Gijduvan district of Bukhara region is called “China of Uzbekistan”. Because there are many entrepreneurs and types of entrepreneurship in this district.
Gijduvan district of Bukhara region is called “China of Uzbekistan”. Because there are many entrepreneurs and types of entrepreneurship in this district. At the same time, national crafts are well developed in the region. Kun.uz visited the house of Abdulla Narzullaev, a famous potter, who was recently awarded the honorary title of “People’s Master of the Republic of Uzbekistan”.
Abdulla Narzullaev is the sixth representative of the famous potter dynasty. His ancestors were also engaged in this profession. Today, the potter’s house, the museum and the guest house organized there resemble a craft academy that combines three national crafts – embroidery, carpet weaving and pottery.
The potter’s sister Mavluda Narzullaeva and the head of the family Gulbahor Narzullaeva are engaged in embroidery, his daughter-in-law Zarina Utkirova is engaged in carpet weaving, and his son Akmaljon Narzullaev is engaged in pottery.
According to Abdulla Narzullaev, the family’s national pottery museum complex is included in the international tourist route. Tourists from different countries visit the house and get acquainted with the handicraft products, the work process, and the history of the dynasty.
“Our main goal is to preserve the tradition in our crafts. Therefore, we use local raw materials in all three crafts and work in the local style. Our ancestors have been working on the same pottery wheels for centuries. They prepared glaze in such mills, baked their works in such kilns. We get the soil from the vicinity of Gijduvan. We go and select the clay soil ourselves. My father taught us that when you open a lump of clay and point it at the sun, there should be no sand in it. The second sign is that if there are holes inside the lump, then it is clay soil. Of course, after selecting it, we bring it to the workshop and experiment with each new soil. Because each soil has its own character,” says Abdulla Narzullaev.
According to the folk craftsman, traditional Gijduvan pottery belongs to the decorative art. Foreign and local buyers buy the products mainly as decorations. However, they can also be used as household items.
Abdulla Narzullaev, who has promoted Uzbek craftsmanship with his exhibitions in many countries, is currently preparing to organize his next exhibition in Israel.
