The qylqobyz, a fiddle with two horsehair strings, which shamans often played, was thought to represent the voice of spirits. It is still considered a sacred instrument, one that brings to a family the protection and barakat (good fate or fortune) of the ancestor who played it. Some qylqobyz players do not let anyone else touch their instrument. Indeed, qylqobyz players are distinguished from other musicians by a special temperament, as if they were connected to another dimension. This kui is the work of Ykhlas (1843-1916), an important qylqobyz player, who composed many kuis. (During, Levin 2001)