everythingcentralasia

[everythingcentralasia]

Uzbekistan has one of the worst human rights records on Earth. The government forces citizens to work in annual cotton harvests, leading the Global Slavery Index to estimate that 4% of the country is enslaved, and the reason you don’t hear about it is because the US government is not only not trying to overthrow them, it is not even sanctioning them, and in fact the State Department states that “Uzbekistan is important to U.S. interests in ensuring stability, prosperity, and security in the broader Central Asian region, and the U.S. has provided security assistance to the country to further these goals.”

#uzbekistan

[everythingcentralasia]

Khishortob, Tajikistan — Traces of paganism still survive in Tajikistan’s remote valleys.  In one small village people invited me to an annual ritual held in a sacred grove of trees — a site probably as ancient as human habitation in the valley.  The village’s oldest man and astrologist had calculated the date.  In the morning people gathered.  Slaughtered one white and one black goat — symbols of good and evil.  Prayed.  And then prepared a ritual meal.  

#tajikistan

[everythingcentralasia]

This page is amazing :)

Thank you! I haven’t been active at all recently :/

[everythingcentralasia]

Are u uyghur?

No, I'm Turkish.

[everythingcentralasia]

Your blog is amazing! Thank you!

Thank you very much! Unfortunately I haven't been good at keeping this blog active.

[everythingcentralasia]

Kazakh filmmakers are making a trilogy of films about the Scythian/Saka warrior women of the ancient world. These historical reenactment movies focus on the women who in part inspired the Greek Amazon myths - the same women to whom former RPs Tirgatao and Tomyris are closely linked! There’s very little English language information on the films so far, but the Women of Kazakhstan page on Facebook has translated an article found here (translation below): http://www.m.kazpravda.kz/news/view/97896/ 

Movie about women in Saka period has started in Almaty region of Kazakhstan. Kazpravda.kz informs that the Amazons documentary about female conquerors from Saka-Scythian tribes is shot by Colibri films Kazakh production studio upon the request of Smithsonian channel USA, Urban canyons production company UK and ZDF channel Germany. Amazons project is the first part of the trilogy named Warrior women, which will consist of three series for 52 minutes each and tell the world about the most skillful and iconic female warriors that have existed since the V century BC to the present time. Thus, the theme will be disclosed on military achievements of the Amazons who lived on the territory of the Altai to the Black Sea, gladiatrix, which the Romans used for entertainment as well as the history of the African Women’s shelf Mino, noted in the war against the French colonial forces.

The film will be presented in the genre of historical reconstruction, also based on the staged shooting and computer graphics. In addition, the idea of directors includes interviews with historians, archaeologists and museum curators, with an exciting narrative, in which the sacrifice and perseverance has become a way of life of girls who fell in the bloody battle of their time. 

 The main customer of the documentary is the Smithsonian channel, American television channel that is a part of Smithsonian Scientific and Research Institute that is respected all over the world. The reliability and accuracy of the rankings of which is even ahead of the National Geographic Channel. After Kazakhstan shootings will continue in West Africa, France, the United States and UK.

First film of Amazons trilogy tells the story of three Amazons of the Eurasian steppes named Alkaya, Samsi and Aella, played by Gaziza-Tansholpan Tleubay (“Kazakh khanate”), Hulan Chuluun and Dinara Baktybaeva (“He and She”). 

Online casting of actors was done by Colibri films studio, but the final choice yet remained on foreign producers who wanted to show the diversity and uniqueness of the appearance of representatives of Saka-Scythian tribes, and therefore chose three main facial features faces: Mongolian, Turkish and European. United Kingdom company that partners the film asked to invite Chuluun Hulan actress, who had remembered to the world for the femalrole in Sergei Bodrov’s “Mongol” movie. Now Chuluun and her husband Naryn Igilik - executive producer of Amazona and director of the Colibri films are expecting a baby the filmmakers rewrote the script especially for her where she will play a married woman with her real eldest daughter. 

 Team of Colibri films recreated unique costumes and weapons of 5 century BC. of Saka-Scythian period specially for this film. Shooting elements were reproduced on the basis of real objects found in ancient burial mounds of Saka. It is noteworthy that even Scythian conical folding structures that did exist and are considered the prototype of the Kazakh yurt were shown. The accuracy of all the details of the films are checked by consultants of the project professor Adrienne Mayor from Stanford University, author of the American best-seller the Amazons, as well as international and Kazakh historians and archaeologists. 

“This film is about how and why Saki women were warriors on the example of a girl who lost her family and from an early age learned to hunt and fight. Saka Amazon is a strong, brave and sacrificing women, she easily could lead the tribe, use the armor and had the ability to negotiate. She was the guardian of the hearth and the beautiful muse at the same time”, - said the executive producer of the project Naryn Igilik. 

 Filming of trilogy has began in June this year in Malta. The filmmakers started filming in Kazakhstan on October 18 in Almaty and Almaty region. The film was shot near the village Museum of Zhambyl of Zhambyl district of Almaty region. Small homeland of Naryn Igilik, which was demonsrated in Ermek Tursunov’s “Shal” movie upon his recommendation, immediately amazed the foreign producers with its diversity and pristine wilderness. Mountains of Zailiyskiy Alatau, hills and Zhailau perfectly suited the filming of Amazons. 

Art director of the movie is Marat Sagit, costume director - Zauresh Zhabagina, makeup artist - Sergei Maurin (Ukraine). 

“At first we wanted to order the project at “Kazakh film” JSC named after Shaken Aimanov, but because of the protracted bureaucratic delays in the negotiations and the deadline we had to change the mind and seek for independent private studio. So, we went to the director of Colibri films Naryn Igilik, that stands behind such famous films as “Mongol”, “Shal”, and is soon expected to release “Kazakh Khanate” movie. I am glad that the Naryn and stunt group “Nomad” invited by him fully met our expectations. They could qualitatively shot realistic scenes even with not so big television budget “, - Peter Sebastian producer of the Urban canyons production company from UK. 

The world premiere will take place in October 2017 on Smithsonian channel, and the trilogy will be broadcasted on following channels Viasat history, the German ZDF, Scandinavian MTG and many TV channels in the UK. But the pecularity of this global project is that the producer Naryn Igilik already agreed with foreign partners that his studio Colibri films won the right to represent and sell this film in Kazakhstan. Therefore, as an exception the first premiere of this global trilogy on Amazons will be held in our country. Igilik dreams to present this documentary about the ancient history to the millions of foreign visitors in frames of "EXPO-2017” exhibition. 

 "This is my first experience in the documentary historical filming and I was very struck by the story, costumes, weapons and, above all, the image of our foremothers. In those days, it turns out, the feminism was quite vibrant. There was even a scene where my character chose a man for herself. It was funny! It’s too bas there was not enough time for preparations works, that is why I was replaced in the archery and horse racing scenes. When I had free time, I often tried to ride, and all this, together with the surrounding environment, affected my future decision to try myself in “Nomad” group and possibly start filming in the historical genre, “- said the actress Dinara Baktybaeva.

#kazakhstan

[everythingcentralasia]

Song Kol, Kyrgyzstan 

This hike was short, two days, but so nice. It was kind of a whim that I followed up on as there was time before my 9 day hike began to Khan Tengri. Stayed two nights in a yurt, ate a lot of bread and jam, and drank black tea.  

#kyrgyzstan

[everythingcentralasia]

On my way to the single pass of this hike to Khan Tengri, There was a lot of grass and of course, a lot of horses. I don’t mean to post horses so often but they were at every turn in Kyrgyzstan and they were beautiful.  The days weren’t too long but plenty of sun and no real trail yet.  Just open wilderness.  A Czech couple passed us going the other way as we were packing up this camp..they camped at the pass and saw us below the night before. They were the only other people we’d see for a few more days as it was the very beginning of the season for Khan Tengri. 

#kyrgyzstan #nature

[everythingcentralasia]

all you people talking about the presidents election and ignoring the fact that this year is the 550th anniversary of the founding of the kazakh khanate... i see you 👀

i guess hillary and trump are more important to you than janybek khan and kerey khan… that’s fine. none of my business. keep scrolling, sweetheart

#Kazakhstan

[everythingcentralasia]

2016 World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan

World Nomad Games are an international sport competition dedicated to ethnic sports practiced in Central Asia. The first two World Nomad Games were held in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. This years the games are underway from 3 to 8 September. Fifty three countries are participating in the event. Sports include eagle hunting, bone throwing and kok-boru, a Central Asian form of polo in which two teams battle for control of a decapitated goat carcass Source

#news

[everythingcentralasia]

Must. Visit. Kazakhstan. ⚡️ (The Shrine of Ahmad Yasavi; photo by Almagul Menlibayeva) #kazakh #kazakhstan #centralasia #turkic #photography #almagulmenlibayeva (at Kazakhstan)

#kazakhstan

[everythingcentralasia]

Bathing beauties, Tajikistan Photograph by Carolyn Drake

“Long hair flowing in the Pamir mountain air, two sisters prepare to bathe in a pond near Rushan.”

#tajikistan

[everythingcentralasia]

"This is Lubat Burhonova, one of the Tajikistan's first female TV presenters. She had died on 2d of June at the age of 81 and Tajik media, unfortunately failed to give her a respectable tribute. May her soul rest in Peace after all that battle went in vain to get revenge, compensation from the government for her son's death at the custody, who was her only breadwinner. She was fighting against the current government it was something to be expected. It was only two brief news about her death and all based on her struggle after 2006, after the death of her son, Dilshodbek Muradov, who was jailed for drug related detention and it was said that the cause of his death for physical injuries while he was held in jail. He own life and media activities, which were all the first steps of the Tajik Media is missing in our memoirs. This is one the rare photos of her." (Shahzoda Nazarova)

#tajik ssr #tajik #tajikistan #notable women

[everythingcentralasia]

is armenia considered central asia?

No, it’s not in Central Asia. Caucasus isn’t Central Asia.

[everythingcentralasia]

Batir Zakirov (Ботир Зокиров) - Uzbek Tango

Batir Zakirov  was an Uzbek and Soviet singer, painter, actor and a prominent cultural figure, who is considered to be the founder of Uzbek pop music. He was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR at age 29.

#music #uzbek ssr #uzbekistan #central asia #uzbek music

[everythingcentralasia]

A child beneath the wing of his golden eagle in the Altai region in western Mongolia. The Kazakh nomads still use the birds for hunting.

Photograph: Massimo Rumi/Barcroft Media

#kazakh

[everythingcentralasia]

Seman Hotel, Kashgar - Former Russian Consulate.

One of the most unique hotel i ever visited, felt like time capsule in cold war era. 

#kashgar #east turkestan