The Story of Turkestan: Ethnic Distinction of Kazakhs in European Written Sources

Seidekhan Alibek,Aysha Begalievaa,Saken Kosanbaev,Sarsebay Karibaev,Beknur Izenbaev

doi:10.20896/saci.v8i1.659

Abstract

This research aims to examine the ethnographic data about the Kazakh ethnic group from the European sources of the middle XIII to early XX centuries. The study uses problem-chronological and comparative-historical analyses to process data published by European travellers, merchants, soldiers and scientists. The European works contain factual inaccuracies, unverified information and speculations. Their quality has improved since the XVIII century though. The findings of European explorers allow a better understanding of the ethnogenesis of Kazakhs and their transition to statehood. Data available in these sources will help find the historical roots of contemporary ethnic and inter-ethnic problems in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The present study allowed a look at the past life of Kazakh people and their ethnic distinction in Turkestan through the lens of European mentality.

Highlights

The ethnicity and nationhood in Central Asia came a long and thorny way to be
Kazakhs living within the territory of Turkestan belong to the ethnic group that is among the most ancient, numerous and widely distributed ethnic groups in Central Asia (Chan, 2016; Islam, 2016; Starr, 2015)
The exploration of the history of Central Asia and the ethnic Kazakh community took many centuries, and many works were devoted to this matter

Summary

Introduction

The ethnicity and nationhood in Central Asia came a long and thorny way to be. The fascinating history of challenges that came along with the ethnic identity formation in many countries of Central Asia including Turkestan knows a number of groundbreaking events that manifested in the way these countries build their international relations today. The historic geographical borders of Turkestan are challenging to distinguish. The area of Turkestan was somewhat stretched, as compared to borders today, and covered some of the territories of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, South Siberia, Northern Afghanistan, and Iran (Liedy, 2011; Morrison, 2015). Kazakhs living within the territory of Turkestan belong to the ethnic group that is among the most ancient, numerous and widely distributed ethnic groups in Central Asia (Chan, 2016; Islam, 2016; Starr, 2015)

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Results

Conclusion