The nation of Kazakhstan has been an independent country for only the past 15 years. Yet according to Claudia Chang, professor of anthropology at Sweet Briar College, its rich cultural history dates back thousands of years, when nomads settled in the steppe region and left behind numerous artifacts depicting their way of life. The opening of a new exhibit, "Of Gold and Grass: Nomads of Kazakhstan," at San Diego's Mingei International Museum of World Folk Arts and Crafts on Oct. 29, is thought to be the first time the remnants of the steppe culture will be on display in the United States.

As scientific curator of the exhibit, Chang became intimately acquainted with the 178 objects included in the exhibit. Yet due to the restrictions placed on materials moving in and out of the former Soviet Union, "I thought for the last five years, 'Is this going to happen or isn't it?' " she recalls.

Chang came to the exhibit drawing upon her vast experience in Kazakhstan. She first visited the country in 1994 for archaeological field work, and spent part of the 2005-06 academic year on sabbatical there. Chang worked with the Kazakh government, along with the Foundation for International Arts and Education, which is organizing the exhibit, collecting articles and ensuring that material regarding the artifacts was sufficiently documented.

"They always need an American scholar to bridge the gap between what the local people already know, and what the American public can understand," she says.

Chang teems with excitement as she describes the various objects that will be on display. They include everything from jewelry to carpets to the exhibit's centerpiece, a replica of the Golden Warrior, which dates to the fourth century B.C. After five years of careful planning and diligent work, she is anxious for the American public to learn about the lives of the Kazakh nomads.

"Art exhibits are a good way to bridge cultural and political differences," Chang says. "Kazakhstan is an up-and-coming independent nation, and one way to bring Kazakhstan to the United States is through exhibits such as these."

"Of Gold and Grass: Nomads of Kazakhstan" will run through April 15, 2007. For more information on the exhibit, visit the Foundation for International Arts and Education and Mingei International Museum Web sites.