Usubaliev's grandson, Esen Usubaliev, noted that the initiative, coming from the elders of the district, is aimed at preserving the memory of his grandfather. "We have repeatedly emphasized how important it was for T. Usubaliev to preserve historical memory, reflected in the names of streets, cities, and villages of Kyrgyzstan, which shape the unique historical appearance and cultural heritage of the country," he added.
Esen Usubaliev
// From the archive
Esen Usubaliev expressed the opinion that changing the name of the village of Kochkor could negatively affect the historical memory of the place where his grandfather was born and raised. This could overshadow its significance for both local residents and all of Kyrgyzstan. The name Kochkor has deep roots and represents significance for its inhabitants. Renaming could lead to a negative perception of Turdakun Usubaliev's legacy, so we urge the elders of the district to reconsider this initiative to avoid mistakes that could harm the unique historical appearance of the region," he concluded.
Earlier, the elders of the Kochkor district discussed with the akim the possibility of naming the village of Kochkor after the Hero of Kyrgyzstan Turdakun Usubaliev. After this information was published on the Turmush platform, an active discussion began on social media, where many local residents expressed their disagreement with changing the name of the village.
According to historical data, Kochkor is first mentioned in the 11th century on a world map created by Mahmud Kashgari, where the area is designated as "Kochŋar-Bashi." Locals traditionally refer to this territory as "Kochkor-Ata" — a place with fertile black soil and convenient pastures of Kara-Koo.
The poet Moldokylych Shamykan uulu Torokeldi (1866–1917) also wrote about the Kochkor Valley:
Kochkor-Ata, Kosh-Döbö,
Half of it is a black hill.
We will stand by you,
Until the Day of Judgment,
Stop the hill from the child...
Before joining the Russian Empire, the territory where the village of Kochkor is now located was called Kara-Koo. In the late 19th century, Uyghur and Uzbek merchants began to settle here, leading to the opening of one of the largest bazaars of that time — the Kara-Koo market.
In the early 1900s, Russians began to settle in Kara-Koo, and the settlement was renamed "Sazanovka." In 1911, it officially became a settlement, and in 1912 it was named "Stolypin." During the popular uprising of 1916, locals restored the former name "Kara-Koo," removing the sign "Stolypin".
After the establishment of Soviet power in 1922, the Stalin District was formed, which was renamed Kochkor District in 1939. Since then, the village of Kochkor has become the administrative center of the current Ayil Okmotu Ormon Khan.
In the 1950s, the district split into two: the western part was named Cholpon District. In 1963, both districts were merged under the name Kochkor District. In recent years, the issue of granting Kochkor city status has been actively discussed.
