Kazakhstan
The fourth country of transit for our expedition and also the ninth biggest country in the world is Kazakhstan: the bowl filled with hot dust and spicy herbal aroma.
Its greatest and also the most specific feature, which often remains unchecked, is the ancient Great Steppe. It includes the North of modern Kazakhstan, the region crossed by our expedition. This territory is not as much physical as historical object that unites the lands being referred to as Middle Asia (also known as Central Asia and Inner Asia). It includes former Soviet republics such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan (all together historically known as Turkestan), and also several included territories: Eastern Turkey, Mongolia and part of Siberia. Yet, also from the point of physical geography, Kazakhstan is covered with the steppe.
In the era of the USSR, nuclear tests in the area of Semey and ploughing of the steppe in order to increase the fertility of lands, took place. Having a part of the original flora and fauna of steppe destroyed, still there are some parts that have remained almost untouched. Steppe is that awesome biome where the long grass and flowers form multicolored carpet in spring; where billions of rambling locusts fill the heat-thickened air with their dull song in summer; where the human cultivated oases turn into the fruits paradise in autumn.
From social point of view, Kazakhstan has always been famous for its extroversion and opened attitude towards the incomers, perhaps because of its vast territory. This country lies in the belt binding Europe and Asia together. Its origins lie in the culture of Middle Asian Nomads with their ancient, very utilitarian traditions that helped them not only to survive in the terrains of steppe, but also to inhabit them. All of their cultural features are very rational: their vagabond lifestyle requires carrying their homes around, hence, packing light; the main purpose of their clothing is sun protection; the language is unverbose since it is only needed to exchange the most necessary words to save energy in the heat.
Nature and nomadic lifestyle have also formed Kazakh traditional menu. It mostly consists of the dishes remaining fresh during longtime in the heat, such as horse beef (beshbarmak, kazi and shuzuk) and sour milk dairy drinks (kumis, shubat and ayran) that also are excellent to quench the thirst. European culture has brought mining, agriculture, horticulture and science to Kazakhstan and has richened its menu with vegetables, fruits, fish and sweets. This blend also breaks monotony of modern Kazakh life. Local inhabitants form both typically Asian environment with crowded markets, national dresses and noise of kind calls and bargaining, and cities with rather European looks and civilians wearing jeans and rushing to work by cars or buses.
The route of our expedition lies trough four quite big cities – Kostanay, Astana, Pavlodar and Semey. Many of the North Kazakhstan cities, including capital Astana, are Russian-speaking. In Astana proportion of Kazakh-speaking population is only 30%. Earlier, this city wore the name of Akmola – „white grave”, after the name of an ancient fortress – until in the year 1998 it was renamed and became a new capital of the country. Until 50th years of 20th century, the city was rather a miners’ village. Then Kazakh steppe got ploughed and sacrificed in the name of agriculture which, of course, increased the economy of USSR but also lead to ecological disaster on the lake of Bakhash, on the Aral Sea and in the biome of steppe. Astana, the former Celinograd („virgin soil city”) was the center of this cruel agronomy. Nowadays, it is rather small and low town exposed to the wild winds of steppe.
Appearing courtesy to both Eastern and Western culture, Kazakhstan celebrates the New Year day twice – in January and in March.
Elizabete Neimiseva for enduroadventure.lv