ENU Expedition to Mongolia: How the Kazakh Diaspora Preserves Its Traditions

Scientists from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University conducted a research expedition in Ulaanbaatar as part of the project “Research on the Social Role of Folk Art in the Formation of Modern National Identity: Transformation and Reconstruction of Spiritual Culture.”

The expedition was attended by the project leader, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Associate Professor Tengesh Kalenova; the project’s chief research fellow, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Associate Professor Gauhar Abdrakhmanova; and the project’s leading research fellow, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences and Associate Professor Gulden Aikinbayeva.

The main objective of the expedition was to study the contemporary social and cultural life of the Kazakh diaspora in Mongolia, its traditional culture and folk art, as well as its experience in preserving national crafts. The researchers paid particular attention to how cultural traditions are passed from one generation to another and how they are changing in modern society.

The researchers met with residents of Ulaanbaatar and the Nalaikh district and conducted interviews on folk art, traditional culture, national values, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

The materials collected during the expedition provided valuable information about the family and community traditions of the Kazakh diaspora, national crafts, and ways of passing cultural knowledge and practices on to younger generations.

One of the key stages of the expedition was a visit to the private yurt museum of Ibrahim Ata and Sailau Tukibaikyzy, established with the support of the charitable organization “Oyuuny Orchin.” The museum is dedicated to promoting traditional Kazakh art and preserving the country’s national craft heritage.

The researchers studied the decorative and applied art objects displayed in the museum, as well as the history of their creation, production techniques, and traditional uses. Each exhibit served as an important ethnographic source reflecting the lifestyle, aesthetic values, and worldview of the Kazakh people.

The experience of Sailau Tukibaikyzy, a master dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Kazakh crafts, was of particular interest to the researchers. During the interviews, Sailau Tukibaikyzy and Ibrahim Ata shared their experience of learning traditional crafts, passing these skills on to their children and grandchildren, and preserving traditional art in a modern environment.

As part of the research program, the expedition team also visited the National Library of Mongolia. They reviewed scientific and historical materials related to the research topic and examined sources of interest for further study.

At the library, the researchers held a meeting with Batbayar Nyamdorj, a specialist in international relations. The participants presented the main objectives and areas of the research project and discussed the study of the historical and cultural heritage of the Kazakh diaspora, as well as opportunities for further scientific and cultural cooperation.

The researchers also visited the National Museum of Chinggis Khaan, where they explored historical and cultural exhibits dedicated to the history of the Great Steppe, the Mongol Empire, and the era of Chinggis Khaan.