CaucasTalk

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 Suhein Beck is such a champion. Her nearly nomadic upbringing has produced in her an eclectic range of interests. From media production to skin care products, Beck brings her past to bear on the present remixing with current trends to share her passion with others.

Links for Episode 75

Suhein Beck’s YouTube PageSuhein Interviews Her Mother about Challenges of Settling in the USAELAJ Skincare Products

Special Music Credit

“115 Cavalry Division (feat. Thashloko)” by HaguajHagauj on InstagramHagauj on Bandcamp

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 products, Beck brings her heritage to bear on life today, remixing ancient traditions with current trends to share her passion and engage with others.

Links for Episode 74

Suhein Beck’s YouTube PageSuhein Interviews Her Mother about Challenges of Settling in the USAElaj Skincare Products

Special Music Credit:

“115 Cavalry Division (feat. Thashloko)” by HaguajHagauj on InstagramHagauj on Bandcamp

***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 city, horns blaring.  Massive gatherings around massive piles of food.  Fiery Lezginka dancing, tons of toasts, sometimes guns fired in the air, always much merriment.  Today we comb through our collective experiences of local wedding to compare and contrast a traditional Western wedding with its North Caucasus counterpart. What is similar?  Where are they different?  We discover that core values and community life are always reinforced and also renegotiated through weddings.

Links for Episode 73

Vlog: Courtyard Wedding Part #1

Videos from Andrew

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 struggles, we share about good-will relief projects popping up everywhere.  We share about how our local friend are showing care for us.  Plus you’ll hear some humorous ways Russians are coping with the lock-down.  Keep on!  This too shall pass!  And then you all can come and visit again!

Links for Episode 72

Man runs 100 km around his bed

Ural Airlines home delivery

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 Chechnya in the east to fuel their forces as well as the ports of the Black Sea to the west to land their ships from Crimea. Neither campaign succeeded. Today we remember some of the heroic efforts of Caucasus peoples in defending their fatherland and turning Nazis back from these lands.

Links for Episode 71

The Santa Clause Balloon Story

The Caucasus: 1942-1943 by Robert Forczyk

***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 last year we’ve been corresponding with our now friend, Felix, a writer, traveler, and scholar from the UK who, like may others, has been won over by the Caucasus. Felix has traveled into many regions of the North Caucasus. Plus he has published three articles on his experiences. He’s a wonderful advocate, a culture-crosser, and a jolly good bloke to talk with (that’s American for trying to sound British). We’re sure you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as we did! Oh… and please forgive the drill. Concrete buildings + hammer-drills + midday interviews and presto: NOISE. But it’s bearable (at least in the recording).

Links for Episode 70

Standpoint: The Mountain Jews

New Eastern Europe: Beslan’s Conspiracy Theories

The Calvert Journal: Letter from Ingushetia

Book: Allah’s Mountains

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 sparkling success parenting in the North Caucasus. As with the rest of everyday life, the mundane proves yet again to be a doorway into the region’s heart and soul.

Links for Episode 69:

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 truer of culture. So much is hidden in plain sight, if we’ll only have the eyes to see it… or in this case the ears to hear. Today we tease apart some of the most common phrases you hear everyday across the Caucasus and look for what may be hidden within. Don’t miss a charming story from Andrew about a recent Ingush wedding he attended. Plus we’ve got a couple of shout-outs to give!

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 unusually strong commitment for Dagestan. Tahseen is the founder of Rise ’N Glide, the first-ever year-round jiujitsu training camp based in Dagestan but for foreigners. He brings groups over to tour and train and get a taste of a life he has come to love. His story is unique and inspiring as is his vision. 

LINKS FOR EPISODE 67

Rise ‘N Glide

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 as rest is a part of work, we are taking January and February of 2020 totally off from podcasting. Look for us at the beginning of March to keep the party going! Much love and a happy new year to all of our faithful listeners!!

Links for Year-End Wrap Up

DELIGHTFUL DAGESTAN

HEART OF THE CAUCASUS