ENU Scholars Collect Unique Materials on the Traditional Culture of Kazakhs in Mongolia

Scholars from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU) conducted a research expedition to Mongolia to study the traditional culture and spiritual heritage of Kazakhs living abroad, as well as the mechanisms for preserving their national identity. The research covered Ulaanbaatar and Bayan-Ölgii Province, the region with the largest concentration of ethnic Kazakhs in Mongolia.

The research team included Zilikha Ibadullaeva, Acting Associate Professor of the Department of Archaeology and Ethnology and Candidate of Historical Sciences; Gulzhakhan Tazhitova, Acting Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages and PhD; and Nurzhan Bolatuly, a PhD doctoral student at the Department of Political Science.

The expedition was carried out as part of the program-targeted funding project BR28713029, titled “A Study of the Social Role of Folk Art in Shaping Contemporary National Identity: Transformation and Reconstruction of Spiritual Culture,” funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The primary goal of the expedition was to determine the contemporary potential of folk art in strengthening national identity, and to collect foreign archival and field materials for theoretical and applied analyses of the mechanisms behind the modernization and reconstruction of spiritual culture.

In Ulaanbaatar, meaningful professional meetings were held with the research staff of the National Library of Mongolia, resulting in a broad exchange of views on research methodology and scientific approaches. At the library, the scholars familiarized themselves with books, manuscripts, periodicals, and other sources related to the cultural, ethnographic, and spiritual heritage of the Kazakhs of Mongolia. They also gathered extensive information by examining how the preservation of national traditions in modern society is reflected in scientific literature.

Additionally, the research team visited the National Museum in Ulaanbaatar, where they obtained substantial data regarding the historical and cultural development, traditional economic system, and spiritual values of the Kazakh people living in Mongolia.

The second stage of the scientific expedition continued in the Bayan-Olgii province, the area with the highest concentration of the Kazakh diaspora. The researchers visited the Aktan Babiuly Central Library in the city of Bayan-Olgii to study ethnographic and folklore materials. Important meetings were held with the library's director, Ms. Altyngul Dalelkyzy, and folklore researcher Mr. Shynai Rakhmetuly. The scholars also acquainted themselves with the work of the Bayan Olke newspaper, which highlights the achievements and cultural events of the region's Kazakhs and plays a unifying role for the people.

The group of scholars also visited Secondary School No. 3 in Bayan-Olgii, where they met with the school administration and teaching staff. The main objective of this meeting was to learn about the specifics of transmitting the national culture and traditions of Mongolian Kazakhs within the educational process, and to assess the students' level of mastery of ethnocultural values. Based on the project's questionnaire, several interviews were conducted regarding educational work aimed at preserving the Kazakh language and customs.

As part of studying the continuity of national heritage, the scholars visited a center for the production of a bride's dowry (qyz zhasauy). The features of preserving traditions related to traditional Kazakh crafts, the technology for preparing dowry items, their types, and their symbolic meanings were studied in depth. To familiarize themselves with the traditional arts of wood and leather processing, they visited specialized workshops, conducted interviews with craftsmen, and analyzed modern development trends in the technologies used to create national products.

During the expedition, the members visited the village of Sagsai and interacted closely with the local residents. To study the transformation and preservation of national traditions, a meeting was held with eagle hunters (burkitshi) who practice the ancient Kazakh art of hunting with birds of prey. Furthermore, direct interviews were conducted with villagers about the besikke salu (putting the baby in the cradle) ceremony and the preparation of national dishes, accompanied by the collection of audio and video materials.

In conclusion, the research work carried out in Ulaanbaatar and the Bayan-Olgii province of Mongolia was highly productive. The empirical materials, in-depth interviews, and archival data collected lay a solid foundation for a comprehensive study of the importance of traditional culture, spiritual values, and generational continuity in shaping the national identity of Mongolian Kazakhs. Furthermore, comparative analyses were made concerning the preservation of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the people. The research results are planned to be widely used in writing scientific articles and monographs, as well as in scientifically analyzing ways to pass down cultural heritage to future generations. This initiative by ENU scholars will remain one of the fundamental works in promoting and preserving national identity and folk art on a global scale.