Gratitude Day: the role of cultural heritage in the construction of a common identity and symbolic policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

This paper is written on the basis of analysing the speech of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who initiated the Day of Gratitude in 2015. The research explores the official concept of the holiday, examining its key ideas, media content related to the celebration, materials providing insights into the history of the formation of the multiethnic community - the people of Kazakhstan, and oral-historical evidences of various peoples deportation to the territory of the Republic. The use of historical documents and field materials allows for the identification of the cultural foundations of the holiday, resulting from the historical and cultural trauma and collective memory of the Kazakh people. The analysis of sources not only reveals the fundamental basis of the celebratory date but also identifies another important aspect - the influence of traditional hospitality practices that institutionally provided the reception of non-indigenous populations in Kazakhstan. The scientific significance of this work lies in its interdisciplinary historical-anthropological approach, expanding the boundaries of understanding the historical and cultural foundations of the holiday's actualisation. The methodological framework of the article is grounded in the theories of hospitality, memory, empathy, and symbolic politics, allowing for the uncovering of implicit foundations of the examined celebration. Examining the official concept of the Gratitude Day for its interpretation as a holiday elucidating the history and stages of the formation of the republic's multiethnic community. Additionally, it serves as the basis for constructing social and political unity – the people of Kazakhstan. The practical significance of the conducted research lies in the scientifically substantiated identification of the constructive foundations of the Day of Gratitude, obtained from the shared historical destiny of the people of Kazakhstan, as well as in providing an addition to the official concept of the holiday.