The
Türkmen is all the greater for valuing creativity. These values were
quickly accepted in the early ages of mankind. Within these values,
there are both moral and material values.
The
most immediately visible aspects of our nation are the striking material
values: the horse, the carpet, our musical instruments (dutar),
jewellery and ornaments, local/native breed/species dog (alabay),
the yellowish breed of sheep and the genus of white wheat. It is obvious
that there is no need to find evidence to prove that these belong to the
Türkmens. They are there in full view for all to see. Moreover these
values are all pure values which have reached the zenith of their
maturity in their areas. In short, these are unique and inimitable
values without compare.
There
was white wheat five thousand years ago, too.
The
same must be said of the Türkmen horse of Ahalteke, the Türkmen
iti (dog), the carpet and the other artefacts.
(67.)
If the spirit of the Türkmen
is accepted as ‘horse’ in the fifth period, then it must be
‘eagle’ in the third period.
(112.)
In
the past our ancestors presented themselves to the world by the strength
of their swords; now, we should present ourselves with our rationality
and with our immense spiritual values. Türkmenistan is known for its
unique Ahalteke horses, for its carpets that are examples of the wonders
of the world’s art, and for its limitless wonders of nature.
(158.)
How
can a man who rides horses, learns to fight at four or five years of age
and is trained for war not be brave?
How
can our nation not be brave and self-sacrificing, when all our books,
epics and talks are related to the homeland and bravery?
The
vizier of Baly Beg in the epic of Görogly said to his Soltan, “My
Soltan, if you want the Türkmen to be slaves, be sure that the first
thing that you should do is to take them off their horses.”
In
the end the enemy understood this.
They
managed to make Türkmens dismount and took away our horses at the end
of the last century.
(172.)
The
travellers that came to our country said that the Türkmen horses were
well-kept and ready for war throughout the year. More interestingly,
young Türkmen men are also ready for war throughout the year. In
contrast to the other peoples of Central Asia, even the farmers and the
keepers of animals in our country do not like meat very much. They
consume it as fried dried meat. It is easy to prepare food from dried
meat and this meat can be conserved for a long time. The most famous
food of the Türkmens is bread; much care is taken in baking bread.
There is no need to eat anything else with the bread because it is
delicious on its own. The Türkmen, who gives hay to his horse, himself
eats bread made of dries wheat. He drinks the milk of the camel and also
gives it
to his horse. So he and his horse are always pure and healthy.
(181.)
When
it becomes evident that Türkmens will go to war, they pay attention to
what they eat for three or four days before the battle. They feed
themselves up on melted white fat, and they exercise to become supple.
They always have logala (a round food made up of oil or dough for
the animals) for their horses. Logala is made of a mixture of the
tail fat of the sheep and salt. It is given to Türkmen horses which
will go to battle. If the war lasts a long time, then the soldier will
give more logala to the horse. It gives the horse more stamina.
It can maintain its strength even if it does not eat for a few days
after eating logala. Our shepherds still drink a half plate of melted
fat before noon in summer so that they do not become hungry and thirsty
until the evening.
(182.)
At
the period when Oguz Han’s state was not yet very powerful, taking
advantage of this situation, a powerful state tried to capture Oguz land
by war. The enemy sent a messenger and demanded the best horse in the
Oguz country.
Oguz
Han’s commanders put forward their ideas:
“The
enemy is ill-meaning. Let us make war, but let us not give the pedigree
horse.”
Oguz
Han said to them:
“It
is wrong to prefer the worst, when what is only worse is still possible.
One never knows, we may lose all our horses if we are defeated. Give him
the horse and let him go!”
(246.)
History is your
ancestors and grand children
And grandfathers,
father, children and nation.
Entering the most
fortified palaces with your horse,
You are the Türkmen
with strong and agile arms.
(274.)