Newcastle University

Yuri recently returned from the Newcastle University "Nomadic Settlement in Kyrgyzstan" expedition, funded and recognized by the Royal Geographical Society. The research included crossing some of the world's most remote mountains to collect 31 interviews from elderly people who have lived through the 1930s Soviet-ordered settlement.

Below is Yuri's account of the expedition

Kyrgyzstan, this small Central Asian state is now eagerly learning the rules of the market economy while looking uncertain of its future squeezed between three great powers – Russia, the USA and China. Each seeks to retain or expand its influence, while a fourth – religion, spreads fast in the poor mountainous regions of the once officially atheist country. To better understand the future of this crossroads region we should turn to the past and those 31 interviews. The way the people handled the changes from nomadic to socialist society (and later to capitalism) still influences how they and their families look upon the world today: some are optimistic аbout the freedom and opportunities independence brought; others feel nostalgic towards the Soviet era of social security and think the Kyrgyz nation will not endure for long. Mr Barktabas Baetov, a famous war veteran who survived the entire Soviet World War Two campaign, looks back at his sacrifices for an ideology now gone; Mr Sadibakas Sadirov, son of a kulak (rich man, exiled by the Soviets to Siberia), still dreams of his childhood and economic situation back in the 20s. There is no single view of the world on the part of the Kyrgyz people nowadays – as there was a single Soviet socialist ideology in their past, or a common European belief in a prosperous future. No, in Kyrgyzstan we heard a huge multitude of voices and carefully examining each would help to understand the past, present and future of the country.

On the photo is one of the interviewees in front of his summer yurt in Naryn. It’s evident how these people are rediscovering their traditional way of life after a century of communism. However, a lot has been lost, like traditional handicrafts and folklore songs, and оral history projects like this can help not only preserve factual knowledge of an era, but preserve bits of a culture. After the expedition I had many ideas of how to make sure the project is not lost in time – maybe to organize an exhibition in Bulgaria or the UK, or open a yurt hotel in Europe! It’s remarkable how an academic project like this can lead to many business ideas, not to mention the hundreds of niches that can be explored in Kyrgyzstan.

My experience of oral history methodology has increased considerably since the first time I studied it in the ‘Varieties in History’ Stage 1 module in Newcastle. One of my Term papers was even titled “Can Oral History be Trusted?”. I don't remember what I argued then but the answer now would be “yes”.  

The project is still continuing and will produce a number of presentation, articles, reports as well as contributing to my undergraduate dissertation.  I would like to thank everyone in the School of Historical Studies and the University Expeditions Committee for their great support for the expedition. Lastly I would like to thank all our hosts throughout Naryn for their incredible hospitality – a reminder of the country’s recent nomadic past. I also extend our gratitude to all the interviewees for sharing their remarkable stories with us; we will do everything possible to make sure this heritage is not forgotten. 

Yuri Boyanin

BA History, Stage 3