Living Language in Kazakhstan: The Dialogic Emergence of an Ancestral Worldview

Central Eurasia in Context

by Eva Marie Dubuisson

Eva-Marie Dubuisson provides a fascinating anthropological inquiry into the deeply ingrained presence of ancestors within the cultural, political, and spiritual discourse of Kazakhs. In a climate of authoritarianism and economic uncertainty, many people in this region turn to their forebearers for care, guidance, and advice, invoking them on a daily basis. This “living language” creates a powerful link to the past and a stable foundation for the present. Through Dubuisson’s participatory, observational, and lived experience among Kazakhs, we witness firsthand the public performances and private rituals that show how memory and identity are sustained through an oral tradition of invoking ancestors. This ancestral dialogue sustains a unifying worldview by mediating questions of faith and morality, providing role models, and offering a mechanism for socio-political critique, change, and meaning-making. Looking beyond studies of Islam or heritage alone, Dubuisson provides fresh insights into understanding the Kazakh worldview that will serve students, researchers, GMOs, and policymakers in the region.

Genres: Language

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2017

Reviews

[Noor O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful and sensitive look at the way the past haunts the present in Kazakh society. Dubuisson is a compelling narrator as she brings us along with her as she learns about how Kazakhs nurture relationships with their ancestors through prayers, blessings, and extemporaneous poetry. Despite the struggles of independence and authoritarianism, Kazakhs maintain a strong connection with sacred realms in which community values are upheld and nourished.