Living Language in Kazakhstan: The Dialogic Emergence of an Ancestral Worldview

Eva-Marie Dubuisson provides a fascinating anthropological inquiry into the deeply ingrained presence of ancestors within the cultural, political, and spiritual discourse of Kazakhs. In a climate of authoritarianism and economic uncertainty, many people in this region turn to their forebearers for care, guidance, and advice, invoking them on a daily basis. This "living language" creates a powerful link to the past and a stable foundation for the present. Through Dubuisson's participatory, observational, and lived experience among Kazakhs, we witness firsthand the public performances and private rituals that show how memory and identity are sustained through an oral tradition of invoking ancestors. This ancestral dialogue sustains a unifying worldview by mediating questions of faith and morality, providing role models, and offering a mechanism for socio-political critique, change, and meaning-making. Looking beyond studies of Islam or heritage alone, Dubuisson provides fresh insights into understanding the Kazakh worldview that will serve students, researchers, GMOs, and policymakers in the region.

Author: Eva Marie Dubuisson
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
Published: 06/19/2017
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.61lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780822964605

About the Author
Eva-Marie Dubuisson is assistant professor of anthropology at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey.