Part of the 
Family of Sites
Family of Sites
Family of Sites
Halva, the rich dessert well-loved across many cultures, is so densely filling it almost manages to feel like a meal – and not an entirely unhealthy one at that. There are more than one hundred varieties of halva, an ancient dish whose base can be flour, ground seeds or nuts, or fruit, depending on where […]
Līgo is the most important of Latvia’s national holidays. Marking the summer solstice and rooted in pre-Christian pagan traditions, it began as an ancient ritual to secure a good harvest and help communities endure the long, harsh Lativan winter. Despite centuries of foreign occupation and efforts by both Catholic and Soviet authorities to suppress it, […]
Russia and Central Asia offer what can seem to be a bewildering selection of dairy products in their transnational food cultures. An area of special note, and often one of the strangest to Westerners, is the seemingly never-ending assortment of fermented milk drinks and products in the gastronomic repertoire. To cut down on the brow-furrowing […]
Latvian holidays are steeped in ancient pagan tradition. Most important are the winter and summer solstices. Connections with the ancient past are thought to be the most authentic connections with being Latvian. Other major holidays celebrate the hard-won independence and sovereignty of Latvia. Soviet influence, especially as compared to other former Soviet republics, is minimal, […]
Turkish food balances hearty, aromatic flavors with simplicity and seasonal ingredients. Proteins typically come from lamb, beef, and chicken—pork is not traditionally consumed for religious reasons—while seafood is more common along the Aegean and Black Sea coasts. Yogurt, legumes like lentils and chickpeas, and eggs also play major roles in providing protein across the country. […]
For those obsessed with all things pumpkin — pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice-cream, pumpkin-spice lattes — oromo (оромо) is sure to please. Oromo is a rolled, layered, steamed pastry that comes with various fillings (pumpkin being common and our favorite). It evokes everything we love about pumpkin season back home in the States. This main dish […]
What shapes Georgian national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Georgian national narrative. This includes the heroes and pivotal events taught in schools, the places central to the nation’s collective memory, and the language and beliefs that frame its worldview. A national narrative goes beyond history: it is […]
What shapes Polish national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Polish national narrative. This includes the heroes and pivotal events taught in schools, the places central to the nation’s collective memory, and the language and beliefs that frame its worldview. A national narrative goes beyond history: it is […]
This extensive list of web resources to assist students learning the Russian language was developed by SRAS and is now hosted on Folkways, part of the SRAS Family of Sites! Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, we will earn an affiliate commission if you […]
The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Below, you will find several useful phrases and words. To the left is the English and to the far right is the Turkish translation. In the center column for […]
Kupala is an ancient Slavic holiday celebrating the summer solstice, or midsummer. Once part of a series of annual rituals, it marked and was believed to sustain agricultural cycles—essential to early human survival. Held as vitally important, these pagan traditions remained deeply rooted even after Christianization, technological change, and centuries of oppression tried to dislodge […]
What shapes Sebian national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Sebian national narrative. This includes the heroes and pivotal events taught in schools, the places central to the nation’s collective memory, and the language and beliefs that frame its worldview. A national narrative goes beyond history: it is […]