Maye Musk shares impressions of Kazakhstan and life insights at “Be Woman” forum in Almaty
Elon Musk’s mother, Canadian-South African model Maye Musk, spoke at the “Be Woman” forum in Almaty about her impressions of Kazakhstan and expressed admiration for the “tusaukeser” tradition, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
Speaking about Kazakhstan, Maye Musk mentioned that she had no prior knowledge of the country and that no one she knew had visited it. However, she expressed her love for adventure, meeting new people, and discovering new cultures, and shared that she had been pleasantly surprised by her experience.
“We did have a magnificent lunch yesterday, and I feel very spoiled because we also went to a museum and to the cathedral. It was pouring with rain but I didn’t care one bit, because I just wanted to explore and learn more about Almaty and Kazakhstan. And, it was a great tour yesterday,” said Maye Musk.
In addition, Maye Musk shared her impressions of the Kazakh tradition of “tusaukeser”. During her visit, she cut the ropes for a little girl.
“They had the most adorable little girl dressed gorgeously. She was so sweet. And when I hold her hand to walk along, she wasn’t shy at all. I think it is a very beautiful tradition,” she said.
Maye Musk spoke about her son, Elon Musk, mentioning how much she enjoys spending time with her children and how she recently attended a Tesla robo-taxi event with them. She shared that she missed the Starship launch to come to Kazakhstan.
She also recalled when Elon Musk sold PayPal and asked her advice on whether to pursue rockets, electric cars, or solar energy.
“I often tell people the story of when Elon sold PayPal, he said to me, should I do rockets or electric cars or solar energy? And I said, you have worked so hard. Just do one well. And you notice he didn't listen to me,” she recalled laughing.
Maye Musk mentioned that Elon often sets out to do things that seem ridiculous, but they end up working. She emphasized how hard he works and how proud his family is of him for all the good he’s doing in the world. While they fully support him in everything he does, they don’t want to be in his shoes because he takes on too many responsibilities.
Maye Musk also looked back on her past, recounting how, after her divorce, she couldn’t afford meat, fish, or chicken and relied on bean stew and vegetarian meals to get by.
She spoke about the emotional toll of being in an abusive relationship, emphasizing that she wished she had opened up to her family and friends earlier.
“When you’re in an abusive relationship, you are scared and sad every day. You do the best you can, but you don’t tell anyone. That’s what I have learned is that I should have told my family and friends,” she confessed.
Regarding her modeling career and life principles, she explained that she never sought to become a symbol of aging gracefully but noted how people began to admire older women who remained active and in demand.
She advised those facing difficult times to plan a way out, even if it means giving up certain comforts, and encouraged the younger generation to pursue what they enjoy while surrounding themselves with people who appreciate them.
“To the young generation, just remember you’re going to have some hard times but don’t give up on it… Do something that you enjoy doing. And if you don’t enjoy it, find something else that you would enjoy. But don’t base your life on other people because some of them are going to harm you or make you feel sad. You have to be with people who appreciate you,” Maye Musk concluded.
