The first country that I visited in Central Asia was Kyrgyzstan . The Kyrgyz are ancient nomadic people who lived in tents called yurts , and throughout their history , the Kyrgyz have been ruled by the Mongols , China , Russia , and the Soviet Union . Kyrgyzstan has only been an independent country since 1991 , which was the year the Soviet Union collapsed and broke up into several different countries . Driving through the countryside to a scenic valley called Chong-Kemin to an area called Song-Köl , we stayed the night in a traditional yurt . Yurts are portable , round tents covered with animal skins . The nomadic herders in the steppes of Central Asia still live in yurts , and we had the chance to experience a piece of the daily life of the nomads and try some of their food . We were able to go hiking or horseback riding in this beautiful area . The next morning , we drove to a large village called Kochkor , where about 11,000 people live . We visited a felt-making workshop to learn more about this typical Kyrgyz craft . It is at this very stop , I thought I could utilize this experience to show fourth graders t he t rad it iona l craft which they could incorporate into their Silk Road studies . What if the boys made a felt patch that coincided with their caravan ’ s motif or personal beliefs ?
For thousands of years , communities of herders and their animals moved freely with the seasons across the western steppe , in the shadow of Kyrgyzstan ’ s massive Tian Shan Mountains . Many nomads raised sheep for mutton and one of the world ’ s most popular and useful fibers : wool . With a little warm water , soap , and some elbow grease , raw wool fibers could be kneaded into felt . From Siberia to Nepal , nomadic communities across Central Asia have used felt for clothing , warmth , animal husbandry , even housing . Felted wool carpets and wall paneling are used in yurts to this day .
Upon returning to Saint David ’ s , I started collaborating with the fourth-grade team and put together a presentation of my photographs and experiences in Central Asia . I led a felt-making demonstration , utilizing fine-motor skills sewing , conceptualizing a symbol to create , and ultimately enhancing their knowledge and understanding of the culture and how it contributed to the Silk Road trade