A path to Central Asia > Ceaih Project > Identities Rediscovering

Identities Rediscovering

 

Redrawing cultural identites is today a priority for Central Asian countries and peoples, a project  which traces new possibilities of development and future enterprises. On this ground new relations  between Central Asian and European countries are in course, cultural as well as trade relations. Identity rediscovering  processes in Central Asia offer  a precious observatory to western countries: the coexisting  of nomadic and sedentaries cultural patterns,  the living aside of several groups and minorities, such as tatar, tartar,tajik,uzbek,russian and of different religious thrusts, islamic, orthodox,catholic,jewish, animism, sufism,shows the opportunity of interpreting  any identitarian research as a deeply dynamic, and basically inter-cultural effort.

A portraits gallery tells some of the most evident change happened in Central Asian countries during the 20th  century . Workers, children, mothers are represented as well as intellectuals, artists, famous dancers. The pictures'archive issues from the cultural need of redrawing people's features through different epoques and experiences: our gallery is an abstract of  the Central Asian conspicous archive.

The main historical transitions are here documented sharing three large periods: the Thirties, the Sixties, the Eighties and Nineties.

Different traditions' evidences can be appreciated: the Mueslim and traditional costumes are well rendered in the Twenties, when the country life looks still archaic;  later on Soviet icons of work progress and community life prevail. The up to date pictures look less expressive and show how  C.A.countries are looking to western cultural patterns:some links with the past are anyway preserved , mainly in the topical celebrations of festivals, in music and dance performances.