In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, he shared that his main activity lately has been beekeeping, and he sells the honey he produces at the local market, which brings him income.
Saginbek was born and raised in this village. After graduating from M. Elebaev School in 1979, he served in the Soviet army. Upon returning from Russia, he enrolled in the Professional Lyceum No. 2 in Karakol. “After my service, I received an education in agriculture and began my work at the Karakol Electrical Engineering Plant, where I worked from 1984 to 1987. At the same time, I studied at the agricultural college in the village of Ak-Bulun. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, I worked in state farms, holding positions as an agronomist, chemist, and dispatcher. After the collapse of the USSR, local residents began receiving land plots, and we started engaging in crop production, but the harvest was not enough to last until spring. In 1996, I decided to take up beekeeping for a stable income,” he recounts.
According to Irsaliyev, it was not easy at the beginning of his work with bees. “Like in any field, there are pros and cons, as well as challenges. When I started beekeeping, I faced many difficulties. I had to spend nights in the fields where perennial grasses grew to extract honey. But if you work with full dedication, the results will be corresponding. Currently, we have 40-50 hives, and we sell honey at a price ranging from 250 to 300 soms per kilogram. The main buyers are local residents, but sometimes people come from abroad,” he noted.
Saginbek got married in 1989, and together with his wife, they raised six daughters. He is currently interested in athletics and participates in competitions.
Local residents note his skill in cutting meat for the traditional dish “beshbarmak.” “In our culture, honored guests are always welcomed with this dish. Previously, men demonstrated their skill in cutting meat with two knives. When I returned from the army, my friend suggested I try it. In 1985, I cut meat for the first time at the funeral of a local resident. At that time, the elders suggested that we, the young ones, take on this task. My friend and I were a bit shy, but in the end, they convinced us,” he recalls.
Saginbek recounts how the elders insisted for the third time that they cut the meat. “At first, we explained that we didn’t have enough knives. They pulled out folding knives, and we started cutting. When I demonstrated my skills with two knives, they were amazed and asked, ‘Can you really do that too?!’ Over time, I learned to cut meat with 4-5 knives, and later with 7-8,” he shares.
According to Irsaliyev, he is invited to events as a meat-cutting master at matchmaking meetings. “Once, when I was cutting meat for the ‘kudalar’ in Naryn, it was filmed and posted online. That’s how I became known. In 2019, I was invited to the state residence ‘Ala-Archa’ to showcase my meat-cutting skills for beshbarmak. I also participated in the Summit of the Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Bishkek, where I prepared dishes for foreign delegations,” he recounts.
Irsaliyev actively participates in events at the district and regional levels and teaches the youth his skills. “Although it seems easy, there are rules to follow,” he concludes.
