Wo der Himmel auf die Erde trifft

The nomads and miners of Kirghizistan affront deep changes that bring about a radical transformation in their way of life. ” Kirgizstan, which was until recently closed up to the rest of the world, now finds itself able to open, sharing its rich tradition and culture with humanity. Fascinated by the vast landscape of this mountain country, I came upon this old warm-hearted woman, still living deeply connected to the rhythm of nature and the spirituality of life. As I explored the culture of the country along the Silk Road, I discovered a poet who shared with me the great ancient epic, Manas, singing out the story of the Kirgiz hero in the traditional way. Through music and storytelling he keeps the nomadic culture alive by passing down knowledge from generation to generation verbally. But even there, amid mountains soaring up to twenty thousand feet, there is no escaping from the west. Canadians miners exploit a deep vein of gold in the high mountains, destroying a whole region in the process.” (Frank Müller)