🌘: On October 3, we met with Upöl Beyshebayeva, an expert in the traditional art of koshok – public mourning. Upöl eje shared that she had learned this craft from her 98-year-old mother, who currently resides in Talas. During the meeting, we discussed the possibility of holding a mourning ritual in memory of women who died at the hands of their husbands or former partners, as part of the “Grace of Seven Mothers” project. Our goal is to preserve the memory of these tragic events through the art of koshok, despite the criticism and pressure this tradition faces.

⛰️: In the morning of October 3, a live broadcast was held in the “Zamana” studio, focusing on the unique petroglyphs of Murdash Bashy. The discussion covered the variety of drawings found at this ancient archaeological site and the new legend and animated film we created based on them, “Murdash Bashy Kemesi” (The Ship of Murdash Bashy). Special attention was given to the threat of this valuable cultural heritage disappearing completely. Our partners from the Aigine Cultural Research Center, Temirbek Toktogaziev and Chynar Seydakhmatova, spoke about the ongoing research and work on interpreting the petroglyphs, which contain a rich layer of knowledge left by our ancestors, not only at Murdash Bashy but throughout Central Asia.

🧒🏻: From October 1 to 3, the Aigine team conducted a series of training events in the schools of the villages of Kyzyl-Bulak, Uchkun, and Okhna, located in Kadamjay District of Batken Region, as part of the “Great Mountains” project. The schoolchildren enthusiastically embraced the program: they listened attentively, actively participated in discussions, and showed a sincere interest in learning about the cultural heritage of their native places. The project will continue throughout the month, culminating in the collection of oral traditions and stories from local residents. These materials will be gathered by students from the three schools and creatively interpreted and presented, with the aim of preserving and passing down the oral history of their homeland to future generations.