The Botanist

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Many difficulties came about as a result of the collapse of The Soviet Union in December of 1991. This dissolution gave rise to 15 independent states, including Tajikistan. There was a gasoline shortage, which meant that people were no longer able to use their cars. There was no flour and people had to go into neighboring Afghanistan to get some. The Tajik government was not able to help its citizens. Since a state’s power can be measured by the availability of bread, poverty quickly became the way of life for many families as Tajikistan plunged into civil war. People fled and nobody came to stay. Things were so bad that there weren’t even any matches available to light kerosene lamps at night.

An old Kyrgyz man by the name of Raïmberdi Mamatumarov started using his knowledge about plants and roots to improve his way of life even at such a difficult economical time.

According to this gifted botanist, plants accumulate organic material in different ways. Some plants compound medical ingredients in their flowers or fruits, some in stems, leaves or roots.

Raïmberdi believes it’s unfortunate that there are not many botanists left who are knowledgeable about plants. The old Kyrgyz people knew how to use plants to make remedies for all kinds of aches and pains. They would create herbariums to carry around with them everywhere they went. A herbarium is a book that holds a collection of dried plants with their identification.

Raïberdi didn’t limit his abilities only to plants, though. He found ways to solve some of the problems the community was facing due to their hardships. He invented an instrument that worked as a lighter and then he built a hydroelectric station, among other things.

This amazing man also works as a teacher. Due to the shortage of people able to fulfill that roll, he has been asked to stay on even though he already has a pension.

Raïberdi Mamatumarov wears many hats. He seems to have figured out how to make the most of his life regardless of what might be going on around him. Watch this interesting documentary now.