Modern Tendencies In The Ethnic Relations Of Kuramas

Abstract

The article highlights the issues, such as  Kurama ethnicity ( or “ethnic group of Kuramas”), which is involved in the Uzbek nation, its ethnic composition, the identity sense of the Kuramas in terms of unity of the people, the attitude to the Uzbek national unity and transformational processes. Corresponding issues are presented as material for ongoing scientific analysis based on field materials and, where appropriate, scientific and popular literature data. The core meaning of the term “kurama” is explined by the fact that this ethnic group is of the polycomponent. To be specific, it is feasable to promote the idea that the genetic composition of Kuramas has a common root with Karluk, Kipchak and Oguz ethnicities, since the period of Turkish commonality. Subsequently, after the end of the Turkish commonality and the formation of independent Turkic fraternal nations, the ethnic union of the Uzbek, Turkmen, Kyrgyz and Kazakh peoples began in Central Asia. In particular, the main core of the Uzbek nation began with the Karluk branch, while the Uyghur ethnos grew in the same process with the Uzbek ethnic genesis, and the subsequent stages of development in the border areas were independent. However, the bond of historical ties between the two branches has not been ripped  up.

The article also analyses the issues of genetic memory of Kuramin residents of different villages along the streams of mountain and rivers. Thus, a survey conducted among the residents of Lashkarak Sai shows that the older generation practically began to forget the tribal origins of not only individual families, but also the entire group of residents of the compact community of the village. As for the inhabitants of Ertashsay, which originates from the Karakush peak, dividing the Tianshan mountain ranges into Chatkal and Kurama, they partly associate themselves with the traditional 92 Uzbek tribes. However, this information of Ertashsay residents is contraindicated for data on the genetic mixing of the Kuramis, consisting of Uzbek-Kazakh-Kyrgyz components.

                Our observations on the formation of the names of certain groups of Kuramins are interesting. Thus, the inhabitants of a number of villages, who have retained the memory of family ties in the past, are now known by various nicknames given to them from other villages. For example, Ezma top (chatty), Kal topi (bald), Zhanghirok topi (bells), Pulat topi (steelworkers), Toq topi (fed), etc. In addition, some groups of Kuraminians got their names from their place of residence: Kuramin residents Kurboz, Badrangi, Chelenovul, Ajir ovul, Samguron ovul, Guldirama soy, Kara kishlak, Soyogzi, etc.

In general, in the ethno-cultural situation of the Kuramin people, there is a gradual tendency to smooth out the previously stable traditional forms of life, social relations and purely Kuramin rituals and customs, which merge with the general Uzbek ones, since the Kuramin people mostly identify themselves as Uzbeks.