Matthieu Paley

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of livestock to the Kyrgyz. In this high, isolated, barren plateau, survival depends on it. Red-robed Kyrgyz girls corral sheep for milking, while dung dries atop the walls for use as fuel. The sheep, along with goats, yak and camels provide milk, meat and wool. Not only do they provide for most of the Kyrgyzas subsistence needs and serve as the medium of trade that allows the Kyrgyz to procure all the other goods they require, but livestock are also one of the main determinants of social status. In the Afghan Pamir, livestock equals wealth and is more valuable than money.