The Role of Kipchaks in the Formation of the Karakalpak People: Settlement and Ethnic Characteristics of Kipchak Tribes

Research Article

Abstract

The role of the Kipchaks in the formation of the Karakalpak people has been analyzed, with special attention given to their ethnocultural characteristics within the Karakalpak composition and the territory of their settlement in the Southern Aral Sea region. The Kipchaks played a crucial role in the ethnic and cultural history of the Karakalpaks. Indeed, the Kipchaks left a significant imprint on the ethnic and cultural heritage of the Karakalpak people. Their influence was evident in various aspects, ranging from shaping the ethnic composition to impacting cultural traditions and economic practices. The settlement of the Kipchak tribes in the Southern Aral Sea region marked a crucial stage that influenced the formation of the Karakalpak people as an ethnic group. The Kipchak and Nogai elements in Karakalpak folklore are evident in storylines, characters, and motifs that reflect the traditions, values, and historical events of these peoples. This influence also emphasizes the close ties and interactions between these groups, which, in turn, enriched the cultural heritage of the Karakalpaks. One of the key indicators characterizing the level of Kipchakization is the inclusion of a particular people's languages in the Kipchak group of Turkic languages. As is known, the fourth period in the development of Turkic languages - the Middle Turkic period (10th-15th centuries) - is notable because it is precisely during this time that the foundation of all modern Turkic languages was formed. The degree of participation of Turkic-speaking ethnic components, tribal groups, clans, and tribal unions in the formation of the Karakalpak ethnos varied. Among the largest ethnic components, one can distinguish the Pechenegs, Oghuz, Kipchaks, Kangly, Kungrats, Mangyts, as well as numerous tribal groups integrated into the clan structure of the Karakalpaks. During the Golden Horde period, intercultural interaction between two distinct socio-cultural groups - settled and nomadic peoples - took place in the territories of the Syr Darya and Aral steppes. This interaction contributed to changes in the ethnic composition of the local population, the transformation of language, as well as the development and modification of the material culture of the peoples of the Aral Sea region.