Shokan Ualikhanov’s Contribution to the Study of Eastern Cultures: An Analysis in the Kazakh and Kyrgyz Contexts

Abstract

In this article, the authors examine the spiritual and cultural dimensions of the Kazakh and Kyrgyz peoples as reflected in the scientific heritage of Shokan Ualikhanov, drawing on his original works. Ualikhanov’s early years were shaped by an environment deeply rooted in Kazakh history and cultural traditions. From childhood, he was immersed in the oral heritage of the Kazakh and Kyrgyz peoples, absorbing their legends, epics, fairy tales, and folk songs - forms of cultural expression that were widespread and deeply embedded in the life of the people.

Shokan Ualikhanov undertook two expeditions to the Kyrgyz territories in 1856 and 1857. These journeys resulted in several significant works, including “Issyk-Kul Diaries” (1856), “Notes on the Kyrgyz” (1856), and the essay collection “Dzhungaria” (1860). In his research, Ualikhanov placed particular emphasis on the tribal composition and social structure of the Kazakh and Kyrgyz peoples, viewing them through the lens of their nomadic way of life.

The authors analyzed samples of the folk literature of the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, in particular, genealogies, epics, legends, and stories. Particular attention was paid to the economic traditions, lifestyle, religious beliefs, and worldviews of the two peoples. The article provides comparative analyses of the poems “Edyge”, “Manas”, “Kozy Korpesh Bayan Sulu”, “Er Kokshe Erkosai”, and “Orak Batyr”. In addition, the data related to the Nauryz holiday in Sh. Valikhanov's research, his views, and conclusions are given deeper attention, and their correspondence with the opinions of modern scientists is analyzed.

The authors highlight Shokan Ualikhanov’s assertion that the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz are two distinct ethnic groups as a significant scholarly contribution, particularly in light of his scientific substantiation of their unique anthropological features. Ualikhanov’s observation that, alongside traditional animal husbandry, various cultural and economic forms - such as agriculture, urban settlements, and monastic institutions - coexisted and evolved within Kazakh and Kyrgyz societies remains relevant and thought-provoking even today.