Kazakhs
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225267177
2008-07-12T20:03:00Z
BernardTom
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{{Infobox Ethnic group
|group = Kazakhs <br/> Қазақтар
|image =[[Image:Kazakhs.jpg|310px]]<div style="background-color:#fee8ab"><small><small>[[Abay Qunanbayuli|A. Qunanbayuli]] • [[Ablai Khan]] • [[Al-Farabi]] • [[Chokan Valikhanov|C. Valikhanov]] • [[Toktar Aubakirov|T. Aubakirov]] • Kazakh eagle hunter • Kazakh woman </small></small>
|pop = approx. 16,000,000
|region1 = {{flag|Kazakhstan}}
|pop1 = 9,550,000
|ref1 =
|region2 = {{flag|Uzbekistan}}
|pop2 = 2,500,000
|ref2 = [http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=rus&id=136498]
|region3 = {{flag|China}}
|pop3 = 2,200,000
|ref3 = [http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/RR/501132Kzh.asp]
|region4 = {{flag|Russia}}
|pop4 = 1,310,000
|ref4 = [http://sana.gov.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=152]
|ref5 =
|region6 = {{flag|Turkmenistan}}
|pop6 = 120,000
|region5 = {{flag|Mongolia}}
|pop5 = 100,000
|ref6 =
|region7 = {{flag|Afghanistan}}
|pop7 = 45,000
|ref7 =
|region8 = {{flag|Kyrgyzstan}}
|pop8 = 45,000
|ref8 =
|region9 = {{flag|Turkey}}
|pop9 = 30,000
|ref9 =
|region10 = {{flag|Germany}}
|pop10 = 17,000
|ref10 =
|region11 = {{flag|Tajikistan}}
|pop11 = 15,000
|ref11 =
|region12 = {{flag|Iran}}
|pop12 = 15,000
|ref12 =
|region13 = {{flag|Ukraine}}
|pop13 = 15,000
|ref13 =
|region14 = {{flag|France}}
|pop14 = 15,000
|ref14 =
|region15 = {{flag|United States}}
|pop15 = 10,000
|ref15 =
|region16 = {{flag|Belarus}}
|pop16 = 5,000
|ref16 =
|region17 = {{flag|Canada}}
|pop17 = 5,000
|ref17 =
|region18 = {{flag|Azerbaijan}}
|pop18 = 3,000
|ref18 =
|region19 = {{flag|Georgia}}
|pop19 = 3,000
|ref19 =
|region20 = {{flag|Moldova}}
|pop20 = 3,000
|ref20 =
|region21 = {{flag|Pakistan}}
|pop21 = 3,000
|ref21 =
|region22 = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
|pop22 = 2,000
|ref22 =
|region23 = {{flag|Lithuania}}
|pop23 = 2,000
|ref23 =
|region24 = {{flag|Armenia}}
|pop24 = 1,000
|ref24 =
|region25 = {{flag|Estonia}}
|pop25 = 1,000
|ref25 =
|region26 = {{flag|Sweden}}
|pop26 = 1,000
|ref26 =
<!--Suggest any populations below 1,000 not significant (see description) given total population of approx 16 million-->
|languages = [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]], [[Russian language|Russian]] <br/>(and/or languages in country of residence)
|religions =[[Sunni Islam]]
|related ethnic groups = Other [[Turkic peoples]]}}
The '''Kazakhs''' (also spelled '''Kazaks''', '''Qazaqs'''; [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]]: Қазақтар {{IPA2|qɑzɑqtɑr}}; [[Russian language|Russian]]: Казахи; the English name is [[Transliteration|transliterated]] from Russian) are a [[Turkic peoples|Turkic people]] of the northern parts of [[Central Asia]] (largely [[Kazakhstan]], but also found in parts of [[Uzbekistan]], [[China]], [[Russia]], and [[Mongolia]]).
==Etymology of ''Qazaq''==
[[Image:Kazakhs.gif|thumb|250px|left|Kazakhs-populated area]]
There are many theories on the origin of the word "Qazaq". "Qazaq" was included in a 13th century [[Turkic languages|Turkic]]-[[Arabic language|Arabic]] dictionary, where its meaning was given as "independent" or "free".{{Fact|date=January 2007}}. Both Kazaks and later [[Cossacks]] adopted Turkic social term "qazaq" as their name. The Kazakhs began using this name during either the 15th or 16th century.<ref>Barthol'd, Vasiliĭ Vladimirovich. ''Four Studies on the History of Central Asia'', vol. 3, trans. V. and T. Minorsky. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1962, p. 129</ref>
In the 19th century, one etymological theory presented was that the name came from the Kazakh legend of the white goose (''Qaz'' means '''goose''', ''Aq'' means '''white''').<ref>Grodekov, Nikolaĭ Ivanovich. ''Kirgizy i Karakirgizy Syr'-darinskoi oblasti'', vol. 1, ''Iuridicheskii byt' '' Tashkent, 1889, p. 1</ref> In this [[creation myth]], a white goose flying over the great steppes was impregnated by the rays of the Sun, giving birth to the first Kazak.<ref>Humphreys, An. ''Central Asia (Lonely Planet Guide)'' Sydney:Lonely Planet Publications, 2004, ISBN 978-0864426734</ref> This version was rejected by linguists, because in Turkic languages, an adjective is put before a noun, therefore, '''"white goose"''' would be ''Aqqaz'', not ''Qazaq''. {{fact|date=December 2007}}
Another of the theories on the origin of the word "Kazakh" (originally "Qazaq") is that it comes from the ancient [[Turkic languages|Turkic]] word ''"qazğaq"'', first mentioned on the 8th century Turkic monument of [http://www.orientalistica.ru/resour/runica/collection/e3a.htm Uyuk-Turan]. According to the notable Turkic linguist [[Vasily Radlov]] and the orientalist Veniamin Yudin, the noun ''"qazğaq"'' derives from the same root as the verb ''"qazğan"'' ("to obtain", "to gain"). Therefore, ''"qazğaq"'' defines a type of person that seeks profit and gain.<ref>Yudin, Veniamin P. ''Tsentralnaya Aziya v 14-18 vekah glazami vostokoveda.'' Almaty: Dajk-Press, 2001, ISBN 9965-441-39-1</ref>
==Culture==
[[Image:Kazpoststamp.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Kazakh stamps featuring a traditional bride's dress, groom's clothing and the interior of a ''kiyiz uy'', a traditional Kazakh yurt.]]
{{main|Culture of Kazakhstan}}
Kazakhs are descendants of Turkic tribes ([[Kipchaks]] or [[Cumans]]), Mongol groups ([[Kereit|Kereis]], [[Naimans]], etc.) and Indo-Iranian tribes ([[Wusun]], [[Sarmatians]], [[Scythians]], etc.) which populated the territory between Siberia and the Black Sea and remained in Central Asia when the Turkic and Mongolic groups started to invade and conquer the area between the fifth and thirteenth centuries AD [http://hgm2002.hgu.mrc.ac.uk/Abstracts/Publish/WorkshopPosters/WorkshopPoster04/hgm0179.htm].
According to "Amazon Warrior Women," a PBS "[[Secrets of the Dead]]" episode, there is evidence that some of the Kazakh population are descendants of the culture which spawned the [[Amazons|Amazon Warrior]] myth within [[Ancient Greek literature]].
Due to their complex history, Kazakhs display [[phenotypical]] diversity. Kazakhs tend to exhibit predominantly Mongoloid features; however, many, if not the majority, also have visible caucasoid ancestry. Fair to light-brown skin tends to be the norm. Among physical traits are aquiline noses, [[epicanthic fold]]s and high cheekbones. Hair colour among Kazakhs varies from prevalent jet black to red and sandy brown. Hazel, green and blue eyes are not uncommon.
Many are also skilled in the performance of Kazakh traditional songs. One of the most commonly used traditional musical instruments of the Kazakhs is the ''[[dombra]]'', a plucked lute with two strings. It is often used to accompany solo or group singing. Another popular instrument is Kobyz, a bow instrument played on the knees. Along with other instruments, these two instruments play a key role in the traditional Kazakh orchestra. A famous composer is [[Kurmangazy]], who lived in the 19th century. A famous singer of the Soviet epoch is Roza Rimbayeva, she was a star of the trans-Soviet-Union scale. Among the modern performers is singer Toqtar. A famous Kazakh rock band is [[Urker]], performing in the genre of ethno-rock, which synthesises rock music with the traditional Kazakh music.
==Language==
[[Image:Aitys.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Aitys, a competition of [[Akyn|akyns]] in performing songs]]
{{main|Kazakh language|Kazakh alphabet}}
The Kazakh language is a member of the [[Turkic languages|Turkic]] [[language family]], as are [[Uzbek language|Uzbek]], [[Kyrgyz language|Kyrgyz]], [[Tatar language|Tatar]], [[Uyghur language|Uyghur]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]], [[Azeri language|Azeri]], [[Turkmen language|Turkmen]], and many other living and historical languages spoken in [[Eastern Europe]], [[Central Asia]], [[Xinjiang]], and [[Siberia]].
Kazakh belongs to the [[Kipchak]] (Northwestern) group of the Turkic language family. Kazakh is characterized, in distinction to other Turkic languages, by the presence of {{IPA|/s/}} in place of reconstructed proto-Turkic *{{IPA|/ʃ/}} and {{IPA|/ʃ/}} in place of *{{IPA|/tʃ/}}; furthermore, Kazakh has {{IPA|/dʒ/}} ([[alveodental]] [[affricate]]) where other Turkic languages have {{IPA|/j/}} ([[glide language|glide]]).
Kazakh, like most of the Turkic language family lacks phonemic [[vowel length]], and as such there is no distinction between long and short vowels.
Kazakh was written with the Arabic script during the 19th century, when a number of poets, educated in Islamic schools, incited revolt against Russia. Russia's response was to set up secular schools and devise a way of writing Kazakh with the Cyrillic alphabet, which was not widely accepted. By 1917, the Arabic script was reintroduced, even in schools and local government.
In 1927, a Kazakh nationalist movement sprang up but was soon suppressed. At the same time the Arabic script was banned and the Latin alphabet was imposed for writing Kazakh. The Latin alphabet was in turn replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet in 1940.
Kazakh is one of the principal languages spoken in [[Kazakhstan]], along with [[Russian language|Russian]]. It is also spoken in the [[Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture|Ili]] region of the [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region]] in the [[China|People's Republic of China]], where the Arabic script is used, and in parts of Mongolia.
==Kazakh tribalism==
[[Image:Жуз.svg|thumb|250 px|left|Approximate areas occupied by the three Kazakh jüz in the early 20th century.
{|
|{{legend|#ccff99|Junior juz}}
|{{legend|#fdd99b|Middle juz}}
|{{legend|#ffaaaa|[[Great juz]]}}
|}
]]
Due to their nomadic pastoral lifestyle, Kazakhs kept an epic tradition of [[oral history]]. They had to develop phenomenal memories in order to keep an account of their history. The nation, which amalgamated nomadic tribes of various Kazakh origins, managed to preserve the distant memory of the original founding clans. It was important for a Kazakh to know his or her genealogical tree for no less than seven generations back (known as ''şejire'', from the [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word shajara - "tree").
The Kazakh marriage system was exogamous, with marriage between individuals with a common ancestor within seven generations considered [[taboo]]. In intertribal marriage, paternal descent is decisive.
In modern Kazakhstan, [[tribalism]] is fading away in business and government life. Still it is common for Kazakhs to ask which tribe they belong to when they meet each other. Nowadays, it is more of a tradition than necessity. There is no hostility between tribes. Kazakhs, regardless of their tribal origin, consider themselves one nation.
The majority of Kazakhs belongs to one of the three ''[[Jüz|juz]]es'' (juz, roughly translatable as "[[horde]]"): the "[[Great juz]]" (''Ulı juz''), "Middle juz" (''Orta juz''), and "Junior juz" (''Kişi juz''). Every juz consists of tribes (''taypa'') and clans (''ruw''). Also Kazakhs, but outside of the juz system are: ''tore'' (direct descendants of [[Genghis Khan]]), ''qoja''/[[Khoja]] (descendants of [[Arabian]] missionaries and warriors), ''tolengit'' (descendants of [[Oirat]] captives), "sunak" (like "qoja" [[Khoja]] - descendants of [[Arabian]] missionaries and warriors) and "kolegen" (descendants of [[Sairam|Ancient Sairam]] inhabitants).
==Religion==
[[Image:Minaret of Central Almaty Mosque.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Minarets of Central [[Almaty]] Mosque]]
[[Islam]] was brought to the Kazakhs during the 8th century when the [[Arab]]s arrived into Central Asia. Islam initially took hold in the southern portions of Turkestan and thereafter gradually spread northward.<ref>Atabaki, Touraj. ''Central Asia and the Caucasus: transnationalism and diaspora'', pg. 24</ref> Islam also took root due to the zealous missionary work of [[Samanid]] rulers, notably in areas surrounding [[Taraz]]<ref>Ibn Athir, volume 8, pg. 396</ref> where a significant number of Kazakhs accepted Islam. Additionally, in the late 1300s, the [[Golden Horde]] propagated Islam amongst the Kazakhs and other Central Asian tribes. During the 1700s, Russian influence toward the region rapidly increased throughout [[Central Asia]]. Led by [[Catherine the Great|Catherine]], the Russians initially demonstrated a willingness in allowing [[Islam]] to flourish as Muslim clerics were invited into the region to preach to the Kazakhs whom the Russians viewed as "savages" and "ignorant" of morals and ethics.<ref>Khodarkovsky, Michael. ''Russia's Steppe Frontier: The Making of a Colonial Empire, 1500-1800'', pg. 39.</ref><ref name=EncycSex572>Ember, Carol R. and Melvin Ember. ''Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Men and Women in the World's Cultures'', pg. 572</ref> However, Russian policy gradually changed toward weakening Islam by introducing pre-Islamic elements of collective consciousness.<ref name=Hunter14>Hunter, Shireen. "Islam in Russia: The Politics of Identity and Security", pg. 14</ref> Such attempts included methods of eulogizing pre-Islamic historical figures and imposing a sense of inferiority by sending Kazakhs to highly elite [[Russia]]n military institutions.<ref name=Hunter14 /> In response, Kazakh religious leaders attempted to bring religious fervor by espousing [[pan-Turkism]], though many were persecuted as a result.<ref>Farah, Caesar E. ''Islam: Beliefs and Observances'', pg. 304</ref> During the [[Soviet]] era, [[Muslim]] institutions survived only in areas where Kazakhs significantly outnumbered non-Muslims due to everyday Muslim practices.<ref>Farah, Caesar E. ''Islam: Beliefs and Observances'', pg. 340</ref> In an attempt to conform Kazakhs into [[Communist]] ideologies, gender relations and other aspects of the Kazakh culture were key targets of social change.<ref name=EncycSex572 />
In more recent times however, Kazakhs have gradually employed determined effort in revitalizing Islamic religious institutions after the fall of the [[Soviet Union]]. While not strongly fundamentalist, Kazakhs continue to identify with their Islamic faith,<ref>Page, Kogan. ''Asia and Pacific Review 2003/04'', pg. 99</ref> and even more devotedly in the countryside. Those who claim descent from the original [[Muslim]] warriors and missionaries of the 8th century, command substantial respect in their communities.<ref>Atabaki, Touraj. ''Central Asia and the Caucasus: transnationalism and diaspora''.</ref> Kazakh political figures have also stressed the need to sponsor Islamic awareness. For example, the Kazakh Foreign Affairs Minister, [[Marat Tazhin]], recently emphasized that Kazakhstan attaches importance to the use of "positive potential Islam, learning of its history, culture and heritage."<ref>[http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=154837 inform.kz | 154837<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Kazakh population in Kazakhstan==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
!align="left"| 1897 % !! 1911 % !! 1926 % !! 1939 % !! 1959 % !! 1970 % !! 1979 % !! 1989 % !! 1999 % !! 2006 %</tr>
|align="left"| 73.9 || 60.8 || 59.5 || 38.0 || 30.0 || 32.6 || 36.0 || 39.7 || 53.4 || 59.2</tr>
|}
==Kazakh minorities==
===In China===
{{see also|Kazakh exodus from Xinjiang}}
Kazakhs, called Hāsàkè Zú in Chinese ([[wiktionary:哈|哈]][[wiktionary:萨|萨]][[wiktionary:克|克]][[wiktionary:族|族]]; literally "Kazakh people" or "Kazakh nationality") are among [[List of Chinese ethnic groups|56 minority groups]] officially recognized by the [[People's Republic of China]]. In China there are two Kazakh [[autonomous prefecture]]s, the [[Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture]] in the [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region]] and [[Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]] in [[Qinghai]], three Kazakh autonomous counties, [[Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County]] in [[Gansu]], [[Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County]] and [[Mori Kazakh Autonomous County]] in the [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region]].
Many Kazakhs in China are not fluent in [[Standard Mandarin]], China's official language, instead speaking the [[Kazakh language]].
Since the early 21st century, Mamuer Rayeskan, a young Kazakh musician from [[Qitai]], Xinjiang now living in [[Beijing]], has achieved some renown for his reworking of Kazakh folk songs with his group IZ, with which he sings and plays acoustic guitar, dombra, and [[Jew's harp]].
===In Russia===
In [[Russia]], the Kazakh population lives in the regions bordering Kazakhstan. The 2002 Russian census recorded 655,000 Kazakhs living in the [[Astrakhan Oblast|Astrakhan]], [[Volgograd Oblast|Volgograd]], [[Samara Oblast|Samara]], [[Orenburg Oblast|Orenburg]], [[Chelyabinsk Oblast|Chelyabinsk]], [[Kurgan Oblast|Kurgan]], [[Tyumen Oblast|Tyumen]], [[Omsk Oblast|Omsk]], [[Novosibirsk Oblast|Novosibirsk]] and [[Altai Krai]] regions. Since they, their ancestors, and other [[Turkic peoples]] populated these areas long before Russian [[Colonialism|colonisation]], Russian Kazakhs are [[irredenta]]. During the [[1920]]s, however, significant numbers of Kazakh families were left outside the designated [[Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic]]; after the end of the [[Soviet Union]] in 1991, they acquired Russian citizenship.
===Other countries===
*[[Mongolia]]: Many Kazakhs live in [[Bayan-Ölgiy Province]]. The Kazakh folk music is widely admired and loved in Mongolia. The majority of Mongolian Kazakhs come from "Middle juz" (''Orta juz''), the biggest tribe in Kazakhstan.
*[[Uzbekistan]]: A significant Kazakh population exists in [[Karakalpakstan]] and Tashkent oblast. Since the fall of Soviet Union, vast majority of Kazakh people are returning to Kazakhstan, mainly to Manghistau Oblast'. The Kazakh population of [[Karakalpakstan]] are mostly descendants of [[Adai]]lar, which is one of the branches of "Junior juz" (''Kişi juz'').
*[[Iran]]: [[Iranian Kazakhs]] live mainly in the [[Golestan]] province in northern [[Iran]]. <ref>[http://www.anobanini.ir/travel/fa/golestan/cat-227 گلستان<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> According to ethnologue.org, however, there lived 3000 Kazakhs in Iran in 1982 in the city of [[Gorgan]].<ref>[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=iran Ethnologue report for Iran<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.golestanstate.ir/layers.aspx?quiz=page&PageID=23 </ref> The number of Iranian Kazakhs might have been silightly higher, because many of them returned to Kazakhstan after the dissolution of the [[Soviet Union]], from where they had immigrated to Iran after the [[Bolshevik]] [[October Revolution]]."<ref>[http://jolay.blogfa.com/85093.aspx قزاق<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==See also==
* [[List of Kazakh historical figures]]
* [[Demographics of Kazakhstan]]
==Notes and references==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
* [http://clp.arizona.edu/cls/kaz.htm Kazakh Language Courseware from University of Arizona Critical Languages Series]
* [http://www.hunmagyar.org/turan/turk.html Ethnographic map of Kazakhstan]
* [http://www.akft.org Kazakhs in France - AKFT]
* [http://www.kazaktar.kz/ World Association of the Kazakhs]
* http://sana.gov.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=342
* [http://www.massagan.com Massagan.com (The largest web site in kazakh language)]
* [http://www.suhbat.com Suhbat (Atameken Toby)]
* [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_amazon/index.html Secrets of the Dead: Amazon Warrior Women (PBS)]
* [http://www.orientalistica.ru/resour/runica/collection/e3a.htm Turk monument of Uyuk-Turan mentioning the word ''"qazğaq"'']
{{Kazakhstan topics}}
{{Turkic topics}}
{{CEG}}
<!--Categories-->
[[Category:Kazakhstani people| ]]
[[Category:Turkic peoples]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in China]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Russia]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Mongolia]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Muslim communities]]
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