Disruption of Pastoral Nomadism: The Impacts of Russian Colonialism on the Kazakh Steppe during the 19ᵗʰ and 20ᵗʰ Centuries

Year 2024, Issue: 111, 29 - 52, 31.10.2024

Emre Teğin

https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.11102

Abstract

This study examines the multifaceted impacts of Russian colonization on the Kazakh Steppes during the 19ᵗʰ and 20ᵗʰ centuries. The colonization process caused significant destruction in various fields in the region, including migration routes, livestock herds, socioeconomic life, trade networks, housing and dietary patterns of nomadic communities. Russian expansionism, aimed at establishing control over the steppe, led to the blockage of ancient migration routes and the restriction of nomadic economic resources. The blockage of migration routes, forced transition to capitalism, forced sedentarization and interaction with sedentary life transformed the livestock herds of the nomads. Socio-economic life and trade were restructured by the Tsardom for reasons such as integration into the Russian Empire market, change of commercial centers and concentration of wealth. The changing structure of pastoral nomadism also led to transformations in housing and diet. Comprehending the complex dynamics of Russian colonialism on the Kazakh Steppe will reveal the destruction of nomadic life by scrutinizing the historical and contemporary sociocultural landscape of the region.

Keywords

Kazakh Steppe, Russian colonialism, sedentarization, pastoral nomadism, Russian colonizers, settler colonialism

Konargöçer Yaşamın Tahribatı: 19. ve 20. Yüzyıllarda Rus Sömürgeciliğinin Kazak Bozkırı Üzerindeki Etkileri

Abstract

Bu çalışma 19. ve 20. yüzyıllarda Rus Sömürgeciliğinin Kazak Bozkırları üzerindeki çok yönlü etkilerini incelemektedir. Sömürgeleştirme süreci, konargöçer toplulukların göç yolları, hayvan sürüleri, sosyoekonomik
yaşamı, ticaret ağları, barınma ve beslenme kalıpları da dâhil olmak üzere bölgede çeşitli yönleriyle göçer iktisadi yaşam üzerinde önemli tahribatlara yol açmıştır. Bozkır üzerinde kontrol kurmayı amaçlayan
Rus yayılmacılığı, kadim göç yollarının tıkanmasına ve konar-göçer iktisadi kaynaklarının kısıtlanmasına yol açmıştır. Göç yollarının tıkanması, zorla sömürge ekonomisine geçirilme, yerleşik yaşam tarzına
zorlanma ya da yerleşik yaşamla etkileşim kurulması konar-göçerlerin hayvan sürülerini de dönüştürmüştür. Sosyoekonomik yaşam ve ticaret ise Rus İmparatorluğu pazarına entegrasyon, ticari merkezlerin değişimi ve servet yoğunlaşması gibi nedenlerle Çarlık tarafından yeniden yapılandırılmıştır. Konargöçer yaşamın değişen yapısı barınma ve beslenme biçimi üzerinde de dönüşümlere yol açmıştır. Kazak Bozkırı
üzerindeki Rus sömürgeciliği kaynaklı karmaşık dinamikleri anlamak, bölgenin tarihsel ve çağdaş sosyokültürel manzarasını mercek altına alarak konargöçer yaşamın maruz kaldığı tahribatı ortaya çıkaracaktır.

Keywords

Kazak Bozkırı, Rus sömürgeciliği, yerleşikleştirme, pastoral göçebelik, Rus yerleşimciler, yerleşimci sömürgecilik

Supporting Institution

This study was completed within the scope of “TUBITAK 2219 – International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program”.

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