Well, “all good things must come to an end,” as they say. (Even though this isn’t actually true.) It has been our singular privilege and joy to bring you CaucasTalk for the last 4+ years, and we are struck to the heart to say goodbye. Our life situations have made it such that a) we are no longer both in the North Caucasus, and b) we are therefore no longer recording in-person. We feel it is time to move on as much as it grieves us. We want to say THANK YOU to our wonderful listeners, who...

A Happy New Year note—with some news minutes—from yours truly at CaucasTalk! Tahseen from Rise’n’Glide: https://caucastalk.com/episode67 Habib Nurmagomedov’s new restaurant in Makhachkala, “Papakha”

After three years of hanging in the wings just listening to CaucasTalk, Abdurahim finally steps up to the mic to represent his beautiful Dagestani people group, the Aghuls. (Thanks to some arm-twisting from Andrew 🙂 The Aghuls hail from the southern midlands of Dagestan and, like many people groups, they lack strong resources for their language. Abdurahim became convicted of this fact and has set out to be an advocate and voice for his people and language. As we so often find with guests, his...

How does a truck driver from Wisconsin become a champion of local cultural developing a rural mountain valley in the North Caucasus? Matt Johnson tells us today, not only of his several and often hair-raising ascents of Mt. Elbrus one many of the six routes—including lightning storms, crevasses, and a mountain rescue—but much more about his love for the local culture, and especially a remote valley on the northwest side of the mountain. In the last year he has founded the Elbrus Alpine...

Who are the Cossacks? And what is their connection to the North Caucasus? The fascinating history of this group of “free men” become warrior caste interweaves with the history of the whole region. Our good friend (and Chislic Festival champion) Ian Tuttle eloquently unpacks the birth, rise, and continued existence of this people and their place in the North Caucasus. Links for Episode 111 Brian Boeck, Imperial Boundaries Leo Tolstoy, The Cossacks Leo Tolstoy, The...

If there’s one topic that gets the blood stirring of the today’s young folk, it’s old age! Or… not. Actually, the fact that’s funny tells us in the West a whole lot about our own cultural views on this very important topic. And would you believe there are places in the world where this topic actually DOES garner interest and esteem from all ages? That’s right: the North Caucasus. Springboarding off of our recent episode on retirement in the North Caucasus (Ep. 105 –...

Education is a deeply-held value embedded in families and throughout the North Caucasus.  From early childhood through the university years, high levels of academic achievement are considered “normal,” according to our guest today. Madina from Ingushetia shares about her personal experience growing up as a student, and now as a top English tutor in Ingushetia. As always, pride for the region, deep connection to history, and a warm welcome for visitors shines out. But we also hear about the...

The Dargin people inhabit mainly the middle latitudes of Dagestan, from the foothills up into the mountains. As our knowledgeable and articulate guest today, Saida, shares with us, the word “Dargin” means “inside,” as in deep in the mountains, and that is where this people can be found. Their traditions range and vary from embroidery to armory, and even include an amazing ancient practice of sharing children among families. Possibly the most winsome part of this interview is how Saida’s own...

Louisa the Lezginka shares today about the—you guessed it—Lezgin people! And yes, for those of you wondering (like Andrew), the word “Lezginka” refers not only to the Caucasus-wide national dance, but actually is the term for female members of the Lezgin nation. Louisa hails from the ancient and venerable city of Derbent and gives us wonderful insights about famous Lezgins from history, handicrafts, unique aspects of geography, and a flavor for who Lezgins are. We even got her to sing a...

We’ve talked lots about food on this podcast, but what about the actual experience of getting it? The act of dining out in the North Caucasus brings with it a whole host of quirks, habits, and cultural expectations that may be every bit as unfamiliar as the food. Join us as we “dig in” in a different sense and discover yet again gems of culture, people, and history hidden in plain sight—even on the plate right in front of you. Links for Episode 106 Georgy Kavkaz

When you hear the word “retirement,” what comes to mind? Collecting shells on a beach? Sitting with an armload of grandkids? To some it means a life of independence facilitated through professional care. For others, it’s receiving with honor the support of children and family. Whatever the vision, our care for the elderly in our communities says a lot about our values and culture. Today we share some of what we have learned about retirement practices in the North Caucasus and how they...

While holidays may seem to be predictable parts of our cultures, dig a little deeper and they contain a treasure trove of insights and wonder. Holidays in the North Caucasus are no different. Today we attempt a fly-over of the 50+ primary holidays celebrated annually across the region. Some are Russian, some are religious, some handed down from ancient tradition. Each one sheds its own light on the kaleidoscope of North Caucasus peoples and practices. Links for Episode...

Today’s double episode [re-release of episode 27A & 27B] is truly a tour de force. In this our second installment of “In Their Own Words,” our good friends Tembulat & Zalina take us on a deep dive into the very heart of Circassian / Kabardian culture. Not only musicians, this couple also hand makes instruments and knives. They provided so much rich content we were forced to split the episode into two. Get ready for profound cultural insights, wonderful live music, sober admissions,...

Rock climbing is alive and well in the North Caucasus. In an environment in which a few sports are exalted above all others, rock climbing has begun to offer an alternative activity for all ages. Teddy shares today about his involvement with On Sight rock climbing gym and community center in Nalchik, the capital of the North Caucasus Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. They not only offer a range of climbing experiences from novice to expert, but they have an eye to help the community at large...

Without a doubt, our most popular series has been “In Their Own Words,” in which we give you our listeners a chance to hear from the peoples of the North Caucasus directly. Not long ago we decided to try for one interview with every one of the 34 official languages of Dagestan—and some say there are more. Today we are privileged to meet Marat of the Tabasaran nation. Situated in southern Dagestan, the Tabasaran boast not a growing population, but they are also recognized by the Guinness Book...

When you hear, “business startup,” your mind may go to Silicon Valley, Y Combinator, and high risk investments. Well now you can add to your list Dagestan’s very own business accelerator, IARD — the Innovation Accelerator of the Republic of Dagestan — run by our new friend Vali. Vali shares about the incredible surge in entrepreneurship across the North Caucasus and the changes that is bringing to local communities. Check out his website below! http://iard.center/ http://tuba.ru

A young man of only 20 years, Magomed is already making lasting change for his minority Dagestani language group, the Kaitag. Most people have never heard of the 20,000 speakers of Kaitag, and yet Magomed is advocating on the international stage to get his language officially recognized. Possibly most instructive is the way Magomed has approached his involvement: he simply asked, What can I do for my people? Without any professional training in linguistics, he has created a translation and...

BeyondRedSquare Virtual Tours Website In the spirit of “sticking it to Covid,” today Andrew unveils a brand new, unique offering from his tour company, Beyond Red Square: Virtual Tours! Six virtual tours are offered: * Virtual Dagestan* Virtual Chechnya* Virtual Mt. Elbrus Climb* Virtual Caucasus Mountain Adventures* Virtual Soviet Vacation (Caucasus Mineral Waters Region)* Virtual Moscow & St. Petersburg Take your pick! They’re affordable, they’re accessible,...

“Every time a language dies, it’s like someone just dropped a bomb on the Louvre.” The treasures contained in a human language cannot be overestimated, according to Dr. Daniel Wilson, linguist and language technology pioneer.  A research fellow at the University of the Free State, South Africa, and Moscow resident, Daniel has been living in Russia on invitation from the Academy of Sciences to research on of the smallest language groups in Dagestan, the Tsez (also known as Didoi)—and a...

Have you gotten the impression that the only options for sports in the North Caucasus are skiing and wrestling? We’re here today with Misha to put that misconception to rest. Misha left his profession as a lawyer to introduce tourists to the wonderful adventures awaiting the willing-hearted in the North Caucasus. Working with his wife, Masha, he now leads visitors up mountains, across canyons, through waves, and back down again as his full-time gig. Check out his website and connected...

LINKS to MUSIC BELOW!! 👇 Riddle: What do you get when you cross Circassian death metal, two-stringed fiddles, sharp ears and a big heart? The audiological phenomenon—and our friends—known as Ored Recordings. For over a decade Ored founders Bulat Khalilov and Timur Kodzoko have been on the hunt for local sounds of the North Caucasus. To them this does not mean purely old or so-called “traditional” music; tradition can be created in an instant. Rather they seek what is authentically born...

At long last, the stars  aligned and not only did we record our first in-person recording session since 2019, but we brought our wonderful WIVES with us! Hollie and Cristi share from their years of mothering in the North Caucasus a taste of what it has been like for them. From birth stories to playground parables, we hear from the women who’ve done it both their experience and what they have learned from their local friends. We cover a lot of ground in the rip-roaring laugh fest, so buckle up...

Hava is many things—an Ingush mother, a beloved grandmother, but also an entrepreneur who has opened two 5-star hotels, a polyglot, and an artisan. Most interesting, perhaps, is her artisanal work with fish leather. Yes, you read that right—tanned fish skin. Under the tutelage of another Ingush innovator, Hava tans the skins of sturgeon, salmon, and even eel to make crafts which defy expectation. Links for Episode 92 Hava’s fish leather handicrafts: @avaganti The Moscow...

Welcome back to a new year of CaucasTalk! For our first episode back after our break, we were dazzled and privileged to interview three of the North Caucasus’ own female Fulbright Scholars. These young women all studied and taught for a year or more in the US and are now back in the Russia determined to make a difference. Their perspective is as  bright as it is unique.