Faces: People, Places, and Cultures articles from April 2004

Faces: People, Places, and Cultures archives from April 2004

Editor's message.(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... Dear Reader, This month, FACES focuses on a region of the world that has seen many changes in the past 15 years. The countries of "Emerging Asia"--Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan--were once part of the...

Emerging Asia.(At a Glance)
April 1, 2004... Kazakhstan Area: 1,052,100 square miles (2,724,900 square kilometers) Capital: Astana Population: 15,000,000 (2000 estimate) People: Kazakh, 53.4%; Russian, 30%; Ukrainian, 3.7%; Uzbek, 2.5%; German, 2.4%; Uighur, 1.4%; other,...

Emerging Asia.(Only In ...)
April 1, 2004... In the high alpine regions of Emerging Asia where it is too cold for even trees to grow, one animal thrives--the domestic yak. Residents of Emerging Asia countries have come to depend on the yak for their very existence. Yaks are native to...

In the know.
April 1, 2004... Look for the following people, places, and things in this issue. Bering Strait: Narrow passageway that connects Arctic Ocean and the Bering Sea. It also separates Asia and North America at its closest point. Silk Road: Ancient trade...

Emerging Asia: an introduction.
April 1, 2004... The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 changed the world dramatically. Nowhere is that more evident than in the vast spaces of Central Asia, where five new governments--Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan--have...

Through time.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... 7000-5000 B.C. The territory of modern day Kazakhstan is continuously invaded. Iranian speaking people establish settlements in present day Turkmenistan. c. 3rd-4th Century Trade begins along the Silk Road, major portions of which pass...

Establishing a family-owned dairy farm: life in post-Soviet Uzbekistan.
April 1, 2004... What would you do if the government stole your property and deported you? In 1924, after the establishment of Soviet power over Uzbekistan, the was government evicted Yokub Fattoev's grandfather from his farm. Because he was considered an enemy...

Keeping traditions alive: the games of Central Asia.
April 1, 2004... The sport of polo is popular among royalty and the wealthy. The future kings of England are regularly photographed sitting atop their horses on the polo field. It's hard to believe that such a noble sport originated with a dead wolf and the...

Tashkent's transportation system: the pride of its citizens.
April 1, 2004... Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia, boasts the only subway system in Central Asia. Known as the Metro, its 25-year-old underground trains are frequent and efficient. Not only does Tashkent have a subway...

Uzbekistan's decorative folk arts.
April 1, 2004... Uzbekistan is rich in folk art. Local artisans express themselves with skill and creativity, using a wide variety of materials. Some work with precious and semiprecious metals; others are woodcarvers. Blacksmiths make tools for use by other...

Dining on the Silk Road.
April 1, 2004... Countries along the Silk Road cover thousands of square miles, but their cuisine has a lot in common. Meat is a mainstay--the fattier it is, the better. Pepper, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, dill, basil, and other spices add rich flavor. ...

Easy plov.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Cooks throughout Central Asia take pride in their plov. In this simplified version with lamb, you prepare the rice separately so that it's easier to cook fully. The recipe serves four people. You need: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1...

The cornmeal story.
April 1, 2004... I made an inadvertent contribution to Uzbek cuisine when I lived in Tashkent for about two years as a Peace Corps volunteer. One of the foods I missed a lot was cornbread, but I found it impossible to locate a local source for cornmeal....

The teahouses of Central Asia.
April 1, 2004... Only men seem able to keep cool in the scorching-hot Central Asian summers, when temperatures can be as high as 120 degrees in the shade. Their secret is roadside teahouses. Although teahouses are often seen in this part of the world, they are...

The Manas Saga.
April 1, 2004... When visiting Kyrgyzstan, it is difficult to get away from the Manas. His name graces the country's airport in the capital city of Bishkek He rides his magic horse, Ak-Kula, across the Kyrgyz (KEER-giz) five-som (Kyrgyzstan's currency...

Think about it ...
April 1, 2004... In the play "The Clever Wife" by Pat Betteley on page 42, you read about a wise leader and his wife. What kind of leader do you think the khan was? How do you know? Use examples from the story to back up your answer. What qualities do you...

Face facts.
April 1, 2004... The Aral Sea, which was once the fourth largest body of inland water, lost about three quarters of its volume and half its area during the second half of the 20th century. The main cause was the diversion of two of its main tributaries for...

A horse is his wings.
April 1, 2004... Their spirits are all around you in the marketplace. From the sour smell of kumys, fermented mare's milk, to the elegant designs stitched in the blankets and saddles for sale. From the excited murmur overheard of the upcoming buzkashi game...

The clever wife: a play based on a Kyrgyz tale.(Play)(Excerpt)
April 1, 2004... Cast of Characters: Narrator, Sarybay, Elder, Bolotbek, Danyshman, Maiden 1, and Maiden 2 Narrator: Long ago, there lived an old khan named Sarybay, who was about to die and leave no heirs to his throne. The people begged him to choose a...

Kazakhstan.(Books)
April 1, 2004... Kazakhstan by Guek-Cheng Pang Kazakhstan is like many countries in the former Soviet Union. This book illustrates the elements of that culture, from geography and history to ethnic tensions, festivals, religion, economy, and language. The...

Stories by Idries Shah.(Books)
April 1, 2004... This Afghan author enjoys retelling centuries-old tales from her native land and other countries throughout Central Asia and the Middle East. They take place in no particular country or era, yet capture the flavor of life in this part of the...

Then & Now Series.(Books)
April 1, 2004... Then & Now Series edited by Mary M. Rodgers, Tom Streissguth, and Colleen Sexton This series explores the cultures of the individual Central Asian republics. Though the books were published several years ago, they are one of the best...

Stories from the Silk Road.(Books)
April 1, 2004... Stories from the Silk Road by Cherry Gilchrist, illustrated by Nilesh Mistry The author traveled the legendary routes herself, and brought back seven folktales from along the way. Explanatory matter helps provide the context, and...

Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia.(Books)
April 1, 2004... Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia by Tom Bissell In 2001, the author returned to Central Asia and, with a young Uzbek man, made his way toward the Aral Sea to chronicle its destruction. Once, it was the size...

The Map Machine.(On-line)
April 1, 2004... MapMachine is a place where you can make your own map of the region. For any country, you can apply a variety of themes including land use, population, earthquakes, vegetation, eco regions, mineral resources and more. Click on the menu to the...

Silk Road Seattle.(On-line)
April 1, 2004... The ancient trade route is a way to study how cultures develop and interact. Along the Silk Road, the economic and cultural exchange occurred across thousands of years. These pages list and annotate materials that will be of value for a range...

The Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center at Indiana University.(Resources)
April 1, 2004... The Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center at Indiana University brings together experts and teaching resources on a variety of countries and regions in Central Eurasia: Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,...

Ask Asia.(Resources)
April 1, 2004... More teaching resources are available here. This site, maintained by the Asian Society, explores the culture of countries across Asia, with a special section for young students. Access resources on Central Asia by following the teacher's links...

One last face.
April 1, 2004... A policeman in Kazakhstan will help us say good-bye to "Emerging Asia." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]