CaucasTalk

By Andrew & Eli

Society & Culture Places & Travel

What's CaucasTalk about?

Your Source for Culture, History, & Tourism in the North Caucasus Mountains of Russia

Download our free app to listen on your phone

CaucasTalk episodes:

01.31.2022
CT114 –
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...
01.01.2022
Happy 2022 from CaucasTalk!
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”
12.21.2021
CT113 – Aghuls: In Their Own Words! | Losing One’s Own Language | Language Recovery & Advocacy | Avgaz.app
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
12.07.2021
CT112 – Elbrus Alpine Foundation: Matt Johnson on the West Face of Elbrus | Locally-Led Development | Lightning, Crevasses & Avalanches | Mountain Rescue | KLM Fail!
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...
11.16.2021
CT111 – Who Are the Cossacks? with Ian Tuttle | Military Caste | Cossack Saber Manual | Foreign Accents
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)...
11.02.2021
CT110 – Old Age in the North Caucasus | Centenarians | Dannon Yogurt | CaucasTalk in Print!
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...
10.19.2021
CT109 – Education in the North Caucasus | Madina, English Teacher from Ingushetia | Tutoring | ЕГЭ & SATs | Local Languages in Schooling
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...
10.05.2021
CT108 – Dargin: In Their Own Words! | “My roots were calling me” | Embroidery | Ancient Armor | Child Exchanges
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...
09.21.2021
CT107 – Lezgins: In Their Own Words! | The Lezginka | Southern Dagestan | A Folk Song! | Shalbuzdag | Tasty Tea
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...
09.07.2021
CT106 – Dining Out in the North Caucasus | Décor | Napkins | Play Places | Pizza & Sushi | “The Button”
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...
08.17.2021
CT105 – Retirement in the North Caucasus | Independent Living vs. Orphaned Parents? | Status Ascribed vs. Status Achieved
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...
08.03.2021
CT104 – Holidays in the North Caucasus | Igby | Rival Podcast?? | Shout Outs!
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...
07.20.2021
CT103 – Kabardians: In Their Own Words! | Tembulat & Zalina Champion Circassian Culture & Language |
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...
07.06.2021
CT102 – “On Sight” Climbing Gym in Nalchik: Interview with Teddy | Community Development | Undeveloped Rock Climbing | Gerontology
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...
06.29.2021
CT101 – Tabasaran: In Their Own Words! | World’s Most Complex Language | Multilingualism | Carpet making
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...
06.16.2021
CT100 – Business Accelerator IARD in Dagestan: Interview with Vali | Community Investment Funds | Lak Nation | Village Trash Clean-Up
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...
06.01.2021
CT99 – Kaitag: In Their Own Words | Endangered Languages | Dargwa Dialects of Dagestan | Achieving International Recognition of a Language
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...
05.19.2021
CT96 – Announcing: Virtual Tours to the North Caucasus! | 60-minute Interactive Online Experiences | Beyond Red Square
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*...
05.11.2021
CT98 – Interview: Dr. Daniel Wilson on the Didoi & Tsez in Dagestan | XRI Institute | Language Technology
“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...
04.27.2021
CT97 – Top 10 Extreme Sport Adventures in the NC | Interview with Misha from M&M’s Tours | Rope Jumping | Arctic Surfing
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...
04.13.2021
CT95 – Interview: Punk Ethnographer Bulat Khalilov | Ored Recordings | “Live Tradition” | Music Samples Included!
LINKS to MUSIC BELOW!!
03.30.2021
CT93 & 94 – Our Wives Speak Out! Birth & Child-rearing in the Caucasus: Interview with Hollie & Cristi | Birth stories | Cross-Cultural Mothering
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...
03.16.2021
CT92 – Interview with Hava: Ingush Entrepreneur | Squid Handbags | Fish Leather Lamps | 4-Star Hotels
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...
03.03.2021
CT91 – Interview with Three Female Fulbright Scholars from the North Caucasus | Living in the USA | “Go Hilltoppers!”
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...
12.29.2020
CT90 – End of 2020 | Year in Review | Farewell “Dame Covidia” | Newsletter Sign Up!
We’ve done it! We’ve come to the end of the year, and what a year it has been. While the ride has been bumpy for all of us, we actually are grateful for growth and progress of CaucasTalk. We want...
12.16.2020
CT89 – Kids’ Interview! | All about Life in the North Caucasus | Favorite Foods | Playground Wrestling | Quiz
Was it Bill Cosby who said that kids say the darndest things? This has always been true, and as it is our goal to give our listeners the most unfiltered view of the North Caucasus, what could be better, we...
12.01.2020
CT88 – Driving in the North Caucasus | “The Circles of Stress” | Bukhankas | Leaning on Local Friends
Allow us to take you for a ride today—literally. As of the last month, both your CaucasTalk hosts have become proud car owners. This means we have gained first-hand driving experience in the North Caucasus. And this is no small...
11.17.2020
CT87 – Growing Up in Grozny | Interview with Elina from Pyatigorsk on Life in Pre-War Chechnya | Big Announcement from Eli
We love to share with our listeners what life is like in the Caucasus today. But it’s also important to hear what life was like at other times. Elina, a Russian born and raised in pre-war Grozny, Chechnya, shares with...
11.03.2020
CT86 – UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje | Khabib Retires | Legacy of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov | Do Caucasus Men Cry?
History was made yet again last Saturday night when Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his undefeated record as the undisputed UFC lightweight champion of the world. He choked out American interim UFC champion Justin Gaethje in the second round to bring his...
10.27.2020
CT85 – Music in the North Caucasus | Local Instruments | Rasul Gamzatov | EPIC REVEAL: Andrew Sings!
We give to you one of our most popular episodes ever – Music in the North Caucasus (Episode 13, December 15, 2017). It’s got some of the most listens of any of our shows. Check out the original...
10.13.2020
CT84 – FEEDBACK WEEK!! | Survey & Questionnaire! | Let your voice be heard | Direct the future of the Podcast | Join the newsletter
The tables are flipped this week: We want YOU to do the talking. It’s Feedback Week here at CaucasTalk and we want to hear from you. Help us direct the future of the podcast. This year...
09.29.2020
CT83 – Religion in the North Caucasus PART 3/3 | Religion Today | Nuances | Religion & Tradition
While religion may be a tender subject to bring up in mixed company in some parts of the world, in the North Caucasus, it’s unavoidable. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t talk religion with one friend or another....
09.15.2020
CT82 – Religion in the North Caucasus PART 2/3 | Mountain Jews | Derbent Juma Mosque | Sentinsky Church, Karachay-Cherkessia
Today’s conversation dwells on the multiplicity of religious influences that entered Dagestan through the ancient city of Derbent, as well as through the Western Caucasus. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all had established presences here at various times and much...
09.02.2020
CT81 – Religion in the North Caucasus PART 1/3 | Overview of Religion | Focus on Islam | Star Wars and KBR
While religion may be a tender subject to bring up in mixed company in some parts of the world, in the North Caucasus it’s unavoidable. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t talk religion with one friend or another....
08.18.2020
CT80 – The Wonderful World of Waters: Interview with Teacher and Mineral Water Enthusiast Roman! | Watery Neck-Dangling | Khabib vs. Gaethje UFC 255
Got a rumbling in the tummy? Eyes aching? Liver flagging? Lungs languishing? The North Caucasus region has a solution for you: stinky water. That’s right, good old fashioned olfactory mineral water bubbling up from the depths just may have what...
08.07.2020
CT79B – Top 10 Books on the North Caucasus | Interview with Ian Tuttle, Caucasus Fanatic and Bibliophile | PART B
Let’s be honest: some of us like to buy books, but others of us like to actually read them. Today we hear from a true bibliophile and, what shall we say, Kavkazophile—a lover of books and the Caucasus. Ian Tuttle,...
08.06.2020
CT79A – Top 10 Books on the North Caucasus | Interview with Ian Tuttle, Caucasus Fanatic and Bibliophile | PART A
Let’s be honest: some of us like to buy books, but others of us like to actually read them. Today we hear from a true bibliophile and, what shall we say, Kavkazophile—a lover of books and the Caucasus. Ian Tuttle,...
07.22.2020
CT78 – Interview with Emre Basok, PhD. | Circassian Language Identity & Maintenance in Turkey | Bi-Literacy | Circassian Benevolent Association | UNESCO
Emre Basok is a Turkish-born Circassian pursuing his PhD in Ohio. He studies how language supports identity and heritage and has recently turned his interests to his roots. He comes in as the third of our Circassian guest this summer...
07.07.2020
CT77 – Circassian Diaspora in Israel | Interview with David Shawgen | Research Fellow at Circassiologia | The NC’s Newest McDonalds
David Shawgen is the founder of Circassologia, an information portal devoted to the culture, history, and future of the Circassian people. He also works at a Circassian History Museum. What you might not expect is that this museum is located...
06.23.2020
CT76 – Offroad Camper Russia with Andreas & Sveta | УАЗ Буханка / UAZ Bukhanka Car Camping in Dagestan
Do you love driving? Do you love breathtaking vistas? How about a little adventure, a few bumps, and a lot of fun? And would you like all of that on a tour of Dagestan? Then meet Off-Road Camper, Dagestan’s only...
06.06.2020
CT75 – Interview with Suhein Beck, Circassian Cultural Champion PART II | ELAJ Skin Care | Lezginka in the USA
Here is the continuation and conclusion of our interview with Circassian cultural champion, YouTube creator, and founder of ELAJ skincare products, Suhein Beck. ——————-Once in a while, you run across a true cultural champion. For the Circassian nation, today’s interview guest...
06.03.2020
CT74 – Interview with Mover and Shaker Suhein Beck PART I | Circassian Cultural Champion | Migration from Syria to Turkey to USA
Once in a while, you run across a true cultural champion. For the Circassian nation, today’s interview guest Suhein Beck is such a champion. Her nearly nomadic past produced in her an eclectic present. From media production to skin care...
05.27.2020
CT73 – Weddings in the North Caucasus | Life Cycle Events | Videos
***SEE VIDEOS ON CAUCASTALK WEBSITE***Summer is nearly here, and in the North Caucasus one thing that means is weddings. (Well, usually it does. Not so much these days.) Lines of white cars decked with flowers and ribbons careening through the...
05.05.2020
CT72 – COVID in the Caucasus | Local Relief Projects | Airplane Food at Home | Man Runs Marathon in Bedroom
Today’s episode comes to you out of the same quarantine many of you our listeners are in. Responses to COVID have varied significantly across the North Caucasus. Some republics are getting hit much harder than others. But amid the...
04.28.2020
CT71 – Commemorating WWII in the North Caucasus | Nazis on Mt. Elbrus | Santa Claus in the Caucasus
Next month marks 75 years since the end of WWII. Its devastating effects touched every corner of Europe, but many are surprised to learn that the North Caucasus are no exception. Nazi forces aimed as far as oil fields in...
04.14.2020
CT70 – Interview with Trekker, Scholar, Writer Felix Light | Expats in Moscow | GoFundMe for Local Families in Need
***PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING OUR GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT CAUCASUS FAMILIES IN NEED*** https://www.gofundme.com/f/coronavirus-in-the-north-caucasus We often find ourselves explaining to people that we are not the only foreigners living here in the North Caucasus, or in Russia, for that matter. Since...
03.31.2020
CT69 – A Day in the Caucasus Life #5: Dadding in Dagestan | Tools, Skills, & Special Abilities
Whether you live in Dagestan or Denver, Dubai or Des Moines, being a dad takes some special skills and wisdom. Andrew and Eli combine their collective years of experience “dadding” to bring you insider tips and tricks needed for...
03.17.2020
CT68 – A Day in the Caucasus Life #4: Things People Say | How to Become an Ethnographer | Ingush Wedding Story
Just when you thought daily life couldn’t get more interesting—we bring you our fourth installment of “A Day in the Caucasus Life.” It’s a truism that you can’t see what you can’t see—that is, until you look. This couldn’t be...
03.03.2020
CT67 – Rise ‘N Glide: American Sports Tourism in Dagestan | CT Back for 2020 | Announcement!
One thing we love about living in the North Caucasus is meeting other foreigners connected to the region. Most who we meet have real passion and interest in this place and its peoples. Today we talk with one man with...
12.31.2019
CT 2019 Year-End Wrap Up! Patreon Update | BRS Custom Tours for 2020 | Happy New Year from CaucasTalk!!
Dear Listeners, what a year! Thank you for journeying with us for our third calendar year! We have some exciting Patreon news to share, plus Andrew unveils brand new, hot-off-the-presses custom tours with Beyond Red Square. And...

What's CaucasTalk about?

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CaucasTalk episodes:

CT114 –

Happy 2022 from CaucasTalk!

CT113 – Aghuls: In Their Own Words! | Losing One’s Own Language | Language Recovery & Advocacy | Avgaz.app

CT112 – Elbrus Alpine Foundation: Matt Johnson on the West Face of Elbrus | Locally-Led Development | Lightning, Crevasses & Avalanches | Mountain Rescue | KLM Fail!

CT111 – Who Are the Cossacks? with Ian Tuttle | Military Caste | Cossack Saber Manual | Foreign Accents

CT110 – Old Age in the North Caucasus | Centenarians | Dannon Yogurt | CaucasTalk in Print!

CT109 – Education in the North Caucasus | Madina, English Teacher from Ingushetia | Tutoring | ЕГЭ & SATs | Local Languages in Schooling

CT108 – Dargin: In Their Own Words! | “My roots were calling me” | Embroidery | Ancient Armor | Child Exchanges

CT107 – Lezgins: In Their Own Words! | The Lezginka | Southern Dagestan | A Folk Song! | Shalbuzdag | Tasty Tea

CT106 – Dining Out in the North Caucasus | Décor | Napkins | Play Places | Pizza & Sushi | “The Button”

CT105 – Retirement in the North Caucasus | Independent Living vs. Orphaned Parents? | Status Ascribed vs. Status Achieved

CT104 – Holidays in the North Caucasus | Igby | Rival Podcast?? | Shout Outs!

CT103 – Kabardians: In Their Own Words! | Tembulat & Zalina Champion Circassian Culture & Language |

CT102 – “On Sight” Climbing Gym in Nalchik: Interview with Teddy | Community Development | Undeveloped Rock Climbing | Gerontology

CT101 – Tabasaran: In Their Own Words! | World’s Most Complex Language | Multilingualism | Carpet making

CT100 – Business Accelerator IARD in Dagestan: Interview with Vali | Community Investment Funds | Lak Nation | Village Trash Clean-Up

CT99 – Kaitag: In Their Own Words | Endangered Languages | Dargwa Dialects of Dagestan | Achieving International Recognition of a Language

CT96 – Announcing: Virtual Tours to the North Caucasus! | 60-minute Interactive Online Experiences | Beyond Red Square

CT98 – Interview: Dr. Daniel Wilson on the Didoi & Tsez in Dagestan | XRI Institute | Language Technology

CT97 – Top 10 Extreme Sport Adventures in the NC | Interview with Misha from M&M’s Tours | Rope Jumping | Arctic Surfing

CT95 – Interview: Punk Ethnographer Bulat Khalilov | Ored Recordings | “Live Tradition” | Music Samples Included!

CT93 & 94 – Our Wives Speak Out! Birth & Child-rearing in the Caucasus: Interview with Hollie & Cristi | Birth stories | Cross-Cultural Mothering

CT92 – Interview with Hava: Ingush Entrepreneur | Squid Handbags | Fish Leather Lamps | 4-Star Hotels

CT91 – Interview with Three Female Fulbright Scholars from the North Caucasus | Living in the USA | “Go Hilltoppers!”

CT90 – End of 2020 | Year in Review | Farewell “Dame Covidia” | Newsletter Sign Up!

CT89 – Kids’ Interview! | All about Life in the North Caucasus | Favorite Foods | Playground Wrestling | Quiz

CT88 – Driving in the North Caucasus | “The Circles of Stress” | Bukhankas | Leaning on Local Friends

CT87 – Growing Up in Grozny | Interview with Elina from Pyatigorsk on Life in Pre-War Chechnya | Big Announcement from Eli

CT86 – UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje | Khabib Retires | Legacy of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov | Do Caucasus Men Cry?

CT85 – Music in the North Caucasus | Local Instruments | Rasul Gamzatov | EPIC REVEAL: Andrew Sings!

CT84 – FEEDBACK WEEK!! | Survey & Questionnaire! | Let your voice be heard | Direct the future of the Podcast | Join the newsletter

CT83 – Religion in the North Caucasus PART 3/3 | Religion Today | Nuances | Religion & Tradition

CT82 – Religion in the North Caucasus PART 2/3 | Mountain Jews | Derbent Juma Mosque | Sentinsky Church, Karachay-Cherkessia

CT81 – Religion in the North Caucasus PART 1/3 | Overview of Religion | Focus on Islam | Star Wars and KBR

CT80 – The Wonderful World of Waters: Interview with Teacher and Mineral Water Enthusiast Roman! | Watery Neck-Dangling | Khabib vs. Gaethje UFC 255

CT79B – Top 10 Books on the North Caucasus | Interview with Ian Tuttle, Caucasus Fanatic and Bibliophile | PART B

CT79A – Top 10 Books on the North Caucasus | Interview with Ian Tuttle, Caucasus Fanatic and Bibliophile | PART A

CT78 – Interview with Emre Basok, PhD. | Circassian Language Identity & Maintenance in Turkey | Bi-Literacy | Circassian Benevolent Association | UNESCO

CT77 – Circassian Diaspora in Israel | Interview with David Shawgen | Research Fellow at Circassiologia | The NC’s Newest McDonalds

CT76 – Offroad Camper Russia with Andreas & Sveta | УАЗ Буханка / UAZ Bukhanka Car Camping in Dagestan

CT75 – Interview with Suhein Beck, Circassian Cultural Champion PART II | ELAJ Skin Care | Lezginka in the USA

CT74 – Interview with Mover and Shaker Suhein Beck PART I | Circassian Cultural Champion | Migration from Syria to Turkey to USA

CT73 – Weddings in the North Caucasus | Life Cycle Events | Videos

CT72 – COVID in the Caucasus | Local Relief Projects | Airplane Food at Home | Man Runs Marathon in Bedroom

CT71 – Commemorating WWII in the North Caucasus | Nazis on Mt. Elbrus | Santa Claus in the Caucasus

CT70 – Interview with Trekker, Scholar, Writer Felix Light | Expats in Moscow | GoFundMe for Local Families in Need

CT69 – A Day in the Caucasus Life #5: Dadding in Dagestan | Tools, Skills, & Special Abilities

CT68 – A Day in the Caucasus Life #4: Things People Say | How to Become an Ethnographer | Ingush Wedding Story

CT67 – Rise ‘N Glide: American Sports Tourism in Dagestan | CT Back for 2020 | Announcement!

CT 2019 Year-End Wrap Up! Patreon Update | BRS Custom Tours for 2020 | Happy New Year from CaucasTalk!!