Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Children

Kyrgyzstan Seeks to Curb Rising Teen Interest in Quadrobics

Concern is growing in Kyrgyzstan over teenagers' interest in quadrobics, a movement where people move on all fours and imitate animals. At a Zhogorku Kenesh meeting, MP Dastan Bekeshev raised the issue with cabinet spokesman Almasbek Abytov. Bekeshev suggested that the Ministry of Education and Science organize explanatory activities in schools to inform about the risks of quadrobics. “Some schoolchildren are already doing quadrobics, imitating the behavior of animals. So far, it has not become a mass problem, but preventive measures are necessary,” the deputy emphasized. Quadrobics involves moving on all fours and imitating animals, including using masks and tails to portray foxes, wolves, and other animals. This movement has already been noticed in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. Recently, cases of such behavior have been registered in Tashkent. On October 10, a teenager wearing an animal mask frightened passers-by, and the next day, another quadrober imitating a dog attacked passengers on public transport, leaving a child visibly frightened. Earlier, The Times of Central Asia wrote that Uzbekistan is already taking steps to control this subculture. In particular, parents are being warned of fines for inappropriate behavior by teenagers in the quadrobika subculture. The Interior Ministry has stated that failure to fulfill parental duties will be punishable, as parents are responsible for educating their children to respect social norms and preventing inappropriate behavior. Russia has also raised the issue of the administrative responsibility of parents who do not follow the upbringing of their children who are addicted to quadrobika. The issue has not yet been resolved, but the request to the State Duma spoke of a fine and criminal liability for the violation. In addition, Gennady Shkil, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, suggested in a sermon that parents of quadrobers should be deprived of parental rights. He believes one cannot do this without “tough measures” as it is “for the salvation of mankind.”

Entertainment

Very Nice? Sacha Baron Cohen Reprises Borat Role on U.S. Talk Show

Borat is back. Briefly, at least. Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who played the fictional journalist from Kazakhstan for laughs in films in 2006 and 2020, resurrected the character in an appearance last week on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Fallon asked Baron Cohen, who had donned a thick, fake mustache, what Borat would say to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. The results were, well, vintage Borat. Borat´s cringeworthy, often unscripted encounters and scatological brand of humor are either keen satire, or just tasteless and offensive, or perhaps some blend of the two, depending on the perspective. The Borat character is a crude misogynist who talks about “sexy time” with bears in his homeland. But his escapades in the United States are arguably an attempt to lampoon American life or society in general as much as to portray a country in Central Asia, repository of ancient civilizations, as a land of backward buffoons. Borat producers have said they were not trying to convey the actual conduct or beliefs of people in Kazakhstan, where the government took offense when the first movie came out. Later, some people in Kazakhstan warmed to Borat and recognized the public relations boost and even increased tourist numbers linked to Baron Cohen’s outrageous character in a boxy suit. His catchphrase “Very nice!” was the hook in a promotional video for Kazakhstan. In 2006, Erlan Idrissov, who was then Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Britain, expressed unease about Borat´s boorish persona in the successful first movie at a time when, according to the envoy, Kazakhstan was starting to emerge as an economic and political “pace-setter” in the region. “But, sadly, it is still the case that few people in Britain or America know anything about Kazakhstan or can even locate it on a map. They are in no position to judge whether Borat or his movie is remotely credible or fair. Baron Cohen exploits this ignorance to the full,” Idrissov wrote in The Guardian. In 2020, there was less fuss about the second Borat movie in Kazakhstan, whose international stature had grown over the years. “Kazakhstan has grown up, Borat hasn't,” read a headline in Emerging Europe, a regional policy and management group.

Sport

Uzbekistan’s Cricket Team: We’re Ready For International Matches

Supporters of Uzbek sport have had a lot to celebrate this year. The national football team currently sits at the top of its qualifying group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while eight of the country's athletes took gold at this summer's Paris Olympics. But next year Uzbekistan wants to enter the world stage in a more surprising sport: cricket. The Central Asian country joined the game's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), in 2022. As an “Associate” ICC member there are hopes that the Uzbek squad will play its first international matches in 2025, in the Twenty20 (T20) version of the game. T20 games are much shorter than traditional five-day Test matches. The nation's rapid progress is due to Aziz Mihliev, the owner of Tashkent pharmaceutical company Anfa. Mihliev fell in love with the game while living in India, where cricket is the national sport. As the founder and chairman of the O’zbekiston Kriket Federatsiyasi (Uzbekistan Cricket Federation), Mihliev has created the Anfa Cricket Academy in the capital's Yunusobod district, where three practice pitches cover a school playground. The federation invites students at Tashkent’s sports colleges to the academy to try their hand at cricket. Many of the players picked to wear the red and dark blue striped jerseys of the new Anfa Cricket Club are also talented tennis players. Mihliev has also built a cricket ground outside the capital, towards the town of Chirchiq, where a game between Salar Stars and Ferghana Rangers will be played this Sunday. There are plans to turn an abandoned Soviet-era stadium outside Samarkand into Uzbek cricket's second home. Travelling to represent Uzbekistan at global ICC conferences, Mihliev speaks with the ambition of a man who now rubs shoulders with the most influential people in the sport. From one such trip he writes: "My ambition is to see an Uzbekistan national team play a Test match against the England team. And win, of course!" Over 4,000 Uzbeks now play the game regularly at schools and universities, from Tashkent in the north of the country to the southern Surkhandaryo region. Surkhandaryo borders Afghanistan, a passionate cricketing nation that reached the semi-finals of this year's men’s T20 World Cup. And it was to Afghanistan that Mihliev turned when recruiting a former international player to train his national team. Khaliq Dad Noori played a few games for Afghanistan at the beginning of the 2010s, when his own country was at the start of its journey to the top of world cricket. Noori coaches his players in the Pashto language, which his Uzbek students can understand. But cricket in Uzbekistan still has a local flavour. Hitting techniques come straight from games of chilla, an old pastime played with sticks. Bats are known as tuqmoq – the name of a wooden club that Uzbek warriors used to brandish. Although some of Uzbekistan’s best cricketers have only been playing for a year or two, judging by the talent on show during a practice session they would beat most...

Art and Culture

Top Five Central Asian Horror Films in the Run-up to Halloween

In the run-up to Halloween, TCA has compiled a short list of the best Central Asian horror films. Although the region is not widely known for its movies in the genre, here are five horror films from Central Asia that are a must-watch. Dästür – Kazakhstan (2023) [caption id="attachment_24810" align="aligncenter" width="619"] Dästür theatrical release poster[/caption] In Dästür, the plot revolves around a girl from a remote aul (village) who is raped by the spoiled son of an influential businessman. The attacker's father does everything in his power to cover up the crime, including arranging a forced marriage in accordance with local traditions. However, after the girl moves into her husband's home, a series of strange and mysterious deaths begin to occur among those responsible for her plight. Invisible – Uzbekistan (2011) [caption id="attachment_24825" align="aligncenter" width="374"] Invisible theatrical release poster[/caption] At the heart of Invisible is a hospital where a mysterious man arrives in critical condition. After a complicated surgery, the doctor begins to sense that something terrifying and inexplicable is affecting the patient. As events unfold, his suspicions are confirmed: some patients appear to be possessed, and he is plagued by hallucinations and unsettling nightmares. Claustro – Kazakhstan (2023) [caption id="attachment_24811" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Claustro theatrical release poster[/caption] Kazakh horror Claustro takes viewers into the mysterious world of confined space. During a holiday party, two casual acquaintances, Kem and Max, retreat to an apartment, only to find themselves trapped as the place refuses to let them leave. Windows and doors lead to new, endless mazes of rooms, creating a feeling of complete isolation. Albarsty – Kyrgyzstan (2017) [caption id="attachment_24812" align="aligncenter" width="524"] Albarsty theatrical release poster[/caption] Albarsty is a psychological horror that immerses viewers in the world of fear, loss, and the supernatural. The main characters, Zamir and Ainura, struggle with a deep emotional crisis following the tragic loss of their child and their inability to conceive again. Seeking comfort and renewed hope, they decide to adopt a boy, Ulan, whom they suspect has brought an unwelcome entity — a demon (albarsty) into their home. Qash – Kazakhstan (2022) [caption id="attachment_24813" align="aligncenter" width="544"] Qash theatrical release poster[/caption] Set amidst the famine of the 1930s, Qash tells the story of a gravedigger, Isatay, who embarks on a risky journey to the nearest town to save his aul. On his way, he meets a mysterious wanderer who shows him a path that leads to nowhere. Qash delves into the theme of survival, immersing the audience in an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness while challenging the moral choices individuals make under extreme conditions.

Justice

Woman in Kazakhstan Sentenced for Inciting Ethnic Hatred

In Almaty, a Kazakh woman, Maral Zhalelova, was sentenced to two years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred. The court found that in her video messages in TikTok, she called on Russians to leave Kazakhstan and insulted the ancestors of Kazakh nationality who fought against Nazi Germany during the Second World War. In doing so, she used obscene language and expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler. Even though Zhalelova did not admit guilt, she apologized for her words. The prosecutor insisted on a five-year sentence, but the court took her apology into account and handed down the minimum sentence, considering that she deserved a “more humane punishment.” The sentence has not been enforced yet. The case began in July 2024 after complaints about Zhalelova's provocative online statements. The investigation recognized that her words offended the feelings and dignity of citizens with Russian nationality, and hurt the memory of ancestors who fought against fascism. During the trial, Zhalelova explained that her reaction was triggered by the events following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to her, she sought to support the Kazakh language, but during the broadcasts, insults were directed at her, and she reacted to provocation. In April 2024, another resident of Almaty, Elina Liu, also received two years in prison for making disparaging remarks about the Kazakh people and language, which the court considered as incitement to discord.

Science

Shaping the Future of Science in Kazakhstan

At Kazakhstan's Nazarbayev University (NU), work is geared toward understanding the intricacies of modern science. TCA spoke to Dr. Aidos Baumuratov, the science director of the NU Collective Use Office, who discussed the importance of scientific collaboration, supported by world-class laboratories, and how Kazakhstan is aiming to nurture the next generation of scientists. TCA: Can you tell me about the work that NU laboratories do? Baumuratov: The laboratories have collected unique, expensive equipment from all over the university. The staff that interprets the results has been selected. In simple words, we help scientists to create science. Unfortunately, Kazakhstan cannot afford the purchase of expensive devices in large quantities, so the model is justified from an economic point of view. The model of a shared office is taken from American and European universities. Today, I manage 23 laboratories with 80 main items of equipment and about 400 additional ones. We are creating a world-class scientific infrastructure, and the laboratories are equipped accordingly. NU scientists win grants, among other things, and consequently, they implement their developments in practice. They come to our laboratories for the missing equipment and perform most of their experiments here. TCA: How much of NU's research is focused on practical applications? Baumuratov: Science is designed to solve global problems. It cannot be considered only from the point of view of immediate return. I can say that in the top global universities, where there are thousands of scientists, only a few startups occur after many years of research, which are eventually taken into development by industrial giants or IT corporations. TCA: What should be done to make the young generation in Kazakhstan more eager to enter science? Baumuratov: I can only express my personal opinion. Attitudes should be learned from childhood. Today, science is undeservedly in the shadows. After the collapse of the USSR, we went through difficult years; we had to fix the economy, and of course, this had an impact on who stayed. If I am not mistaken, 70-80% of scientists left after the collapse. Of those who remained, about the same number went into business, anywhere but science. It takes time to restore the potential, and it should start with schools. When I began working at the university, I proposed an initiative to organize schoolchildren's visits to our laboratories. The initiative was successfully implemented and is still in use today. Children from the 5th and 6th grades visit us; they see aesthetically pleasing, insanely complex equipment at the international level, the finest instruments, and they can talk to those who work here. This is very useful, as it clearly shows schoolchildren what path they can choose. They see and realize that science brings benefits to society and the country. Even the signature of a scientist under an article in a journal, where the university and Kazakhstan are mentioned, already works for the image of the country as a whole. In addition, scientists' general intelligence creates an appropriate environment around children. Ethical norms, the priority of education,...