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Kyrgyz Kurak
Kyrgyz Kurak
Among all Kyrgyz carpets kurak seems to be a special one. While all others are made of felt, kurak is sewn of many different patches of material. This kind of patchwork is a very ancient art that appeared not only from the habit to economize and save, but the appreciation of what you have. For making kurak were used not only the patches that were left after cutting material for a new thing. Some old dresses that were too bad to be worn were cut into pieces to produce a new thing. Young maiden were practicing in making kuraks for their dowry since it was a thing that showed their handicraft. Using of old stuff for nomads was something like showing respect for ancestors' heritage.
There was a "Kyrk koynok" (Forty dresses) ritual, when the first dress for a baby was sewn from 40 pieces of material taken from 40 neighbor yurts. This dress had to help the baby to get the spiritual connection with his tribe. Anyway, making kurak is not only to take and sew together some patches of material. It is an admiring craft of collecting together some different colors, surface textures, forms, and sizes. Being sewn, kurak was sometimes decorated with embroidery. And it produces the sense of admiration when you watch on a thing made "out of nothing".
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