Wayne Eastep

This sacred sit overlooks lake Burabay in northern Kazakhstan. Oqzhetpes, the stark rock formation in the background, means, 'the arrow cannot reach this place'. The legend as told to us relates that when Abilay Khan was fighting the Oyrats, his army camped below this rocky hill. The troops captured a beautiful princess and the Khan decreed that she would marry a Kazakh. She agreed to accept the man who could shoot an arrow to the top of the hill. All men failed on the first attempt. On the second try, her true love's arrow reached the top. Ther others were so engraged that they killed him. the anquished princess threw herself into lake Burabay where she turned in the sphinx-like rock formation that protrudes from the water to this day.