🧵 Imagine handing down a legacy with every stitch! Kazakh embroidery—once used on deerskin to decorate saddles and yurts—is now a living art in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the northwest of the Chinese mainland.
Meet Hatima Ainaidou, a municipal-level inheritor of Kazakh embroidery in her late 40s, running her own studio in Urumqi County for over 20 years. She learned this intricate craft at her mother's side and honed techniques first passed down by her grandmother. 🌸
For Kazakhs, embroidery isn't just decoration. It's woven into daily life—scarves, blankets, pillows, even marriage dowries once relied on elaborate patterns. 'It was very hard for girls to get married if they didn't know how to embroider,' Hatima shares. ❤️
Today, her studio blends tradition with modern design, creating vibrant tapestries and wearable art that resonate with young people across South and Southeast Asia. By preserving patterns that each tell a story—of nomadic roots, community ties and cultural pride—Hatima keeps her ethnic memory vibrant.
As this folk art gains new fans online and at cultural festivals, it shows how ancient skills can stay fresh and relevant. Next time you spot a colorful stitch on a carpet or jacket, remember—it's more than thread, it's a piece of history. ✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
