Part of the 
Family of Sites
Family of Sites
Family of Sites
Polish food is hearty, flavorful, and deeply rooted in tradition. It is also experiencing a revival, re-inventing itself in major Polish cities as the country celebrates its heritage and embraces the latest trends and inspirations from world cuisines. Today, while dishes like pierogi, kielbasa, and bigos (hunter’s stew) are one you must try while visiting […]
Rites of welcoming spring and saying goodbye to winter are some of the oldest holidays preserved across Slavic cultures. In the Baltics, the celebrations were nearly lost after being suppressed by Catholic and imperial dominance. Today, Russia’s Maslenitsa is by the far the best-known, but multiple versions exist across the diverse Slavic landscape. In the […]
The dumplings and pastries of Europe’s northeastern flank have a story to tell. Their recipes, etymologies, and related traditions are intertwined in a complex historical knot. There are so many ancient connections that it is almost impossible to say which influenced the next. And yet, each dish is held up as a unique and integral […]
There are few essential things to know about Kyrgyzstan. One of these is the country’s folkloric hero, Manas. You’ll find nearly everything in Krygyzstan is named after him: the main airport, national parks, major streets in nearly every city and town, and even karate clubs and movie theaters, not to mention the statues of him […]
What shapes Uzbek national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Uzbek 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 Kyrgyz national identity? The answer is complex and personal, but one key element is the Kyrgyz 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 […]
Through these holidays, you will find Armenia is filled with a rich history revolving around nationhood, family, and religious tradition. Many holidays are particularly associated with specific monuments emphasizing the importance of place in Armenian culture. Some are ancient holidays steeped in pagan symbolism, officially repressed under the Soviets, but now newly embraced by the […]
Russia’s Olivier Salad (Салат «Оливье») and Latvia’s rasols are well-known staples of their respective cuisines and common additions to holiday tables. Today, the recipes for both are quite similar, with chopped vegetables, egg, and meat dressed with mayonnaise. Olivier is now eaten throughout the former USSR and has even become common as “Russian Salad” in […]
In this text, Tajik blogger Roxana Burkhanova describes, in Russian, the place of holidays in Russian culture. She focuses on the two major holiday seasons: the New Year’s holidays and the May Holidays. The text was originally written in 2015 and thus references times before the current war. However, the vocabulary and the general cultural […]
Russians have typically gotten nearly three weeks off a year just for holidays. This has changed in recent years and especially since the start of the war in Ukraine, as Russia has pushed for greater effeciency in its economy. While the long New Year holidays remain, most others are now more modest, with often with […]
Ukrainian holidays are a reflection of Ukrainian’s recent political history and shifting identity. They feature a range of secular and religious holidays. Some holidays have been celebrated for thousands of years and some, particularly patriotic and Western-influenced holidays, have been recently added to the line up. See below for descriptions of these Ukrainian holidays, their […]
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, […]