We Central Asians.

   Between the years of 1511 and 1523, Kazem Khan, and later, two of his substitutes tried to unite Kazaks. In 17th century, Mongols offended them (for the last time).             
   Russians invaded �Ak Mashat�;   Kazaks� famous city at the coast of �Sir Derya�, in 1835. This time on, Kazak got used to living in cities and leaving nomadic life   

   Kazakhstan�s first newspaper was published in 1910. In August 26th, 1920, Kazakhstan became one of the autonomous states of Russia.
   
   After the Insurrection of October, some Kazaks immigrated to Turkey and Iran. Iranian Kazaks are living in Chayboy (Gonbad-e Qabus), Qazaq Mahalle (Gorgan) and Bandar Turkmen, with Iranian Turkmens

Any of Kazak tribes have got its own secret sign. When a person of a tribe cries his tribal sign, all of the people related to this tribe should gather at a certain place. This is called �Uran Salv�; Jantekey is recognized by the secret sign of �Shaka bay�, for instance. The use is, for example, when somebody fights another, who has come from a different tribe. Or in wrestling and horse-riding matches, to show power, each tribe cries its own secret sign out loud.

�Uran Salv�s:
Jadik: Janat     Jantekey: Shaka bay     Karakas: Kaptaqay     Molki: Mashan     
Servshi: Bay taylak     Konsadak: Jabay     Sarbas: SartoKay     Iteli: Bukar bay
Shibarayqir: Kojabergen     Merkit: Kulsari     Jastaban: Jobalay     Siymoyin: Almanbet

   About the manners of different Kazak tribes, there goes a proverb:
�Uli juzdi kovqa ber de malqa koy
orta juzdi komshi ber de davqa koy
kishi juzdi sungi ber de javqa koy�

�Give the big part, a pail to take care of (domesticated) animals
give the center part, a scourge to claim rights
give the small part, a spear to fight the enemies�

According to the ethno-territorial view, the Kazak people were divided into three parts, called the three "hundreds": "elder-hundred," "mid-hundred," and "younger-hundred." Their languages, traditions, religions, and most of their laws were the same. These laws came in several forms: "Ata-baba djoly," or the "way of the elders"; "Ereje," or rules; "Jarlyk," or announcements; "Turelyk," or ruling powers; and "Jurn-josyk," or the giving of advice. The general aim of these laws was to improve the lot of the Kazak people in all modes and aspects of life: electing a leader, entering into contracts, prohibiting marriage among blood relatives, providing for inheritance, preventing social disorder, eliminating thefts, providing for military discipline, and so on. All of these laws were based on a humanistic point of view, and had true democratic intentions, the foremost of which was to encourage honesty and fairness in dealing with one another.

Law-breakers in traditional Kazak society were dealt with by the "Bees," or the leaders of small Kazak tribes. Many different kinds of arguments and hot disputes were settled honestly and openly before large crowds of people. The "Bees" were not mere politicians or lawyers; rather, the "Bee" had to know the entire history of the Kazak nation, and had to be a fine writer as well. Most "Bees" could capture the traditions and feelings of the Kazak people in a word or two. They based their rulings on a fair weighing of all relevant factors, and embellished their rulings with proverbs and aphorisms.

The volume of Kazak tradition is quite large and sometimes complicated. The remainder of this essay will therefore focus on the family and marriage rights of the Kazak people.

In the early days of the Kazak people, matters of family and marriage were of the utmost importance. The family was seen as the very foundation of the society -- if the family is strong, then the society will also be strong, and so will the rules and order of the society. Such a society would surely be peaceful and tranquil. That is why parents sought to arrange for the marriage of their sons and daughters, encouraged intermarriage among persons from different tribes, and discouraged marriage between blood relatives; if one married one's relative, societal peace and harmony would likely be disrupted.

There were certain formal rules concerning marriage in traditional Kazak society. Both the bride and groom must have reached at least eighteen years old (the age of majority), and be physically and mentally fit. The marriage was required to be based on consent, and two adult men were required as witnesses to the marriage. The parents of the bride and groom had to agree to treat each of them as if they were their own children -- however, the parents had no right to interfere with the inheritances of either the bride or the groom. In return, the marrying children were required to respect their parents and, in later years, to care for them.

The Kazak people held a patriarchal view of the family, because they were cattle-breeders. Whenever they migrated from the steppes to the mountains and back again, they were forced to band together in extended family units in order to struggle with the forces of nature and to protect their lands and cattle. This was called "Ata-balasy," or the joining of "a grandfather's sons" into one tribe of extended relatives. In the summer, this tribe of "a grandfather's sons" would live together in "Jailau" (small steppes in the vicinity of the mountains); in autumn, they lived in "Kuzdeu" (a grassy kind of steppe); and in winter, they lived in "Kystau" (a steppe with little snow). At the head of the "Ata-balasy," there would be a noble, clever, elder "Aksakal," or white-moustached old man, to whom all members of the tribe would listen for advice. Each tribe lived in several separate "Auls" (small villages), but gathered together in one "Aul" whenever they needed to solve a problem. Each tribe was close-knit, and would never allow outsiders to spoil their friendship

Relatives would help each other when the Kazak saying, "Tuyskan byr olym, byr tyryde," means "You should be a relative when somebody dies and when somebody is born." The Kazak people lived happily by helping one another.

The husband played the primary role in Kazak family life, and all responsibility for the family's well-being rested with him. There were three kinds of relatives -- the husband's own (in other words, his father's) relatives, his mother's relatives (which included brothers and sisters, as well as the mother's parents), and his wife's relatives. All helped each other and shared with each other the joys and sorrows of life.

Women also played an important role in their families. The Kazak people viewed women as mothers. Women were always free, and their husbands always consulted with them. Kazak women never worn "Paranja" (yashmak), as did the women in other Islamic countries in Asia. Kazak women traditionally enjoyed the same rights as Kazak men.

The match-making tradition of the Kazak people is a very interesting and prominent part of Kazak history. Parents always work out the details of the wedding ceremony, and the bride and groom obey their parents. After all, parents don't want to see their children unhappy!

In Kazakstan, it is said that "Match-makers are for a thousand years, and sons-in-law are for a hundred years." This proverb means that the relationship between two tribes will last for ages. Kazak match-making has its own traditions, ways, and rules, which evolved over many centuries. And these rules are followed whenever two Kazaks marry.

First, the two lovers become engaged. "Engagement" means that the groom's parents go to the home of the bride's parents, and propose that the bride's parents give their daughter over to them. Next, the parents discuss the "Kalyn Mal," a sum of cattle (or something of similar value) that the groom's parents will give to the bride's parents. As a sign of their agreement, the groom's father gives ear-rings and "Uky" (the tender feathers of an owl) to the bride's father. If the bride's father later cancels the agreement, he must not only to return these gifts, but also pay a penalty to the groom's father.

After the engagement, the groom's father gathers and sends to the bride's home a "Kudalar," or a group of five or six of his relatives. By traditional Kazak law, the bride's father was required to eat "Kuiryk baur," or grease with liver, with the "Kudalar." He would then give a "Kyit," or a present of one horse or cattle, to each member of the "Kudalar," according to their respective positions and ages. The "Kuiryk baur" marked an important stage of the traditional Kazak marriage ritual -- whenever two different tribes quarreled, the "Bee" would generally ask whether they had eaten "Kuiryk baur," and if the answer was "yes," then the "Bee" would apply a different set of rules and resolve the quarrel as one involving match-making.

As for the "Kalyn Mal," the amount of the payment varied according to the wealth of the groom's father. "Kalyn Mal" can be divided into five types: a "hundred of forties" (one hundred sheep and forty cattle); a "hundred of twenties" (one hundred sheep and twenty cattle); "forty sevens" (forty sheep and seven cattle); "twelve cattle and zero" (only twelve cattle); and "eight cattle." The term "cattle" could be used to refer to either camels, horses, or cows.

The next wedding tradition is "Ilu and Toymal," or a ceremonial hanging and a cattle, which were not included in the "Kalyn Mal." The groom's father gives "Ilu and Toymal" to the bride's parents, who in turn prepare "Gassap" (or dowry) and one cattle. For "Gassay," they might give a carpet, a beautiful trunk, some bedclothes, and other things for the home. For "Toymal," they might give two, five, or even ten cattle. Thus, the Kazak proverb: "If you receive 'Ily,' then you should give 'Gassay,' and if you receive 'Toymal,' then you should give cattle."

At the time of the wedding party, the groom and his parents give the following presents to the bride's family:

When the bride prepares to leave her parents, she sings a "Synsn" (a song about her past life, her childhood, etc.) and a "Koshtasu" (a parting song). Then she goes to the groom's home, where they make "Betashar" (or, "the face opening as a woman") and all of the groom's relatives give presents to her. The Kazak people cherish the newly married bride, calling her "Kelin." Her mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and the wives of her brothers-in-law, all help her and give her advice concerning everything around the house. Thus she becomes a new member of her husband's family.

When a recently married Kazak woman becomes pregnant, she is not allowed to perform difficult work. Her relatives hold a ceremony called "Kursak shashu," by which they celebrate the fact that she will soon have a baby. After the baby is born, the mother places special clothing on the baby, which is called "It jeide." Further traditions related to childbirth include: "Shyldekhana" (the first ceremony in a baby's life); "Bessyke saly" (the first time the baby is placed on a special bed); "Kyrkynan shigary" (a celebration after forty days); "At Koiu" (name-giving); "Kaz turguzu" (when the baby stands for the first time); "Tusaugn Kesu" (when the baby walks for the first time); and "Emshekten shygaru" (when the baby stops drinking the mother's milk). Kazak sons become Muslims at the age of five to seven.

After a woman gives birth to her first child, she wears a "Saukele" (a special cloth for the head) and goes to her parents' home for "Toi Kynder," a special period of rest. Then, all of her relatives invite her to be their guest, and give "Sybaga" (presents) to her.

Whenever Kazak parents are arranging their daughters' engagements, they usually try to match their daughters with older men. This is because, after a husband dies, the widow generally does not return to her parents. Instead, she is free to marry her husband's older or younger brothers, a practice known as "Amengerlyk." But, if the widow does not wish to remarry, that is her choice.

Kazak Language:
Alternate Names:
Kazakh

Number of Speakers:
Approximately 11 million

Key Dialects:
Northeastern Kazak
Southern Kazak
Western Kazak

Geographical Center:
Kazakstan