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Heart Of Asia

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herwigphoto

This document provides a summary of the author's travels through Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. The author was fascinated by these countries that were previously unknown due to being closed off during the Soviet era. Over several years, the author traveled over 40,000 km through the diverse regions, documenting life and landscapes. The cultures and people of Central Asia proved warm and hospitable despite the countries facing challenges. The author hopes their photos provide glimpses into the beauty and offerings of Central Asia.

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Picturesque Uzbekistan Heart of Turkmenistan Kyrgyzstan modern-day travels in Central asia. Text and Photos: CHRISTOPHER HEDWIG As a child, I was always fascinated by the Age of Exploration. Its incomplete maps with large, blank spaces stirred up a sense of curiosity and excitement within me. Today, we live in a world of GPS, Google Earth and satellite mapping. As a result, there are few question marks left about the earth. With print and TV media, we know so much of Kazakhstan life in the rest of the world. However, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan remained a blank for me. Locked away until 1991 behind the Iron Curtain, they seemed impossibly remote. It was this burning curiosity of the unknown that led my wife and I to move to Kazakhstan in 2003. This region was once at the heart of the Silk Road. For thousands of years, Central Asia was not the end of the world, but its very centre, its heart. Armies, empires and caravans of traders swept back and forth over these lands Alexander the Great marched from the west, while Genghis Khan surged from the east. In the 20th century, recklessly brave Russian and British secret agents played out their Great Game of espionage in the mountain passes and markets Tajikistan of far-flung kingdoms and khanates. 損 The Darvaza gas crater in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan glows with a fire caused by Soviet-era gas explorations. | 4/2007 |
損 Uzbekistan Russia Kazakhstan Aral Sea China Caspian Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Tajikistan AG Iran Afghanistan Republic of Uzbekistan Population 26.9 million total area 447,400 square kilometres Capital Tashkent major religion Islam Deprived of the moderating effects of the oceans, much of Central Asia experiences bitterly cold winters and boiling hot summers. The steppes and deserts of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Top: Mir-i Arab Madrasah in the city of Bukhara, a and Turkmenistan stands in contrast to the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. These UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bukhara is the fifth largest city in Uzbekistan, and at its height, was one extremes of climate and geography make these countries challenging to explore. of the great centres of learning in the Islamic world. All in all, by car, train, bus and foot, I ended up covering over 40,000 kilometres. Travel- Right: Playing football at the Kalyan Minaret, first ling between these former Soviet states required much patience as visas and special permits, built in 1127 and likely the tallest structure in Central Asia at the time. It remains the most striking although by no means impossible to obtain, did require much effort (and sometimes, for a landmark in the city. photographer, a creative way with words). I used two Canon SLRs, one digital (EOS 10D) and one film (EOS 1), and primarily used two lenses, a 2035/2.8 and an 85/1.8. Later I upgraded to the Canon EOS 5D and stopped shooting film. Perhaps as a result of the regions Soviet past, I was often hassled even when I was photographing the most ordinary things. As a result, I had to be as discrete as possible when I was shooting. 損 10 | 4/2007 | 11
損 Turkmenistan This Page, Top: The majestic Yangykala Canyon in the Kazakhstan Turkmenistan northwest regions of Turkmenistan. This Page, Bottom: At Tolkuchka Bazaar, on the out- Population 5 million skirts of the capital city of Ashgabat. Aral China total area 488,100 square kilometres Sea Opposite Top: Shepherds tend their flock within the Caspian Capital Ashgabat ruins of Merv, a city that was sacked by the Mongols in Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan major religion Islam 1221. Merv is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Opposite Bottom: Damla Oasis in the Karakum Desert. Turkmenistan Tajikistan AG Iran Afghanistan 12 | 4/2007 | 13
損 Kyrgyzstan Russia Kazakhstan Aral Sea China Caspian Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan AG Tajikistan Iran Afghanistan Pakistan Afghanistan Kyrgyz Republic Population 5.1 million total area 199,900 square kilometres Capital Bishkek major religions Islam and Christianity On my travels, I often experimented with various techniques of hands-free photography Top: Yurts on the alpine plateau. in Central Asia. Sometimes I would hang the camera around my neck and either set the self- Right: A view of Krygyzstans mountains. During the timer (so I could push the shutter before getting into position), or run a cable release clipped to summer months, shepherd families and their heard will make their homes in these distant regions. the inside of my shirt (so I could shot at will with the trigger in my pocket). Even though the land and weather was sometimes harsh, this was not the case with the people I met, many of whom were extremely warm and hospitable, and who offered me count- less cups of tea, horses milk and shots of vodka, as well as a warm bed for the night. Our three-year stay in Central Asia was enough for me to get a glimpse into life there, while at the same time allowing the region to retain much of its magic and mystery. It often seems that Central Asia is plagued by poor leadership and manipulated by world powers for its resources, while being forgotten by the rest of us. I hope that through my photos, people can get an idea of the beauty of the people and land there, and what they have to offer. 14 | 4/2007 | 15
損 Kazakhstan This Page, Top: Abandoned boats along a coast Russia Republic of Kazakhstan where the Aral Sea once flowed, an example of how Population 15.4 million natural resources have been exploited in the region. total area 2.7 million square kilometres This Page, Bottom: The ancient sport of hunting with Kazakhstan eagles has survived in Kazakhstan. Capital Astana Opposite Top: A Soviet-era bus-stop. Aral major religions Islam and Christianity Sea Opposite Bottom: Casinos are a common sight in Caspian Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. Sea AG Turkmenistan Tajikistan Iran Afghanistan 16 | 4/2007 | 17
損 Tajikistan Russia Top: On a road cutting through the mountain Kazakhstan plateaus of Tajikistan. Left: Over the New Year celebrations, men gather outside the capital city of Dushanbe to play buzkashi, Aral a boisterous, polo-like sport played with the carcass Sea China of a goat. Caspian Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan AG Tajikistan CHRISTOPHER HERWIG was born in Surrey, Canada, where he Iran Afghanistan Pakistan attended Langara Colleges professional photography programme in Vancouver. With a background in advertising photography and a love Republic of Tajikistan for travelling, he eventually started to focus on documentary work. His images have appeared in numerous magazines and books, and Population 6.3 million he has published a collection of images from Central Asia entitled total area 143,100 square kilometres Stanorama. He is a member of the WPN photo agency and is Capital Dushanbe currently living in Liberia, West Africa, with his wife Malin, who works major religion Islam with the United Nations. His website is www.herwigphoto.com. 1 | 4/2007 | 1

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Heart Of Asia

  • 1. Picturesque Uzbekistan Heart of Turkmenistan Kyrgyzstan modern-day travels in Central asia. Text and Photos: CHRISTOPHER HEDWIG As a child, I was always fascinated by the Age of Exploration. Its incomplete maps with large, blank spaces stirred up a sense of curiosity and excitement within me. Today, we live in a world of GPS, Google Earth and satellite mapping. As a result, there are few question marks left about the earth. With print and TV media, we know so much of Kazakhstan life in the rest of the world. However, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan remained a blank for me. Locked away until 1991 behind the Iron Curtain, they seemed impossibly remote. It was this burning curiosity of the unknown that led my wife and I to move to Kazakhstan in 2003. This region was once at the heart of the Silk Road. For thousands of years, Central Asia was not the end of the world, but its very centre, its heart. Armies, empires and caravans of traders swept back and forth over these lands Alexander the Great marched from the west, while Genghis Khan surged from the east. In the 20th century, recklessly brave Russian and British secret agents played out their Great Game of espionage in the mountain passes and markets Tajikistan of far-flung kingdoms and khanates. 損 The Darvaza gas crater in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan glows with a fire caused by Soviet-era gas explorations. | 4/2007 |
  • 2. 損 Uzbekistan Russia Kazakhstan Aral Sea China Caspian Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Tajikistan AG Iran Afghanistan Republic of Uzbekistan Population 26.9 million total area 447,400 square kilometres Capital Tashkent major religion Islam Deprived of the moderating effects of the oceans, much of Central Asia experiences bitterly cold winters and boiling hot summers. The steppes and deserts of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Top: Mir-i Arab Madrasah in the city of Bukhara, a and Turkmenistan stands in contrast to the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. These UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bukhara is the fifth largest city in Uzbekistan, and at its height, was one extremes of climate and geography make these countries challenging to explore. of the great centres of learning in the Islamic world. All in all, by car, train, bus and foot, I ended up covering over 40,000 kilometres. Travel- Right: Playing football at the Kalyan Minaret, first ling between these former Soviet states required much patience as visas and special permits, built in 1127 and likely the tallest structure in Central Asia at the time. It remains the most striking although by no means impossible to obtain, did require much effort (and sometimes, for a landmark in the city. photographer, a creative way with words). I used two Canon SLRs, one digital (EOS 10D) and one film (EOS 1), and primarily used two lenses, a 2035/2.8 and an 85/1.8. Later I upgraded to the Canon EOS 5D and stopped shooting film. Perhaps as a result of the regions Soviet past, I was often hassled even when I was photographing the most ordinary things. As a result, I had to be as discrete as possible when I was shooting. 損 10 | 4/2007 | 11
  • 3. 損 Turkmenistan This Page, Top: The majestic Yangykala Canyon in the Kazakhstan Turkmenistan northwest regions of Turkmenistan. This Page, Bottom: At Tolkuchka Bazaar, on the out- Population 5 million skirts of the capital city of Ashgabat. Aral China total area 488,100 square kilometres Sea Opposite Top: Shepherds tend their flock within the Caspian Capital Ashgabat ruins of Merv, a city that was sacked by the Mongols in Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan major religion Islam 1221. Merv is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Opposite Bottom: Damla Oasis in the Karakum Desert. Turkmenistan Tajikistan AG Iran Afghanistan 12 | 4/2007 | 13
  • 4. 損 Kyrgyzstan Russia Kazakhstan Aral Sea China Caspian Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan AG Tajikistan Iran Afghanistan Pakistan Afghanistan Kyrgyz Republic Population 5.1 million total area 199,900 square kilometres Capital Bishkek major religions Islam and Christianity On my travels, I often experimented with various techniques of hands-free photography Top: Yurts on the alpine plateau. in Central Asia. Sometimes I would hang the camera around my neck and either set the self- Right: A view of Krygyzstans mountains. During the timer (so I could push the shutter before getting into position), or run a cable release clipped to summer months, shepherd families and their heard will make their homes in these distant regions. the inside of my shirt (so I could shot at will with the trigger in my pocket). Even though the land and weather was sometimes harsh, this was not the case with the people I met, many of whom were extremely warm and hospitable, and who offered me count- less cups of tea, horses milk and shots of vodka, as well as a warm bed for the night. Our three-year stay in Central Asia was enough for me to get a glimpse into life there, while at the same time allowing the region to retain much of its magic and mystery. It often seems that Central Asia is plagued by poor leadership and manipulated by world powers for its resources, while being forgotten by the rest of us. I hope that through my photos, people can get an idea of the beauty of the people and land there, and what they have to offer. 14 | 4/2007 | 15
  • 5. 損 Kazakhstan This Page, Top: Abandoned boats along a coast Russia Republic of Kazakhstan where the Aral Sea once flowed, an example of how Population 15.4 million natural resources have been exploited in the region. total area 2.7 million square kilometres This Page, Bottom: The ancient sport of hunting with Kazakhstan eagles has survived in Kazakhstan. Capital Astana Opposite Top: A Soviet-era bus-stop. Aral major religions Islam and Christianity Sea Opposite Bottom: Casinos are a common sight in Caspian Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. Sea AG Turkmenistan Tajikistan Iran Afghanistan 16 | 4/2007 | 17
  • 6. 損 Tajikistan Russia Top: On a road cutting through the mountain Kazakhstan plateaus of Tajikistan. Left: Over the New Year celebrations, men gather outside the capital city of Dushanbe to play buzkashi, Aral a boisterous, polo-like sport played with the carcass Sea China of a goat. Caspian Sea Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan AG Tajikistan CHRISTOPHER HERWIG was born in Surrey, Canada, where he Iran Afghanistan Pakistan attended Langara Colleges professional photography programme in Vancouver. With a background in advertising photography and a love Republic of Tajikistan for travelling, he eventually started to focus on documentary work. His images have appeared in numerous magazines and books, and Population 6.3 million he has published a collection of images from Central Asia entitled total area 143,100 square kilometres Stanorama. He is a member of the WPN photo agency and is Capital Dushanbe currently living in Liberia, West Africa, with his wife Malin, who works major religion Islam with the United Nations. His website is www.herwigphoto.com. 1 | 4/2007 | 1