A resident of the Kapal village in the Jetisu region hopes to revive the ancient Kazakh tradition of soap making by selling her own handmade soaps made from quinoa and mare’s milk, QazMonitor reports citing Khabar 24.
Nurjanet Erdauletkyzy learned the ancient nomadic method of soap-making from her grandmother. After moving to Kazakhstan from China with her family, she decided to turn her house into a workshop where she crafts and sells her soaps.
The first batch sold out immediately, with more orders pouring in.
She described the unique properties of her products.
"I made this from saumal, which is mare milk. It is very good for babies: newborns bathed with this soap won’t have any allergies," she said as she took another soap in her hand. "And this one is made from honey. It protects the skin from boils and wrinkles. In a way, these soaps are traditional cosmetics,” she said.
The collection includes soaps made from fresh mare's and cow's milk, katyk (fermented milk), honey, medicinal herbs, and fresh vegetable juice.
Nurjanet also makes handmade carpets and rugs. She dreams of opening a large-scale production line to manufacture all kinds of ancient Kazakh crafts, like soap and textiles.
Local authorities have promised her a plot of land for a mini-factory. Nurjanet has already gathered the documents to obtain a certificate for her products.
A fellow villager, Saragul Nusipbai, voiced the support for Nurjanet’s endeavor.
"It's good that the soap-making method of our ancestors to make soap is making a comeback. This is a return to our roots, and this is also about our health. Ancient healers used quinoa soap to heal the most severe wounds and even used it as a disinfectant for surgeries. I'm a regular customer. I bathe my grandchildren with this soap and use it in everyday life,” she said.