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Wild Child: A Ritual Performance

By Nazym Mendebairov
23 March 2023

‘We were all born with our Spirit inside us. Of who we really are.
Our Wild Child.
Full of Grace.
Savior of the human race. Our true Face.’

Aijamal Nova, a Kyrgyz actor and theater maker from Kyrgyzstan and an East 15 Acting school graduate recently showcased ‘Wild Child : A Ritual Performance” at the well known Camden People’s Theatre, this March in London, United Kingdom.

In this original piece a young woman travels through the elements of fire, water, earth and sound carried by dance and the reinvention of Jim Morrison’s lyrics. Suspended in an empty space a tambourine gleams like the full moon over the Ala-Too mountains. With subtly graceful stage presence Nova enters with a candle, adding a second light to the darkness. It is astounding how the intimate atmosphere turns almost holy when she begins singing the ‘Sary Oi’ song. The burning of archa completes this transformation of space. It is clear: we are no longer on the earth but somewhere in the mythical realms of Tengri.

The symbolic sacrifice of objects, such as the actress’ earrings, and a cleaning ritual with mud, strike at the heartstrings. We feel the artist’s connection to her native land and the sacrifice that any separation from its soil signifies. However, the heart of the nomad begins to beat with the sound of steady drumming and Nova lets herself move with the rhythm. Through her dancing a second transformation takes place. The child emerges as a creature with a tambourine head. Exploring the new world, the creature finds the tambourine beater.

After having let the audience glimpse the sound of the tambourine from tape during the dance, they hold their breath before Nova strikes for the first time. The sound echoes through the auditorium. It becomes quicker and Nova begins chanting Jim Morrison’s ‘Wild Child’ lyrics merging with our traditional Kyrgyz song ‘Sary Oi’.

Combining the American singer with our ancient Kyrgyz traditions might sound like an unsuitable pairing. But seeing how effortlessly Nova’s performance weaves between the new and the ancient, making the connection between our nomadic, our wild roots and the separation from our home many of our fellow countrymen experience, there can be no doubt that here we see a young master at work. Wild Child leaves our hearts beating in time with Nova’s drum and enriched with that intangible feeling of connection. Currently, Nova is the only Kyrgyz theatre maker, actress and ritual performer in London. As a Central Asian population we depend on the richness of representation as shown by Nova. Her performance is utterly human, delivering a free-spirit and fully embodied nomadic nature that fills the audience with deep silence and pure revelation. In addition, the resourcefulness she displays to create new artistic material from our rituals and myths is truly stunning. It is a testament to the treasures we have harbored throughout more than thousand years of existence.

To watch Nova’s performance will fill every Kyrgyz heart with pride, knowing that this young woman’s talent will give our people a voice and a face on the world’s stage. Renowned throughout the world for its ingenuity and its celebration of cultures, London is the place where the history and the value of Kyrgyz culture can flourish into the wider world community. After watching Aijamal Nova’s outstanding Wild Child, one can be sure that this is the beginning of a new Central Asian and Kyrgyz theatre