Ethnic History of Central Asia: The exdogamic tradition of Turko-Mongol peoples

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The exdogamic tradition of Turko-Mongol peoples

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Regional History or Period History
Forum Name: Ethnic History of Central Asia
Forum Discription: Discussions about the ethnic origins of Central Asian peoples. All topics related to ethnicity should go here.
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=26062
Printed Date: 25-Apr-2024 at 15:35
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Topic: The exdogamic tradition of Turko-Mongol peoples

Posted By: calvo
Subject: The exdogamic tradition of Turko-Mongol peoples
Date Posted: 05-Dec-2008 at 07:26

Ancient Turco-Mongol peoples often have the reputation of marrying outside one's tribe. It was a practical manner to ensure gene exchange on the steppes, where people generally moved about in bands of small numbers.

This explains why many Turkic peoples quickly adopt the physical appearance of their neighbouring nations once they settle there.

I wonder whether this tradition has survived to the present day.

Are most Turkic peoples still rather "liberal" in the cases of mixed marriages?

The Kazakhs are known to be divided into 3 hordes with strong rivalry between them. Are members of these 3 hordes endogamic, or they could marry between them?

Replies:

Posted By: Temujin
Date Posted: 05-Dec-2008 at 18:44

i think it mostly dissappeared, but Karakalpaks apparently still do it to some degree:

http://www.karakalpak.com/marriage.html

Posted By: Beylerbeyi
Date Posted: 05-Dec-2008 at 19:10

Kazakh marriages (are?) regulated by clans, I believe. So I'd doubt that units such as hordes would have problems marrying each other.

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Posted By: calvo
Date Posted: 06-Dec-2008 at 18:40

Originally posted by Temujin

i think it mostly dissappeared, but Karakalpaks apparently still do it to some degree:

http://www.karakalpak.com/marriage.html

Very interesting article indeed.

I believe that the exogamic tradition was practiced more when the tribes were nomadic, when they moved in small groups of up to a few hundred.

It would certainly be necessary for them to constantly absorb genes from outside groups.

However, once the people have settle down and their numbers have become more numerous, no longer is this practice necessary.

I wonder whether most Turkic and Mongol people today are more or less tolerant towards interethnic marriages than settled nationalities like Russians, Europeans, and Chinese.