Turks
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The Turkish diaspora in Kazakhstan is represented by two sub-ethnic groups - the Ahiska Turks and the Black Sea Hemshilli Turks.
BRIEF HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The ethnonym Turks, besides the Anatolian Turks, is also fixed for the Meskhetian and Black Sea Turks. In the sources and documents of the Russian Empire of the XIX century prevail the terms "Muslims" and "Sunni Georgians" prevail, from 1893 they were called Turks. In 1923 they were named "Azerbaijans", later - "Turks", which was synonymous with "Azerbaijans" [1]. In the documents after the deportation they were recorded as "Turks", "Soviet Turks", sometimes - "Azerbaijans" [2].
Since 1989, they supposed that the ethnonym "Meskhetian Turks" does not quite correspond to reality. In modern Georgian scientific literature prevail the ethnonyms "Meskhetians" and "Meskhi" [1, 2, 3].
At present, the most common self-name among them is the "Akhaltsikhe Turks" (Ahiska Türkleri).
The historical territory of the residence of Ahysk in the borders of the former USSR was the lands of Georgia; in particular, the overwhelming majority of Meskhetian Turks lived in the Akhaltsikhe region, which occupies the territory between the Adjarian Autonomous Republic in the west and Armenia in the east along the modern border of Georgia with Turkey. In 1944 they were deported to Kazakhstan during the Stalinist repressions. After the deportation the Turks Meskhetians, were documented as "Turks" or "Azerbaijans".
Hemshilli Turks or, in another way, they are called Hamshen Armenians, are of great interest to researchers, as they remain the most closed and poorly studied ethnic group. In the confessional relation, the Hemshilli Turks are Sunni Muslims. Until 1944, the Hemshilli Turks lived in Adjaria, later they were deported from Adjaria together with the Greeks, Kurds, and Turks by the decision of the State Defense Committee of the USSR as "unreliable population". They were forcibly placed in small groups as "special settlers" in the southern Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Although, like Meskhetians, Hemshilli were exempt from administrative supervision in 1956, they were also prevented from returning to the places where they were deported from [3].
For the ethnic identity of Hemshilli, it is characteristic that until recently many of them equally regarded themselves as Turks and Hemshilli. Turkish identity of Hemshilli has several motivations. The main one is a cultural (primarily religious) affinity of both groups. Further, all this is fixed in official documents: most Hemshilli in their Soviet passports in the column "nationality" are named "Turks" or "Hemshill Turks" [3].
General information about the Turkish ethnic group of Kazakhstan
One of the largest Turkic groups living in Kazakhstan is the Turks [Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Statistics, 2010].
The Turkish ethnic group, currently residing in Kazakhstan, was deported from Georgia in 1944. Unable to return to their homeland in Georgia, the Turks were scattered across many countries.
In Kazakhstan, according to preliminary data, there are about 180-200 thousand Turks. According to official data of the 2009 census, there are 105,000 Turks [Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Statistics, 2010]. The reason for such discrepancy is that many citizens are still unable to restore their true nationality, changed under the Soviet rule.
Representatives of the Turkish ethnic group currently reside in the southern regions of Kazakhstan: in Almaty, Zhambyl and South Kazakhstan regions. The largest percentage of the respondents, who participated in the survey, lives in Zhambyl region.
LANGUAGE SITUATION
In Kazakhstan several variants of the Turkish language are spoken: a variant of the language of Turks Ahiska, Hemshilli and Lazy. Ahiska Turks are divided into yerli (local) and trekeme. All variants of the Turkish language functioning in Kazakhstan are non-written and are on the verge of extinction [5].
It should be specially emphasized that the separation from the main Turkish ethnic massif, after the closure of the borders in the 20-s of the last century and deportation in 1944, led, in particular, to the preservation of the language and certain elements of traditional Turkish culture [6]. The language of the Kazakhstani Turks preserved in the form in which it existed before the Kemalist reform in the Republic of Turkey.
At the same time, the processes of cultural assimilation of Kazakhstani Turks simultaneously to Kazakh and Russian cultures are quite fast and the language and culture kept by the older generation need to be fixed by researchers [7]. A special study revealing the sociolinguistic situation of the Turkish diaspora in Kazakhstan has also not been conducted previously. From 2015-2017 years, a scientific study on the theme "Turkic world of Kazakhstan: language variants, cultural archetypes, identification of the Turkish diaspora", funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been conducted [8].
NATIONAL CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS
In the world, according to the European Center for Minorities (2011), 60-70% of Meskhetian Turks (Ahiska and Hemshilli) live in Kazakhstan, which amounts to 105,000 people, of which 20,995 people are residents of the South Kazakhstan region. In Almaty, live 5194 people, where the first Republican public organization - the cultural center "Turkiya" was established in the USSR [4].
The main goal of the center is to promote close rrelationship between the two fraternal peoples - Kazakh and Turkish, to enrich the Kazakhstani peoples mutually, to improve interethnic relations, to train national specialists (teachers, writers, cultural workers and spiritual leaders) through training of Turkish young people in educational institutions of Kazakhstan and Turkey. To improve inter-ethnic relations the "Assembly of the Peoples of Kazakhstan" was created in March 1995.
"The Society of Turks Ahiska in Kazakhstan" (STAK) has its regional branches and youth organizations. STAK is the successor of the Turkish Cultural Center (TCC), renamed in 1996. Currently, the STAK has an official status and a clear hierarchical structure. Branches of the STAK exist in almost every region of the three southern regions where live Meskhetian Turks (Ahiska). Formally, STAK exists at the expense of voluntary donations, but all the respondents say that 90% of the budget is personal funds of the Chairman Ziyatdin Khusamov [4].
In the early 1990s TCC actively tried to participate in the establishment of business and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Turkey. The organization was able to receive funding from both governments. It is noteworthy that the leaders of the TCC participated in the Turkish-Kazakh summits in 1991 and 1993. Turkish organizations also attracted the TCC as a partner in several projects, including teaching Turkish and building mosques and cultural centers [4].
ANALYSIS ON THE SOCIO-LINGUISTIC REVIEW OF TURKS RESIDING IN KAZAKHSTAN
206 representatives of the Turkish ethnic group took part in the survey conducted within the framework of the international project among them were 143 men (69.4%) and 63 women (30.6%). Families of 40 respondents (19.4%) were deported to Kazakhstan in 1944, 49 respondents who participated in the survey were born in Kazakhstan (23.8%) (www.tyurki.weebly.com). During the data processing we faced a number of problems, one of which concerns the identification of respondents under the passport and their self-identification. So, 195 respondents out of 206 respondents (94.7%) in the nationality column in the passport indicated themselves as Turks, 2 people (1.9%) have a record in the nationality column - Hemshili Turks and Meskhetian Turks, for 1 person (0,5%) have a record - Uzbek, Russian and Karaite; and 4 respondents have no record (1.9%) (www.tyurki.weebly.com.)
The analysis of the data showed that representatives of the Turkish ethnos were recorded as Turks, Meskhetian Turks, Hemshilli, Uzbeks, Azerbaijans. As for the issues concerning ethnic self-determination, there is a disproportion in the number of respondents recorded in the passport as Turks and identifying themselves as Turks. 251 respondents identify themselves as Turks, which is 45 more than the ones recorded in the passport as Turks. This is due to the fact that, for various reasons, representatives of the Turkish ethnos were registered in passports by different nationalities. Families of 40 respondents (19.4%) were deported in to Kazakhstan in 1944, 49 of respondents (23.8%) who participated in the survey were born in Kazakhstan.
In marriage, Turks prefer to marry to the representatives of their ethnic group. The analysis of the conducted survey showed the following:
The fathers of 174 respondents (94.7%) are Turks; 23 (11.2%) - Meskhetian Turks; 2 (1%) - Hemshill Turks, 1 (0.5%) Kazakh and 1 (0.5%) Azerbaijan, while 4 respondents (1.9%) have no data.
The nationality of the mothers is represented by 9 nationalities. The mothers' of 159 respondents (77.2%) are Turks, mothers of 2 respondents (1%) are recorded in the passport as Hemshilli Turks, Turks, 11 (5.3%) are recoded as Kazakhs; 9 (4.4%) are recorded as Azerbaijans; 6 (2.9%) are recorded as Russians; 4 (0.5%) - Uighurs; 3 (3.2%) Uzbeks and Kyrgyz; 2 (1%) - Chechen, Kurd, 2 respondents have no data about mothers’ nationalities(1%).
Thus, the nationality of the respondents who participated in the questionnaire, was determined by their fathers’ side who are mainly the representatives of their ethnic - Turks, and the mother's nationality is represented by various Turkic ethic groups (Azerbaijan, Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz) and other ethnic groups (Russian, Kurd, and Chechen).
In mixed Turkish families, the dominant position in the family is taken by a man. In ethnic self-determination, the dominant marker, regardless of ethnos, is the father's line, therefore the nationality of children is determined by the father's nationality. The analysis shows, the representatives of the Turkish ethnic group, as a rule, marry each other, thus preserving the language, traditions and original culture of their ethnic group. But there are also mixed marriages with the representatives of other nationalities.
The analysis of the study shows that Meskhetian Turks (Ahiska) and Hemshilli Turks for seventy years of residence in the territory of Kazakhstan identify themselves as Turks and refer themselves to one ethical group. In our opinion, this is facilitated by a number of factors:
- consolidation of the ethnos due to unification, and, as a result, increase of its viability in another territory;
- the acquisition of a historical ethnic homeland in the face of the Republic of Turkey, instead of Georgia, where Ahiska Turks and the Hemshilli Turks lived from time immemorial;
- creating conditions for the preservation of ethnic culture, language, etc;
- perspective for the emigration of the younger generation to Turkey.
Great attention in the questionnaire is paid to the language issues. The interrelation of language and ethnic identity is one of the main problems of psychological study of ethnic consciousness. In the process of interethnic interaction, ethnic identity is constructed on the basis of ideas that form a system of ethno-differentiating features, in which not only language, but also other values, norms, historical memory, religion, the idea of the native land, national character, folk art play their role. But the most common symbol of ethnic identity is the language with its emotional potential.
The facts revealed during the research confirm the importance of language as the main element of belonging to a certain ethnos.
The language block of the questionnaire (E-3) was formed by the respondents’ answers to the following questions:
- Your native language;
- What other languages can you speak, understand, read;
- Degree of proficiency in languages;
- How often is your native language used in speech between relatives, relatives, in society;
- Have you studied your native language;
- In which language (s) do you understand?
- Definition of national identity and the role of language;
- The role of language in the preservation of culture and traditions;
- Mother tongue and mass media, their interrelation;
- Do you consider that it is necessary to study the native language as a discipline at school;
- What is the role of the Kazakh language in your life?
The Turkish family with their relatives communicates in their native language (AhIska, Hemshilli, Terekeme). The use of the native language decreases with each new generation. The presence of three generations in the family creates the conditions for preserving the native language. However, the social changes taking place in the modern Kazakhstani society, the institutions of education require knowledge of other languages: Kazakh (State language), Russian (the language for interethnic communication), English (international).
All the respondents involved in the survey consider that it is important to know their native language, but regretfully admit that with the leaving of the older generation the knowledge of the native language and its role in the family is weakening. Only the older generation knows the mother tongue very well, the middle generation has a good spoken language. The younger generation are multilingual and use Turkish, Russian, Kazakh, and Russian for communication. The analysis of the study showed the following:
An analysis of the questionnaire of the language spoken in the family with schoolchildren:
95 (46.1%) - only in Turkish;
19 (9.2%) - only in Russian;
20 (9.7%) - in Russian and Turkish;
6 (2.9%) - in the Kazakh and Turkish languages;
30 (14.6%) - in the Kazakh, Russian and Turkish languages;
6 (2.9%) - in the Kazakh and Russian languages;
5 (2.4%) - only in Kazakh,
1 (0.5%) - in Bashkir and Kyrgyz languages;
23 (11.2%) - no data.
Analysis of the survey of the language spoken in the family with adults:
128 (62.1%) - only in Turkish;
13 (6.3%) - only in Russian;
17 (8.3%) - in Russian and Turkish;
2 (1.1%) - in Russian and Uzbek;
9 (4.4%) - in the Kazakh and Turkish languages;
11 (5.9%) - in the Kazakh, Russian and Turkish languages;
5 (2.4%) - in the Kazakh and Russian languages;
1 (0.5%) - only in the Kazakh, Bashkir and Kyrgyiz languages;
20 respondents (1.6%) - no data.
According to the survey the language that is used by respondents to communicate with people of other nationalities:
41 (19.9%) - only in Russian;
79 (38.3%) - in Kazakh and Russian languages;
9 (4.4%) - in Russian and Turkish;
20 (9.7%) - in Kazakh, Russian and Turkish languages;
13 (6.3%) - only in Kazakh language,
5 (2.4%) - only in Turkish;
39 (18.9%) no data.
The analysis showed that for the Turks the Russian language is the dominant language for communication with representatives of other nationalities www.tyurki.weebly.com
The analysis of the survey showed the following:
Only 20 respondents are fluent in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian (9.7%).
In public transport, at a doctor's reception, in a notary's office, respondents mostly use Kazakh and Russian languages:
92 people (44.7%) - Kazakh and Russian;
71 people (34.5%) - Russian;
8 people (3.9%) - Kazakh language;
7 people (3.4%) - Turkish language;
3 people (1.3%) - Russian and Turkish;
5 people (2.4%) - Kazakh, Russian and Turkish
About 20 respondents (9.7%) - no data.
At the same time, 57 respondents (27.7%) - read fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
18 respondents (8.7%) - read fluently in Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Russian, Turkish and Uzbek languages;
36 respondents (17.5%) - read fluently in Turkish;
23 respondents (11.2%) - read fluently in Russian and Turkish;
9 respondents (4.4%) - read fluently in Russian;
2 respondents (1%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Turkish and other languages;
5 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in Kazakh and Turkish;
4 respondents (1.9%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Russian, Turkish and Uzbek;
2 respondents (1%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Russian and Turkish;
5 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Russian, Turkish and other languages;
11 respondents (5.3%) - read fluently in Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Russian and Uzbek;
3 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in English, Kazakh, Russian, Turkish;
3 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in English and Turkish;
1 respondent (0.5%) - reads fluently in English, Russian, Turkish;
1 respondent (0.5%) - read fluently in English, Kazakh, Turkish and other languages,
10 respondents (4.9%) - no data.
51 people (24.8%) - write fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
67 people (32.5%) - understand fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
41 people (19.4%) read books, newspapers, magazines and ads fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
For 60 people (29.1%) it is more understandable to listen to lectures, talks, reports, TV shows and radio programs in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian languages;
65 (31.6%) respondents are more likely to listen to concerts, watch performances in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
94 people (45.6%) answered that they did not need to explain films in Kazakh and Russian in their native language, and 17 respondents (8.3%) should be given explanations.
Representatives of the Turkish ethnos define the commonality with their ethnic and religious group as the determining factor. 169 respondents (82%) adhere to Islam, 3 respondents (1.5%) - agnosticism, and about 34 respondents (16.5%) no data).
As key problems in the field of interethnic relations, representatives of the Turkish ethnic group (24 respondents) answered that sometimes they face problems
- with Kazakhs - 1 respondent (4.1%);
- with Kurds - 2 respondents (8.3%);
- with Armenians, Kurds - 1respondent (4.1%).
- with Russians - 1 respondent (4.1%).
- No, our village is friendly - 19 respondents (79.1%);
Thus, the dominant number of Kazakhstani Turks who participated in the questionnaire believes that there is no pressure and discomfort between Kazakhs and other ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan. For the seventy years since the deportation, the Turks successfully integrated into the local community, the middle and young generation consider Kazakhstan as their homeland, feel safe and comfortable here.
In modern times, the social status of the Turks has changed. The analysis of the questionnaire data showed that the representatives of the Turkish ethnic group are currently:
teachers - 22 people (16.5%) -;
workers - 38 people (18.4%);
employees in the service sector 22 people (10.7%);
civil servants - 6 people (2.9%);
16 people (7.8%) who participated in the survey are unemployed;
47 people (22.8%) are involved in other activities, 8 (3.9%) - no data.
Among the respondents who participated in the survey were 34 students (16.5%) and 13 schoolchildren (6.6%).
As for folk art 55 correspondents (65.5%) remember fairy tales and myths that were told to them by their grandmothers and grandfathers but 19 (34,5%) respondents do not know any folk tales and myths.
The questionnaire ends with the questions "What would you like to add to your answers? Maybe you have any wishes on the publication of books and newspapers in your native language, cultural and educational work, schooling?".
Twelve respondents from 25 wrote the following wishes:
"Publish literature for children in Turkish"- 2 people (4%); "To teach children their mother tongue more" - 4 people (16%); "Knowledge of languages in Kazakhstan is important" – 1 person (4%); "Live in peace" - 1 person (4%). Respondents thank the researchers for their interest in the language, culture, traditions of the Turks living in Kazakhstan and wish good luck in the research - 4 people (16%). The remaining 13 people (52%) did not comment.
Thus, the analysis of the conducted research shows that among the representatives of the Turkish ethnic group living in Kazakhstan, there have been changes covering various aspects of the life of the ethnos. Significant changes have occurred in the sphere of using the native language. The mother tongue is constantly used only by the older generation of Turks, while the younger generation is dominated by Russian-Turkish, Kazakh-Turkish bilingualism.
An interesting fact deserving special study is the expansion of the functions of the modern Turkish language of the Republic of Turkey among the Kazakhstani Turks, instead of the dominant Russian and Kazakh languages. Representatives of the younger generation of the Turkish ethnic group prefer to use the vocabulary and grammatical forms of the modern Turkish language instead of the native language (Ahyska, Terekeme, Hemshilli). One of the reasons is the expansion of the possibilities of using information technologies, access to Internet resources in modern Turkish. The access to the programs of satellite television, watching popular TV shows, programs in Turkish, and also going to work in Turkey contribute to the development of the Turkish language among the young generation of the Kazakhstani Turks [9].
Literature:
1.Eremeev D.E. Etnogenez turok: (Proishozhdenie i osnovnye etapy etn. istorii).— M.: Nauka, 1971.— 272s.
2. Gadzhiev A. Na chuzhbine. Etnicheskaja kul'tura ahalcihskih (meshetinskih) turok. B., 1992.
3. Torlakjan B. G. Etnografija amshenskih armjan // Amshenskaja biblioteka. № 1. Istoriko-etnologicheskij sbornik. Krasnodar, 2002
4. http://www.ahiska-gazeta.com/kz/centerhistories/95/
5. Nevskaja I.A., Tazhibaeva S.Zh. Sovremennaja tjurkologija i mezhdunarodnoe sotrudnichestvo na evrazijskom prostranstve. – Global-Turk. International Journal for Information and Analytics. – Turkic Academy. - №1, 2014.
6. Nevskaya I., Tazhibayeva S. 2015 b. Sociolinguistic situation of Oguz Turks in post-Soviet Kazakhstan In: Oguzlar. Dilleri, Tarihleri ve Kulturleri – Ankara, 2015 – P. 321-334. – ISSN 978-975-491-405-4.
7. Nevskaya I., Tazhibayeva S. 2015b. Turkic Languages of Kazakhstan: Problems and research perspectives. In: Lars Johanson (ed.) Turkic Languages. Volume 16, 2014. Numbers 1/2. – P. 289-302. – Harrassowitz Verlag. Weisbaden, 2015. ISSN 1431-4983.
8. Tazhibaeva S.Zh., Nevskaja I.A., Rind-Pavlovski M. Dokumentirovanie ischezajushhih jazykov: mezhdunarodnyj opyt, metody, tehnologii – Vestnik ENU, №5 (114) 2016b -I – S. 159-167.
9. Nevskaja I.A., Tazhibaeva S.Zh. Dokumentirovanie ischezajushhih variantov tureckogo jazyka i sozdanie jelektronnoj bazy sociolingvisticheskih issledovanij – Tүrk әlemі zhәne halyқaralyқ bajlanystar: Tarih, Tұlғa, Keleshek – Halyқ-aralyқ ғylymi teoretikalyқ konferencija materialdary – Astana, 2017. – S. 248-252
BRIEF HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The ethnonym Turks, besides the Anatolian Turks, is also fixed for the Meskhetian and Black Sea Turks. In the sources and documents of the Russian Empire of the XIX century prevail the terms "Muslims" and "Sunni Georgians" prevail, from 1893 they were called Turks. In 1923 they were named "Azerbaijans", later - "Turks", which was synonymous with "Azerbaijans" [1]. In the documents after the deportation they were recorded as "Turks", "Soviet Turks", sometimes - "Azerbaijans" [2].
Since 1989, they supposed that the ethnonym "Meskhetian Turks" does not quite correspond to reality. In modern Georgian scientific literature prevail the ethnonyms "Meskhetians" and "Meskhi" [1, 2, 3].
At present, the most common self-name among them is the "Akhaltsikhe Turks" (Ahiska Türkleri).
The historical territory of the residence of Ahysk in the borders of the former USSR was the lands of Georgia; in particular, the overwhelming majority of Meskhetian Turks lived in the Akhaltsikhe region, which occupies the territory between the Adjarian Autonomous Republic in the west and Armenia in the east along the modern border of Georgia with Turkey. In 1944 they were deported to Kazakhstan during the Stalinist repressions. After the deportation the Turks Meskhetians, were documented as "Turks" or "Azerbaijans".
Hemshilli Turks or, in another way, they are called Hamshen Armenians, are of great interest to researchers, as they remain the most closed and poorly studied ethnic group. In the confessional relation, the Hemshilli Turks are Sunni Muslims. Until 1944, the Hemshilli Turks lived in Adjaria, later they were deported from Adjaria together with the Greeks, Kurds, and Turks by the decision of the State Defense Committee of the USSR as "unreliable population". They were forcibly placed in small groups as "special settlers" in the southern Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Although, like Meskhetians, Hemshilli were exempt from administrative supervision in 1956, they were also prevented from returning to the places where they were deported from [3].
For the ethnic identity of Hemshilli, it is characteristic that until recently many of them equally regarded themselves as Turks and Hemshilli. Turkish identity of Hemshilli has several motivations. The main one is a cultural (primarily religious) affinity of both groups. Further, all this is fixed in official documents: most Hemshilli in their Soviet passports in the column "nationality" are named "Turks" or "Hemshill Turks" [3].
General information about the Turkish ethnic group of Kazakhstan
One of the largest Turkic groups living in Kazakhstan is the Turks [Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Statistics, 2010].
The Turkish ethnic group, currently residing in Kazakhstan, was deported from Georgia in 1944. Unable to return to their homeland in Georgia, the Turks were scattered across many countries.
In Kazakhstan, according to preliminary data, there are about 180-200 thousand Turks. According to official data of the 2009 census, there are 105,000 Turks [Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Statistics, 2010]. The reason for such discrepancy is that many citizens are still unable to restore their true nationality, changed under the Soviet rule.
Representatives of the Turkish ethnic group currently reside in the southern regions of Kazakhstan: in Almaty, Zhambyl and South Kazakhstan regions. The largest percentage of the respondents, who participated in the survey, lives in Zhambyl region.
LANGUAGE SITUATION
In Kazakhstan several variants of the Turkish language are spoken: a variant of the language of Turks Ahiska, Hemshilli and Lazy. Ahiska Turks are divided into yerli (local) and trekeme. All variants of the Turkish language functioning in Kazakhstan are non-written and are on the verge of extinction [5].
It should be specially emphasized that the separation from the main Turkish ethnic massif, after the closure of the borders in the 20-s of the last century and deportation in 1944, led, in particular, to the preservation of the language and certain elements of traditional Turkish culture [6]. The language of the Kazakhstani Turks preserved in the form in which it existed before the Kemalist reform in the Republic of Turkey.
At the same time, the processes of cultural assimilation of Kazakhstani Turks simultaneously to Kazakh and Russian cultures are quite fast and the language and culture kept by the older generation need to be fixed by researchers [7]. A special study revealing the sociolinguistic situation of the Turkish diaspora in Kazakhstan has also not been conducted previously. From 2015-2017 years, a scientific study on the theme "Turkic world of Kazakhstan: language variants, cultural archetypes, identification of the Turkish diaspora", funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been conducted [8].
NATIONAL CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS
In the world, according to the European Center for Minorities (2011), 60-70% of Meskhetian Turks (Ahiska and Hemshilli) live in Kazakhstan, which amounts to 105,000 people, of which 20,995 people are residents of the South Kazakhstan region. In Almaty, live 5194 people, where the first Republican public organization - the cultural center "Turkiya" was established in the USSR [4].
The main goal of the center is to promote close rrelationship between the two fraternal peoples - Kazakh and Turkish, to enrich the Kazakhstani peoples mutually, to improve interethnic relations, to train national specialists (teachers, writers, cultural workers and spiritual leaders) through training of Turkish young people in educational institutions of Kazakhstan and Turkey. To improve inter-ethnic relations the "Assembly of the Peoples of Kazakhstan" was created in March 1995.
"The Society of Turks Ahiska in Kazakhstan" (STAK) has its regional branches and youth organizations. STAK is the successor of the Turkish Cultural Center (TCC), renamed in 1996. Currently, the STAK has an official status and a clear hierarchical structure. Branches of the STAK exist in almost every region of the three southern regions where live Meskhetian Turks (Ahiska). Formally, STAK exists at the expense of voluntary donations, but all the respondents say that 90% of the budget is personal funds of the Chairman Ziyatdin Khusamov [4].
In the early 1990s TCC actively tried to participate in the establishment of business and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Turkey. The organization was able to receive funding from both governments. It is noteworthy that the leaders of the TCC participated in the Turkish-Kazakh summits in 1991 and 1993. Turkish organizations also attracted the TCC as a partner in several projects, including teaching Turkish and building mosques and cultural centers [4].
ANALYSIS ON THE SOCIO-LINGUISTIC REVIEW OF TURKS RESIDING IN KAZAKHSTAN
206 representatives of the Turkish ethnic group took part in the survey conducted within the framework of the international project among them were 143 men (69.4%) and 63 women (30.6%). Families of 40 respondents (19.4%) were deported to Kazakhstan in 1944, 49 respondents who participated in the survey were born in Kazakhstan (23.8%) (www.tyurki.weebly.com). During the data processing we faced a number of problems, one of which concerns the identification of respondents under the passport and their self-identification. So, 195 respondents out of 206 respondents (94.7%) in the nationality column in the passport indicated themselves as Turks, 2 people (1.9%) have a record in the nationality column - Hemshili Turks and Meskhetian Turks, for 1 person (0,5%) have a record - Uzbek, Russian and Karaite; and 4 respondents have no record (1.9%) (www.tyurki.weebly.com.)
The analysis of the data showed that representatives of the Turkish ethnos were recorded as Turks, Meskhetian Turks, Hemshilli, Uzbeks, Azerbaijans. As for the issues concerning ethnic self-determination, there is a disproportion in the number of respondents recorded in the passport as Turks and identifying themselves as Turks. 251 respondents identify themselves as Turks, which is 45 more than the ones recorded in the passport as Turks. This is due to the fact that, for various reasons, representatives of the Turkish ethnos were registered in passports by different nationalities. Families of 40 respondents (19.4%) were deported in to Kazakhstan in 1944, 49 of respondents (23.8%) who participated in the survey were born in Kazakhstan.
In marriage, Turks prefer to marry to the representatives of their ethnic group. The analysis of the conducted survey showed the following:
The fathers of 174 respondents (94.7%) are Turks; 23 (11.2%) - Meskhetian Turks; 2 (1%) - Hemshill Turks, 1 (0.5%) Kazakh and 1 (0.5%) Azerbaijan, while 4 respondents (1.9%) have no data.
The nationality of the mothers is represented by 9 nationalities. The mothers' of 159 respondents (77.2%) are Turks, mothers of 2 respondents (1%) are recorded in the passport as Hemshilli Turks, Turks, 11 (5.3%) are recoded as Kazakhs; 9 (4.4%) are recorded as Azerbaijans; 6 (2.9%) are recorded as Russians; 4 (0.5%) - Uighurs; 3 (3.2%) Uzbeks and Kyrgyz; 2 (1%) - Chechen, Kurd, 2 respondents have no data about mothers’ nationalities(1%).
Thus, the nationality of the respondents who participated in the questionnaire, was determined by their fathers’ side who are mainly the representatives of their ethnic - Turks, and the mother's nationality is represented by various Turkic ethic groups (Azerbaijan, Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz) and other ethnic groups (Russian, Kurd, and Chechen).
In mixed Turkish families, the dominant position in the family is taken by a man. In ethnic self-determination, the dominant marker, regardless of ethnos, is the father's line, therefore the nationality of children is determined by the father's nationality. The analysis shows, the representatives of the Turkish ethnic group, as a rule, marry each other, thus preserving the language, traditions and original culture of their ethnic group. But there are also mixed marriages with the representatives of other nationalities.
The analysis of the study shows that Meskhetian Turks (Ahiska) and Hemshilli Turks for seventy years of residence in the territory of Kazakhstan identify themselves as Turks and refer themselves to one ethical group. In our opinion, this is facilitated by a number of factors:
- consolidation of the ethnos due to unification, and, as a result, increase of its viability in another territory;
- the acquisition of a historical ethnic homeland in the face of the Republic of Turkey, instead of Georgia, where Ahiska Turks and the Hemshilli Turks lived from time immemorial;
- creating conditions for the preservation of ethnic culture, language, etc;
- perspective for the emigration of the younger generation to Turkey.
Great attention in the questionnaire is paid to the language issues. The interrelation of language and ethnic identity is one of the main problems of psychological study of ethnic consciousness. In the process of interethnic interaction, ethnic identity is constructed on the basis of ideas that form a system of ethno-differentiating features, in which not only language, but also other values, norms, historical memory, religion, the idea of the native land, national character, folk art play their role. But the most common symbol of ethnic identity is the language with its emotional potential.
The facts revealed during the research confirm the importance of language as the main element of belonging to a certain ethnos.
The language block of the questionnaire (E-3) was formed by the respondents’ answers to the following questions:
- Your native language;
- What other languages can you speak, understand, read;
- Degree of proficiency in languages;
- How often is your native language used in speech between relatives, relatives, in society;
- Have you studied your native language;
- In which language (s) do you understand?
- Definition of national identity and the role of language;
- The role of language in the preservation of culture and traditions;
- Mother tongue and mass media, their interrelation;
- Do you consider that it is necessary to study the native language as a discipline at school;
- What is the role of the Kazakh language in your life?
The Turkish family with their relatives communicates in their native language (AhIska, Hemshilli, Terekeme). The use of the native language decreases with each new generation. The presence of three generations in the family creates the conditions for preserving the native language. However, the social changes taking place in the modern Kazakhstani society, the institutions of education require knowledge of other languages: Kazakh (State language), Russian (the language for interethnic communication), English (international).
All the respondents involved in the survey consider that it is important to know their native language, but regretfully admit that with the leaving of the older generation the knowledge of the native language and its role in the family is weakening. Only the older generation knows the mother tongue very well, the middle generation has a good spoken language. The younger generation are multilingual and use Turkish, Russian, Kazakh, and Russian for communication. The analysis of the study showed the following:
An analysis of the questionnaire of the language spoken in the family with schoolchildren:
95 (46.1%) - only in Turkish;
19 (9.2%) - only in Russian;
20 (9.7%) - in Russian and Turkish;
6 (2.9%) - in the Kazakh and Turkish languages;
30 (14.6%) - in the Kazakh, Russian and Turkish languages;
6 (2.9%) - in the Kazakh and Russian languages;
5 (2.4%) - only in Kazakh,
1 (0.5%) - in Bashkir and Kyrgyz languages;
23 (11.2%) - no data.
Analysis of the survey of the language spoken in the family with adults:
128 (62.1%) - only in Turkish;
13 (6.3%) - only in Russian;
17 (8.3%) - in Russian and Turkish;
2 (1.1%) - in Russian and Uzbek;
9 (4.4%) - in the Kazakh and Turkish languages;
11 (5.9%) - in the Kazakh, Russian and Turkish languages;
5 (2.4%) - in the Kazakh and Russian languages;
1 (0.5%) - only in the Kazakh, Bashkir and Kyrgyiz languages;
20 respondents (1.6%) - no data.
According to the survey the language that is used by respondents to communicate with people of other nationalities:
41 (19.9%) - only in Russian;
79 (38.3%) - in Kazakh and Russian languages;
9 (4.4%) - in Russian and Turkish;
20 (9.7%) - in Kazakh, Russian and Turkish languages;
13 (6.3%) - only in Kazakh language,
5 (2.4%) - only in Turkish;
39 (18.9%) no data.
The analysis showed that for the Turks the Russian language is the dominant language for communication with representatives of other nationalities www.tyurki.weebly.com
The analysis of the survey showed the following:
Only 20 respondents are fluent in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian (9.7%).
In public transport, at a doctor's reception, in a notary's office, respondents mostly use Kazakh and Russian languages:
92 people (44.7%) - Kazakh and Russian;
71 people (34.5%) - Russian;
8 people (3.9%) - Kazakh language;
7 people (3.4%) - Turkish language;
3 people (1.3%) - Russian and Turkish;
5 people (2.4%) - Kazakh, Russian and Turkish
About 20 respondents (9.7%) - no data.
At the same time, 57 respondents (27.7%) - read fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
18 respondents (8.7%) - read fluently in Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Russian, Turkish and Uzbek languages;
36 respondents (17.5%) - read fluently in Turkish;
23 respondents (11.2%) - read fluently in Russian and Turkish;
9 respondents (4.4%) - read fluently in Russian;
2 respondents (1%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Turkish and other languages;
5 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in Kazakh and Turkish;
4 respondents (1.9%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Russian, Turkish and Uzbek;
2 respondents (1%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Russian and Turkish;
5 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in Kazakh, Russian, Turkish and other languages;
11 respondents (5.3%) - read fluently in Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Russian and Uzbek;
3 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in English, Kazakh, Russian, Turkish;
3 respondents (2.4%) - read fluently in English and Turkish;
1 respondent (0.5%) - reads fluently in English, Russian, Turkish;
1 respondent (0.5%) - read fluently in English, Kazakh, Turkish and other languages,
10 respondents (4.9%) - no data.
51 people (24.8%) - write fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
67 people (32.5%) - understand fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
41 people (19.4%) read books, newspapers, magazines and ads fluently in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
For 60 people (29.1%) it is more understandable to listen to lectures, talks, reports, TV shows and radio programs in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian languages;
65 (31.6%) respondents are more likely to listen to concerts, watch performances in Turkish, Kazakh and Russian;
94 people (45.6%) answered that they did not need to explain films in Kazakh and Russian in their native language, and 17 respondents (8.3%) should be given explanations.
Representatives of the Turkish ethnos define the commonality with their ethnic and religious group as the determining factor. 169 respondents (82%) adhere to Islam, 3 respondents (1.5%) - agnosticism, and about 34 respondents (16.5%) no data).
As key problems in the field of interethnic relations, representatives of the Turkish ethnic group (24 respondents) answered that sometimes they face problems
- with Kazakhs - 1 respondent (4.1%);
- with Kurds - 2 respondents (8.3%);
- with Armenians, Kurds - 1respondent (4.1%).
- with Russians - 1 respondent (4.1%).
- No, our village is friendly - 19 respondents (79.1%);
Thus, the dominant number of Kazakhstani Turks who participated in the questionnaire believes that there is no pressure and discomfort between Kazakhs and other ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan. For the seventy years since the deportation, the Turks successfully integrated into the local community, the middle and young generation consider Kazakhstan as their homeland, feel safe and comfortable here.
In modern times, the social status of the Turks has changed. The analysis of the questionnaire data showed that the representatives of the Turkish ethnic group are currently:
teachers - 22 people (16.5%) -;
workers - 38 people (18.4%);
employees in the service sector 22 people (10.7%);
civil servants - 6 people (2.9%);
16 people (7.8%) who participated in the survey are unemployed;
47 people (22.8%) are involved in other activities, 8 (3.9%) - no data.
Among the respondents who participated in the survey were 34 students (16.5%) and 13 schoolchildren (6.6%).
As for folk art 55 correspondents (65.5%) remember fairy tales and myths that were told to them by their grandmothers and grandfathers but 19 (34,5%) respondents do not know any folk tales and myths.
The questionnaire ends with the questions "What would you like to add to your answers? Maybe you have any wishes on the publication of books and newspapers in your native language, cultural and educational work, schooling?".
Twelve respondents from 25 wrote the following wishes:
"Publish literature for children in Turkish"- 2 people (4%); "To teach children their mother tongue more" - 4 people (16%); "Knowledge of languages in Kazakhstan is important" – 1 person (4%); "Live in peace" - 1 person (4%). Respondents thank the researchers for their interest in the language, culture, traditions of the Turks living in Kazakhstan and wish good luck in the research - 4 people (16%). The remaining 13 people (52%) did not comment.
Thus, the analysis of the conducted research shows that among the representatives of the Turkish ethnic group living in Kazakhstan, there have been changes covering various aspects of the life of the ethnos. Significant changes have occurred in the sphere of using the native language. The mother tongue is constantly used only by the older generation of Turks, while the younger generation is dominated by Russian-Turkish, Kazakh-Turkish bilingualism.
An interesting fact deserving special study is the expansion of the functions of the modern Turkish language of the Republic of Turkey among the Kazakhstani Turks, instead of the dominant Russian and Kazakh languages. Representatives of the younger generation of the Turkish ethnic group prefer to use the vocabulary and grammatical forms of the modern Turkish language instead of the native language (Ahyska, Terekeme, Hemshilli). One of the reasons is the expansion of the possibilities of using information technologies, access to Internet resources in modern Turkish. The access to the programs of satellite television, watching popular TV shows, programs in Turkish, and also going to work in Turkey contribute to the development of the Turkish language among the young generation of the Kazakhstani Turks [9].
Literature:
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2. Gadzhiev A. Na chuzhbine. Etnicheskaja kul'tura ahalcihskih (meshetinskih) turok. B., 1992.
3. Torlakjan B. G. Etnografija amshenskih armjan // Amshenskaja biblioteka. № 1. Istoriko-etnologicheskij sbornik. Krasnodar, 2002
4. http://www.ahiska-gazeta.com/kz/centerhistories/95/
5. Nevskaja I.A., Tazhibaeva S.Zh. Sovremennaja tjurkologija i mezhdunarodnoe sotrudnichestvo na evrazijskom prostranstve. – Global-Turk. International Journal for Information and Analytics. – Turkic Academy. - №1, 2014.
6. Nevskaya I., Tazhibayeva S. 2015 b. Sociolinguistic situation of Oguz Turks in post-Soviet Kazakhstan In: Oguzlar. Dilleri, Tarihleri ve Kulturleri – Ankara, 2015 – P. 321-334. – ISSN 978-975-491-405-4.
7. Nevskaya I., Tazhibayeva S. 2015b. Turkic Languages of Kazakhstan: Problems and research perspectives. In: Lars Johanson (ed.) Turkic Languages. Volume 16, 2014. Numbers 1/2. – P. 289-302. – Harrassowitz Verlag. Weisbaden, 2015. ISSN 1431-4983.
8. Tazhibaeva S.Zh., Nevskaja I.A., Rind-Pavlovski M. Dokumentirovanie ischezajushhih jazykov: mezhdunarodnyj opyt, metody, tehnologii – Vestnik ENU, №5 (114) 2016b -I – S. 159-167.
9. Nevskaja I.A., Tazhibaeva S.Zh. Dokumentirovanie ischezajushhih variantov tureckogo jazyka i sozdanie jelektronnoj bazy sociolingvisticheskih issledovanij – Tүrk әlemі zhәne halyқaralyқ bajlanystar: Tarih, Tұlғa, Keleshek – Halyқ-aralyқ ғylymi teoretikalyқ konferencija materialdary – Astana, 2017. – S. 248-252
Tazhibayeva S.Zh.
