Shynaray Burkitbayeva and Mereke Kassymbayev
(Al-Farabi Kazakh National University)
Ethnographic Features of Kazakhs Living in the Sacred Altai Mountains
68th Annual Meeting of the PIAC, Bangkok 2026
The Altai Mountains are one of the oldest historical and cultural regions in the Eurasian space. This area is not only a geographical formation, but also known as one of the ancient homelands of many Turkic peoples, including the Kazakhs. The Altai Mountains are located at the intersection of four countries — Kazakhstan, Russia, China, and Mongolia. For this reason, Kazakhs live in all four parts of the Altai region, preserving their language, culture, and traditions. In the part of Altai that belongs to Kazakhstan, Kazakhs have lived since ancient times. This region includes areas associated with the present-day East Kazakhstan Region and the foothills of the Altai Mountains. Here, traditional Kazakh livelihoods such as livestock breeding, hunting, and handicrafts are well developed. The nomadic and semi-nomadic way of life, adapted to mountainous natural conditions, has given a distinctive character to their daily life.
Kazakhs are also densely settled in the Mongolian part of Altai. The main center of this region is the Bayan-Ölgii area. Kazakhs began to settle here in the second half of the 19th century, and today they constitute the majority of the region’s population. The Kazakhs of Bayan-Ölgii have well preserved their national traditions, language, clothing styles, and culture. In addition, traditional Kazakh arts are widely practiced in this region, especially the tradition of hunting with golden eagles. One of the major cultural events that promotes this tradition worldwide is the Golden Eagle Festival.
Kazakhs also live in the part of Altai located within China. These Kazakhs are mainly settled in the Altai region of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. Historically, the Kazakhs in China are considered descendants of tribes that migrated across the Altai and Zhetysu regions. They have preserved their traditional pastoral economy and continue to maintain their national culture and customs. In this region, there are schools that provide education in the Kazakh language, as well as cultural centers and organizations that promote national arts.
Kazakhs also reside in the Russian part of Altai. They are primarily settled in the Altai Republic and Altai Krai within Russia. Although the number of Kazakhs in Russia is relatively small, they strive to preserve their ethnic identity. The Kazakh diaspora actively works through cultural associations to develop and sustain their native language, traditions, and culture. Thus, Kazakhs live across all four parts of the Altai region — in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and Russia. This fact demonstrates that the Altai region represents a historical homeland for the Kazakh people. For centuries, the Kazakhs of Altai have lived in harmony with nature, preserving the rich traditions of nomadic culture. Therefore, the culture and ethnographic features of Altai Kazakhs constitute an important part of the spiritual heritage of the entire Kazakh nation.