So far, I'm only about seventy pages in The Silent Steppe, and already there are so many quotes and passages that I think are memorable and very telling about the story that unfolds on these pages. But of all the passages that tell about the now extinct lifestyle of the Kazakh nomads and their persecution by the Communist state, I chose this one quote from the very first chapter. It's beautiful in its simplicity as the author lets us in on the little moments in the everyday life of the Nomadic people.
"Each move was like a festival, especially for us children; everyone was happy, and dressed up for the occasion. The caravan was headed by the most respected woman of the aul, who rode on a horse, leading the camels which carried her family's possessions. These animals are very obedient and quietly followed the leader. The other women came next, also leading the pack camels, in a long line accompanied by two men as guides. The rest of the men would drive the flocks separately from the caravan and the young people would play along the way, racing one another on horses, singing songs, and picking flowers and wild berries."
Comments
Post a Comment