KZBlog

DNews, claiming to be: “Opinionated news exctraction (sic) for all by that geeky accountant type guy…” proves that the Borat incident has hit such levels as to reach Australia.

I neglected to append the comment from the official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that 1) Borat might be an agent of someone or other–that always means America or the opposition and 2) They might take legal action to prevent future pranks, cause that seemed to get good coverage

He provides in answer, I’m not sure pro or anti or netural, 50 Things About Kazakhstan You May Not Know, apparently originally published by The Independent. If that isn’t a drinking game, I don’t know what is.

Highlights with commentary

3. Despite Borat’s suggestions that, in Kazakhstan, people hunt bears “for fun”, hunting is no longer a popular pastime. The ancient custom of hunting with eagles, however, has been revived in the past few years, after being discouraged by the Soviet regime.

I don’t know..people are really pushing me to go hunting here. It’s a big tourist attraction at any rate. See also #31 on the list.

5. ….one of [Nazarbayev’s] opponents [in the presidential race] based his campaign on his
ability to crush glass in his bare hands.

Must know who this is…must know who this is…

17. Local inns are likely to sell two types of traditional tipple: fermented camel’s milk (kumyran), or fermented mare’s milk (kumiss).

Shubat is fermented camel’s milk and I wouldn’t use the word ‘inn’ to describe anything I’ve seen here. Or tipple.

27. The semi-arid, thinly populated steppe is used by the Kazakh and Russian governments as a nuclear testing site. Few efforts have been made to stem the resulting pollution. The rates of disease in nearby rural areas have soared.

WAS used. I think that’s over now. And Semiplatinsk Nevada is notable as one of the few NGOs in the Soviet Union to be allowed to survive and the only one that achieved its goal of shutting down the testing zone, “The Polygon” in Semei, Kazakhstan. Also see#53

35. Genghis Khan ravaged Kazakhstan in the 13th century, leaving it without settled civilisation for 600 years.

Uhm….they were nomads. Before and after Genghis Khan. Plus the south has always been pretty settled, though Genghis Khan did ravage it good, as he was wont to do. We might also cite Mongol Empire prejudice–you’d be amazed how civilized they were.

46. Wife-stealing is a common way of securing marriage. A man kidnaps a woman whom he wants to marry, and her parents are left with no option but to negotiate a reasonable dowry.

Not very common anymore, and often was done, even in the day as a form of elopement when the parents didn’t approve of the suitor in question. The girl was in on it. Still done by some, ceremonially as part of the wedding day. The groom, instead of picking the bride up at her parent’s house “kidnaps” her. And takes her to the State Wedding Palace. Where the family of the bride are waiting.