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Image by: Genna Duberstein 

Reading Russian Fortunes

Series: Global Guru Radio
From: Rachel Louise Snyder
Length: 00:03:03

You're Russian and your son's about to get married. But what if the girl can't be trusted? What if your son's marriage is doomed? Or worse, what if he leaves home and you never see him again? These are just the sort of scenarios that drives hundreds of thousands of Russians to fortune tellers each year. And, surprisingly, fortune tellers hold a place high up in the hierarchy of Russian society. Listen here for more on this phenomenon... Read the full description.

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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?

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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