques and its Revival

• In Event: Placing Climates Across (Post-)Soviet Regions: Knowing, Writing, Planning

Abstract

The diverse practices of the Central Asian region in preserving and respecting nature were accumulated and passed down through generations. The traditional climate adaptation techniques were rooted in the nomadic lifestyle to ensure the survival and optimization of resources in a mountainous natural landscape. However, the large-scale industrialization and collectivization implemented by the Soviet administration let the indigenous methods of climate adaptation to be ‘forgotten’. The loss of this knowledge left the region to face the modern-day environmental problems. The research aims to analyze the traditional knowledge of the Central Asian region, in particular, the Kyrgyz practices related to climate adaptation which were 'forgotten' during the Soviet times. In particular, it collects and examines the attempts at revival of the ancestral wisdom made by the government and non-governmental sector in reviving these techniques through various events. The case study includes the Summer Fair of Traditional Knowledge that is organized in Kyrgyzstan in summer to allow exchange of knowledge and to promote communication between the farmers who come from different regions. Based on interviews conducted in Kyrgyzstan, the research also reflects upon the experiences of the elderly who implemented the Soviet policies in the agricultural sector to offer their insights on the crucial importance of preservation of sustainable practices in addressing the climate issues.

Author

• Anara Jeenbekova, U of Washington