A bow for the ancient steppe peoples was a traditional weapon. Traces of its origin are lost in the depths of time. The bow allowed to hit the target at a distance, what made a revolutionary change in hunting and warfare tactics.
Any Kazakh man had weapon and was considered a warrior, and the vast majority of Kazakhs were horse warriors, dismounting only in extreme cases. The equestrian archer was an integral part of the army.
The bows were made of wood and animal sinew. Some Turkic peoples, among them the ancestors of the Kazakhs, often used for bows plates from animal horns - argali, water buffalo and others.
Steppe kids began to learn archery in early childhood, the age of four. Sharpshooting along with the strength, agility and courage regarded as an essential feature of the true horseman, that is why there were a lot of sharpshooters among Kazakhs.
Archery had several variants: shooting standing on the ground, shooting sitting on a horse and shooting on a galloping horse. Recently, the most popular was shooting standing on the ground. Target for shooting served Jamby (silver disk), which hung on a thin rope (horsehair) on the crossbar of high pillar. Shooting the rope was considered the most efficient technique. It was necessary to break the rope with the exact hit, in order hanging disk fall to the ground.
We offer you to get acquainted with the art of traditional archery, learn the basic elements and techniques of shooting, as well as test your skills at this traditional martial art, where everyone can participate, regardless of physical training...
