Russian Stereotypes About Different Countries - Central Asia

This region has two somewhat contradictory images of it. On one hand it is land of primitive, stupid but good-natured people, who are willing to learn from Russia and grateful for what it's done for them. On the other it is a mysterious and strange land, where ancient eastern wisdom originated some time long ago.

Jokes about Central Asian people are probably the most derogatory of them all. However, stereotypes do not portray Central Asians as rich, thus spearing them from envy.

Unlike other regions, where people could at least tell Azeri from Georgian, here people confuse names of countries and people often using these terms interchangeably. For example, Ozbek speaks Turkic language and Tajik speaks Farsi dialect, but Russians may casually call the same person Tajik and Ozbek within the same conversation.

For Russians this whole region seamlessly blends together into a contradictory whole.

Many of the stereotypes I will outline below are not necessary connected to one or the other country in the region, but I will still mention, which country is closest to it.

Gastarbeiters - Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

Tajiks and Ozbeks in particular are associated with illegal migrant workers, called Gastarbeiter (calque from German language).

The low educated, poorly speaking, silly looking person from Central Asia, who builds apartment blocks in Moscow for measly pay is part of Russian understanding of this region. That is, he sends back home as remittances, while bribing police to avoid deportation back to Tajikistan and dodging racists who hate all "non-Russians". That is based on true issue.

In general Russia perceives this region as very poor and destitute, despite the fact that Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan actually relatively rich with oil and other mineral export.

USSR Built it - Kazakhstan

This is the region that fits best into colonial White Man's Burden narrative. Russia came and brought the destitute primitive people of Central Asia light of civilization. Kazakhstan in particular validates that narrative and vindicates those in Russia who think this way of USSR in general.

This narrative is mostly true for Kazakhstan only. Other places in Central Asia had different experience with USSR. I wrote a separate article about this topic.

Kazakhstan still hosts Russian Space Program launch area and surrounding infrastructure. Borat can into space.

Camels, Desert and Sheep Fur Hats - Turkmenistan

"Why do you study seafaring if you live in a desert? Because camels are ships of the desert." 

Bactrian Camels originate from there. So is a traditional Central Asian Sheep Fur Har and other exotic dresses. Desert nomad stereotype is actually well known in Russia. There are even movies about it, for example White Sun of the Desert.

Plav is a dish, that not only came to Russia from this region, but cohesively associated with it.

Here exotic things are truly exotic, not just oranges and watermelons, that do not grow in Moscow climate, but actually strange and weird things.

While a lot of the above applies not just to Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan has rather dubious reputation for eccentricity, due to various policies of previous president of Turkmenistan, known as Turkmenbashi.

Russian do like to mention Turkmenbashi in casual conversation. Some call Belarussian dictator, Lukashenka - Turkmen-bulbashi.as a portmanteau between the original title and Belarussian word for potato: "bulba"

Actual Reality

Before Russia got involved. This area was divided between, Kokand, Bukhara, and Khiva Khanates. Borders between them were roughly by the rivers of Amy and Syr Darya. Bukhara between the rivers. Khiva west of them, Kokand in Fergana valley. 

Areas around the three khanates were inhabitant by stateless nomads, who just lived in traditional nomadic way. There was no cohesive border between Russia and Bukhara for example as, steppe was considered no man's land in principle.

This steppe areas are now Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. In contrast the khanates were amalgamated mostly into Uzbekistan, with some parts given to neighbors. Because of that Uzbekistan suffers from conflicts between different elites that used to be their own nations.