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My Big Fat Uyghur Wedding

March 26 | No Comments

The time on my watch showed 6:55pm Beijing time. Exactly 24 hours earlier my involvement in this Uyghur wedding had begun and things were finally coming to a head in the building in front of me. Everybody was arriving to enjoy the final act of this Uygur wedding: the grand reception.

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A Xinjiang Cemetery for Tomb Sweeping Day

March 17 | No Comments

I have taken a couple trips to our local cemetery just for the adventure as well as to quench my curiosity. This weekend many people here will be making that same journey out to these grave sites to burn money, set out incense and sweep the tombs (literally) so I thought it might be an appropriate time to share with you my experience visiting a Xinjiang cemetery.

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The Mechanics of the Uyghur Dance

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The Uyghur dance tradition like none other.  No celebration, either religious or otherwise, takes place without a bit of loud music and a dance floor.  It really is a treat for the eyes even if your ears are collateral damage and I’ve taken the liberty of catching some of it on film for you. Before […]

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Uyghur Christians in Muslim Xinjiang

September 23 | No Comments

The Shanghaiist website has picked up on a story that I’ve been reading about with interest over the last few months. A Uyghur Christian named Alimjan Yimit was sentenced to 15 years in prison late last year and was recently allowed to visit with his wife and son for the first time in 2 years.

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Buzkashi Explained: Rules & Traditions of the World’s Most Dangerous Game

August 18 | 26 Comments

What is “Buzkashi” and how is it played? I’ve had the privilege of witnessing a number of games of Buzkashi and in addition to sharing some of my favorite photos from these experiences, I’d also like to explain the rules of Buzkashi as best I understand them. Buzkashi (pronounced “booz-ka-shee”) is a popular Central Asian game […]

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Anatomy of a Modern Chinese Wedding

February 6 | No Comments

My dad once told me that in order to fully understand a culture you need to attend a wedding, a funeral, and a baby shower. Unfortunately our Chinese friends never got that memo, so instead of a well-balanced cultural immersion, we’ve been invited to five (yes, count them…FIVE) weddings this month.

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Uyghur Customs | 26 Rules for Hosting or Being Hosted

October 29 | No Comments

Hosting or being hosted by somebody from a different culture can always be a bit stressful, and for me the Uyghur culture with all the nuances of Uyghur customs, has been no different.

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Celebrating Qurban in Urumqi, Xinjiang

August 31 | No Comments

It’s Qurban Festival in Xinjiang (aka “Corban” or “古尔邦节”) and I decided to take a walk through my local neighborhoods here in Urumqi to capture some photos and a video. You can watch the video below or scroll further down to read a more thorough description of Xinjiang’s Qurban Festival accompanied by a few photos. Hopefully […]

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Uyghur Dutar | Making and Playing Uyghur Music

September 9 | No Comments

The dutar is a two-stringed lute that is characterized by a long neck and pear-shaped body. There are various forms of the instrument that are played all over Central Asia, but the Uyghur dutar is known as one of the largest in this family of plucked instruments. I’ve always been fascinated by the Uyghur dutar and have known a […]

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Fascinating Tradition of Uyghur Paper Making in Hotan, Xinjiang

January 28 | No Comments

The tradition of Uyghur paper making in Hotan (Khotan), Xinjiang has been around for more than 2,000 years, and yet somehow it rarely gets a mention in most travel guides or tour packages. The truth is, if it weren’t for government subsidies, this local tradition of making paper from mulberry trees probably would have died […]

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