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Suiumhan's life was a testament to resilience and strength, marked by survival, sacrifice, and enduring love
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My grandmother, Suiumhan, was only three years old when she first remembered herself during the Central Asian revolt of 1916, known as Urkun. Before this time, she was a cherished and spoiled child, born into a wealthy family in the Ysyk-Kol region of Kyrgyzstan. Her family consisted of her father, three mothers, nine siblings, and several servants, with over 2,000 rams, horses, and more than 300 cows.
As the family fled to China, towards Kashkar, their journey became perilous. Women and children walked ahead day and night, while the men followed with the livestock. My great-grandfather Mamyrhkan, a wise and respected man, along with other men from the tribe, stayed behind to fight and mislead their enemies. Unfortunately, they were overtaken and died heroically defending their people.
The journey was filled with suffering as livestock grew weary, the elderly became too weak, and children cried incessantly. On one particularly difficult day, the tribe’s leader allowed them to rest but warned them not to light a fire.
In the unforgiving Odnovo mountains, a night of dread unfolded. Cries and screams echoed in the darkness as the family approached a nearby village. There, they found the aftermath of a massacre—around 150 people had been killed, including children and pregnant women. The village was soaked in blood, with no survivors. The scene deeply impacted my grandmother, especially as she saw her dear friend Ayimkan among the victims.
The next morning, my grandmother's family recited prayers from the Koran and covered the bodies with felt from their yurt, honoring the fallen. This tragic event, now remembered as "Kyrgyn Tatyr," left a lasting scar on my grandmother’s heart, reminding her of the fragility of life.
The trek to Kashkar was a grueling two-month ordeal. The terrain was unforgiving, resources dwindled, and disease began to take its toll. Three family members died from illness, and the situation grew desperate. In the face of starvation, a painful decision was made—my grandmother’s elder sister was sold for a meager 2 kilograms of flour and 1 kilogram of ash to ensure the survival of the rest of the family.
Though heartbreaking, this sacrifice allowed the family to press on. Eventually, they arrived in Kashkar, but the hardships were far from over. Out of the 16 family members who started the journey, only my grandmother and two of her brothers survived.
By the time she was 12, my grandmother faced another life-altering event—her mother arranged her marriage to a 35-year-old man in exchange for two rams. She spent her first year living with her mother-in-law, and her challenges continued. At just 13, she began living with her husband, and life soon became a cycle of relentless labor and sacrifice.
At 14, my grandmother became a mother, but the societal norms of the time were strict. Her son was taken from her arms and raised by his grandparents, forced to call her “sister” and her husband “brother.” Despite the painful distance, she carried on, tending to household chores and caring for livestock with a quiet dignity.
Over the next few years, she gave birth to two daughters, continuing to endure the harsh conditions imposed upon her. Yet, her resilience shone through, and she became a symbol of strength for her family.
At just 18, my grandmother defied societal expectations by pursuing education, learning to read and write in both Russian and French, despite the objections of her family. However, the outbreak of war soon interrupted her aspirations. Her husband went off to fight and tragically lost his life, leaving her to care for their family alone.
During the war, my grandmother worked tirelessly as a nurse during the day and toiled in the fields at night to ensure her children had enough to eat. She foraged for crow eggs during the harshest times and avoided eating eggs for the rest of her life, a reminder of those desperate days.
My grandmother's life was marked by hardship, but also by an unwavering spirit of endurance and love. From surviving the horrors of Urkun to facing the challenges of early marriage and war, she became a symbol of resilience for our family.
Her journey was not just one of survival, but one of strength and quiet defiance. She shaped her own path, even when the world around her seemed unyielding. Her story is a testament to the extraordinary courage and fortitude that defined her from such a young age.
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