‘This is my motherland’ Kazakhstan hosts Uyghur Cultural Revival

By Alli Satterfield

May 1, 2025

Source: Penn State Student Media

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN–As the clock ticked closer to iftar, Mikhriban Sabitova circled her gold-walled dining room, eying the savory pastry known as samsa, piled high in coils on the middle of her dining table.

The 71-year-old wanted perfection and tradition for her guests, as well as for the three generations of her family that would be eating together. The dining table was set with a staggering array of dishes. From fruits and nuts to meat-filled pastries and noodles, the bountiful spread, covering her long dining table, was a culinary representation of her identity, as she prepared to break the Ramadan fast.

Sabitova is ethnically Uyghur, a minority group traditionally hailing from China, but her family has found a home in Kazakhstan. It’s the place that raised and nourished her.

“Nobody ever told me ‘you don’t belong here,’” she said. “I did pretty well for myself. Everyone has been good to me.”

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