Episode 34: Tengrism in Central Asia. From ancient belief to cultural phenomenon

This week, we focus on Tengrism, the ancient belief system of the Eurasian steppe that has faced centuries of change, from the rise of Islam to Soviet suppression.While its rituals remain part of Central Asian culture and are seeing renewed interest, it is still widely misunderstood.What exactly is Tengrism? And why did Kazakhstan refuse to register it as an official religion?Joining us is Abigail Scripka, a doctoral candidate at the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History in Potsdam, Germany, who studies Tengrism in Kazakhstan with a particular focus on the period of perestroika. Get full access to Turan Tales at turantales.substack.com/subscribe