Lazgi is a must-see of Khorezm. Lazgi is the dance with a feel-good factor, making you feel a joie de vivre or zest for life. There is an opinion that the meaning of the ancient word ‘lazgi’ is ‘tremble,’ which describes a very energetic movement of the body along with the vibrant musical rhythms and expressive facial mimics.

Leila Slimani on sex and ethics of women’s liberation in Morocco   By Leïla Slimani   When, in the summer of 2014, I published my first novel, Adèle, some French journalists expressed surprise that a Moroccan woman could write such a book. What they meant by that was an “unconstrained book,” a “sexy book,” a straight-talking, popular book, the story of a woman …

Amid geopolitical concerns, a changing climate and the increasing intrusion of the modern world, young nomads are abandoning their traditional way of life, writes Tsering Ngodup Lama in The Kathmandu Post Dorje Rithen, 61, has lived his entire life as a nomad, and he fears that this lifestyle will end with him. Tsering Ngodup Lama/TKP Where Kunga Sangpo and Yangchen …

Hunza matters, of course, but those who live in poverty are not troublemakers and there is no technical or academic solution for that, writes Amir Hussain in his latest article. He attempts to provide a critical reflection of socio-economic and political transformation in the Hunza valley.  by Amir Hussain The article is by no means a review of ‘Hunza Matters’, …

We must look at the roots of capitalism, white supremacy, heteropatriarchy, and anti-Blackness to leave settler colonialism in the past.   by LEANNE BETASAMOSAKE SIMPSON I understand settler colonialism’s present structure as one that is formed and maintained by a series of processes for the purposes of dispossessing, that create scaffolding within which my relationship to the state is contained. I certainly do …

Beware splashy corporate gestures when they leave existing power structures intact. by Helen Lewis Tumbrels are rattling through the streets of the internet. Over the past few years, online-led social movements have deposed gropers, exposed bullies—and, sometimes, ruined the lives of the innocent. Commentators warn of “mob justice,” while activists exult in their newfound power to change the world. Both groups …

‘The unfinished business of decolonisation is the original sin of the modern aid industry.’ by Paul Currion This year calls for reform of the humanitarian system are proliferating. What’s unusual is that they are not just calling for technocratic fixes but for urgent engagement with real-world issues: a new model for humanitarian aid that puts anti-racism at its centre. Two …

‘Most parts of the world are safer than ever before. But a few are probably the most violent that human history has ever seen, says a study. Modern tribes are more violent, and categorize people into four types: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states, writes Charlie Sorrel in the Fast Company online magazine. In prehistoric times, bands and tribes were no more violent …

Participating teams of Gilgit-Baltistan Girls Football League  2019 at Passu, Gojal, Hunza: Photo: GBGFL Ayesha Izhar As the first ray of light gleams on the snow-capped mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, a select bunch of girls wake up to prepare for a long day ahead, full of challenges. They will be playing football on the rugged mountainous terrain of the beautiful Gilgit-Baltistan’s …

Ali Shir Navayi a Turkic poet, writer, politician, linguist, and mystic, was the greatest representative of Chagatai literature and left a lasting impact on Central Asian literature, says historian Nicholas Walmsley. In an interview to Zaynab Mukhammad-Dost, published in the Voices on Central Asia, an online research magazine, he says Navayi self-identified as a Turk in Muhakamat al-lughatain, where he argued that Turki was a “superior” language to …