The village used to be part of the rural district of Kudurgu and is situated on the border of the Issyk-Kul and Tyup districts. In 2023, as a result of administrative reform, the rural district of Balbay was formed, which united Kudurgu, Ak-Bulun, Ak-Bulak, and Sary-Bulak, with the village of Balbay at its center.
“Once, the village was known as the collective farm Paris, which achieved high results thanks to the hard work of its employees. The name of the collective farm was chosen by the workers themselves to attract good luck. However, in 1935, after merging with other collective farms, it was renamed Frunze,” Rasul explained.
According to him, there are currently more than 300 families living in the village. The residents include Kyrgyz, Russians, Dungans, Tatars, and representatives of other nationalities, mainly engaged in animal husbandry and agriculture.
Some locals still use the old name — Paris. “Neighboring villages also continue to call us by this name,” they add.
Rasul shared a funny story related to the name. “Once, the grandmothers from our village went to the district to collect their pension. When other residents asked where they were from, they said they were from Paris. In response, some thought they had come from France,” he concluded.
