This year marks the 180th anniversary of the birth of the great Kazakh thinker Abai Qunanbaiuly. In honor of this milestone, we’d like to share a short story about our fellow Kazakh — Indira Weaver (Sakhaulova), who carried Abai’s book to the highest peak in North America — Denali.

46-year-old Indira currently lives in the United Kingdom and is a mother of two. She was born in the village of Sosnovka, Beskaragay district, in the Abai Region of Kazakhstan. Indira became the first ethnic Kazakh woman to summit Denali (6,194 meters), the highest mountain in North America.

Last year, she carried the Kazakh flag, a painting by artist Karipbek Kuyukov, and a copy of Abai Qunanbaiuly’s “Book of Words” to the summit.

Indira's goal is not just personal achievement, but also to raise awareness about the consequences of nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Having grown up just 130 kilometers from the site, she collaborates with fellow Kazakh and artist Karipbek Kuyukov to draw global attention to the environmental and human toll caused by nuclear radiation.

Together, they plan to open a sensory center in Semey for children and adults with disabilities. Indira is also an active member of the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform, raising support for a local children’s home in Semey that cares for kids with congenital physical and neurological disorders caused by radiation and genetic mutations.

Before Denali, Indira successfully climbed several major peaks: Toubkal (4,167 m), Mont Blanc (4,805 m), Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), Elbrus (5,642 m), and Aconcagua (6,962 m). To complete the global "Seven Summits" challenge, she has three more mountains left: Carstensz Pyramid (Australia), Vinson (Antarctica), and Everest (Asia).

Notably, in 2023, she also brought Abai’s Book of Words and Kuyukov’s painting to the summit of Aconcagua.

Source: qazinform.com