WILDNESS. About Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan

By Iris Oppelaar
Iris Oppelaar is a photographer, filmmaker and journalist, covering stories with an emphasis on human rights and migration in Central Asia and Russia. Iris holds an MA in Politics, Security and Integration from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (UCL, United Kingdom) and a BA in European Studies. Her recent multimedia work Wildness has been selected for the Jakarta International Photo Festival 2019.
About Wildness
With this work, WILDNESS, Iris aims to de-sensationalizes the practice of bride kidnapping and instead reveal underlying motives and societal expectations while providing an insight in the lives of ordinary Kyrgyz. It shows the struggle within Kyrgyz society and how changing norms may provide hope for the future. Wildness is selected for the Jakarta International Photo Festival 2019.

[@micheletwilkinson-penningt6940]

Jamal's mother is the unsung hero here by taking the scary 1st step in breaking the cycle herself by allowing her daughter to make a choice....good luck to both of them and their futures!!!

[@simang9932]

I am glad that Jamal's mother is in support of her daughter to choose who to marry and when. They are both right that education and it is the parents responsibility to take care and educate their children about the suffering of women because of this horrendous practice!

[@eaktawansunshine9911]

The first women did the right thing . She is so brave.

[@eaktawansunshine9911]

No one want to marry her?? That’s okay there’s billion people in this world. Those who not love you just a little tiny percent. One day you will meet the one that you loved

[@eaktawansunshine9911]

And the committed suicide girl The One that should have die it’s not you it’s them

[@zoloosso3152]

" Our parents did that and live happy life" Boy its conveniant for you, since you are not the one getting kidnapped by stranger , you are the one with choice and no psychological trauma so its easy for you to say that.

[@michelleforte8669]

The attitude of this tradition needs to change, starting with the men, the law enforcement, the family, the schools and the women (they are worthy of true love).

[@geoffmaw4079]

These people live in a 3rd world country, where traditions have lasted centuries and people marrying for love only started in the late 18th and early 19th century, globally. You can't expect this to change overnight. Whereas arranged marriages where used for political and strategic reasons. "Carrying or strengthening the family name further, your families blood line", this was all done centuries before "marrying for love". And just because you live in another country doesn't mean you can change Kyrgyzstan's stance on how things are done differently in their country. Their country, their laws. You have to abide by them. I'm not condoning the actions in this doc, but some countries live under a dictatorship or regime where nothing can be done. Look at all the poor countries in Africa. Some of these leaders/presidents have millions and billions of dollars, but do nothing for their country.

[@NTripping]

Difficult to watch... brilliant documentary!

[@nomadsky]

Do your next documentary on Bride Kidnapping in Kazakhstan

[@chottabeamm]

Kyrgyz boys got no game

[@mbekka1]

Used to be everywhere this tradition in Asia all over Asia .

[@akusiapa13463]

LOL NOPE.

[@Marie-fx2qp]

No.... Where did you get that from? Asia is very diverse

[@idkwhattoput204]

I’m from Uzbekistan and nothing like that happened in my country

[@hihihi88]

Im from southeast asia. We dont do this tradition, and i know east asia like china japan korea also dont have this tradition

[@clovisgeigers7020]

excellent. :D

[@gabrielamora6265]

Sir, if you kidnap a woman she is not your family she is your prisoner.

[@Sanzumori78]

There are so few of them to do the choice.

[@ireneinna7109]

are they working..how they feed the girl

[@miwildberries]

#EndChildMarriage

[@awababubakar845]

I am a Muslim. Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim majority country. But they are doing exactly opposite to Islam. In Islam, it is a mandatory for the parents or elders to take consent from their children about their marriage. But on the other hand, if the elders feels the person with whom their son or daughter has fallen in love has some criminal background or has severely bad habits, only then they can force their children to break the love and back off. Because, most of the times, lovers are blind. But forcing children to marry someone they hate is STRICTLY prohibited. Problem is that these people do not study Holy Quran and Sunnah. Everything is clearly mentioned in Holy Quran and Sunnah. Islam has no place for cultural traditions which go against the teachings of Islam. Islamic teachings are far more superior than cultural practices.

[@sauloaraujo5030]

For there are three(3) that bear record in Heaven, the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: And these three(3) are one(1). 1st John 5:7/Matthew 28:19/Acts 2:38. And there are three(3) that bear witness in Earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: And these three(3) agree in one(1). Vs. 8

[@cmeq9572]

We will both be miserable

[@mbekka1]

What ignorance does to people and lack of faith

[@miwildberries]

lack of faith ? i believe they do this partly about faith and tradition... but a tradition related to their faith...

[@Owliet]

@@miwildberries tradition or not is still brutal and sick traditions should have limits this is no way of treating a bride.

[@miwildberries]

@@Owliet surely, i totally agree this should stop, traditions should have limits according to human rights. And so does faith, they have faith in a bad tradition that should not be performed

[@valley-girl]

Lack of faith? Please...atheists are always rational

[@tiamisrahi6226]

leave those pl alone. look at the crap western society has become.

[@RAralar]

This is their traditional courtship style

[@natabearrable]

These women do NOT want this. They are committing suicide because they are being KIDNAPPED. This is NOT TRADITION. It is a cruel practice. If you actually finished the video the narrator clearly states that. This is disgusting and every woman on this planet should be outraged.

[@trupoed12]

@@natabearrable i'm woman and i dont outraged. I respect others traditions. This documentaries only shows you people who hates traditions, but this people are outspocen minorities

[@sailork8848]

@@trupoed12 This is not a tradition. This is a violation of basic human rights. If you are not horrified by this, you have failed as a human being. Disgusting.

[@nsjs17]

You’re an idiot and I bet you’re a very sheltered first world woman who wastes her time on woo-woo new age stuff, and could never imagine true suffering, so you just accept it as “tradition” to make you feel less spoiled.

[@miwildberries]

​@@trupoed12 not every tradition should be respected. I believe ppl should respect other styles of living and tradition but not when it endangers Human rights like this !