Belief

Shared narratives are a major part of any identity. Early cultures sought to explain the world around them and their own origins through folklore and mythology. Today, narratives remain strong as a way to convey morality and social mores as well as ways to make sense of an often complicated national past in order to form a cohesive national identity. Both religion and the state exert powerful influence over modern narratives through various education efforts. However, civil society also plays a large role in maintaining and developing narratives, especially as the Internet makes it increasingly common to have the voices of individuals and small groups amplified.

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Fortune Telling in Bishkek

Recently, a colleague and I went to a yasnovidyashi, a Kyrgyz fortuneteller (the name actually translates to “Clear Seer”), for the first time. Why? We’ve never done it before, we were looking for a new experience, and we were curious to know more about these infamous women of Bishkek with the “dangerous” reputation of hypnotizing […]

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