Tag: Kazakhstan
Guardian of the steppes
Many steppe marmots (Marmota baibacina) live between Akkol and Makinsk. While the young explore their surroundings, the adults keep watch in the shade of the birds… [...]
Desert fauna
A Phrynocephalus mystaceus, or toad-headed agama, basks in the sun among saxaul bushes. This small lizard (about 20 cm from head to tail), found notably in Altyn-Emel… [...]
Memories of KarLag
This wall sculpture is located at the Museum of Memory for the Victims of Repression in the Dolinka Colony, also known as the KarLag Museum. For many years, the… [...]
The Karlag infirmary
The former infirmary of the Soviet prison labour camp in Karaganda (KarLag) reveals a bare interior where medical care must have been rudimentary. This labour camp, one of… [...]
In the Karaganda Gulag
In this office at the Karlag labour camp in Karaganda, the only decoration is a portrait of Lenin hanging on the wall. Some historians believe that Stalin’s… [...]
Support Novastan, the European Central Asia magazine
By supporting Novastan, you are supporting the only English, French and German-language media specialising in Central Asia. We're independent and we need your help to stay that way!
The Karaganda Gulag
In the administrative centre of the former KarLag gulag in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, stands a brightly coloured flag, typical of the Stalinist era, bearing a slogan glorifying work. This… [...]
Alone in the canyon
Ominous clouds rise over the empty canyon during a late afternoon hike. In the Almaty region, close to the famous Charyn canyon,… [...]
Sandstorm over Shetpe
A strong gust of wind sweeps across the arid landscape around the village of Shetpe in western Kazakhstan, obscuring the view of the road and the landscape. Climate change… [...]
The mist fountain
During hot summer days, the people of Almaty gather at the mist fountain facing Kazakhstan Hotel to enjoy some freshness. Almaty has a… [...]
Grey Breath over Astana
Not far from the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, smoke from domestic fires fills a modest street. In the background, Astana’s modern towers struggle to rise above the haze, a stark… [...]
Crossing the mighty river Irtysh
For a long time, the ferry across the Irtysh River near the village of Kaznakovka was the only connection between the towns on the western and eastern shores of… [...]
Cultural Issues
In the Almaty region, the Soviet-era House of Culture stands as a fading gem. Erdar and Akmaral, its devoted caretakers guard its garden and history. They shared stories… [...]