Associated Professor, Cand. Sc. (History) Menlibayev G.A.

Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abai / Kazakhstan, Almaty.

History of origin of Little Jüz tribes of Kazakh people

Legends of Little Jüz (Kazakh: Кіші жүз, Kişi jüz) tribes origin are as follows: “in the possessions of Alacha or Alachen khan “skewbald or flea-bitten people (apparently due to variola – Kazantsev’s guess), called chenchak (freckled), began to be born”: Khan ordered to reave of life mothers, who give birth to such children, but also his favourite wife bore him a skewbald son; khan granted her a life, but ordered to pack her off to the steppe together with the son, “having given to him for consolation kirk-gyz, i.e. forty virgins”, from which posterity and Kirghiz people originated”. [1]. N. Aristov connects this legend with Dingling, ala people, who inhabited Alakchin country, “where according to Turkic proverb – all horses are skewbald, and the stoves are from gold. This country was located in the mouth of Angara-Muran, i.e. Yenisei, as Abulghazi-bahadur-khan advised”. And further, as N. Aristov writes, it follows that Little Jüz tribes originated as a result of mixture of Türks with western Dinglings and Ugric-Finns.

The Gaoguis, as reported by N.Bichurin and N.Aristov, were descendants of Chi-di, who lived in VII century B.C. in the south-east Ordos. Chi-di was also named Dili and in the north they were given the name of Gaogui Dinglings. “They usually rode carts with high wheels, wherefore at Yuan Wei dynasty they were also named Gao-gui (or Gaoche – high cart, in Chinese) or Chile, erroneously transformed to Tiele”. If we refer to the time of existence of tribal alliance Tiele, then we can find that Az tribe along with Tiele is mentioned as tribe, which inhabited near Yenisei.

Important information about some tribes is contained in the Section of Chinese “Review of Tang dynasty”, which remained non-translated and represents united unused materials from dynasty chronicles.

Section we are interested in is referred to as “Tamgas of the horses from vassal princedoms” and according to translator and commentator of this composition Yu.A. Zuev “it represents list of tamgas of Central and Middle Asia tribes, which supplied and sold their horses to the army of the Tang Empire” [2 ]. Separate chapters of “Review of Tang dynasty” were compiled during various periods. Commentator dates composition of tamgas section approximately to the third quarter of VIII century. Section provides 36 tamgas of tribes, this information can serve as an important additional source for study of these tribes localization problem, as well as become a help in the question of restoration of Central and Middle Asia peoples ethnogenesis process.

“Review of Tang dynasty” mentions Ge-lo-chji tribe (E-lo-chji), aforementioned boma tribe (“skewbald horses”). Elements of this tribe were present within basmyls, kirguts, conquered by Western Turkic qaghans in VII century. Ethnonym E-lo-chji is traced back to Alachin, Alchin – “the earliest transmission of the main ethnic component in the Kazakh Junior Juz and parts of Uzbeks”. Regarding localization of skewbald horse tribes, Yu. Zuev denotes the sources of Angara and the area of the east cost of lake Baikal, called in the Chinese chronicles “Bei-khai” – “Northern sea”.

According to Abul-Ghazi, information about the tribe of skewbald horses contains the following: “A multitude of their tribes coached along the banks of the Angara-muren, which runs on the east of the Kirghiz country, and absorbing tributes of the small rivers that increase its waters, runs into the sea. At the estuary of this river, on the seacoast, is a large city surrounded by settlements, where in large numbers live nomadic tribes. Their horses were large... All of them were skewbald in color, there are no others. Near that city called Alakchin was a silver spring, therefore all caldrons, dishes, and vases were from silver. It is that country that the Uzbeks mean when say: “there is a country where all horses are skewbald, and the stoves are from gold”. [3].

Chinese sources define the locality of Alachins to the north from Tu-tsüe, near Kirguts on the sea coast. A legend survived, recorded by A. Levshin: “It is said that once the Kazakhs were one with Alats, or the Siberian Tatars. [They] separated from them by virtue of internal disputes” [4]. As regards description of “skewbald horses” husbandry, Tangshu tells about them: “[they] are north from Tu-tsüe (Türks), are 14000 li from the [China] capital. [They] follow grass and water [i.e. are coaching], but mostly live in the mountains. Standing army of 30,000 men. There always stands snow, and trees (= foliage) do not fall down. [They] plough fields with horses. All horses [are] skewbald colors, therefore the state is also given the same name. [They] live in the north near a sea. Though [they] have horses, [they] do not ride them, but use their milk for food. [They] frequently are at war with Tsze-gu (Kirguts)”. [5].

The fate of tribes, associated with Alchin ethnic component, is predicated upon their sojourn with Jujans, then within Turkic Kaganate, with whom they conquered Semirechye, further their historical way goes to XIV century, when they form the basis of Nogai-khan’s army. Poems, which remained in the public mind, speak for their development during Golden Horde existence. Later Alshyn settlement places depended on the territory of Aktyubinsk, Uralsk, Kostanai and Orenburg regions.

Shakarim, mentioning Alshyns, points at their roots unity with Yeniseian Kirghizes. “Probably, - writes Shakarim – even their direct descendants”. In this connection Shakarim makes mention, certainly, of Chinese term Boma, who participated in ethnogenesis of Kirgiz nation. I’m referring to Boma tribe, of whom it was written above.

Shakarim also denotes affinity of Kazakhs with Kalmucks. That’s how remaining Turkic tribes were called in Mongolia under Genghis Khan’s rule. Literally “Kalmuck” means “those who remained”. Under Genghis Khan Kalmucks began to be called in the western part of Mongolian troop as “Oirat” - i.e. Oirat-Kalmucks. Among Kalmyk clans there is Teles clan. Karakalmucks, who are also called Teleuts, have the same clan. Shakarim also reveals that Teleuts take their name from Old Turkic tribe Tele. Kalmucks call them Tolenguts. And further Shakarim writes that “Teleuts” came from Kalmucks [6].

Determining Alachins participation in formation of Teleuts, one can draw a connection between Alchins with Dinglings. “If Dinglings are Tele, - wrote one of the famous researchers of Siberian peoples ethnogenesis D. Savinov, - then further formation of a number of large nations of Old Turkic epoch – Uigurs, Seyanto, ... and other shall be connected with their environment” [7].

“Skewbald people” - descendants of Dinglings inhabited Yenisei. The Chinese mentioned 2 possessions of Dingling: one in the north from Kangju (Kangly), the other to the north from Uighuriya, that corresponded to Yenisei pool. Do the oldest clans of Small Horde descend, wrote N. Aristov, - ... from crossbreed with western Dinglings [8]. Agreeing with N. Aristov, Kazakhstani researcher of Kypchaks origin problem S.M. Akhinzhanov writes, “those western Dinglings were a substrate, having mixed up with which, certain Turkic-speaking Teles tribes gave complicated ethnic type, that became known in history firstly under the name of Seyanto, then Kypchaks and thereafter Polovtsians”.

According to Chinese information of XIII c. “kipchaks had blue eyes and ginger hair. Very likely that light colour resulted from a crossbreed between Dinglings and Finns”.

In support of his version N. Aristov cites G.N. Potanin written legend of Kereit, where relationship of this clan with Dinglings, thus with Yeniseian Kirghizes, is distinctly visible. But tamga of the Kereits clan -{- is the same as Teleu’s, probably these kindred tribes have one origin. At the same time Adai, Kete, Tortkara clans also have this tamga [9].

We read the following from Akhinzhanov about the problem of Little Jüz tribes origin: “The earliest mention of the Kazakh tribe names in the sources refers to Little Jüz tribes. Many of them are descended from ancient Kypshaks and Noghays. Little Jüz Tribes were formed from the western branch of Turkic confederation (Saka union) of Sarmatians and Alans, and also white Huns. In IV century they had relationship with Huns.

Some of Little Jüz tribes were in Hazaria kaganate, in 1223 in sovereignty of Genghis Khan many Little Jüz tribes were the part of Kipchak Khanate, in 1227 during formation of Blue Horde (XIII-XIV centuries) appeared there. After falling of Golden Horde in the beginning of XVI century these tribes joined the Middle Jüz as vassals prior to Zunghar invasion, in 1731 they joined Russia” [10].

The period of early Middle Ages was characterised by constant movement of nomadic tribes, change of their habitats. In this respect it is uncontroversial that Huns, which reached the most western borders of modern Kazakhstan and much further, have taken active part in process the Turkic peoples ethnogenesis. These moves of nomadic tribes, were accompanied by formation of the new states, in which were conquered, once powerful confederations of tribes. The Tele confederation, which origin was traced to Dinglings and Hunnu, was one of such powerful formations which had fallen under dependence Turkic Kaganate and after its disintegration as a result of constant movement and mixture with different ethnic elements reached apparently far western borders. Some tribes have lost their former value, have descended from a historical scene and their name disappears with the lapse of time in written monuments. Maybe splinters of a Tele tribe have really found its reflection in the Teleu tribe name.

There is a set of versions of an origin of the Kazakh people, being born in peoples mind in stories, legends and tales. Descendants of Little Jüz trace their origin to Alchin-murza. G.N. Potanin, who has collected the Kazakh and Altay legends, lists the following clans of Little Jüz. “Small Century of Alchins: Alchin, Zhappas, Aday, Berish, Nazir, Chulen, Dzhagai-baily, Kerderi, Kireit, Tama, Tabyn, Tleu” [11]. Common battle cry of Alchins according to this legend is Aldiyar. The same story kept an interesting legend about association of Zhetyru tribes. In general, Kazakhs have a set of drawn interrelations with 7 generations, 7 clans, 7 peoples. Here one of such. “Kireys and Uaks were the drones of the younger wife Momyn (Momyn Tokalnyng kermesi). She married them and gave them the inheritance, inchi. Hence they (in a note: Kandzhagaly, Tobukty, Karaul, Basen - Tsin, Altai, Kirey and Uak) are called as Dzhety- momyn (seven peoples). These Kireys and Uaks can be reckoned among seven clans, which arrived from a wind, dzhil. Seven horsemen from the people of Gasan-kaigy, from locality Dzhiydeli-Baishyn accidentally arrived; they were divided into three centuries among themselves: Middle Century got Kirey and Uak, Small Century got Tabyn and Tlev... ”. There is a more widespread version of the same legend. All tribes of the Kazakh people descended from Alasha-khan, "the skewbald" boy who was born according to legend in about 1362 from some Turkestani khan and his young wife and taken away by the order of khan beyond Syr Darya “in possessions of the Kara-nogay people”. This boy was brought up by a poor man. A few years later this boy became the young man, known for his talents and feats. His father, having heard about him, sends children of his adviser - bai. Names of these sons are Uysun, Bulat and junior Alchin. The father of these sons sends them by turn with one hundred men on a search of khan’s son. All three sons did not return. They settled along Syr Darya and proclaimed that boy as a khan, having named him Alacha-khan. Further, legends advise that in every Jüz there are newcomers - kerme. So, in Little Jüz the newcomers are Tama, Tabyn, Teleu, Ramadan and Dzhagalbayly. The legend about newcomers in the widespread version rings as follows: “Kerey and Uak clans are newcomers of the Middle Horde; they are considered newcomers because when people of three centuries, uch-juz, have formed of themselves three separate tribes, there was someone by name of Asan-kaygy from Khasen-khan descendants. This Asan-kaygy, wishing to move to the world's end, where there is no winter, reconnoitered about the land and having moved in Dzhideli-Baysyn, an area beyond Bukhara, remained there and sent seven persons to the people of three centuries (uch-juz) to invite them (to move on): but three els had no possibility to move to Asan-kaygy in Dzhiydeli-Baysyn, because of their war with enemies. Therefore they retained these seven persons, having distributed them as follows: Uysun took Kanly and Chanshkly, Orta-juz took Kerey and Uak, Kshi-juz took Tabyn and Teleu, and the seventh person Tama remained untaken. Then the following condition was made: to let the runners from all three juzes and the one, whose runner comes first, will take disputable Tama. The first has come running бегунец савролысой the colours, belonging to Younger Horde (Kshi-juz), and Kshi-juz took Tamu. Descendants of these seven messengers have received the name of Dzheti-ruu that means «seven sorts» at Cossacks. The runner of roan-bald colour, belonging to Small Horde (Kshi-juz), came first and Kshi-juz took Tama. Cossacks gave to descendants of these seven envoys the name of Dzheti-ruu, that means “seven clans”.

As regards the term “Alchin”, it is known that it was used as the name of tribal unions of Little Jüz - alim-uly, bay-uly, Jetiru. Sometimes Alchins are linked with general tribal name Alash, which is simultaneously identified with the name “Kazakh”. Alash acts now as the descendant of ancient Türks, now “in a role of mythical aged man - adviser of three Kazakh juzes”. According to the family tree of Türks by Abulghazi, “Alshyn” is the nickname of Genghis Khan’s elder son Juchi-khan. His ulus was located in the western territories of Kazakhstan. The same Abulghazi links Alachin with the above named Dinglings and “Boma” tribe, with Alakchin country on Angara - Muran (Yenisei). Acknowledgement of existence of this country is given further by Abulghazi in connection with the fact that the senior widow of Tuli-khan, who owned these lands, sent to Alakchin an army detachment a 1 thousand strong on ships; that army lost many people from unusual heat in that country, but confirmed the stories about an extraordinary abundance of silver in it, which they however did not bring with themselves …” [12].

In his time S. Amanzholov argued against the theory of Alchyns origin from the name "Po-ma". What is at issue is non-conformity of information in different sources. If in Tangshu, it is a case of people, having skewbald horses, just as Abulghazy says, then by Kazakh legend it is a case of the so-called "motley" people exiled by Alasha khan. Thus, in all names related to existence of "motley" people such as "Bo-ma", "E-lo-chji", "Gjun-ma" S. Amanzholov does not find any conformity. He quotes V. Bartold that a word "ala" corresponds to Chinese "bo-ma". In the opinion of S. Amanzholov it is improper to compare here Kazakh “Alshyn” and “Alacha” with "Bo-ma" [13].

At the same time in relation to the term “A-lo-chji” S. Amanzholov expresses an idea about probable likeness of this name with the tribe Halazh, Kalach, Alash, mentioned by Rashid-ad-Din, Mahmud al-Kashgari and Ibn-Batutta. This implies that the battle cry of Kazakh “Alash” can be traced, according to S. Amanzholov, to the above specified people, “who always lived in the neighbourhood, in alliance with Oghuz Turks, Kypchaks, Kangly and Karluks”. Further S. Amanzholov admits the analogy drawn by N. Aristov in respect of a word “Alshyn” with Alakchin as Abulghazy has it. S. Amanzholov also considers that there is no ground to assert that “Alshyn” has a root ala. In this respect one can rather confront “Alshyn” with “Altyn”.

Drawing correspondence of a word “Alshyn” with toponymic names of Altai, the researcher comes to a conclusion that “the native land of many Kazakh tribes, including Alshyns, is Altai”. “It is obvious, - as S. Amanzholov writes further, - that in X century the part of Alshyn tribe along with Kipchaks, Polovtsians, Pechenegs and Cumans within Kangly moved to the West and reached Egypt”.

Hereafter S. Amanzholov believes that as Alshyns make about 1/3 of Kazakh people, then the influence on language and general culture of all people was indubitable. Alshyns carried over Golden Horde legends to the Kazakh epos. Some branches of Alshyns in XII-XIV centuries were the part of Nogais, whose considerable part passed to Kazakhs in XVI century.

There also exist autochthonic theories of Little Jüz tribes origin. So, for example, known is the theory of drawing of an analogy between ethnonyms Alshyn and Alazones, mentioned by Herodotus in the "History" as a tribe, which lived in V century B.C. at the coast of the Black sea. According to M. Tynyshpayev “the Turkic tribe Alchyn came out of Altay mountains, probably before V century B.C.; it is possible that Alazones of Herodotus is nothing else than Alchyns, i.e. Cossacks; Turkic tribes Berendei, Torks, maybe also Pechenegs apparently united under the name of “Cossack” or “Alchyn”, which as far back as in those times were divided into clans Cherkesh, Bersh, Aday, Tana, Ramadan, Tama, etc.; Kassoges or Cossacks in X, XI centuries undoubtedly consisted of these clans. Till 1300 Alchyns lived to the north of the Caucasian mountains, the Azov and Black seas. Thereafter they moved eastward, in the lower reaches of Volga, where the old name “Cossack” and the new “Nogai” was transferred by the name of a well-known warrior Nogai-khan; their common battle cry was “Alash” [14]. Anthropological researches of craniological materials, which were discovered in the burials of Pritobolie in the Kustanay region and are dated VIII-X centuries, showed morphological features of skulls, having the traits of mixed Turanoid race, “which to the full extent correspond to craniological type of modern Kazakhs”. All of this testified to the effect that at the turn of I and II Millennium A.D. ethnic processes were actively going on in the environment of local tribes, whose great bulk consisted of the ancestors of modern Kazakhs, entering Kypchak confederation of tribes [15].

Chinese sources define the locality of Alachins to the north from Tu-tsüe, near Kirguts on the sea coast. A legend survived, recorded by A. Levshin: “It is said that once the Kazakhs were one with Alats, or the Siberian Tatars. [They] separated from them by virtue of internal disputes”. As regards description of “skewbald horses” husbandry, Tangshu tells about them: “[they] are north from Tu-tsüe (Türks), are 14000 li from the [China] capital. [They] follow grass and water [i.e. are coaching], but mostly live in the mountains. Standing army of 30,000 men. There always stands snow, and trees (= foliage) do not fall down. [They] plough fields with horses. All horses [are] skewbald colors, therefore the state is also given the same name. [They] live in the north near a sea. Though [they] have horses, [they] do not ride them, but use their milk for food. [They] frequently are at war with Tsze-gu (Kirguts)”.

The fate of tribes, associated with Alchin ethnic component, is predicated upon their sojourn with Jujans, then within Turkic Kaganate, with whom they conquered Semirechye, further their historical way goes to XIV century, when they form the basis of Nogai-khan’s army. Poems, which remained in the public mind, speak for their development during Golden Horde existence. Later Alshyn settlement places depended on the territory of Kyzylorda, Aktyubinsk, Uralsk, Atyrau, Mangyshlak and Kostanai regions. Up to this day descendants of Alshyns live in the native land of ancestors, i.e. in Western Kazakhstan.

List of bibliography:

1. Aristov N.A., Notes about ethnic structure of Türkic tribes and ethnic groups and information about their size // Zhivaya starina. - SPb., 1897. –Ed.З-4.-P.277-456.

2. Zuev Yu.A. Tamgas of the horses from vassal princedoms // New materials on ancient and medieval history of Kazakhstan. - A-Ata: AN KazSSR, 1960. -P.95-128.

3. Abul-Ghazi Bahadur-khan. Family tree of Türks. - M.- Tashkent. -Bishkek, 1996.-P.187-319.

4. Levshin A.I., Description of the Kirgiz - Kais (Kazakh) hordes and steppes / Under the editorship of M.K. Kozybayev. - Almaty: Sanat, 1996. - 656 p.

5. Zuev Yu.A. Tamgas of the horses from vassal princedoms // New materials on ancient and medieval history of Kazakhstan. - A-Ata: AN KazSSR, 1960. -P.95-128.

6. Shakarim Kudaiberdy-uly. Family tree of Türks, Kirghizs, Kazakhs and khan dynasties. - Alma-Ata: "Zhazushy", 1990. - 117 p.

7. Savinov D.G. Peoples of southern Siberia during Old Turkic epoch. - L.: Ed. of Leningrad university, 1984. - 176 p.

8. Aristov N.A., Notes about ethnic structure of Türkic tribes and ethnic groups and information about their size // Zhivaya starina. - SPb., 1897. - Ed.З-4.-P.277-456.

9. Akhinzhanov C.M. Kipchaks in the history of medieval Kazakhstan. –Alma-Ata: Science KazSSR, 1989. - 294 p.

10. Akynzhanov M. Concerning Kazakhs origin. Brief review. - Almaty: Kaz.meml.basp., 1957. - 163 p.

11. Potanin G.N. Kazakh-Kirghiz and Altai fables, legends and tales // Zhivaya starina. -Pt, 1916. -P. 109-112.

12. Abul-Ghazi Bahadur-khan. Family tree of Türks. - M.- Tashkent. - Bishkek, 1996.-P.187-319.

13. Amanzholov S. Issues of Kazakh language dialectology and history. -Alma-Ata: Kazuchpedgiz, 1959. - 4.1. - 452 p.

14. Tynyshpayev M. History of the Kazakh nation /Compilers and authors of foreword Prof. Takenov A.S. and Baigaliyev B. – Alma-Ata: Publishing house “Kazakh university”, 1993. - 224 p.

15. Ismagulov O., Ismagulova A. Turkic peoples of North and Central Kazakhstan and their ethnoanthropologic links with old ancestors of Kazakhs and Magyars // Otan tarikhy. - 2008. – No.3. - P.65-68.