In Kyrgyzstan, women face violence on a daily basis, and many lose their lives at the hands of their husbands or relatives. Every day, girls and women also encounter limiting notions — the familiar “you’re a girl,” “you’re a woman” — that restrict their freedom and silence their voices. The Aigine CRC team cannot remain indifferent to this reality. This is how the project “Blessings of Seven Mothers” emerged — a space for creating and sharing blessings, bata, for girls and women of all ages. The visual foundation of the film is built on the patterns of artisan Gulmira Kutueva. Each motif carries blessings gathered from women across different regions of Kyrgyzstan. Through Kyyal Tazhiyeva’s careful work in refining language and meaning, these texts gained clarity and expressive depth. The blessings are intended to support girls and women as they confront restrictive expectations, social pressure, and the constant demand to “be someone you are not.” The first blessing addresses young girls. In our society, girls are often pushed to conform to predetermined standards of appearance and behavior. They are taught to be “quiet,” “modest,” “well-behaved,” while boys are more often allowed to express their feelings and opinions openly. Such entrenched expectations suppress girls’ natural energy and creativity, narrowing their opportunities.
