During my first konnosh, or daylong feast, I was asked by an ak sakal (older
gentleman with a long goatee) where I was from. I gladly explained that I was from the
United States. However, he would not accept that answer. He was not satisfied until I
explained the Irish and German ancestries of my father and mother. His
conceptualization of being Kyrgyz was based on Kyrgyz cultural history that well
predated the formation of The Kyrgyz Republic. It could be argued that this was because
he lived in an isolated, rural location, but his cultural views had withstood a century of
Russian influence. He was also literate in Russian history and culture, watched Russian
television, and read Russian newspapers. It became apparent to me that being Kyrgyz to
him had very little to do with being a citizen of the nation of Kyrgyzstan.