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Cultural Appropriation

Cultural Appropriation: How the YAKA Brand Sparked Outrage in Kyrgyzstan

A scandal has erupted in Kyrgyzstan over the Russian clothing brand YAKA, founded by Anna Obydenova. The company, which produces clothing, accessories, and carpets adorned with stylized Kyrgyz ornaments, has faced backlash after claiming exclusive copyright to its designs. This move has sparked widespread outrage among Kyrgyz citizens, who accuse the brand of appropriating their cultural heritage. Social Media Backlash The controversy first gained traction on social media, where users quickly pointed out the alleged appropriation. One of the first to speak out was Uulzhan Bekturova, who posted an Instagram story highlighting that YAKA’s so-called “skirt” from its YAKA Unique collection was, in fact, a traditional Kyrgyz garment known as a beldemchi. She addressed the brand directly: “No, this is not a ‘skirt’ from your YAKA Unique collection, it is our beldemchi! Stop stealing our culture! Shame on you!” Her post quickly went viral, triggering a wave of public indignation. Further fueling the controversy was a statement on YAKA’s official website claiming that the brand was created “in honor of the 100th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan’s independence.” This historical inaccuracy (Kyrgyzstan gained independence only 34 years ago, in 1991) led to further accusations of ignorance and cultural insensitivity. Another source of outrage was YAKA’s warning that copying its designs was prohibited, which many saw as an attempt to monopolize traditional Kyrgyz patterns. TikTok Outrage and Calls for Boycott Public discontent was particularly intense on TikTok, where users criticized YAKA’s actions. One user, @rrrrrramilya, posted a viral video condemning the brand’s claim over Kyrgyz symbols: “A clothing brand has patented Kyrgyz patterns, registering them as their property. They justify it by saying ‘Made in Kyrgyzstan’ is on each product and that Kyrgyz artisans create them. So, if it’s made in Kyrgyzstan, is that OK? No! Manufacturing in a country does not give you the right to own its culture. Making something in Kyrgyzstan does not mean you get exclusive rights to traditional symbols!” Another user, @yido.kg, explained why cultural appropriation is such a sensitive issue: “The problem is that culture bearers are often discriminated against because of their own culture, while others use it as a fashion trend. But this isn’t just fashion - it’s the heritage of an entire people.” These videos gained widespread support, with many users calling for a boycott of YAKA products and demanding legal protection of Kyrgyz cultural heritage at the international level. Voices from Kyrgyzstan TCA spoke with Kyrgyz citizens to gauge their perspectives on the issue. Aisulu, 20, from Bishkek, expressed her frustration: “I am proud of our culture and traditions. It’s terrible when someone tries to profit from our heritage without our consent.” Mairam, 24, from Osh, added: “Our ornaments are not just patterns; they are part of our soul. No one should have the right to appropriate them.” Beksultan, 26, from Bishkek, emphasized the need for action: “We must unite and protect our cultural heritage. Cases like this should not go unnoticed.” YAKA’s Response and a New Controversy In response to the backlash,...

Kazakhstan Shines at 2025 Asian Winter Games with 20 Medals

As the 2025 Asian Winter Games drew to a close, Kazakhstan's athletes finished in a very impressive fourth place out of 34 nations in the medals table. With the competition held in the Chinese city of Harbin, the host nation dominated the events, winning a total of 85 medals, including 32 gold. South Korea followed in second place with 45 medals (16 gold), while Japan finished third with 37 medals, 10 of which were gold. Kazakhstan won 20 medals, including four gold. The team was led by biathletes Vladislav Kireyev and Vadim Kurales, who claimed first and second place, respectively, in the sprint event. Kazakhstan’s skiers and freestylers also contributed to the medal tally. Olzhas Klimin secured bronze in the 10 km freestyle race, while Konstantin Bortsov won silver in the sprint. In freestyle skiing, Roman Ivanov and Sherzod Khashirbayev triumphed in synchronized jumping, while Ardana Makhanova and Ayana Zholdas earned bronze in the women’s competition. Kazakhstan also excelled in team events. The men’s hockey team won gold, while the women’s team took silver. In cross-country skiing, the women’s 4×5 km relay team claimed silver, and the men’s 4×7.5 km relay team secured bronze. In speed skating, Kazakhstan won bronze in the team sprint, with Yevgeny Koshkin taking silver in the 100-meter race. The country’s short track speed skaters added to the medal count with gold in the men’s 5000-meter relay and silver in the women’s 3000-meter relay. Uzbekistan’s only medal came in figure skating, where Ekaterina Gainish and Dmitry Chigirev won gold in the pairs competition. China reaffirmed its dominance in winter sports. In speed skating, Ning Zhongyan, the 2024 world sprint all-around champion, and Han Mei, a two-time world championship medalist, stood out. In short track speed skating, South Korea’s three-time Olympic champion Choi Min-jung and 2019 world champion Park Ji-won delivered impressive performances. Meanwhile, China’s Xu Mengtao, the 2022 Olympic champion, claimed gold in freestyle skiing acrobatics. The next edition of the Asian Winter Games is set to take place in 2029 in Saudi Arabia.

Why Kazakhstan’s Tokayev Was Right About Diplomacy in Ukraine

When the history of the war in Ukraine is written, one question demanding extended treatment will be why diplomacy remained sidelined for so long. Conflicts involving major powers and their proxies have in recent decades (think of Korea, Vietnam, and the Balkans) finished mainly not in outright military victories but in negotiated settlements. Now, with reports of U.S. President Donald Trump reaching directly out to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, it is important to reassess why the long-standing insistence on diplomacy by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was not met with more support. Tokayev’s early insistence on negotiations was instead met with scepticism. As the war ground on, Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive (planned and mandated by Western advisors) failed while Russia’s entrenchment in the occupied territories continued. The fact that a Trump–Putin call has taken place, bypassing European leaders, underscores the shift of view in Washington. Kazakhstan’s foreign policy approach to the war in Ukraine has been dictated by its unique geopolitical position. As a founding member of both the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Kazakhstan’s economic and security ties to Russia are extensive. At the same time, its leadership has consistently pursued a multivector foreign policy, balancing engagement with China, the European Union, and the United States. Tokayev’s refusal at the June 2022 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics signalled Kazakhstan’s commitment to sovereignty and neutrality. In November 2022, Kazakhstan began to reduce Moscow’s leverage over its energy sector by sending oil for export via the Caspian Sea, into pipelines in the South Caucasus, bypassing the established route through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium via southern Russia. Had global policymakers taken Tokayev’s warnings more seriously in 2022 and 2023, certain escalations might have been mitigated. Kazakhstan was not alone in advocating for negotiations. Turkey brokered a grain shipment deal in 2022, and the Vatican attempted discreet backchannel diplomacy. However, Kazakhstan’s deep historical and economic ties to Russia gave its perspective unique weight. Kazakhstan’s approach was pragmatic. Western states viewed engagement as legitimizing Russian aggression. From Central Asia, however, the view was that indefinite warfare would destabilize Eurasia and inflict mounting costs on all stakeholders, not least Moscow. The West dismissed calls for diplomacy as naïve or as concessions to Moscow. Western leaders continued to believe military pressure, coupled with economic sanctions, was the only viable means of deterring Russian aggression. This may have been true if the military pressure had been an order of magnitude stronger from the beginning, rather than a slow drip of weapons systems that never had a chance of making a decisive difference. The reluctance of Western leaders to consider early diplomacy was not entirely unfounded. The atrocities committed by Russian forces in Bucha and Mariupol made any engagement politically fraught. Ukraine, emboldened by Western military aid, had every reason to resist diplomatic settlements that would lock in its territorial losses. Smaller states often possess a more acute awareness of the dangers of prolonged...

Women Entrepreneurs

An Uzbek Woman Suffers Terribly, Then Starts Over

The lakes, mountains and brisk air of Uzbekistan’s Bustanlik district lie just a few dozen kilometers from the urban sprawl of Tashkent, and tourists as well as conference delegates retreat there for a break or to learn and exchange ideas. Sometimes, people attending a hotel conference barely get outside to absorb the beauty of the surrounding national parks. That’s what happened to me, a reporter for The Times of Central Asia. But then, I found some inspiration within the hotel’s bland walls. I was attending a training course on data journalism for a few days in Bustanlik. During dinner, hotel employees mentioned that Dilorom Yuldasheva, an Uzbek woman internationally acclaimed for her resolve and accomplishment after a catastrophic injury, was also staying there after appearing at an event in Tashkent. Soon after, around 50-60 people in the hotel restaurant applauded as a bouquet was handed to Yuldasheva. It seemed that the hotel administration had arranged the small celebration because most guests weren’t aware that she was there. I approached her table, introducing myself and asking if she’d be willing to talk. She smiled and agreed. Yuldasheva wore light makeup and spoke softly. At the start of our conversation, I mentioned that I already knew her from media coverage. Then I asked if she could share something she had never told anyone before. “There’s nothing left untold,” she said. “But if you’d like, I can tell you the same stories again, just for you.” ----- The BBC released a list of 100 influential and inspiring women for 2024, highlighting women who “have had to dig deep and find new levels of resilience” while facing violence and humanitarian crises in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan, as well as polarization surrounding a record number of international elections, and the growing challenges of climate change. On the list are stranded astronaut Sunita Williams, rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot, actress Sharon Stone, Olympic athletes Rebeca Andrade and Allyson Felix, singer Raye, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, visual artist Tracey Emin, climate campaigner Adenike Oladosu and writer Cristina Rivera Garza. Also on that list is Yuldasheva, a 41-year-old seamstress and entrepreneur from Denov, in Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region. The village where she lives is mainly engaged in livestock raising, crop farming, and gardening. In 2021, while helping with the grain harvest, she lost both her legs in an accident. That day, she had been wearing a long robe to protect herself from the sun, a common style of dress among rural women, many of whom consider it shameful for them to wear trousers. As she worked near a combine harvester, the fabric got caught in the machine’s moving parts, pulling her in. She struggled frantically, and in vain, to escape. “I didn’t even have time to scream, and when I opened my eyes, I was sitting on the combine harvester, but this didn’t last long. The combine harvester blade spun and threw me several meters away,” she said. In August 2022, Yuldasheva was fitted with prosthetic legs...

Trump 2.0: Security Implications for Central Asia – Diplomats and Analysts Weigh the Risks for Regional Stability

Narxoz University’s Eurasian Institute for Economic and Legal Research and the School of Economics and Management convened distinguished diplomats, military analysts, and academics from the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), The National Institute for Defense Studies (Japan), George Mason University (US), and Maqsut Narikbayev University (Kazakhstan) to analyze the geopolitical and security implications of a second Donald Trump presidency in Central Asia. Professor Ikboljon Qoraboyev, Director of the Center for Global and Regional Governance at Maqsut Narikbayev University, argued that Trump’s pragmatism will drive him to exploit every available opportunity to advance the financial and political interests of himself, his loyal corporate allies, and the United States. This approach, characterized by a “nothing-personal-just-business” mindset, makes his actions inherently unpredictable, keeping both allies and rivals on edge. Trump thrives on calculated ambiguity, using surprise as a strategic tool to gain the upper hand in negotiations and exert maximum pressure on his counterparts. [caption id="attachment_28674" align="aligncenter" width="936"] Image: Daniyar Kosnazarov[/caption] Professor Erzhan Issabayev, Deputy Director of the Eurasian Institute for Economic and Legal Research at Narxoz University, agreed that this unpredictability could shape a second Trump presidency, particularly in terms of global power dynamics. In Central Asia, where political stability and a carefully maintained multi-vector foreign policy are crucial, Trump’s erratic decision-making presents a significant challenge for regional leaders. Professor Issabayev suggested that if Trump escalates efforts to counter China globally or if negotiations to end the war in Ukraine falter, Central Asia could become an unintended yet significant geopolitical battleground. Building on this perspective, Olzhas Zhorayev, a World Bank Group Consultant and Doctoral Researcher at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, examined the potential consequences of deepening U.S.-Russia and U.S.-China confrontations. According to Zhorayev, heightened tensions could push Central Asia further into Moscow’s and Beijing’s political and economic orbit, restricting the region’s strategic flexibility. However, Zhorayev also presented another possibility; if Russia and Ukraine reach a peace agreement, the Kremlin may redirect its focus and resources toward Central Asia, increasing its influence and reshaping the regional balance of power. Expanding on this idea, Marek Jochec, Associate Professor of Finance at Narxoz University, explored the varying perceptions of major global powers in Central Asia. Jochec noted that attitudes toward China and Russia are shaped by a combination of historical experiences, economic ties, and political considerations. While Chinese investment is often viewed as a driver of infrastructure and economic growth, concerns over dependency and influence persist. Russian engagement, deeply rooted in historical and cultural connections, continues to play a significant role, though perceptions vary across different countries. These contrasting views add layers of complexity to the region’s geopolitical positioning, making strategic decision-making increasingly delicate. Ultimately, the expert discussion at Narxoz University highlighted that Trump’s leadership — whether defined by unpredictability, pragmatism, or strategic maneuvering — will have a significant impact on Central Asia. As the region faces shifting geopolitical pressures, governments will need to adapt quickly, reassessing their alliances and economic strategies to...

Trump-Putin Deal Talks: Central Asia at the Nexus of Global Power Shifts

The reported discussions this week between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have become a central focus for global media and analysts. However, for Central Asia, the most pressing question is not when the war in Ukraine will end—an outcome that could occur as unexpectedly as the contact between U.S. and Russian leaders—but what Russia’s next move will be. The future actions of Moscow remain a primary concern for the five Central Asian countries. On February 12, Donald Trump announced via his social network, Truth Social, that he had a lengthy phone conversation with Vladimir Putin. His main message was that both leaders had agreed on the need to end the war and would take immediate action. The day before, Trump told reporters at the White House that members of his negotiating team and Putin’s representatives would meet in Munich. Despite skepticism from many analysts who anticipated a longer negotiation process, talks are already scheduled to begin on Valentine’s Day. In the same post, Trump revealed the composition of his negotiating team: “I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Representative Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations.” Although the details of Trump’s proposed peace plan remain under discussion, a rough outline has emerged from various sources which involve: A freeze in fighting along the current front line. The establishment of a demilitarized zone spanning the entire 1,300-kilometer front. Deployment of a European military contingent, including UK troops, to patrol the demilitarized zone (U.S. troops will not be involved, but may provide training and logistical support). A 20-year postponement of Ukraine’s NATO membership bid in exchange for continued Western arms supplies. Recognition of Russian sovereignty over occupied territories. Security guarantees for Ukraine from European countries. A possible EU membership pathway for Ukraine by 2030. A 10-year reconstruction plan for Ukraine, funded by European countries and Russian contributions. A gradual lifting of sanctions on Russia’s energy sector over several years. Reimbursement of U.S. military aid to Ukraine through Ukrainian natural resource revenues. Presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine in 2025, especially if a settlement is reached between Kyiv and Moscow. If Russia accepts these terms, they are likely to be included in the final draft of the agreement. Notably, Trump’s plan takes Moscow’s interests into account, though some points were reportedly rejected during the February 12 call. The depth of the proposal suggests that Trump’s team and Putin’s representatives have been in contact for some time, well before Trump’s formal inauguration as U.S. president. Trump first hinted at such talks in March 2023, when he claimed he could resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office. At the time, many dismissed this as election rhetoric. However, recent events suggest that he is following through on his promises. A striking example is the release of Mark Vogel, an American sentenced in Russia to 14 years in prison for marijuana possession. His return to the U.S. was part of a...