Kazakhstan at a crossroads – photo essay

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Shaped within the crucible of central Asia, Kazakhstan, the biggest landlocked nation on the earth, stays for many foreigners an enormous void on the map, someplace between Russia and China. With a floor space 5 instances the scale of France, it has lengthy sailed together with historical past and the good empires.

A landowner, his son and his brother leave the vast plain surrounding Tarraz, where a richly endowed kokpar – an ancient equestrian game – was organised. In a trailer attached to the landowner’s old Lada stand his two horses with their heads covered to protect them from the biting evening wind on their way back. — A landowner, his son and his brother go away the huge plain surrounding Taraz, the place kokpar – an historic equestrian recreation – was organised. In a trailer connected to the landowner’s outdated Lada stand his two horses with their heads coated to guard them from the biting night wind on their approach again

From Alexander to Genghis Khan, from the Russian conquest within the nineteenth century to the mixing into the Soviet Union, it has hardly identified a interval as a nation state, as Vladimir Putin preferred to level out perfunctorily in August 2014, a couple of months after the annexation of Crimea: “The Kazakhs have by no means had a state,” suggesting that their solely approach out was to be built-in into the good Russian entity. A notable exception: the autonomy of Alash, from 1917 to 1920, a liberal-nationalist political respiration house between the Tsarist and Soviet authoritarian eras, on a territory roughly comparable to that of the current republic.

Tourists in the seaside town of Balkhash on the lake of the same name.

Cadets walk through Panfilov Park in Almaty, in front of the monument to the legendary 28 Panfilov men. — Cadets stroll via Panfilov Park, Almaty, in entrance of the monument to the legendary 28 Panfilov guardsmen

Within the fallow ideological house created by the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, of which mockingly it was the final member for 4 days, Kazakhstan needed to assemble another discourse of nationwide cohesion, an try to outline itself within the eyes of the world, but in addition to say a distant wonderful previous, as a way to stay definitively grasp of its future.

The Eucharist during Sunday service in the Russian Orthodox Ascension Cathedral — The Eucharist throughout Sunday service within the Russian Orthodox Ascension Cathedral, additionally named Zenkov after its architect, situated in Panfilov Park, Almaty. Constructed between 1904 and 1907, constructed completely of wooden, it was confiscated by the state and reworked right into a museum throughout the Soviet interval, turning into a spot of orthodox worship once more in Might 1995, a couple of years after independence

This can be a difficult problem, since its territory was an open-air laboratory for the commercial, atomic, agricultural, political and social experiments of the Soviet Union, traumatic experiments whose after-effects are nonetheless felt within the nationwide psyche. This was an immense problem for a rustic whose mental elite was strangled by the Stalinist purges and whose communal steadiness of energy within the Soviet Union favoured Slavic teams and Russian audio system.

During a self-defence class at a gym in Almaty, Maria Makatrevich, a Kazakh national boxing and kickboxing champion and former bodyguard of wealthy businessmen, teaches young women how to defend themselves in the event of an attack, including domestic violence, a serious problem in Kazakhstan. Every year, hundreds of women flee their abusive partners, husbands or other family members and seek help and refuge in the country’s few crisis centres and shelters. The low percentage of cases brought to court is due to the fact that the majority of the population generally shares a patriarchal view of domestic violence as a private family matter rather than a human rights violation. Victims are pressured by their relatives not to file a complaint, or to withdraw it and reconcile with their abusers. — Throughout a self-defence class at a gymnasium in Almaty, Maria Makarevich, a Kazakh nationwide boxing and kickboxing champion and former bodyguard of rich enterprise folks, teaches younger ladies how you can defend themselves within the occasion of an assault, together with home violence, a significant issue in Kazakhstan

At independence, Kazakhs had been within the minority in their very own homeland. So as to change the demographic steadiness, a repatriation programme over 25 years (from 1991 to 2015) introduced the return of greater than 1 million folks – about 5% of a inhabitants of greater than 19 million inhabitants. Many of the exiles had been descendants of those that fled the USSR within the Nineteen Twenties and Thirties to flee repression, compelled collectivisation and famine.

The members of Q-Pop (Qazaq pop) icon Ninety-One warm up in a discreet studio in Almaty before their Saturday night live show, during which they write a song in an hour. In the corseted Kazakh society, their appearance has revolutionised gender representation, revolted conservatives and boosted the use of Kazakh in contemporary song. — Members of Q-Pop band Ninety One heat up in a discreet studio in Almaty earlier than their Saturday evening present, throughout which they write a track in an hour. Within the corseted Kazakh society, their look has revolutionised gender illustration, revolted conservatives and boosted using Kazakh in modern track

Two posh Kazakh girls, snowboarders and social networkers, sit in a cabin of the cable car that takes them to the 2,200-metre-high Shymbulak ski resort on the outskirts of Almaty. “Originally discovered in 1940, skiers had to climb the mountains on foot (which took about 3 hours). In 1954, a 1,500 metre ski lift was built. — Kazakh snowboarders sit in a cable automotive that takes them to the Shymbulak ski resort, 2,200 metres excessive on the outskirts of Almaty

For the 51% of the inhabitants born after independence on 16 December 1991, Ninety One is extra more likely to remind them of of the Q-pop group than the yr of independence, though one is known as after the opposite. Since then, modern Kazakhstan has been going its personal approach, incognito, removed from the eyes of the west, regardless of the worldwide fame of the movie Borat. It reinvents itself. Linked to the world, attempting to forge a contemporary and hi-tech id, carrying from its Soviet previous an industrial glory, and from its nomadic origins a rural nostalgia.

In the village of Beinetkech, at the end of the very long and rich dastarkhan (low dining table) set up for Naouryz, the spring festival, the women of the family joke and discuss.

The Oralman family of Zukhra Mukanova (blue scarf), in the living room of the family home in the village of Chubarsu, a few kilometres from Chymkent. — The Oralman household of Zukhra Mukanova (carrying a blue scarf), of their front room within the village of Chubarsu, a couple of kilometres from Shymkent

Oralman are descendants of Kazakhs who fled the Soviet regime from 1920 onwards, Kazakhs within the ethnic sense of the phrase and principally dwelling in different central Asian states. Zukhra Mukanova and her daughters moved from Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan in 2010. Though she has a residence allow, she has began the method of acquiring citizenship in order that her daughters will routinely turn out to be Kazakhstani. Aizhan Mukanova, pictured above carrying an orange scarf together with her daughter resting on her legs, stated: “Typically my little one will get sick, and I couldn’t go to the physician. When she was born, we went to Shymkent to do an MRT, all newborns should do it as soon as each two to 3 months, however we are able to’t do it within the public hospital due to a scarcity of papers. We have now to make use of non-public medical doctors.”

For many years, the Aral gave these men no cause for celebration. Fishing died out in the 1980s, after the Soviet government drained the sea to feed cotton fields far upstream. The once colossal Aral Sea shrank to one-tenth its original volume, becoming a tragic shadow of its former self. Its fish have died, its most successful fishermen have left. Thanks to the construction of a dam financed by the World Bank, the northern part of the sea has filled up enough to see the return of fish. — For a few years, the Aral Sea gave these males no trigger for celebration. Fishing died out within the Eighties, after the Soviet authorities drained the ocean to feed cotton fields far upstream. The as soon as colossal Aral shrank to one-tenth of its unique quantity, turning into a tragic shadow of its former self. Its fish have died, its most profitable fishers have left. Because of the development of a dam financed by the World Financial institution, the northern a part of the ocean has stuffed up sufficient for fish to return

At dawn, off the coast of the village of Tastubek, fishermen pull up the nets they set the night before.

The nation constructed its new capital in the course of the steppe to stop the dreaded expansionism of the Russian massive brother, and to provide new life to the atrophied Aral Sea. A society whose soul is symbolised by kokpar, an ancestral equestrian sport, and whose cultural virtues embody opera and ballet. A nation, the cradle of apples, whose subsoil comprises 99 periodic parts. An immensity irrigated by the reminiscence of itinerant instances and whose umbilical twine stays the prepare, an artefact if ever there was considered one of sedentary life. An area whose cardinal factors are unknown to one another, whereas in Almaty, the cultural capital, activists and younger protesters electrify the gatherings and nights.

Dozens of young people, activists and members of civil society, sensitive to queer and feminist causes, meet in one of the only two LGBT friendly nightclubs in Almaty, during an after party, following a demonstration. — Dozens of younger folks, activists and members of civil society, delicate to queer and feminist causes, meet in one of many solely two LGBT-friendly nightclubs in Almaty, throughout an illustration afterparty

A Almaty, ville plus politique, plus jeune et plus contestataire du Kazakhstan, les organisatrices de la marche pour la journée de la femme organisée par Feminita, KazFem, SVET, FemAgora, et FemSreda, des groupes féministes saluent le millier de participants. — In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s extra political, youthful and anti-establishment metropolis, the organisers of the Worldwide Girls’s Day march greet 1,000 members

On Sunday 13 February 2022, despite the official ban on commemoration, people gather in Republic Square in Almaty, in memory of the victims of the January violence, 40 days after death struck, as is tradition. About 350 people are present, while the police keep their distance. — Folks collect in Republic Sq., Almaty, in reminiscence of the victims of the January violence; a gaggle in Almaty protest to mark Worldwide Girls’s Day on 8 March

Le 8 mars 2022, plus de 1 000 personnes se rassemblent à Almaty pour marquer la Journée internationale de la femme et réclamer l’égalité des droits. Les militantes demandes au Gouvernement de définir des politiques plus modernes en matière de genre, de réduire l’âge de la retraite de 63 à 58 ans, d’adopter des mesures visant à mettre fin aux violences domestiques et d’embaucher davantage de femmes dans les organes publiques et les structures gouvernementales. — Folks collect in Republic Sq., Almaty, in reminiscence of the victims of the January violence; a gaggle in Almaty protest to mark Worldwide Girls’s Day on 8 March

Workers clear away the rubble and strip the Akimat, Almaty’s monumental city hall, down to its metal structure. As the centre of riots in Kazakhstan earlier this year, it was stormed by a mob and set on fire on 5 January. The burnt-out wreckage was the seat of power in the country’s largest city. Formerly the headquarters of the central committee of the communist party during the Soviet period, inaugurated in 1980, the massive building dominates the city from its elevated position, overlooked by the majestic Alatau Island mountains. Its rapid reconstruction is a priority to prove the return of control by the government and the return to normality. — Employees clear away rubble and strip the Akimat, Almaty’s monumental metropolis corridor, all the way down to its metallic construction. Because the centre of riots in Kazakhstan earlier this yr, it was stormed by a mob and set on fireplace on 5 January. The burnt-out wreckage was the seat of energy within the nation’s largest metropolis

Previously the headquarters of the central committee of the Communist get together, inaugurated in 1980, the massive Akimat dominates the town from its elevated place, ignored by the Ile-Alatau mountains. Its speedy reconstruction is a precedence to show the return of management by the federal government and the return to normality.

KazTransOil to Send 120,000 Tons of Oil to Germany in April – Astana Times

Kazakhstan Floods Displace More Than 110,000 People From Their Homes – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Meat hangs from metal spikes along the aisles of the northern part of the Zelionyj or Green Bazaar in Almaty. As a traditionally nomadic nation, meat and dairy products take up a lot of space in the bazaar. Several aisles are dedicated to the horse. Originally, this place served as a stopover for merchant caravans travelling through Central Asia. — Meat hangs from metallic spikes alongside the aisles of the northern a part of the Zelionyj or Inexperienced Bazaar in Almaty. As a historically nomadic nation, meat and dairy merchandise take up numerous house within the bazaar. A number of aisles are devoted to horse merchandise. Initially, this place served as a stopover for service provider caravans travelling via central Asia

The identify of the nation in -stan, so pejorative to Elbasy (Father of the Nation) Nursultan Nazarbayev, that he recommended calling it Kazakh Yeli (Nation of the Kazakhs) in 2014. Since 1991, greater than 30 years handed largely beneath his rule. First secretary of the Kazakh Communist get together in 1989, he retained the management of the nation after the autumn of the USSR, the place no election was ever recognised as free and impartial by worldwide observers. He lastly handed over the presidency in 2019 to a loyalist, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in a departure that was extra formal than actual, since he retained a serious affect

For a few bucks, an iman leads the prayer for visitors to the huge “Akmeshit” cave (White Mosque in Kazakh). For security reasons, the visitors are wearing helmets. According to local belief, this is a sacred place that can perform miracles in the lives of visitors who pray or make a wish there. Many of them are women who are unable to have children or people who hope to be cured of an illness. According to legend, women and children took refuge in the underground cave, the entrance to which is invisible above ground, during the wars between the Kazakhs and Dungars from 1643 to 1756. — For a couple of bucks, an iman leads the prayer for guests to the massive Akmeshit cave (White Mosque in Kazakh). For safety causes, the guests are carrying helmets. In response to native perception, it is a sacred place that may carry out miracles within the lives of tourists who pray or make a want there. A lot of them are ladies who’re unable to have youngsters or individuals who hope to be cured of an sickness. In response to legend, ladies and kids took refuge within the underground cave, the doorway to which is invisible above floor, throughout the wars between the Kazakhs and Dzungars from 1643 to 1756

The refined combination of geopolitical invisibility, relative prosperity paid for on the value of a policed authoritarianism and motionless evolution through which Kazakhstan bathed was pulverised final January throughout disturbances that had been as temporary as they had been bloody. The official demise toll of not less than 227, together with 19 members of the safety providers, hardly bears witness to the trauma in Kazakh society.

Dans le hall d’attente de la gare une grande mosaïque murale commémore un épisode glorieux des pêcheurs de la Mer d’Aral : la contribution de la ville, qui fournit 14 wagons de poisson lorsque la famine frappa la Russie durant les premiers temps tumultueux de l’URSS. — Within the ready corridor of a station, a big mosaic commemorates an excellent episode of the fishers of the Aral Sea: their contribution of 14 wagons of fish to famine-ravaged areas throughout the tumultuous early days of the USSR

A Kazakh couple on their way to Kyzylorda from Almaty (a 23-hour journey) sat in their compartment. The train remains the mode of transport for the classes less favoured by the economic boom in Kazakhstan. The distances between cities are very long and it takes hours to get from one to the other.

The top of an period? In any case, that of the Nazarbayev dynasty. A brand new chapter? On 16 March 2022, President Tokayev promised in depth political reforms and constitutional modifications to maneuver from a “super-presidential” regime to a presidential republic with a “presidential” construction.