
- Playing
- Reading Russian Fortunes
- From
- Rachel Louise Snyder
The Global Guru is a weekly public radio show that seeks to celebrate global culture, particularly in countries where Americans have either single narrative story lines, like Afghanistan (war), Thailand (sex tourism), Rwanda, (genocide), or perhaps no story lines at all, like East Timor, Moldova, Malta, Lesotho, etc. Engaging and rich in sound, the 3:00 interstitial seeks to enrich our collective understanding of the vastness of human experience. Presenting station is WAMU in Washington, DC and sponsored by American University in DC. Some of our favorite past shows include: How do Cambodians predict the harvest each year? How did Tanzania become the capitol of barbershops? How and why does Thailand categorize food? What is Iceland’s most feared culinary delight? How do you track a Tasmanian devil? What are the hidden messages in Zulu beadwork?
Also in the Global Guru Radio series
Kazakhstan -- With this horse, I thee wed...
(00:02:56)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
A girl. A boy. A horse. A chase. Listen as this week's Global Guru takes you inside the world of courtship in Kazakhstan...
England: What do bell ringers and astronauts have in common?
(00:02:59)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week, the Global Guru ventures waaaaaayyyy up into the bell towers of an English church to learn just how mathematical -- and dangerous -- bell ringing can be.
Iran's Longest Night
(00:02:57)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week the Global Guru stays up all night for the winter solstice in Iran, where acclaimed cookbook author, Najmieh Batmanglij, leads us into the sun's eternal battle ...
Dancing the Sicilian Tarantella
(00:03:00)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week the Global Guru explores the rural Sicilian cure for spider bites. Put on your dancing shoes!
Malian Griot
(00:03:00)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week the Global Guru goes to Mali to learn the art of a griot, where storyteller, historian, political advisor, detective and genealogist are just some of a griot's roles.
India's Karni Mata Temple
(00:02:59)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week's Global Guru visits a temple in India where an unlikely rodent reigns supreme
Making or Breaking a Business Deal in China -- with cigarettes
(00:03:02)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
The writer Peter Hessler decodes the hidden messages of Chinese cigarettes in business deals.
East Timor's Umaluliks
(00:02:59)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week the Global Guru learns how to negotiate land deals, family disputes, wedding arrangements, cattle sales and other deals in Timor Leste.
How do you sabrage in France?
(00:03:00)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
This week we sharpen our swords in the Champagne region of France to learn how the French sabrage!
How did Rwanda become the world's cleanest developing country?
(00:02:53)
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
Today we go to Rwanda to see how the population spends the last Saturday of every month. And how those Saturdays have created surprising moments of reconciliations...
Piece Description
The Global Guru is a weekly public radio show that seeks to celebrate global culture, particularly in countries where Americans have either single narrative story lines, like Afghanistan (war), Thailand (sex tourism), Rwanda, (genocide), or perhaps no story lines at all, like East Timor, Moldova, Malta, Lesotho, etc. Engaging and rich in sound, the 3:00 interstitial seeks to enrich our collective understanding of the vastness of human experience. Presenting station is WAMU in Washington, DC and sponsored by American University in DC. Some of our favorite past shows include: How do Cambodians predict the harvest each year? How did Tanzania become the capitol of barbershops? How and why does Thailand categorize food? What is Iceland’s most feared culinary delight? How do you track a Tasmanian devil? What are the hidden messages in Zulu beadwork?
Broadcast History
first aired on WAMU 88.5 fm in Washington, DC
Transcript
GLOBAL GURU – Russian Fortune Tellers
SFX: Theme Music (Plush Interiors)
Welcome to the Global Guru. I’m Rachel Louise Snyder. Each week, we ask one simple question—just one—about somewhere in the world.
Today we’re in Russia, asking, 'Why is fortune telling so popular?'
SFX – wind chimes (http://www.audiomicro.com/chimes-bells-wind-chimes-light-metal-wind-chim-pe193801-sound-effects-150414)
AX- Fortune telling was an essential part of peasant life Fortune telling is... a part of traditional culture. The world was an uncertain place, ruled by supernatural powers, and if you could read the signs, it could be the difference between life and death. (.17)
SNYDER: This is Faith Wigzell, author of Reading Russian Fortunes.
She’s telling me about Russia’s psychic roots.
AX- I think Russia is a society where life has often been seen as tough...in this context, one thing you do,...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravi Groove | The Plush Interiors | Independent | 2009 | 00:00 | |
| Russian Gypsy Melodies | Band for Gypsy Music | Gypsy Rhapsody. | World | 00:00 |



