After attending the meeting of the country representatives of The Region Initiative (TRI) and a one-day conference on November 22-23, 2011 in Tashkent, my next destination was the World Heritage City of Samarkand, a city that wore a blanket of snow when I arrived in the evening. Samarkand has been a stopover of almost every travel writer of ancient times. Early on in the next morning, my journey started towards a small town called Mitan, around 60 Km north of Samarkand on the Samarkand-Bukhara Road. But my final destination was not Mitan but a very small satellite village of Mitan named Kulchara where Silk Road Destinations, a travel and tourism organisation is running an ecotourism project.

 

Kulchara has an interesting history. Established on the bank of the Sahi River, habitation started here during the great famine of the 1930s when the whole of Eastern Europe and Central Asia faced a severe drought leading to a total crop failure for three consecutive years. People who are today living at Kulchara all descend from one family who used to live in the mountains 60 km to the north of the village. When the drought became unbearable and there was no water left in the mountains, Turakul, the chief of this family brought his relatives and other villagers down to the plains in search of water. They finally found a live river (Sahi) and settled at its bank. So these people know how nature reacts and they have faced the wrath of nature therefore they care and look after the environment. Today it is small village comprising of 82 households and around 800 residents.

  

When I started my journey it was already raining - I love rain because it is the big shower for people and for the earth. We left the city boundaries and we moved towards Bukhara. I looked around through the car window. The Earth (level fields for crops) prepared for a rest after the paddy crop harvest. On the fields there was only a seasonal crop of cabbage. Small settlements on both sides of the road were a characteristic reminder that the blessings of civilization arrive in these areas a bit later than elsewhere but people have preserved the natural environment and the traditional sights. Such small settlements are called Kishlak in the Uzbeki language, Kishlak signifying a small and remote village. Mitan is a typical example of Soviet-era development when even remote towns had a hospital, school and college and, of course, factories, a complete commune working effectively. Since this area is popular for cotton crops we visited a huge hangar for cotton drying and a cotton factory before we took a left turn from the main road for Kulchara. We then went through the small bridge constructed by the grandfather of the Head of TRI Central Asia Mr. Ravshan who was driving the car. From this place, one can understand and appreciate the investments of each member of a Kishlak in the development of such small place. 

We went directly to the house of the Aksakal, the local chief of an area in central Asia. Sitting in his room, I saw a soviet-era mirror and an old-style sofa, called Divan in these areas. We sat on the carpet, on a set of pillows - a traditional Eastern sitting. While we waited for the arrival of the Aksakal, his wife and two sons Murat and Gulam treated us with traditional food, grown in their land including fresh bread, Non. Non (or нон) is an Uzbek bread that is shaped as the sun - the symbol of life, bread also being an icon of life. I did not constrain myself and I started eating peanuts and raisin, big black grapes and a pomegranate. They then brought us hot fritters (гилминди), prepared with oil and stuffed with a sweet semolina in the form of a cream and, of course, traditional Uzbek Plov (плов) very tasty and beautifully decorated with pomegranate berries. It was pleasant to me to know that the products including wheat for bread, rice for plov (плова), meat, milk, cabbage, carrots and fruit were all produced by this family, indicating productivity of this land and hard work of people to produce everything on their own.

 

From the conversation I learned that this village has produced many important people of the region among whom are diplomats, doctors and teachers but it continues to keep the traditional way of life, skillfully combining it with the requirements of the time. While I was talking to the family of the Aksakal, I saw a a white bearded man with a weather-beaten face enter in the room; everybody stood up and I immediately understood that he was the Aksakal. After shaking hands and hugging each other in typical eastern style, Ravshan introduced me to the Aksakal. I was told his name is Bahriddin and that he is a former teacher. He has been been the Aksakal for over 20 years, one of four Aksakal in Mitan.

 

The Aksakal post is considered a very prestigious public post, it is necessary to possess excellent qualities and to be an example for others. If one is unable to stand for and infront of the community it is difficult to be reelected next time. The council of the four Aksakals solves public problems and sometimes the personal problems of the community members. If someone needs help, the Aksakal raises money and gives it to the needy person; sometimes support is provided to cover the study costs of youngsters if they are admitted to University. After independence higher education costs a lot more than during the Soviet times. The Aksakal also solves family problems for example a woman who is abused by her husband can ask for his help and protection. 

 

After the conversation we left the house to look at the cleared rice and cotton fields and then we went to the river Sahi to see the proposed site for the extension of our ecotourism project. The area on which young saplings of the Canadian poplar tree are planted ahead is seen. A poplar tree is very valuable tree for building construction and Kishlak inhabitants make a thrifty use of it. The industrial tree should have an equal trunk, therefore they constantly update a grove, using new grades. 

 

I then requested Mr. Ravshan and the Aksakal that I would like to record brief interviews with them so as to inform others how a successful ecotourism project works and what are the prerequisites for it. Below I reproduce the questions and answers, Mr. Ravshan kindly helped me as a translator.

 

Question to Mr. Ravshan: How did you start this project?

 

Mr. Ravshan: Many times when we accompany tourists around our country, they ask us to see the real life of the Uzbek people. So we invite them to visit local people in the villages. It is both amazing and amusing for tourists and hosts to have an opportunity to communicate. As the Uzbek people are known for their hospitality and open-hearted nature, these services are always successful.

 

Q: But sometime overexposure to foreign visitors can hamper and harm the cultural fabris of an innocent, remote society like Kulchara. What is your opinion?

 

A: We understand that these kind of improvised visits are not good for the local people, negative impacts are likely. So we decided to create a tourism service which gives us instruments to avoid negative impacts to the local people and their lifestyle. We are responsible not only for our clients but also for the host communities. Because Tourism like any other industry have huge negative impact to ecology, to society, the lifestyle of local communities, to their education and so many other negative influences. So these are the reasons that Silk Road Destinations have turned to Ecotourism, a responsible tourism that gives us opportunity to preserve our land and our country.

 

Q: How it is working at ground level?

 

A: People of this area mostly work in agriculture. They produce silkworm, cotton and other agricultural products. Today families in Mitan Kulchara are working in Tourism along with their main activities of yield production. Simply put, this project provides a supplementary income for local people. Income to the community comes from accommodation and meals it provides to visitors (tourists). Mitan is a new destination and service for our agency and it is an original and comfortable way for western tourists to see the real life of Uzbeks.

 

Q: But an ecotourism project may not survive only on providing meals and accommodation to visitors. What is your opinion?

 

A: In Mitan apiculture was present but today this activity has already lost its importance. But Mitan has all possibilities to redevelop this activity, moreover honey is a good product to sell to tourists, or to offer them during the meal. Tourists can take some honey back home as a gift for their relatives. So tourist donations serve to develop apiculture in Mitan. We provide support to families who are involved with apiculture. We provide full information and material for this type of production and we organise trainings for them to explain them the technology of honey production. We are also working on horticulture and livestock development but we will need funds and almost 2 to 3 years for these products.

 

Q: Sometimes people become living museums for visitors (tourists), this for example happened in Pakistan's Chitral Valley where a community is wearing 2,000 year old clothes and bake bread with a 2,000 year old style just to make the tourists happy. Will not the same happen here?

 

A: Yes, we very much understand and we had such example here in Uzbekistan also. Our agency has during the past 10 years worked with many receptive host communities all around Uzbekistan. It was different projects, initiatives of local people, in the villages of Sintab, Ayakchi, Tersak and others. We had negative results as tourists did not like to stay there because local people lost their authenticity and their charm. These villages became artificial for visitors and tourists started to feel that they are only considered as a money resource by the villagers. In Mitan we take care of this contact, we organise some exchange between tourists and locals, our plan is that this exchange includes some educational points for both parties, teaching each other. For example, for kids in Mitan, the foreigners are not some unknown animal, the kids understand that traveller is also human with a different language, character and culture. Mitan youngsters have a chance to compare their own life with something different and these boys and girls will become more sociable, more skilful and prepared for a life marked by globalisation and consumption.

 

Now some questions to the Aksakal:

 

Q: Please tell us what the community is doing and what initiatives the community is undertaking to make it a success?

 

A: Silk Road Destinations (the company running the project) has constructed toilets and bathrooms in European style for the visitors but providing comfort, respect and keeping these given facilities clean and tidy is of course the responsibility of the community, and this we are doing.

 

Q: What do you think are the core responsibilities of the Community to make this project successful?

 

A: The responsibility of the community is also to provide to the travellers frank and open communication, to meet the expectations of travellers who wish to study traditions, culture, life in the family. Also to exchange their understanding of the World, and animate the stay of travellers in Mitan. Our responsibility is also to guarantee the security and safety of travellers in Mitan and provide them high quality accommodation and meals.

 

Q: Where are you spending the income generated by the ecotours?

 

A: We are using the profits in favour of a balanced development of the village families and their territories. All profits have to be used to improve the life of Mitan inhabitants, for the future of youngsters and their education. For example, the money we earned last year was invested to pay the high school fee for one student of Kulchara. Also these donations go to the families which have difficulties to manage their everyday life.

 

Q: What do you expect from visitors (tourists)?

 

A: Travellers have to respect the prohibitions, particularly in terms of dress (not to wear too bare or too tight). Visitors should take care to respect the rhythm of work of the villagers, and the intimacy of the place during their walks and visits. The visitor should listen and observe, be careful not to judge too quickly, get rid of prejudice in relation to the local population. Water in this area is rare and difficult to draw so travelers must use it with moderation. They must also avoid leaving behind any kind of waste. Consequently, travelers must be attentive to their behavior. They must realise that their attitude and actions on site can play a destabilising role. Travellers should refrain from any attitude and any intervention that may upset social, cultural and ecological balance of the community and that would frustrate its dynamics of development for future generations.

 

Q: Can a visitor give a gift to children if he/she wishes?

 

A: No! It is prohibited to make any direct donation or gifts to children. Gifts as a sign of gratitude can be given to me (the Aksakal) and we will share it in equal parts among village families. 

 

After this brief conversation, I took permission from him to leave. Half of a cloudy day in a Kishlak had passed in the warm domestic surroundings. We enjoyed the simple rural life, lovely conversation and ethnic cuisine. I learned many lessons that I could not find in big books of ecotourism development from this old man who told me through his eyes that "only mutual respect and honour for norms of community can make an ecotourism project a success". If I have a possibility to visit Mitan Kulchara and its hospitable inhabitants during the summer I will enjoy their songs and dances directly in a courtyard and my soul will sing and dance together with them.

 

Certainly, a Kishlak as a small part of society has its problems, but we should not worry too much about it. In overcoming obstacles there is always a positive result and experience. I want to bring home good memories and to tell to people around myself that development theories are born in small, remote areas if we have eyes to read and ears to listen.

 

I heard the voice of my soul for Kulchara and it said: "I love you and I will return".