Kyrgyz

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Kyrgyz

A traditional Kyrgyz Manaschi performing part of the Manas epic poem at a yurt camp in Karakol

Total population

approx. 5 100 000

Regions with significant populations

Kyrgyzstan	3.35 million	[1]
Uzbekistan	225,000
China	144,000	[2]
Tajikistan	81,000
Russia	32,000	[3]
Kazakhstan	11,000	[4]
Ukraine	3,000	[5]

Languages

Kyrgyz

Religions

Sunni Islam, Shamanism

Related ethnic groups

other Turkic people

Kyrgyz (also spelled Kirghiz) are a Turkic ethnic group found primarily in Kyrgyzstan.

There are several etymological theories on the name "Kyrgyz." First, the name Kyrgyz may mean "forty girls" (kyrk + kyz), a reference to the Manas epic unifying forty small tribes against the Chinese on one side and the Muslim expansion on the other. This is symbolized by the yellow sun in the center of the flag of Kyrgyzstan, which has 40 rays referring to forty Kyrgyz tribes. Next, a meaning of "forty tribes" (kyrk + uuz) which makes more direct sense. Finally, a meaning with totally different word formulation (kyrgys, adj.), meaning "imperishable", "inextinguishable" or "undying". This version has an obvious popular appreciation. Historical evidence for many conflicts with other peoples also supports this theory.

1 Origins
2 The Kyrgyz in China
3 Religion
4 Notable Kyrgyz people
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References and further reading

[edit] Origins

According to recent historical findings, Kyrgyz history dates back to 201 BC. The early Kyrgyz lived in the upper Yenisey River valley, central Siberia. The discovery of the Pazyryk and Tashtyk cultures show them as a blend of Turkic and Iranian nomadic tribes. Chinese and Muslim sources of the 7th–12th centuries AD describe the Kyrgyz as red-haired with fair complexion and green (blue) eyes. First appearing in Chinese records of the Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (compiled 109 BC to 91 BC), as Gekun or Jiankun (鬲昆 or 隔昆), and later as part of the Tiele tribes, they were once under the rule of Göktürks and Uyghurs.

The descent of the Kyrgyz from the autochthonous Siberian population is confirmed on the other hand by recent genetic studies.^[1] Remarkably, 63% of modern Kyrgyz men share Haplogroup R1a1 (Y-DNA) with Tajiks (64%), Ukrainians (54%), Poles (56%), and even Icelanders (25%). Haplogroup R1a1 (Y-DNA) is believed to be a marker of the Proto-Indo-European language speakers.

The Kyrgyz state reached its greatest expansion after defeating the Uighur Khanate in 840 A.D.. Then Kyrgyz quickly moved as far as as the Tian Shan range and maintained their dominance over this territory for about 200 years. In the 12th century, however, the Kyrgyz domination had shrunk to the Altay Range and the Sayan Mountains as a result of the rising Mongol expansion. With the rise of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, the Kyrgyz migrated south.

Various Turkic peoples ruled them until 1685, when they came under the control of the Kalmyks (Oirats, Dzungars).

[edit] The Kyrgyz in China

The Kyrgyz form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. There are more than 145,000 Kyrgyz in China.

They are found mainly in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture in the southwestern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a smaller remainder found in the neighboring Wushi (Uqturpan), Aksu, Shache (Yarkand), Yingisar, Taxkorgan and Pishan (Guma), and in Tekes, Zhaosu (Monggolkure), Emin (Dorbiljin), Bole (Bortala), Jinghev (Jing) and Gonliu in northern Xinjiang.

Several hundred Kyrgyz whose forefathers emigrated to Northeast China more than 200 years ago now live in Wujiazi Village in Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province.

Anthropologically, the Kyrgyz are of Mongoloid Central Asian stock. They have dark skin and eyes and coarse dark hair, and beards. Their face is wide, the cheekbones are not very prominent. The Kyrgyz tend to be short, with the average male height being 162-164 cm. The Kyrgyz in tradition had green eyes, fair skin and red hair according to some Chinese sources, and although they have mixed thoroughly with other Turkic and Mongolian groups, some still have this complexion.

[edit] Religion

Most Kyrgyz are Muslims. Islam was first introduced by Arab traders who travelled along the Silk Road in the seventh and eight century, but was embraced superficially by the Kyrgyz. Muslim rituals, including circumcision, were grafted onto Shamanistic rituals, and the Kyrgyz prayed only when the Mullah came to conduct sermons.

In the 18th century, an orthodox form of Islam was introduced to the Fergana valley by the Uzbeks. Atheism, on the other hand, took root in the northern regions under Russian communist influence. As of today, Shamanism is still practiced alongside with Islam in the Central, and to a lesser extent the northern regions of Kyrgyzstan.

Certain segments of the Kyrgyz in China are followers of Tibetan Buddhism.^[2]