Said, the Master of Tajik Folk Wooden Toys

enchanting story and stunning work...

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Very impressive and the expression is grand very fitting with the beautiful atmosphere 💯👍

6. Said is a wise and kind person who loves life and peace. He often tells his friends and visitors parables and sayings that reflect his inner world. Here are some of them:

💥It is better to be alone among a pack of wolves than to be a wolf among people. 💥Do not seek happiness in things; the right things will find you if you carry happiness within yourself. 💥Do not fear the darkness, fear what hides in the dark. 💥Do not rush to say what you know: only Allah knows everything! Do not be shy to say that you do not know: only Allah knows everything. 💥Do not judge a person by their clothes, judge them by their toys

5. Said believes that each of his toys has a soul that can bring happiness or misfortune to the one who holds it. He thinks that he communicates with the spirits of nature, which inspire him in his creations. He is a deeply religious man who follows Islamic rites and prays five times a day. At the same time, Said respects all beliefs and cultures and does not judge anyone for their choice

4. One day, aimlessly wandering through the nearest forest, he found a piece of wood that reminded him of a horse figure. Said remembered how he loved making toys out of wood and clay as a child. He took the piece with him and began to carve a horse from it. Working, Said felt that it calmed him and brought him joy. He decided that this was his calling - to make wooden toys. Said settled in a small homemade hut in the forest and began to make figures of animals, birds, and mythical creatures. He painted them with bright colors and decorated them with beads and fabrics. At first, Said simply gave his toys to children from neighboring villages, who began to visit him. Then he started selling his toys at the market in the nearest town, where they were in great demand

3. In 1997, when the war ended, Said was exchanged and returned to his village. He found his home destroyed, and his mother and two sisters had fled elsewhere. Said felt lonely and hopeless. He could not find work and did not know what to do with his life. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

2. In 1992, when Said was 27 years old, a civil war erupted in Tajikistan. Said was forced to join the forces of the local militia fighting against the government. Although Said did not share their radical ideology, he wanted to protect his village and his family from violence. Initially, the opposition fared well, even managing to capture the country’s capital, but then the government received external support and began a counter-offensive. Said was wounded and taken prisoner, where he spent two years in terrible conditions. During the war, Said lost his father, his younger brother, and his fiancée, who was killed during an artillery barrage. After that, Said never married. The civil war left us all as if on a burning road, which we continue to walk, despite the burns…