Gulbara was born in 1961 in the village of Kyzyl-Suu, and after finishing high school, she enrolled in a medical college in Przhevalsk (now Karakol), graduating with honors in 1982. She worked as a nurse for 17 years.
In 1996, after moving to her husband's native village of Jenish, Gulbara began to engage in agriculture. In the early 2000s, when guesthouses started to open in the village, she began working in this field and later started hosting tourists and conducting master classes for them.
Gulbara's journey in tourism began thanks to a house built by an ethnic German who now lives in Switzerland. "He suggested that we open a guesthouse and host tourists. Previously, he invited his friends and relatives here, and sometimes he himself came with foreign guests. Now many already know about us and come to relax. We underwent training in receiving tourists and work according to this program," she shares.
To her guests, Gulbara demonstrates Kyrgyz traditions, handmade items, and the features of national cuisine. "In my childhood, I often spent time with my grandmother, who taught me a lot: how to work with felt, sew shyrdaks, and weave chiys (rushes for mats). Now I conduct master classes, and foreigners are interested in every Kyrgyz item; many want to try making something with their own hands," she recounts.
The woman notes that tourists show interest in the process of preparing Kyrgyz dishes. "We show how national food is prepared. Among our guests, there are vegetarians — we cook for them using local products. I love to cook myself," Gulbara adds.
She is also a member of the district's tourism community and participates with other artisans in creating souvenirs for tourists. Guests are shown how yurts are set up and taken down, and they are told about their structure and the significance of the details.
Felt products, such as panels, shyrdaks, and ala kiyiz, are sold at prices ranging from 200 to 50,000 soms, depending on their size and complexity. Tourists choose different items: some prefer natural products, while others like bright ones decorated with patterns.
"Our guests come from various countries, such as France, England, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Norway, Belgium, and India. The largest number of tourists comes from Germany," she says.
Foreigners are also interested in Kyrgyz national clothing. At the request of guests, Gulbara shows how to properly wrap an elechek and tells about its history.
Additionally, the artisans fulfill orders for cafes and restaurants in Karakol, decorating them in an ethnic style using Kyrgyz ornamentation.
Gulbara and her husband have raised three sons and one daughter, and now they are proud of their 17 grandchildren. "Kyrgyz craftsmanship is a valuable heritage that is passed down from mother to daughter. I want to pass my knowledge to my younger daughter-in-law so that she continues my work. I am currently teaching her," she concludes.
Gallery: Gulbara Shadakova from the village of Jenish, Jeti-Oguz district.
