Azamat Adalbek (left) with his mother Batima Maowuken (central) and father Adalibek Halengbek ride horses on a snowfield in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
A 16-year-old Kazakh boy, Azamat Adalbek, is enjoying his unique winter holiday learning to make fur snowboards. The boy's home is in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Meilifeng village is surrounded by rolling mountains and has a cold, long winter that lasts from late October to early April of the following year. Here, the temperature often drops to minus thirty or forty degrees Celsius, and the snow depth can reach over one meter, creating a magnificent snowy landscape.
Azamat Adalbek (left) and his father Adalibek Halengbek take fur snowboards to ride horses on a snowfield in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Making fur snowboards is a traditional craft in Meilifeng village. This ancient handicraft is not only a practical tool, but also an important part of the local culture, including that of the Kazakh people.
The length of this kind of snowboard usually matches the user's height. It is made of pine wood as the base material, which is tough yet lightweight and has good elasticity. The outer side of the lower leg of an adult horse is used for the fur coating. The horsehair on this part grows in the same direction, which can effectively reduce the resistance during sliding and also provide the necessary friction when going uphill, said Azamat Adalbek's father Adalibek Halengbe.
Azamat Adalbek (right) and his father Adalibek Halengbek take fur snowboards to ride horses on a snowfield in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Nowadays, with the development of modern means of transportation, the daily use value of fur snowboards has largely decreased. However, in remote areas like Meilifeng village, it is still an important tool for people's travel. Therefore, every household has fur snowboards. When the snow is so deep that even horses can't move forward, people will use fur snowboards for transportation.
Azamat Adalbek uses fur snowboards to walk on a snowfield in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
As an older generation of craftsmen, Adalibek Halengbe still insists on making fur snowboards by hand every year, not only to meet the needs of daily life, but also to carry on the inheritance and passion for traditional culture.
In Adalibek Halengbe's eyes, Azamat Adalbek is a "newbie" at using fur snowboards, although he is proficient in single-board skiing with modern snowboards. Adalibek Halengbe hoped that Azamat Adalbek can become a master at using fur snowboards as soon as possible.
Azamat Adalbek (right) and his father Adalibek Halengbek on a snowfield in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Encouraged by his father, Azamat Adalbek also began to learn the traditional craft of making fur snowboards. For him, this process is not only a continuation of his family's culture, but also an important rite of passage for personal growth.
"I really enjoy the thrill of skiing. Every time I step on the snowboards, I can feel the speed of the wind and the sense of freedom," said Azamat Adalbek.
Influenced by social media, Azamat Adalbek has gained some understanding of skiing cultures from around the world. However, this has not diminished interest in his own ethnic traditional skiing skills.
"Compared to modern skis, mastering the sliding technique of using fur snowboards is actually more difficult, and I need to spend more time practicing," said Azamat Adalbek.
Azamat Adalbek's mother Batima Maowuken (second left) prepares dinner at home in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Azamat Adalbek said that making fur snowboards is not just a skill; it is a way of life, a wisdom of living in harmony with nature, and a manifestation of regional cultural diversity. He hoped that through his efforts, not only would this ancient craft be preserved, but also more people would come to understand and respect this cultural heritage.
Azamat Adalbek's mother Batima Maowuken feeds shepherd dog, with modern and ancient snowboards neatly arranged in the snow in the background in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Photo taken on Jan 15, 2025, shows houses in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Azamat Adalbek's uncle Milibek Halengbek takes pine wood and a horse coat for making fur snowboards in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
Azamat Adalbek's uncle Milibek Halengbek uses fur snowboards for walking on a snowfield in Meilifeng village in Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China, Jan 15, 2025. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/China Daily]
