Yurt Jurt

In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with cultural and social anthropologist Zarina Mukanova for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, memory, and what decolonization really looks like in Central Asia. Together, they unpack why so many Kazakh and Kyrgyz kids of the 1990s grew up feeling ashamed of who they were, had their names changed to Russian versions, internalized the idea that “modern” meant “not us,” and learned early that colonial hierarchies shape belonging. Zarina reflects on decolonization not as a fixed destination but as a continuous, shifting process, one where transformation itself is the only constant. In today’s rapidly changing world, she argues, the nomadic worldview may offer the most accurate metaphor for navigating identity, power, and history.The conversation touches on kinship systems, the role of women and gender in shaping identities, and how colonialism has altered our relationship to memory and community. How do we reclaim stories that were muted? How do we understand ourselves when the ground beneath us is always moving?

In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with Ilyuza Mukhamediyarova, a Bashkort activist whose work centers on Indigenous rights, political repression, and cultural survival in today’s Russia. Together, they unpack the Baymak protests in Bashkortostan and what they reveal about the long-standing tensions between Indigenous communities and the Russian state. Ilyuza reflects on the deep disconnect between how Russians use the term “Russian” as a default national identity and how non-Russian ethnic groups within the federation experience it as an erasure. They discuss why so many Indigenous peoples refuse the label “Russian,” and how this linguistic collapse has contributed to decades of misunderstanding, assimilation, and political marginalization.The conversation also turns to the growing rift between Russian liberal opposition groups and the national republics, exploring why calls for democracy often fail to acknowledge Indigenous autonomy, colonial violence, or the right to self-determination. Finally, Diana and Ilyuza confront a difficult question for all communities facing repression: Do we have to sacrifice one generation to secure freedom for the next?

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes descriptions of violent repression and historical trauma.In this powerful episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen speaks with Kamila Smagulova, researcher, civil society activist, and PhD candidate in history at Leiden University, about the Jeltoksan uprising of December 1986. Kamila draws on her historical research and personal passion to explore how this protest echoes the broader history of suppressed dissent in Kazakhstan, particularly the roles of young people, and young women in particular, and how they were treated.Throughout the episode, Kamila also performs three songs, bringing her scholarly and artistic voices together in a moving tribute to memory, resistance, and identity.As a historian, Kamila reflects on how the state’s refusal to fully acknowledge these events has shaped collective memory. She situates Jeltoksan not just as a political protest but as a lasting symbol of the struggle for recognition, civic agency, and historical justice in Kazakhstan.

In this episode of Yurt Jurt, host Diana Kudaibergen sits down with historian and writer Botakoz Kassymbekova to unpack the concept of imperial innocence and explore themes from her upcoming book. Together, they reflect on how the Soviet Union was an undignified experience at every level, one that stripped people of agency and disguised domination as “friendship among nations.”Botakoz shares how this so-called friendship served as a colonial tool, reinforcing racial hierarchies, inequality, and systemic injustice across the Soviet space. The conversation also turns toward the RUTA Association and its annual Conference on Decoloniality in Ukraine, where scholars and activists work to rethink the Soviet experience beyond imperial narratives.With urgency and empathy, Botakoz calls for solidarity among former Soviet nations, urging us to tell our shared stories through personal memories, family histories, and everyday acts of resistance.Tune in for a powerful discussion on memory, decolonization, and the power of storytelling to reclaim dignity.

Host Diana Kudaibergen is joined by Aisulu Toyshibek, Aizada Arystanbek, and Kamila Smagulova for a deep dive into the politics of language, shame, and identity in Central Asia. They unpack the true meaning of uyat, far more nuanced than its usual translation as “shame”- and explore how it has been reshaped by Soviet legacies, nationalism, and patriarchy. The guests also discuss the rise of M-words, the use of terms like oruskul to police belonging, and how labels fracture communities.The conversation challenges the widespread use of “post-Soviet” as a category that Central Asians rarely claim for themselves, highlighting how such labels simplify and distort regional identities. A concise, sharp, and decolonial look at how language shapes who we are - and who we refuse to be.