Shepherd parking Bashny.Net

A day in the life of Kazakh shepherd.
The hero of this photo essay was the usual Jenis shepherd who grazes a herd of 800 sheep.

39 photos.
via





Shardarinskoe Reservoir, located on the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was created about fifty years ago for irrigation agriculture Maktaaral area.



Allied times when the cotton sown on a large scale, the locals called the area for gold. Now, every family continues to have a few acres of land for cotton, that process alone or a family friendly community. Many villagers gave it up, thinking more profitable to raise cattle.

Due to the construction of the road Zhetysai - Shardara, which will connect the two areas over the short and convenient way, the water blocked by dams. And the vast area of ​​the reservoir, the water flooded before, turned into a temporary pasture for pastoralists with small herds of sheep and goats.



The car stopped abruptly drowned in a cloud of dust. Our local guide is in talks with a shepherd named Jenis. Hearing our offer Jenis embarrassed smiles and says:

- There's Marat lives with his wife, the owners themselves and they do graze cattle to them you have to go. And what am I? I'm just a shepherd, working for 40 thousand per month (8 000).

But then she agrees and says that it is always glad to visitors, but immediately warned that his life is not settled. But if we want to, it can release to us the trailer for the night.



45-year-old shepherd runs Jenis two years. His herd of about 800 sheep and goats, is the property of the two hosts. According to Shepherd, one of them is rarely interested in their living property, but the second is constantly keeps in touch with Jenis.

He tries conscientious attitude to his work, and the owners appreciate it:

- Frequently herders can sell or slaughter their sheep for meat for yourself, or overlook, and leave the sick sheep, and attributed to a shortage of jackals and wolves.

Food, water, cigarettes and all that is needed, Zhenis bring a day. If delays occur, the most rapidly running out of water. Then you have to draw water from the reservoir for drinking. But it is not safe, since this water, at least, a stomach ache.



While we were talking with Jenis, animals dear departed friend to drink. Shepherd shouted to us to go after him, and called a neighbor to say that guests from Almaty.



C on the other edge of the neighboring herds are sheep, Jenis ensures that animals are not mixed:

- Working Shepherd almost around the clock, there is only a small rest breaks. Sheep are grazing before sunrise and before dinner. After this three-hour rest. And then I drove them back to the pasture. And just before sunset. At two o'clock in the morning I get up to see if they are gone, re-fit the flock.



...



...



Today is very hot - 52 degrees, and even got used to the heat Jenis feels unwell, his shirt drenched. Already at noon, he was relieved drives panting flock under the trees and preparing for the long-awaited vacation.



Usually shepherd sites used yurts, but Zhenis, like the other local shepherds, wagon wheels. It is convenient that at any time it can be distilled at a different location.

- It is not quite clear, - shy Jenis. - But there is no bed bugs!



I try to wash off the dust from his face, which, even on the eyelashes is a dense layer. Genghis pours me of an old iron kumgan water on the palm of the hand pulls surprises me - the water piping hot.

Meanwhile Jenis preparing dinner. An hour later he makes tablecloth, cake, pasta and smoked tea. Embarrassed says that sugar is ended, and the owner of something is delayed, and therefore it is necessary to save water. Overhead, the sun bakes, buzzing flies, and in three steps is a sick sheep. Plaintive bleat two tiny newborn lamb. While the herd to let them dangerous - if repulse their right zagryzut jackals.

Jenis pours tea and says that often he was very tired and did not prepare dinner, limited to cake and ayran.



Sick sheep suddenly starts to bother, kicking up dust. Jenis drags her to the other side of the trailer. She had subsided. Shepherd calls his master and says that it does not move and it is necessary to cut more, it is too late. And convincing adding that as soon as the sheep's head falls to the ground, the animal is no longer a tenant. Few posomnevavshis, the owner gives the nod to the fact to kill her. Jenis asks him to, he stopped as soon as possible for the meat.



...



After finishing negotiations Jenis again transformed into a gracious host. He says that in his youth he worked two years in Almaty, there are a few learned Russian and knows how people live in the capital.

In fact, the owner of the sheep said to leave the meat itself, it is not a pity, but Jenis just will not eat as much and the meat will be lost. One could, of course, salt and cool to hang at the bar of the trailer, but as luck would have it, and the salt over. Too bad that his family lives 300 kilometers away, and then handed over to the son of the excess meat.

Once a month, he is given a brief rest for a few days. Soon he must go home - it is time of the next irrigation of cotton. At home, he washed in the bath, does all the work and then goes to work.

It has a cotton field in the three hectares, with relatives, he treats their fields, and then they help him. And in the autumn of getting a lot of money. He would have sufficed, but one of the sons Zhenis worked in Kyzylorda and there fell ill. Now he is treated in the hospital, and all that makes Jenis, goes for his treatment.



After a short rest, he is mistaken for a sheep. In this area, the roots of grasses have an infection, so the animals are sick. In the autumn the herd allowed on watermelon and cotton fields, but it is best to feed the sheep in the desert - it is cleaner and easier to breathe.



The sun at its zenith, and herbs from the ground is heavy, hot air, a feeling that we are in the bath. Jenis Chingiz perspiring faces and said: "There's water there" - and waves toward the reservoir: - "Come and bathe."



...



...



Jenis controlled sheep in just a half an hour, hangs the carcass and gently washes away the blood. The insides of throwing dogs, but Tarzan, the largest alabai, indifferently looking away. Jenis explains that dogs eat at night.



Rested herd has itself drawn to the grass. After washing your hands clean, Jenis pours water pours nasvay and goes after them. Along the way, he warns us to be careful, because in this area are found huge poisonous snakes. A few days ago he killed one such zapolzshuyu in his trailer.



...



After resting, the mother sheep-suited to their lambs, one of them struggled reaches for it, the second is indifferent. Alarmed his mother calls him and bleats. But he does not seem to exhibit any interest in it. Little feeding the lambs, the mother runs away for the departed herd.



...



During our neighbor calls in Zhenis, Marat, his van is three to four kilometers. He asks:

- Journalists? What is lost?

We say that they had come to photograph the life of shepherds. He laughs and deafening mutters something like: "This is nothing to do to people!". And the reports that we have to take a picture of him. He sits down on his motorbike us, and we're going to visit him.



Marat tending the sheep since the seventh grade and was used to a solitary life. He is now in '33, and he is considered an experienced rancher. But last winter, he made a serious mistake has left the herd for the winter in the area, and many animals died.

- It came as shepherds with large herds, and went bankrupt. You can not stay here for a long time - not a place for cattle, - said Marat.

Now hold on Marat plans in these areas before the fall, and then go to the clean sands.



Marat lives with his wife and younger brother Gulzhan. He has a herd of 500 head, cattle breeding has started his grandfather. Now the challenge Marat not to lose and multiply ancestral wealth. Unlike other owners, he does not trust the hired shepherds and herding his cattle himself.

About his wife, he tells all the way, says that she gives all the instructions, and he carries them out, it nimble and fluent in Russian. And she is a good helper, takes care of the herd, and newborn and professionally shearing sheep.



Shy and modest Gulzhan to my question, it is difficult if she lives here, right answer, that here, as in the village, there is no store to buy bread. And in confirmation starts to bake bread. In the parking lot, they live with the previous year, but often try to leave home as much miss the children left with grandparents.



While Gulzhan bakes bread on the stove, where the cooks and Marat goes to look after the herd. In contrast to the trailer Zhenis here felt a woman's hand and has arranged some life. In spite of everything, Gulzhan smiles and says he has become accustomed to such a life. Electricity is connected to the battery, has a shower. And the food is cooked in such a fire, it turns out delicious.



...



...



...



...



Few stay with Marat and his wife, we will soon go "home" - to Zhenis. As luck would have it, Marat immediately went to far to drive, which has forged a flock, and we have to walk several kilometers to overcome. His condition was grave: in the head noise and desperately want ice water.

Regarding Zhenis, it passes a minimum distance of 25 kilometers. The owners promise to him in the next month to bring the ass. Of course, it would be even better on the bike, but also for the ass can say thank you.

Recently he summon himself premium wage. Before paying 35 thousand tenge per month (7000 rub.). All other shepherds in the area generally pay 30 thousand tenge (6000 rubles), but they graze a herd of 400-500 animals. And Zhenis almost twice as much, and the herd had not diminished.



Nine o'clock in the evening, even from afar could be heard screaming and dogs barking Zhenis. I hurried to cook gazovke dinner - rice noodles in a bag, which is filled with corned beef on top of a horse.



Comes tired, but happy Jenis, carrying under his arm a newborn lamb. He once again bypasses his flock long and busy with the lamb and its mother.



...



Among Zhenis night light sleep several times interrupted by the howling of jackals. The owners of the herd for some reason did not build animal shelters, so the sheep huddled near the solid wall of the trailer. Hearing the howl they frightened rush in different directions. Relive alabais immediately start running around, helping to raise a herd.



Jenis fell asleep again, instantly fell asleep. According to him, he does not suffer from insomnia. Just a couple of hours before dawn, he will begin a new working day.

Posted in [mergetime] 1405919626 [/ mergetime]
All.