My father’s fathers name is Gaziz. He was born in 1925 in Bashkiria. During Second World War he lost his parents, and his brother went to children’s home in Ufa. They could not find to each other for a long time. Their long –expected meeting took place only in 1959. My grandfather wanted to take him away to Kazakhstan, but his brother got married by that time and had two daughters, so he preferred to stay in Bashkiria.
My father’s mothers name is Malika. She was born in 1928 in the rich family. She suffered privations and went through many trials. Malika saw death of relatives, starvation, coldness. She had gift of foresight, prophecy. She could treat people for different illnesses.
My grandparents from my father’s side got married in 1946. They had not a lot of children – 7, but 3 died. My grandfather was a government purveyor, official in charge of procurements. He had sociable disposition. So he had many friends. He could turn his hand to anything. He stored up skins and wool. My grandfather died in 1991.
My grandmother was a collective farmer. She worked in the fields a lot – she gathered in the good harvests of potatoes, tomatoes, other vegetables. She gave birth to children, and right away went back to work. My grandfather’s mother looked after children. She loved my father and spoiled indulged him very much. My grandmother was also very hard-working. Owing to many-years physical labor she reached a great age and died quite recently in 2008. She was 80.
My grandparents lived in difficult time, went through wars and repressions, starvation and coldness. They did not receive any education, they could not even read and write. My grandparents slept too little, but worked hard to feed their children. They dreamt about their light future: that their children receive good education, find well-paid job live in the large houses, get married in time and gave births to many grandchildren. I think that they were happy people because they had left a trace on this Earth and gave birth to us.
