The Social Significance of Kazakh Chai Feasting in Mongolia

Chieko Hirota is a JSPS Research Fellow at the Slavic-Eurasian Research Centre, Hokkaido University, specialising in cultural anthropology and area studies (Mongolia, Central Asia). With a doctorate in Human Geography from Chiba University, she is fascinated by Kazakh embroidered wall hangings and, since 2011, has been conducting field research on Kazakh handicrafts in western Mongolia. Living in Bayan-Ölgii Province for two years, she reported on seasonal migration, domestication and food culture. Now her research has expanded to include Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and work on comparative research into the nomadic cultures of Central Eurasia.