NWC News Desk

Students showcase their homeland during Oct. 9 Turkmen Night at NWC

Posted September 25, 2013
By NWC News Desk

POWELL, Wyo. - The public is invited to an evening of culture and fun at Turkmen Night Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 7-9 p.m. in the DeWitt Student Center on the Northwest College Campus.

Students will introduce their Turkmen culture through a multimedia presentation of images, traditional dress, cuisine and music.

Located in Central Asia, present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The medieval city of Merv, now known as Mary, was an important stop on the Silk Road used for trade with China in the mid-15th century.

Turkmenistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Slightly larger than California and with a population of just over 5 million people, the country is bordered by Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Caspian Sea.

Mostly an arid subtropical desert with little rainfall, over 80 percent of Turkmenistan is covered by the Karakum Desert, one of the driest deserts in the world. Yet, over one-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it one of the world’s largest cotton producers.

The country’s prominent horse culture includes Akhal-Teke, also known as the “golden horse,” thought to be one of the world’s oldest surviving breeds.

The free program is sponsored by NWC’s Multicultural Club, Intercultural Programs and Diversity Awareness Committee.

Students showcase their homeland during Oct. 9 Turkmen Night at NWC