Red Corner: Balancing Out Borat

by Neil Woodburn on

Having posted a fair amount about Kazakhstan’s most despised and erroneous ambassador, Borat, we here at Gadling realize it is important to maintain some editorial balance, and therefore feel obligated to direct you towards a more responsible representative which better portrays Kazakhstan and its fine people.

Actually, to be more precise, we’d like to ask that after catching Borat’s new film, Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, you seek out a small independent cinema and watch Nomad.

Nomad is an epic movie filmed with an international crew on the steppes of Kazakhstan. It tells the story of local tribes uniting to fight against foreign invaders in the 18th century and cost a reported $40 million to make–roughly Kazakhstan’s entire GDP. Oops, that was a bit of Borat popping out there. Sorry.

Go see it anyway and you’ll grow to better appreciate this sadly mocked country.

Red Corner: Borat’s New Movie

by Neil Woodburn on

We’re all big fans of Borat here at Gadling.

The bumbling Kazakh reporter, played by comedian Sasha Baron Cohen, mercilessly ridicules the people of Kazakhstan with an over-the-top impersonation frothing with bad English, anti-Semitism, misogyny, sexism, and uber-crassness.

While the government of Kazhakstan has actually threatened to sue Cohen for such a portrayal, the real targets of Borat’s humor are the ignorant Americans he interviews for his HBO show.

Fortunately, for those of us who can’t get enough of his HBO show, there is now a full length feature film.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival to a raucous crowd who cheered wildly for Borat’s red carpet arrival on an ox cart pulled by 6 Kazakh peasant women. Borat entertained the crowd (asking female reporters, “How much?”) before disappearing into the theater where the projector broke 20 minutes into the film. No one, including director Michael Moore who used to be a projectionist, was able to fix the machine and the crowd had to leave disappointed.

So, no review yet on this landmark film which opens in the States November 3.

In the meantime, you can check out Jason Chow’s entertaining account of the screening in Toronto.

Word for the Travel Wise (09/05/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

If they say places like Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are some of the last least explored tourist destinations in the world, which they often do – then Kazakhstan must be the last unexplored destination for the Foodies. How is it that I can make such a remark? Why, Horse Sausage my friends. Okay, maybe horse meat isn’t that rare and perhaps many a Foodie have experienced it’s um, (vegetarians look away) tough or tender texture tearing across their teeth. Ugh – gulp. Here are some recipes for cooking Kazy and Shuzhuk, both dishes with horse flesh included.

Today’s word is a Kazakh word used in Kazakhstan:

at – horse

Kazakh and Russian are both official languages of Kazakhstan. There are approximately 11.5 million Kazakh speakers in the world. Considering many adoptive families adopt Kazakh children someone was nice enough to put together this extensive list of Kazakh language learning resources. Whether you’re adopting or not – if you are serious about learning I suggest you check out this page. I doubt there is a more exhaustive list on the web.

Borat’s: Face of Kazakhstan?

by Adrienne Wilson on

Strangely this isn’t the first time Sacha Baron Cohen has received mention here on Gadling. Erik wrote a short blurb on the star back in November of last year when word on the streets was Kazakh government was going to sue Mister Borat / Ali G. / Cohen. According to Erik’s piece the gov officials didn’t like the way Cohen was portraying them as sexist, racist, and stupid louts. Well, I don’t know how far that lawsuit went, but Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is set for nationwide release on November 3, 2006.

After seeing the absurd previews in theaters last night I couldn’t help placing this one on my ‘to-watch’ list. What? Huh? Yup, I said it. I’m hoping to catch this one on the big screen in stadium seating, DDS surround sound – the works. Personally I find Borat disgustingly funny. Not because I feel he’s poking any sort of fun at Kazakhstan through his character, but simply pointing out the same age-old stereotypes Americans have created over time. Cohen who is Jewish makes joke about Jews, Blacks, Cowboys, and various other American folk he runs across in his great road-trip across America. Offensive and crude cinema – yes.

My only hopes for those who do know very little about the country of Kazakhstan is that they’ll go pick up a book or do some research online. It’s not that hard to learn something a little factual about the place. In fact – start by clicking here.

Central Asia Refresher

by Adrienne Wilson on

Every once in a while it’s nice to remind ourselves about places that may not be on the top of our travel lists, but we forget exist or never knew existed. As I’ve been sharing some upcoming travel plans with people it’s suddenly starting to strike a nerve how much of the population is unaware of other smaller countries or entire regions to boot! On a recent trip into a book store for some quick guide book hunting my conversation with the clerk went something like this:

“Excuse me, do you happen to have any travel guides on Central Asia or Tajikistan,” I said.

The clerk scratches his head and replies, “Hmm… Why no, no one goes there.”

“But you’re missing a HUGE chunk of the world and I’m going,” I responded.

An older gent with his head tucked in an Eyewitness Travel Guide for France looks up in curiosity.

“Then you’re probably the only one going then,” he concluded.

“Thanks, I’ll look online,” I said.

After this conversation at the bookstore I have found myself being questioned as to why I’d want to go any placed that ended in -stan or where the heck Tajikistan is, but the better question will always be, why not?! Anyhow, I didn’t start all this to moan and groan. Instead I just wanted to provide a quick Central Asia refresher. Wikipedia is one of the best places to start for the basics which I’ll just throw out right here/right now. Central Asia is comprised of the following: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, western China, northeast Iran, Afghanistan, western Pakistan, and central-east Russia south of the Taiga.

The borders of Central Asia have been defined a number of ways, but in one of the broader cases this is probably your best bet. There – I feel much better now. If you’ve got some Central Asia travel experiences to share please feel to tell all. For those who hadn’t a clue before, I hope this provides a small amount of insight.