Culture and History
This post, the first in a new segment on exploring the past of Kazakhstan, is a piece of writing on football by the late historian, political scientist and public intellectual Nurbulat Masanov. He was well known in both Kazakhstan and with foreign academics (Read some tributes after his 2006 death here). Last year, I stumbled upon a posthumously published book containing a collection of his interviews and articles: Я, Нурбулат Масанов
In addition to discussing historical, political and social issues, Masanov was, like me, a huge sports fan. Being an Alma-Ata native, his real love was the local football club FC Kairat. FC Kairat has fallen on tough times recently, but their futsal offshoot, AFC Kairat Almaty, is one of the best in Europe (remember — Kazakhstan plays in UEFA competitions, not Asia). They have made the final four of the UEFA Futsal Cup the four of the last six years, and this past April they finally received the chance to host the final tournament. They fell, once again, in the semis to Sporting Club de Portugal before capturing third.
So, in honor of Nurbulat Masanov and AFC Kairat Almaty’s success I offer this translation of his article on the glory days of Kairat. Enjoy ыныздар!
Editor’s Note: One of the most discussed topics in Tashkent at the moment is the local authorities’ decision to “dismantle” the city. Tashkent is now starting to look rather like a war-affected city. Residents have no clue what the reasons are, and the state isn’t providing any explanations. neweurasia’s Samira reports with exclusive on-the-ground photographs.
Translator’s Note: This post was translated from Samira’s original (RUS).
The dismantlement of Tashkent started this spring. Older tram routes have been replaced with crooked new ones, while people are being evicted and their houses demolished to make space. Local policlinics, a customs point and a market at Tash-Selmash have all been destroyed, their ruins carelessly raked and feeble fir-trees planted on large empty area where they used to stand. There is mud and dust everywhere. If nothing suddenly changes again, there might be a park or an official green area here, as there no tracks laid in between the trees. Some citizens joke that this is how the government finally decided to cut down the trees at the main square.
After journalists of Yoshlar TV (”Youngsters TV”) channel, which is a tool of official propaganda with young generation, aired a documentary entitled “Melody and Calamity” on February 21 condemning rock and rap music and calling them “satanic,” there colleagues from printing editions issued in the country have started a massive attack on foreign/western-made cartoons and animated movies, available on cable television.
Different newspapers, including Tashkentskaya Pravda, Tasvir, Mahalla, Turkiston, the main newspaper sources of propaganda, urge parents to pay more attention to what their children watch, make sure nothing immoral goes into kids’ young and unstable minds. Classic! Read the full story »
When neweurasia‘s Chris returned from his tour in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, he remarked to me that he was surprised so many people there were curious to know his religion, Bahaiism. Other Westerners have had the same experience and have wondered why.
During the initial thrust of the Russian Empire into Central Asia, the Tsarist army and intelligence personnel used to arrive first and begin collecting census information about the population’s religiosity. Once the military occupation commenced, tax collectors simply followed the army’s route and utilized similar methods. Following on the heels of both came religious missionaries, who used the census and tax data to strategize their proselytizing efforts. By the way, old habits died hard: the Soviets used the exact same methods when they invaded Afghanistan, including their strategy for propagandizing the occupied population.
As my readers know, not all Central Asians were Muslim to begin with, and contention among the missionaries, who themselves belonged to different sects, was fierce. Prior to the Tsarists there had already been a difficult tug-of-war between Tenrgi shamans and the mendicant dervishes; with empire came the Russian Orthodox apparatchik and other imported missionaries,. The fights for the souls of Central Asia often took equally funny and tragic turns.
As reported earlier the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent was hosting an Alumni Panel Session on the 2011 Summer Work and Travel Program on April 26, 2011.
During the event, the alumni panelists spoke openly and honestly about their experiences in the U.S. as SWT program participants. While each of them admitted that they experienced challenges in the U.S., they all also said that they gained immeasurably from the program, U.S. Embassy website informs.
“The SWT program is one of the best chances for you to get a real American cultural experience. You’ll get to meet a lot of Americans plus people from other countries.”
Timur Makhkamov, SWT Alumni
The Aigine Cultural Research Center is planning to conduct a Seminar on Manas on 1-12 July 2011, aimed at preserving and developing the Manas epic. The event will be carried out with the financial support of The Christensen Fund.
The main goal of the seminar is to render methodological and spiritual assistance to novice narrators in becoming Manas epic chanters. The event will be attended by novice narrators, experienced Manas narrators and other spiritual practitioners. The seminar is intended to alleviate “Manaschy’s disease” and help novice narrators become cognizant of the narrator’s mission through indulging into the world of the epic and exchanging spiritual experiences and live stories.
In this regard, Aigine CRC is delighted to invite anthropologists, cultural studies and folklore experts, and those who are interested in Kyrgyz culture, to use this one-of-a-kind chance and take part in the seminar as a participant observer. Within the framework of the seminar, you will be able to have a glimpse at, and get a feel of, the greatest epic Manas which continues to develop by itself. You will also have a chance to experience and become familiar with certain spiritual practices, make a pilgrimage to sacred sites around Lake Yssyk-Kul, and pass an intensive Kyrgyz language course.
Deadline for applications is 1 June 2011. For more detailed information concerning logistics and financial issues please contact us at + 996 (312) 664832/661952/661952 or offie(at) http://www.facebook.com/l/86ddedG87HOGKGsYhi_P8VWKYEg/aigine.kg OR cholponai(at) http://www.facebook.com/l/86ddedG87HOGKGsYhi_P8VWKYEg/aigine.kg
Shaikh Mohammad Karachai, prominent representative of the Russian Muslim clergy and adviser to Mufti of Russia, made a statement that made me think about connection between religion and politics once again.
According to Islam.Ru, while critisizing Muammar Qaddafi and calling him dictator, tyrant and “enemy of Allah and His religion,” (which is, basically, takfeer, or the practice of declaring oneself an unbeliever or kafir, previously considered Muslim), Karachai said that “Qaddafi is an Uzbek Karimov, Turkmen Turkmenbashi and Ataturk (Kemal Ataturk, founder of a secular Turkey — author’s note) all together, multiplied by ten.” This is a obvious takfeer towards not only Qaddafi himself, the late Ataturk and Turkmenbashi, but also Karimov who is in a good health condition.
Moreover, religious figure clarified what consequences might come out of a takfeer: “A lot of Libyan scholars issued fatwās on allowing Qaddafi’s murder.”
What is interesting is that in November of 2008 Supreme Mufti of Russia Ravil Gaynutdin, to whom Karachai is an adviser, evaluated Qaddafi’s visit as “another bridge between Russian Federation and Arab-Muslim world,” RIAN reports.
How does one react on this kind of statements? Read the full story »
While Russia brings out issues related to Russian and Russian-speaking minorities in Uzbekistan, and while people of Uzbekistan discuss whether the movie aired at Russia 1 channel was right or wrong, no one really pays attention to what’s going on with Russian diaspora and its cultural heritage in the neighboring Tajikistan.
On Apil 26, 2011 Kayrakkum City Majlis decided to rename 55 streets and district names.
As Karomat Kosimova, Deputy Chairman of Kayrakkum, told Asia Plus Information Agency, that “people’s representatives voted for a list of streets to be renamed, offered by local people themselves… they proposed it through deputies [...] and self-governmental bodies to the Commission for streets and settlements renaming.” Read the full story »
One of DCist.com’s authors Catherine Finn published a post titled Looking Back: Uzbekistan Embassy, which tells a story of the building where Uzbekistan Embassy in DC operates nowadays.
One of the many embassies that lives on Massachusetts Avenue in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, the Uzbekistan Embassy cuts out of the stretch as a Beaux Arts beauty, with limestone balustrades, windows with corbels and guttae. The mansion once belonged to a coal magnate who drowned with the Titanic, and later became the Canadian embassy, now the Uzbekistan Embassy.
First Uzbek Theater’s first concert will take place in NYC this May and it wants to have it started on a very sad day — May 13, the day when tragic Andijani events took place in 2005Harakat.net reports.
The website calls this initiative “a dirty tradirion started by Yulduz Usmanova six years ago on the day of the tragedy.”
The poster of the concert says that the event is called “Kulgi va Qoshiq Kechasi” — “A night of laughter and songs.” This is really sad to realize that there are Uzbeks out there who will commemorate this black day on the calendar with laughter and songs.
But once you check out sponsors of the event you will get a sense of all your “WHY?”s: Uzbek Initiative NGO, Bukharian Times, Vatandosh newspaper abd Uzbegim magazine. They are all directly or indirectly supported by the Uzbek Embassy in DC.
This all reminds me of Metallica’s Sad but true… Sad but true indeed!
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