THIS IS LIFE

For the last 18 years, photographer Rena Effendi—born in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan—has repeatedly visited and chronicled the remote mountain village of Khinaliq (population: 2,000), the country’s highest inhabited point, where evidence of human civilization dates to the Bronze Age. There she’s documented the intersection of ancient traditions and insular customs with encroaching modernity. Writer and comedian Negin Farsad, who has familial roots in Azerbaijan, recently spoke with Rena about her project.

NEGIN FARSAD What initially led you to Khinaliq?

RENA EFFENDI I’d heard about this place that was near Russia in the mountainous Guba region. I heard it was extremely difficult to get to and that it was impenetrable. I thought, “Wow, how exciting. This would be an amazing journey.”

Among the people who went there, there were all these legends and rumors [about the residents]: “Oh, these people, they’re different. They’re taller than we are, they’re blond and blue-eyed and they speak their own language. It’s almost like you’re in a time capsule.”