The Ak-Shiyrak rural area is located in the foothill zone of the Jeti-Oguz district, within the Issyk-Kul region.
Turum apa, who is now 85 years old, was born and still lives in this foothill zone.
In a conversation with a Turmush correspondent, she shared that she was born in 1939 in the village of Ak-Shiyrak. In 1947, she began her studies at the local school, and in 1954, she successfully completed it. Her father went to the front, and since then, nothing has been known about him. “I stayed with my mother, we waited for his return, hoping that he would come home. I remember that at 15, I corresponded with a boy from the village. Now, looking back, I realize how naive those years were. Eventually, that boy became my husband, although I was against it. In 1958, I married Beyshanakun Kudashov. Because my mother might be left alone, I did not continue my studies after finishing 7th grade. I remember how in spring we caught a snow leopard cub in the mountains. It always looks cute. I took care of it for a whole year, and then my husband handed it over to the zoo. I cared for it as if it were my own child,” she recalls.
Her husband, Beyshanakun Kudashov, worked as a farm manager at the "Druzhba" state farm. Later, they moved to the Zhanart area, where they began farming, using a plow for land cultivation and preparing feed for livestock. “One day, a horse went missing, and my husband went to look for it. I was left alone in the sheepfold among the mountains, and to be honest, I was scared. But over time, I got used to it. The residents of Ak-Shiyrak used the grass 'kuyrok' [chili shrub] for heating. From 1952 to 1957, we collected it and delivered it to the 'Karasai' outpost. My childhood was spent in the mountains, and I grew up as a mountain girl. Since 1985, we have lived in the Ak-Shiyrak rural area. In our childhood, there were no conveniences like today. We didn’t even know what a sled was. We processed yak skins and rode down the mountains on them. There were no problems with meat and butter. Throughout my life, I only knew of two illnesses — fever and cold,” she reminisces.
According to Turum Kokocho kyzy, their family used roots of mountain herbs for disease prevention. “My husband and I lived happily together, raised 8 children, and we have 20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Now the children have their own families. I have never regretted living in the mountains [‘tooluk’ - mountain dweller]. When I go down to the village, I always want to go back. Although I do not have a higher education, I lead a happy old age. I worked at the Ak-Shiyrak hospital [a medical and obstetric point], then I was a caregiver at a boarding school. When the school was closed, my husband and I wrote a letter to Prime Minister Apas Jumagulov, and soon the educational institution reopened. Now we have a school with 11 years of education, which has been great news for all families in the foothill zone. Previously, when the school was closed, the shepherds' children had no opportunity to study. There are no conditions in the mountains; winter lasts a long time. But every year, life gets better,” shares Turum apa.
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Turmush previously reported that a new dormitory was built for the boarding school in the village of Uch-Koshkon, which is part of the Ak-Shiyrak rural area.
This boarding school is considered "dwarfish," and its building needed repairs. Nevertheless, it is convenient for local residents, as children from remote settlements come here to study, making their education safer.
The village of Uch-Koshkon is also located in the foothill zone and is part of the Ak-Shiyrak rural area.
The road to the Ak-Shiyrak rural district is quite difficult: it is necessary to travel about 300 km from the district center, cross the Soook pass, and the border checkpoint "Kara-Sai."
During the trip, one can encounter argalis, foxes, and other wild animals that inhabit this area. In the foothill zone, winter lasts more than 7 months, and temperatures can drop to minus 40 degrees. The village is located at an altitude of 3820 meters above sea level. Before the trip, it is advisable to undergo a medical examination to avoid problems with blood pressure and heart.
Despite the harsh climatic conditions, the residents of Ak-Shiyrak, Uch-Koshkon, Kara-Sai, and shepherds who remain in the Pickertek zone during winter assure that they have adapted to this climate and will not leave this beauty.
The main activity of the local population is livestock breeding.
Although there are few residents here, their friendship evokes envy in many. They have come from various villages in the Jeti-Oguz district.
