The Kazak People

China's Kazaks live in the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, the Mori Kazak Autonomous County, and Barkol Kazak Autonomous County in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Others live in the Haixi Mongolian, Tibetan, and Kazak Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province and the Aksay Kazak Autonomous County in Gansu Province. As of 1994 there were 1,111,000 Kazaks. Their language belongs to the Turkic branch of the Altaic language family. However, because of mixing with the Hans, Uygurs, and Mongolians, they have assimilated words from these peoples. In the past, feudal lords and tribal chiefs practiced polygamy. Young men and young women were deprived of independence in matrimonial affairs. Because of high bride prices, richer men married up to four wives while poor herdsmen could not marry. To circumvent the latter, two poor families will trade daughters without asking for a betrothal gift.

Since 1949 the Kazaks have more and more left the pastures and become a force in constructing Xinjiang's politics, economy, and culture. In fact, in 1995 it was a Kazak woman who held the post of deputy chief procurator at the People's Procuratorate in Xinjiang. One encyclopedia report from the late 1970s says that since the 1960s many Kazaks have returned to Kazakhstan .

In Xinyuan county, the Kazaks raise fat-tailed sheep famous for their tender meat. Income has increased for the Kazaks since 1984 when a new policy on livestock breeding went into effect: "All animals and pastures were contracted to the care of individual families. The herdsmen contract for the number of livestock they will tend and the amount of meat and wool they will produce." If a herdsman exceeds his quota, he will receive a bonus.

The Kazaks play a sport called "girl chasing" on the vast grasslands. It consists of a young man and a young woman both on separate horses--as a whole, Kazak men and women are skilled riders. The girl chases the man as he speeds past her. If she catches him, she lashes him lightly with her whip.

The Kazaks are a nomadic people at heart, but since 1949 have begun to settle for at least part of the year. Their tendency is to live in groups for mutual assistance. Historically, they have lived in separate clans yet claiming a common ancestor. Because they are nomadic, a poor, individual family cannot survive by itself apart from a clan. These clans rarely migrate, but herding groups do: In these, the herders help each other, especially when they are moving the herds. In summer they travel from pasture to pasture for the freshest grazing. Winter, however, is often hazardous. Today, the government warns them of approaching storms and comes to their rescue if they're in trouble. Last spring, for example, when a heavy snowfall sealed the mountain passes, the local government provided relief by air and the army's frontier forces cleared the passes with heavy equipment .

The Kazak food of choice is mutton from one of their herds served with rice, cheese, and a flat cake called kaonang. To serve it, first the guest is shown the head of the sheep, then a tray of hot mutton is brought out, and then comes a large tray of noodles. Each person then takes a piece of meat, cuts it into small pieces, places them on top of the noodles, and eats with his fingers. Another primary Kazak staple is called nang which means "made of flour." They give feasts when there is a birth, an engagement or a wedding.

The Kazaks are known for their hand-made embroideries--flower and animal horn patterns embroidered symmetrically on a black, red, and purple velveteen with woolen threads. They first embroidered items for use with mattresses, cushions, carpets, garments and as hangings for yurts; however, some women have opened an embroidery factory and now market their products. Do they wear their embroideries? The herdsmen do, but what about the rest? In winter, the others wear cloaks and overcoats made from sheep wool, fox fur and wolf fur; in summer, women wear red and other brightly colored dresses and embroidered clothes. They decorate their colorful hats with owl feathers. In addition to their famed embroidery, the Kazaks have a rich literary heritage consisting of folk literature handed down orally, ballads sung by singers called Akens, and classic and contemporary works written in their language. They also sing, dance, and play the Dombra, a two-stringed instrument.

Festivals are celebrated in accordance with their religion, Islam. These include the Corban, Id El-fitr, and Nawuruz festivals. The former two "are occasions for feasts of mutton and mutual greeting;" the latter "is a grand occasion to say good-bye to the old, usher in the new, and hope for a better year in stock breeding." The Kazaks practice Islam but a few follow Christ--only ten, in fact, according to a 1996 report. Another undated report for Kazakhstan (not China) lists less than 130 Christians. Records indicate that during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty some turned to Christ, but with the advent of Islam Christian Kazaks were no more.