Mairam Omurzakova

Kyrgyzstan

Year(s) attended: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011

Altyn Kol

Felt Apparel, Toys & Home Accessories

Mairam Omurzakova, director and co-founder of Altyn Kol, a women’s handicraft cooperative with more than 500 members.  Altyn Kol, founded in 1995, was formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union as an initiative against the economic hardship that followed.
In 2005, Mairam was awarded the prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life by the Women’s World Summit Foundation for her work.

Mairam is an expert shyrdak-maker. She learned felt art from her mother, and has now passed on her knowledge, of technique and the art of designing patterns, to her daughters. Felt-making is a primary tradition of the Kyrgyz people. All young women are taught this craft and shrydaks are still used in virtually all Kyrgyz homes.