Kazakhstan Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Archaeology

Ancient Fortress and Rare Figurine Discovered at Kalzhyr Settlement in Kazakhstan

Fortress walls destroyed by fire, remains of ancient buildings, and a rare ceramic bird figurine with a rattle inside were discovered by Kazakh archaeologists during excavations at the Kalzhyr settlement in the country's east, near the border with China. Archaeological evidence and radiocarbon analysis date the site to the 6th–7th centuries CE, when the first Turkic states were emerging in Central Asia. An expedition from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University studied the settlement in the Zaysan Basin, between the villages of Kalzhyr and Boran. Researchers uncovered the remains of fortifications in the southern part of the 25-hectare site and found evidence that many had been destroyed by fire. The finds include plaster bearing traces of decorative patterns, ceramic vessels, and charred grains of wheat and legumes, giving us an insight into crops available to the settlement's inhabitants. According to the researchers, construction of the fortified settlement may date to the period of the First Turkic Khaganate. This state emerged in the mid-6th century and extended its influence across vast areas of Eurasia. Archaeologists also discovered a much older burial monument – a khirigsuur, a funerary and commemorative structure dating to the Late Bronze Age. Similar complexes are known primarily from Mongolia and Xinjiang in northwestern China. In studying the sites, archaeologists used aerial and thermal imaging alongside other surveying methods. Based on the data collected, they plan to develop three-dimensional models and a geographic information system for the region. The work is being carried out as part of a project studying the archaeological landscapes of the basin. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on the discovery of two rare bronze knives, believed to be associated with the early Saka, in Bayanaul National Park in the Pavlodar region. Other research conducted at the ancient Karakabak settlement in the Mangystau region has provided new evidence of trade links between East and West.

Book Launch

Farewell to Russia: An Interview with Joe Luc Barnes on Central Asia’s Changing Role

In Moscow, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Joe Luc Barnes met residents who distrusted their government but believed its assurances that war was not coming. The shock that followed opens his book, Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR. Barnes, a journalist, editor and contributor to The Times of Central Asia, has visited all 15 former Soviet republics since February 2022. His book explores how people have built their lives since independence, and how deeply Russia remains woven into them. Speaking to TCA, Barnes recalls meeting rural residents in Central Asia who were more supportive of Russia than their urban, Russian-speaking counterparts. He also reflects on why Russia remains a destination for young people seeking opportunities, despite the discrimination many face there. TCA: At the start of the book, you describe Muscovites’ conviction that Russia would not invade Ukraine. What sustained that certainty, and how did people respond when events shattered it? Joe Luc Barnes: I think it was mainly down to people not wanting to believe it. The amazing thing is that Muscovites (and Russians at large, in my experience) are fully aware that their government is full of crooks whom they wouldn’t trust with anything, but simultaneously most of them are in lockstep with the Kremlin’s foreign policy position. The war started just as Russia was trying to get the country vaccinated against Covid. In the end, the government struggled to persuade even 50% of people to have a single dose of the vaccine, but meanwhile those same people were sure the Kremlin was telling the truth when it said that its soldiers were massing on Ukraine’s borders as part of “routine exercises”. When the war did begin and that illusion collapsed, the main reaction was shock. For the first few days, there was a kind of numbness over the city. Many people had friends or relatives in Ukraine; others were stunned that something they had been denying had actually come to pass. Many in their 20s or 30s were disgusted with their government and began to look for a way out of the country. But people were generally focused on looking after themselves – worrying about things like finances, getting money out of their bank accounts, things like that. I think there was also a belief among many that it would be a short war. When I left Russia in March 2022, I don’t think I, or anyone around me, expected the war to still be raging four and a half years later. [caption id="attachment_58058" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Lenin still stands in Bishkek, though not on his original plinth. Image: Joe Luc Barnes[/caption] TCA: Your title suggests a departure from Russia. Where in Central Asia did that feel most real, and where did everyday life complicate the idea? Joe Luc Barnes: I think in urban Central Asia, you can often feel like you’re in a Russian city. People speak Russian, you get around using Yandex Taxi, your mobile provider is Beeline, and architecturally you still...

TCA Interviews

Goethe-Institut Director on Kazakhstan’s Cultural Ties with Germany

What does genuine intercultural dialogue look like in an interconnected yet polarized world? The Times of Central Asia spoke with Friederike van Stephaudt, director and head of cultural programs at the Goethe-Institut in Kazakhstan, about cultural relations between Germany and Kazakhstan. She discussed literary translation and how young people’s interest in studying or working in Germany can develop into lasting cultural connections. TCA: When you came to lead the Goethe-Institut in Kazakhstan, what aspects of the country’s culture and society particularly interested you? Friederike van Stephaudt: What fascinated me from the very beginning was Kazakhstan’s unique position at the intersection of tradition and modernity. The country combines a rich nomadic heritage with rapid urban development and a strong orientation toward the future. I was also struck by the diversity of cultural influences that have shaped Kazakhstan throughout its complex and multidimensional history. Different communities, languages, memories, and traditions coexist and interact here, creating a cultural landscape that is both dynamic and deeply layered. For me, Kazakhstan is a place where questions about identity, belonging, and cultural transformation are constantly being negotiated, which makes it an incredibly interesting environment to live and work in. TCA: How would you assess the current state of cultural relations between Germany and Kazakhstan? What changes have you observed in these relations in recent years? Friederike van Stephaudt: I would describe the cultural relations between Germany and Kazakhstan as lively, productive, and based on genuine mutual interest. What I particularly appreciate is that cultural exchange today is no longer understood as a one-way transfer of knowledge or artistic practices. There is a strong desire on both sides to learn from one another. While Germany and Kazakhstan often approach cultural, social, or artistic questions from different perspectives, we also discover many similarities and shared concerns. Topics such as social transformation, memory, sustainability, inclusion, and digitalization are relevant in both countries. Over recent years, I have observed a growing openness toward collaborative formats that allow artists, cultural professionals, and institutions to work together as equal partners. TCA: The Goethe-Institut’s mission is not limited to promoting the German language; it also aims to foster dialogue between cultures. In Kazakhstan, which of these two areas are you currently prioritizing? Friederike van Stephaudt: For us, these two areas cannot really be separated. We do not prioritize one over the other because language and cultural dialogue are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Learning a language always means engaging with another culture. It offers access to different perspectives, ways of thinking, and forms of expression. At the same time, meaningful cultural exchange becomes much richer when people can communicate directly with one another. This is why we see language promotion and intercultural dialogue as two sides of the same coin, and our work aims to strengthen both equally. TCA: How strong is the interest in learning German in Kazakhstan? Have the motivations and aspirations of young people who want to learn German changed in recent years? Friederike van Stephaudt: Interest in learning German...

ITF World Tennis Tour

Almaty to Host Central Asia’s First World Tennis General Assembly

From October 10 to 13, Almaty will host events for the annual General Assembly of World Tennis, formerly the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The meeting of national tennis federation leaders will be held in Central Asia for the first time. More than 262 delegates from 137 countries are expected to attend. Founded in 1913, World Tennis is tennis’s global governing body. It sets the rules of the game and oversees the Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, and junior competitions. In June 2026, the federation changed its name from ITF to World Tennis. Its leadership also announced plans to increase the number of people playing tennis worldwide from 106 million to 140 million by 2035. The federation's Board of Directors will meet in Almaty on October 10–11, followed by the General Assembly and voting on October 13. The announced topics include support for national federations, the development of children's tennis, training for coaches and officials, and the organization of international competitions. The Kazakhstan Tennis Federation is headed by Bulat Utemuratov, who also serves as vice president of World Tennis. In recent years, Kazakhstan has regularly hosted international tournaments, including the ATP 250 Almaty Open. The next tournament will take place later that month, from October 17 to 25. The meeting will take place shortly after Elena Rybakina's victory at the U.S. Open, her third Grand Slam title. Rybakina has now risen to the top of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings for the first time.

Kennedy’s 1978 Visit

Ted Kennedy’s 1978 Visit to Kazakhstan in Archival Photos

United States Senator Ted Kennedy’s visit to Alma-Ata in 1978 came at a time when foreign tourists were much less common in Central Asia than they are today. Most tourists from Western countries came through Intourist, the Soviet state travel organization that handled foreign visitors. Private enterprise was largely absent from the Soviet economy, although limited forms of individual work were legally permitted. But high-ranking visitors sometimes came to the region as official guests, most often to take part in international events. [caption id="attachment_57860" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Edward Kennedy (second from left) at a World Health Organization congress.[/caption] In September 1978, Kennedy, the brother of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, visited Alma-Ata, then the capital of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (Kazakh SSR). He had first visited the Soviet Union in April 1974 and met with Leonid Brezhnev, general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. During that trip, Kennedy discussed arms control and Soviet emigration policy and advocated a comprehensive nuclear test ban. [caption id="attachment_57864" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Kennedy with surgeon K. Ormantayev at the WHO-UNICEF International Conference on Primary Health Care.[/caption] The senator also took part in the International Conference on Primary Health Care in Alma-Ata, jointly sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund. The conference adopted the Declaration of Alma-Ata, which identified primary health care as the key to achieving "Health for All" and as an integral part of national health systems. More than 3,000 delegates attended; 134 governments and 67 international organizations and agencies were represented. [caption id="attachment_57862" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Kennedy (second from left) with Kazakh SSR Health Minister T. Sharmanov (second from right) and Zh. Kaliev, chairman of Kaz-ODKS (far right), at the airport.[/caption] Amid the Soviet Union’s Cold War with Western countries and its intensifying rivalry with China, the conference had a clear political dimension. David A. Tejada de Rivero, WHO deputy director-general from 1974 to 1985 and twice Peru's minister of health, noted that "the choice of Alma-Ata was due to two fundamental considerations: the dynamism and leadership of Kazakhstan's minister of health (Toregeldy Sharmanov was Minister of Health of the Kazakh SSR), and the ability to prepare the necessary physical infrastructure at very short notice. Alma-Ata, which means 'father of apples,' was in the republic where the Soviet Union had its Cold War space programs. It was also close to China." [caption id="attachment_57863" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Kennedy with A. Akpayev (center) and Zh. Kaliev (right) at the Medeo high-altitude skating rink.[/caption] Of course, people both inside the Soviet Union and abroad showed enormous interest in every detail of the stay of such a high-ranking guest from the U.S., a senator from a distant country across the ocean who bore such a famous name. For example, Dinmukhamed Kunaev, then first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, recalled his meeting with Kennedy in his book O moem vremeni (About My Time): "...He liked the capital of Kazakhstan, and especially the Memorial of Glory...

Public Health

Reports of Suspected Plague in Russia Prompt Central Asian Health Checks

Reports surrounding the death of an employee at an anti-plague research institute in Russia’s Irkutsk region have prompted health authorities across Central Asia to tighten sanitary controls and review preparedness measures. Russian officials have not confirmed that the employee contracted plague or that a laboratory accident occurred. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have nevertheless announced additional checks or heightened readiness in response. Officials across the region say there is no cause for alarm, but the response reflects the sensitivity that remains around cross-border infectious disease threats after the COVID-19 pandemic. What Is Known Russian authorities have released few details, but reports say an employee at the anti-plague institute in Shelekhov, near Irkutsk, accidentally broke a test tube containing live bacteria. That employee, a female aged 27 or 28, was hospitalized on September 29, but she died on October 2. The hospital where she was treated was reportedly placed under quarantine, and nearly 200 people who might have come into contact with her are under medical observation. There are also reports that four more hospitals are under quarantine, with some 100 people hospitalized as a precaution. Russian officials deny these reports and say health specialists are on the ground in the area investigating and have urged the public to wait for an official assessment of the situation and not spread rumors. The Response in Central Asia Kazakhstan shares a 7,800-kilometer border with Russia; the distance from far northeastern Kazakhstan to Irkutsk is more than 1,500 kilometers. While that is comforting, the distance from Kazakhstan to Wuhan, China, is some 3,600 kilometers, and the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan in 2019 eventually reached Kazakhstan and everywhere else in the world. On October 5, Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry said it was aware of the reports from Irkutsk, was following the situation closely, and had ordered closer checks at border crossings and other entry points. “Sanitary and quarantine controls are being conducted at state border crossing points,” a Health Ministry statement said, “No individuals with elevated temperatures, signs of illness, or suspected highly dangerous infections have been detected across any mode of transport.” The Health Ministry said the chances of plague, or “pneumonia of undetermined etiology” crossing Kazakhstan’s borders were low. Kyrgyzstan’s Health Ministry also said it had ordered close checks of people entering the country in response to reports about the situation in Irkutsk. “Specialists monitor individuals, vehicles, and cargo crossing the border to prevent the importation and spread of infectious diseases, including highly dangerous infections,” the Health Ministry said. The same measures are being implemented in Tajikistan. Said Davlatzoda, the head of the Health Ministry’s Department of Sanitary-Epidemiological Safety, Emergency Situations and Emergency Medical Care, said orders went out that every person crossing into Tajikistan must have their body temperature measured. Workers from the department have been instructed to ask people arriving whether they are experiencing symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, headache, weakness, and muscle and joint pain. Personnel from the Sanitary-Epidemiological Safety Department have also been told to wear disposable hazmat...