Alastau

Overview

The word «Alastau» translates from Kazakh as “purification” and is associated with one of the most ancient pagan rituals, linked to Tengrismâ”a spiritual tradition that flourished across the Kazakh steppes before Islam’s advent. This speculative video essay transports its audience to a distant future, a time when the Sun no longer exists. In the apocalyptic world, the last surviving tribes have returned to nomadism and ritual practices, tracking and hiding from beings whose approach spells doom for all living things. Images and references deeply rooted in Kazakh culture and mythology open up a perspective for the decolonization of future narratives, creating a mystical parable about escape from death.