The village elder, Azamat Beksultanov, shared that Otogon, a holy figure, united his kin who lived in scattered mountain gorges, sensing the impending changes in society. Currently, Otogon is home to descendants of one clan.
Beksultanov also shared the history of the area. "Once, there were quite a few residents here, and there was enough land, so representatives of one clan roamed through various gorges and hollows. In our village, there are relatives from the Chymchyk (Ibrahim), Kalmaky Asanbek, Duyshom clans, and others. One of our ancestors, Otogon, is considered a saint. Although he was not an official ruler, his authority was great. Otogon Ata became the driving force that united relatives who wintered in different places into one settlement. It is said that he foresaw the resettlement of Russian settlers to these lands. In 1910, relatives living in different hollows united and created the village of Birikken, which translates to 'United.' Otogon was born in 1842 and passed away around 1915. In 1991, after the collapse of the Union, the village of Birikken was renamed Otogon in honor of our ancestor," he noted.
Currently, there are 160 households registered in the village, and its population is about 1,100 people. "Among the residents, the majority are young people and middle-aged individuals. There are 55 people over 70 years old, and about 30% of the population falls within the age group of 50 to 70 years. The main occupations of the villagers are agriculture and livestock breeding, with some working in Bishkek, Tokmok, and Kant," added Azamat Beksultanov.
