Guyay, a fashion model of the Kirgiz ethnic group from Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is turning the fashion runway into a stage for cultural storytelling of her hometown.
Currently working in the European fashion industry, Guyay's journey began far from the glamorous fashion capitals of Paris and Milan. She grew up in a traditional yurt, listening to her mother and grandmother sing the Manas epic, a UNESCO-listed oral tradition of the Kirgiz ethnic group in Xinjiang.
"The 'Epic of Manas' is named after a person. It tells the legendary story of Manas and his seven generations of descendants, who led the Kyrgyz people to resist foreign invasion and defend their homeland. It is also like an encyclopedia of the Kyrgyz ethnic group. In recent years, thanks to promotion from various departments, my hometown has started to gain wider recognition," said Guyay.
The Kyrgyz are a nomadic people with a population of about 200,000 in China, and Guyay is on a mission to bring the vibrant culture to the forefront.
"Now, I'm back in my hometown, and the Xiji Fashion Show I organized presents our ethnic intangible cultural heritage in an innovative way which integrates it with rural culture and fashion, and brings it onto the fashion stage. For this fashion show, we abandoned traditional forms of presentation and invited local villagers to participate to showcase the development of our rural areas," said Guyay.
Since starting her international career as a fashion model in 2023, Guyay has used her unique platform to serve as a cultural ambassador.
"Talking about my work and life as a model overseas, we come from various ethnic backgrounds, speaking different languages. And when we chatted with each other, I also told them that I'm from an ethnic group in Xinjiang of China. In Xinjiang, there are many ethnic groups like mine with people having deep eye sockets and high noses. When I talked about this, they were filled with curiosity and amazement. I showed them videos on my social media accounts, and they saw the magnificent grasslands of my hometown, including the scenes of thousands of horses galloping freely. They all thought these sights were extremely beautiful. Only then did they realize that China isn't just full of skyscrapers, it also has such beautiful places with amazing natural scenery," Guyay said.
Now, her journey has come full circle, perfectly captured in a line she once delivered. She hopes that her hometown and the ethnic culture will be known by more and more people across the world.
"I believe that every time I wear a piece of ethnic clothing, more people will be curious about our ethnic culture. Just like a line from me in video 'Appointment with the Pamirs,' 'When I was a child, I longed to see the outside world.' Now, I want the outside world to see our hometown here," said Guyay.
Chinese girl turns fashion runway into stage for ethnic cultures of Xinjiang
