Her native village, Ak-Shyyrak rural district, is located in the foothill zone of the Jeti-Oguz district in the Issyk-Kul region.
Turum apa celebrated her 85th birthday, and throughout her life, she has never left this area.
In a conversation with a Turmush correspondent, she shared her memories of her native village, where she was born in 1939. In 1947, Turum began her education at the local school, and in 1954, she graduated successfully. Her father went to the front and did not return. “My mother and I waited for his return, hoping he would appear, but he never did. At 15, I was corresponding with a boy from the village, and now, looking back, I realize it was just childhood feelings. Eventually, despite my resistance, I married Beyshanakun Kudashov in 1958. Since my mother was left alone, I did not continue my studies. One spring, we found a snow leopard cub in the mountains. It was such a cute little one. I took care of it as if it were my child, and later my husband handed it over to the zoo,” she recalls.
Beyshanakun Kudashov worked as a farm manager at the "Druzhba" state farm, and soon they moved to Zhanart, where they engaged in agriculture. “One day my horse went missing, and my husband went to look for it. I was left alone in the mountains, and I was scared, but over time I got used to it. We used chilig bush as fuel for heating. From 1952 to 1957, we collected it and sent it to the "Karasay" outpost. My childhood was spent in the mountains, and since then I have always felt like a mountain woman. Since 1985, we have lived in the Ak-Shyyrak rural district. In my childhood, we didn't have the conveniences we have now. I didn't even know what a sled was. We used yak skins to slide down the hills. We had no problems with meat and butter, and I only knew about illnesses like fever and colds,” she shares.
According to Turum Kokochо kyzy, they prevented diseases using the roots of local herbs. “I have happily lived with my husband and raised eight children, we have 20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Now my children have their own families. I have never regretted living in the mountains. When I go down to the village, I always want to return back. Although I have no education, I enjoy my old age. I worked at the Ak-Shyyrak hospital and at the boarding school. When the school was closed, my husband and I wrote a letter to the then Prime Minister Apas Jumagulov, and soon the school reopened. Now we have a school with an 11-year education, which was great news for local families, as the shepherds' children could not study when the school was closed. The conditions in the mountains are tough, the winters are long, but life improves every year,” says Turum apa.
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Turmush previously reported that a dormitory for the boarding school was built in the village of Uch-Koshkon, which is part of the Ak-Shyyrak rural district.
This boarding school is small and needed repairs. However, it is convenient for children coming to study from remote areas, as it ensures safety.
Uch-Koshkon, which is part of the Ak-Shyyrak rural district, is also located in the foothill zone.
To reach the Ak-Shyyrak rural district, one must travel about 300 km from the district center, crossing the Soook pass and passing through the "Kara-Say" border checkpoint.
On the way, one can encounter argali, foxes, and other wild animals. In the foothill zone, winter lasts more than seven months, and temperatures can drop to minus 40 degrees. The village is located at an altitude of 3820 meters above sea level, so it is recommended to undergo a medical check-up before the trip.
Despite the harsh climatic conditions, the residents of Ak-Shyyrak, Uch-Koshkon, Kara-Say, and the shepherds who stay in the Pikerzyk area during winter assure that they have adapted to this climate and will never leave this beauty.
Animal husbandry is the main occupation of the local residents.
According to the locals, their friendship can serve as an example for many, despite the small number of people. They came from different villages in the Jeti-Oguz district.
