Culture
Kazakhstan: an overview
Kazakhstan ranks as the largest nation in Central Asia and the world’s largest landlocked country. It share borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Caspian Sea. A land of deserts and plateaus stretching across the rolling tablelands of the Eurasian landmass, approximately 20 percent of Kazakhstan is mountainous, dotted by the Tien Shan,…
Read MoreAltai’s Indigenous peoples – what’s in a name?
Russia officially recognizes 47 small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia, and Far East. Roughly 23% of the almost 147 million people living in Russia (as of 2021) are not ethnically Russian. The government classifies Indigenous peoples living in the country in three ways: “Small-numbered peoples” (less than 50,000 individuals), “Indigenous peoples” living in the North,…
Read MoreHappy 150th birthday to Grigory Choros-Gurkin!
For every Picasso and Rembrandt, there are many more lesser-known artists; this is the case with Grigoriy Choros-Gurkin (1870-1937). He is one of Altai’s greatest artists and most important cultural figures. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of Choros-Gurkin’s birth and an ideal time to draw attention to the man and his work. Regarded…
Read MoreAltai Petroglyph Complexes in Mongolia and Russia
Rock art is found widely across Greater Altai. Bronze and Iron Age petroglyphs depict animals, people, and culture. The sites are fragile and in need of protection.
Read MoreDyalama ribbon tying as a spiritual practice
Description of the practice of dyalama – tying ribbons as a spiritual practice in Greater Altai
Read MoreCultural practices in Altai
This page introduces important concepts and traditions that are specific to Greater Altai.
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