City of Settlers
Explore Microhistories of Bishkekians through Family and Personal Photography
What can a single photograph reveal about the lives of those who settled in Pishpek, Frunze, or Bishkek?
What untold stories lie within your old family's photo albums?
Are you ready to explore the microhistories of Bishkek’s diverse residents—past and present?
| Open Call for Workshop City of Settlers is a workshop program that invites participants to explore Bishkek’s diverse history, focusing on the stories of ordinary residents through family and personal photographs. You will examine the unique stories of those who have shaped Pishpek, Frunze, and Bishkek, whether they arrived as settled (semi-)nomads, peasants, refugees, deportees, evacuees, factory workers, or students. You will have the opportunity to reflect on your own or your family's history, while also exploring the microhistories of other residents uncovering what it meant to be a newcomer to Bishkek at different times. Participants will engage in discussions, creative activities, and field excursions, culminating in the creating of a joint multimedia photo zine. The zine will feature old family photographs and modern-day photo essays of participants while telling stories of Bishkek “settlers,” both past and present. The workshop will be opened with a keynote by the sociologist Dr. David Leupold (Berlin, Germany). |
Key Questions in Focus
- What was it like to be a newcomer to Bishkek in different decades?
- How have migrations contributed to the city’s cosmopolitan spirit while also creating social hierarchies?
- How did different languages effect each other and together construe the lingual landscape of Bishkek?
About The Workshop
- DatesNovember 23, November 30, and December 7
- CostFree of charge but donations are appreaciated
- Application DeadlineNovember 19
- LanguageEnglish
Anyone aged 16 and up who is curious about Bishkek’s history, stories of newcomers, and urban life. Whether your family has been residing in Bishkek for generations or whether you have recently arrived, we would like to hear your story and perspective. We welcome diverse backgrounds and stories across all decades.
- The workshop will be conducted in English, but fluency is not required. Working language proficiency is sufficient.
- Application forms and the final project can be submitted in Kyrgyz, Russian, or English.
- Apply if you seek to improve your English skills in a collaborative environment.
We recognize that offering the workshop in English limits the participation, potentially excluding those who don’t speak English. While we hope to expand in the future to include Kyrgyz and Russian sessions, we also aim to include groups of newcomers from other countries who may otherwise be overlooked in discussions about Bishkek. Engaging with the past experiences of migrating to Bishkek is incomplete without addressing the present realities of those who continue to arrive from beyond Kyrgyzstan.
We welcome people from different backgrounds and locations who are currently based in Bishkek. We are looking forward to your participation whether you come from Kochkor, Osh, Islamabad, Tomsk, or New York.
Trainer
- Lilit Dabagianpublic history practitioner
Lilit Dabagian is originally from Bishkek but currently lives in Berlin. She is a public history practitioner and designer of multimedia educational projects with a distinct interest in (post-)socialist experiences, urban memory spaces, and migration.
You can learn more about her projects here
You can learn more about her projects here
Contact
If you have any questions, please, don’t hesitate to reach out at visualizing.memory@gmail.com
The photos come from personal archives.
All text and photo materials belong to their respective owners.
All text and photo materials belong to their respective owners.
