Author: Josh Wilson

8,000 Years of Winemaking Lives On in Georgia

Georgia is home to one of the world’s most diverse selections of native grape varieties. Evidence suggests it’s the oldest winemaking region in the world and it retains unique and ancient winemaking technologies to this day. Over millennia, winemaking has become deeply integrated into Georgian cuisine, tradition, and identity. It is present at elaborate feasts […]

Berikaoba: Georgia’s Spring Festival Rises Again

Berikaoba is defined by its monstrous-looking masks, good-natured pranking, games and performances of strength, freely shared food and wine, and general festive atmosphere. Although the festival was nearly lost to the passage of time, locals, foreigners, and Georgians from other corners of the country now flock to the Kakhetian villages of Didi Chailuri and Patara […]

The Talking Kazakh (Qazaq) Phrasebook

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 Kazakh translation. In the center column […]

The Talking Latvian Phrasebook

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 Latvian translation. In the center column […]

The Talking Tajik Phrasebook

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 Tajik translation. Tajik uses a Cyrillic […]

Warsaw’s Jewish Cemeteries

Warsaw, a city deeply entwined with Jewish history, hosts two large Jewish cemeteries. Although one is currently still active, both are in states of severe disrepair. The largest of these is the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery, one of the largest Jewish burial grounds in Europe. Spanning approximately 33 hectares (about 63 American football fields), it […]

Victory Day in Russia and Other Countries: Vocabulary and History

Victory Day is a holiday of significance in many Eurasian cultures, but particularly stands out in Russia. People pay homage to veterans and remember the sacrifices that were made for the sake of victory in WWII. While Victory Day is deeply ingrained in Russia’s national identity, its observance across Eurasia reveals nuanced changes or adaptations […]

Navruz, Nooruz, Nowruz: The Ancient Spring New Year of Central Asia

Navruz is a spring solstice celebration that marks the beginning of the New Year according to the traditional Persian calendar. It has been a beloved holiday for some 3,000 years, surviving cultural change caused by centuries of tumultuous history. It was once celebrated on the vernal equinox but is now celebrated on the set date […]

Dictionary of Uzbek Food

Uzbek cuisine is steeped in the rich history and diverse influences of Central Asia. Uzbek food is a distinctive branch of the broader Turkic culinary family, enriched by Persian influence as well as by the hearty foods of Eurasia’s nomadic cultures. Slavic influence comes from Uzbekistan’s time as a part of the Russian and Soviet […]

The Women Who Shaped Kyrgyzstan

In traditional Kyrgyz culture, women have been long regarded as the keepers of culture, the managers of the household, and nurturers of children.  Despite this vaunted position, Kyrgyzstan remains, overall, a patriarchal society and women are also often expected to be quiet and submissive. Below are several Kyrygz women who have broken that mold. They […]

Dictionary of Armenian Food

Armenia, a land of ancient traditions and culinary treasures, invites you on a journey to explore its rich gastronomic heritage. Armenian food is characterized by its use of fresh herbs, succulent meats, and an array of grains and legumes, complemented by the distinctive flavors of pomegranate, lemon, apricot, and a variety of regional spices. Heavily […]

Maslenitsa, Masliana, Marzanna: Spring Holidays of the Slavs

Rites of welcoming spring and saying goodbye to winter are some of the oldest holidays preserved across Slavic cultures. While Russia’s Maslenitsa is by the far the best-known, multiple versions exist across the diverse Slavic landscape. Amazingly, despite the fact that these societies are now deeply Christian, all of these holidays are still celebrated in […]

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