Initially, the anthem consisted of three verses and a chorus; however, by the resolution of the Supreme Council of the Kyrgyz Republic N 2648-V of 27 December 2012, the second verse was excluded.
History
Written by Jalil Sadykov and Shabdanbek Kuluyev and composed by Nasyr Davlesov and Kalyi Moldobasanov, the anthem was adopted on 18 December 1992 by a resolution of the Supreme Council.[1]
In the 2000s, several public figures began initiatives to change the lyrics of the anthem. They considered the meaning of the word in the second stanza, beikuttuk ('serenity, calmness'), to be contradictory, with the negative prefix bei- giving the word kut ('happiness, luck, grace') the opposite meaning.[1] Thus, the following verse was ommitted:
Байыртадан бүткөн мүнөз элиме,
Досторуна даяр дилин берүүгө.
Бул ынтымак эл бирдигин ширетип,
Бейкуттукту берет кыргыз жерине.[2][3]
For ages my people open to amity,
They are ready to give their hearts to their friends.
This has welcomed full unity and harmony
Over Kyrgyz land abounding in peace.
In 2011, the Supreme Council set up a commission to change the lyrics of the national anthem and the flag,[1] which had also been under dispute over the use of red and the flaming sun.[4] The flag would not be changed, but after considering many proposals for changes to the lyrics or a new second verse, the commission, headed by Abdyrakhman Mamataliev, concluded to remove the verse entirely, stating there were generally contradictions in it. The Jogorku Kengesh voted in favour of the commission's proposal on 27 December 2012 with resolution N 2648-V.[5][1]
Lyrics
The national anthem on a 2003 Kyrgyz stamp
Wikisource has the official lyrics for this national anthem:
I
Land of snowy mountains, steppes and valleys,
Which are equal to the souls of our folks.
Within your Ala-Too for aeons countless,
Where our fathers dwelled and protected them.
Chorus:
March on, O Kyrgyz folk,
March towards democracy!
Keep prospering, off we go,
In your hands lies your destiny!
II
Our hopes, aspirations accomplished,
Your banner of freedom is soaring over us,
With our forebears' traditions we are endowed,
For aeons shall our culture stay holy to us.
Chorus
Protocol
President Sooronbay Jeenbekov putting his hand over his heart during the playing of the anthem, with Vladimir Putin standing beside him listening along.
When the anthem is being performed at official ceremonies and social functions, the protocol is to put the hands over their heart if one is a civilian, which follows the American example for the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner". When in formation, officers of the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan perform a Russian-style salute while enlisted personnel present arms with whatever weapon they might have in hand, outside of formation, all personnel salute.[9]
_02.jpg)
