WHY THE SHEJIRE IS MORE THAN JUST GENEALOGY FOR KAZAKHS

The tradition of shejire in Kazakhstan goes back deep into antiquity. It existed long before the arrival of Islam and the Arabic script, and for centuries, it remained part of Kazakh culture. In my research, I was initially skeptical of the claim that the word shejire has an Arabic origin. For example, academician Alkey Margulan wrote that shejire derives from the Arabic word shajarat, meaning ‘tree’. However, I am inclined to think that the term goes back to the word seji, which is characteristic of the Turkic-Mongol peoples. Among different ethnic groups, it appears in various forms, including sanjra, sajara, and sejre.

The linguist Abilbek Nurmagambetov, in his etymological dictionary, notes that shejire is connected to the concept of jady, or memory. A comparison of Arabic-Persian, Mongolian, and Old Turkic dictionaries confirmed this meaning of the word. An illustrative example comes from the famous work of Mahmud al-Kashgari called Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk. In the preface to the book, it is noted that the author relied on riwayat (oral traditions, legends) and seji (coming from sedji, meaning ‘chronicles’). Thus, seji is an originally Turkic word that in Kazakh carries the meaning of zhady, that is, memory.

In Soviet times, the study of shejire as an academic subject was strictly forbidden. According to the well-known historian Bolat Komekov, graduate students were not allowed to propose topics related to genealogies or to train as specialists in this field—the Party leadership had categorically prohibited any studies of it. Even researchers who were sent to Tatarstan or Bashkortostan were quickly brought back, and their work received no support.

Interestingly, as early as the eighteenth century, the Russian Empire showed a particular interest in collecting Kazakh shejire and studying the clan-tribal structure of Turkic peoples. But the aim was not to preserve historical memory or record the people’s past. In reality, this was part of colonial policy: the empire sought to undermine the foundations of society and weaken its roots. The Tsarist administration actively fueled internal strife in the Kazakh steppe, encouraged the tradition of barymtaiBarymta was a traditional Kazakh practice in which livestock was seized as a way of seeking revenge for an insult or damage. It was seen as a means of restoring justice, rather than an act of ordinary theft, and pushed inter-clan conflicts to the extreme. This was how the principle of ‘divide and conquer’ was put into practice in the Kazakh steppe.

Chinggis Khan’s dynasty and descendants played a significant role in shaping the Kazakh clan and tribal organization. One of the main historical sources about the great ruler is The Secret History of the MongolsiThe Secret History of the Mongols is the oldest surviving Mongolian literary work, chronicling the life of Chinggis Khan and the rise of his empire. A unique blend of myth, history, and poetic narrative, it was composed for the Mongol royal family.. Boris Pankratov, a Soviet Sinologist well-known for translating this work, noted in his research that the chronicle begins with the words ‘Chinggis-kagan kuzavur’. The term kuzavur refers to the origins of the clan, and the chronicle shows that the tradition of genealogies existed on the steppe even before the arrival of Islam.

This is why, in the Kazakh tradition, descendants of Chinggis Khan are referred to as töre in the shejire. The term combines tör, meaning ‘honored place’, and ie, meaning ‘owner’, both of which have long symbolized the highest status in Kazakh culture. Indeed, renowned scholar and ethnographer Chokan Valikhanov expressed the same idea in his work Kazakh shejire, writing:

Valikhanov also noted the concept of ağa balasy—the sons of the elder brother. In the medieval chronicle of Rashid al-Din, Jami‘ al-Tawarikh, the category of aga is interpreted as an important social and political term defining clan seniority. This principle is clearly illustrated by the Üisin, a tribal confederation from the Jetisu region of Kazakhstan, where the Sary Üisin are considered the oldest and most senior branch.

The Kazakhs are the only people who have preserved the institution of töre, or the authority of Chinggis Khan’s descendants. Among the neighboring Turkic peoples, including the Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Bashkirs, and Nogais, this institution has already disappeared. Among the Uzbeks, for example, the only group that still preserves a distinct lineage are the qojas, descendants of the spiritual line tied to the Sufi tradition, whether followers of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi’s teachings or the Naqshbandi order.

The Kazakhs, however, managed to retain another unique institution known as the jeti ata, or the rule of seven generations. Moreover, the prohibition of marriages between descendants up to the seventh generation eventually became a fundamental legal norm. This is why it can be stated that by preserving these traditions, the Kazakh people are the direct heirs of the cultural and socio-political institutions of the Ulus of Jochi and the Ulus of Chagatai.

Knowing one’s genealogy and being able to navigate the shejire system in detail should not be seen as merely a division into clans. For the Kazakhs, it has always been even more important to have a clear understanding of which clan or tribe they belong to. This tradition serves as a kind of ‘ancestral passport’, a treasured heritage. Therefore, it is more accurate to say that clans were not sharply distinct from each other, but rather that all of them sought to be part of a single national organism.

At the same time, each clan had its distinguishing features, such as the uran (battle cry) and tañba (clan symbol or emblem), which were closely intertwined with the everyday life of nomads and reinforced the memory of belonging to a larger community. In particular, the clan symbol was an integral element of pastoral culture. Herders used it to mark horses and notch sheep’s ears. Indeed, without this symbol, it would have been impossible to distinguish the herds across the vast steppe. At first glance, this might seem like a way to indicate private property, but in reality, the tañba carried a far deeper meaning—it affirmed one’s place within the clan.

The uran, on the other hand, had a military function. When an enemy attacked and the cry of ‘Attan!’ was sounded across the auls, riders would immediately mount their horses. From the battle cry alone, it was clear who was fighting and which clan they belonged to, for it was both a signal to charge and a powerful call to unity—summoning everyone to stand shoulder to shoulder against the enemy. Together with the tañba, the uran gave voice to that same identity, ensuring that both in daily life and in battle, the clan stood as one.

Disagreements existed at all times, but among the Kazakhs, they were never settled immediately by force of arms. There was a special institution of biys (judges) and sheshens (orators). At such gatherings, clan representatives would present their tribe’s position and engage in verbal contests. Victory was claimed by the one who could skillfully argue and stop the opponent with a weighty word.

However, agreements were not always reached. In such cases, an escalated conflict could be resolved through a marriage alliance. Thus, the Kazakh saying goes: ‘Su tübin, shym bitedi, dau tübin, qyz bitedi’, which translates as ‘The bottom of the well gets covered with silt, and a girl brings an end to a dispute.’ That is to say, if a dispute could not be resolved by all other means, brides were exchanged and the clans became relatives. In this arrangement, the side that took the bride was considered the winner, while the side that gave her away was seen as the loser. At all times, marriage in the steppe was not only a family matter but also an essential instrument of diplomacy.

One of the most dramatic conflicts in Central Asian history was the confrontation between Yesim Khan and Tursyn Khan. At that time, the Katagans were a large clan grouping within the Kazakhs and were led by Tursyn Khan. However, he betrayed his kinsman Yesim and ultimately paid for his treachery. Yesim Khan executed him, and the clan itself was destroyed and scattered. The Kazakh shejire preserves a legend of these events. Once, when the aqsaqals (clan elders) gathered for a council, four young men entered. They addressed the elders, saying:

Since then, the name Katagan has been under an unspoken ban in Kazakh society. Part of the clan relocated to the area of present-day Osh and Tashkent and joined the Shanyshqyly, becoming one of its subdivisions.

This is an excerpt from a conversation with historian Maksat Alpysbes about the Kazakh clan-tribal shejire. The full interview can be viewed on our YouTube channel Qalam Tarih.