THE SOVIET HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE QUESTION OF KAZAKHSTAN’S HISTORY

THE QUESTION OF KAZAKHSTAN’S HISTORY 75
STUDIES ON KENESARY KASYMULY IN THE KAZAK AND
KYRGYZ HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE ROLE OF
ERMUKHAN BEKMAKHANOV *
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güljanat Kurmangaliyeva Ercilasun **
Studying the movement led by Kenesary Kasymuly 100 has been one
of the important and problematic issues of the 19 th century Kazak and
Kyrgyz historiography. This subject started to be studied in Tsarist
times and has taken its place in the historiography at the various
and even contrasting edges. In the Kazak historiography, evaluations
regarding Kenesary’s revolt differ mainly as Soviet-era and post-Soviet
era, while in the Kyrgyz historiography this topic involves differences
in terms of opinions rather than era.
Research about Kenesary Kasymuly has shown changes over time
and regimes. The rebellion first occurred and was first registered during
the Tsarist Russia period, and was characterized as a negative
movement. Riots under the leadership of Kenesary Kasymuly between
1837 and 1847 occurred in many parts of the Kazak territory, with the
support of all three Kazak jüzes 101 . He was recorded as a rebellious
bandit, since Kenesary fought against the Tsarist Russia’s expansionist
policies and wanted to revive the Kazak Khanate.
History was very significant and prestigious issue under the Soviet
regime. History writing ought to fit certain frames, in accordance with
the Marxist and Leninist viewpoints. History of the people had to be
written within certain formats; for instance, the people joined Russia
voluntarily; working class, farmers and the masses were oppressed
by the bourgeois and feudal classes; and they reached welfare thanks
to the October Revolution and the Soviet Communist Party. Indeed,
in Kazak and Kyrgyz cases, historians had to write that these people
joined Russia by their own free will, and also underline that they were
brutally exploited and suppressed by old feudal leaders, clan leaders and
wealthy strata of their societies. While writing these topics, the issues
*
This article is an extended version of the paper “Кaзaк жaнa кыргыз тaрыхнaaмaлaрындa
Кенесaры Кaсым уулунун иШмердүлүгүнүн изилдениШи” (Stydying Kenesary Kasymuly’s
Activities in the Kazak and Kyrgyz Historiography), published in 2006, in Bishkek.
**
Ph. D., Associate Professor, Gazi University, Department of Modern Turkic Studies
100 Kasymuly means son of Kasym.
101 The Kazaks have 3 jüzes/zhuzes (hordes) which is a part of the genealogical identity. It is
supposed that jüzes appeared in the 16 th-17th centuries, and also had territorial, administrative
and military dimensions. These are Uly jüz, Orta jüz and Kishi jüz.