Publication Details
Abstract
The migration of tribes and their adaptation to new ecological and socio-cultural environments constitute an essential aspect of the historical development of the Karakalpak people. Among these processes, the settlement of the Karakalpak Qongyrats in the Surkhandarya region represents a significant yet insufficiently systematized historical phenomenon reflected in Berdakh’s “Shezhire” and in local oral traditions. Despite existing studies, many issues related to the migration chronology, tribal branches, linguistic preservation, and ethnocultural continuity of the Surkhandarya Karakalpaks remain inadequately explored, particularly due to the limited integration of field ethnographic materials into scientific circulation. This study aims to analyze the ethno-cultural image, migration routes, and historical roots of the Qongyrats in Surkhandarya through the combined examination of written sources and oral testimonies. The findings demonstrate that the Qongyrats migrated from Turkistan to Surkhandarya, preserved distinctive phonetic features of the Karakalpak language, maintained traditional economic activities such as agriculture and animal husbandry, and retained clan identity in several villages. The study integrates documentary evidence with newly collected field ethnographic data, allowing for a more systematic reconstruction of their migration history and ethnocultural characteristics. The research confirms the distinct place of the Surkhandarya Qongyrats in Karakalpak ethnography and highlights the necessity of further systematic investigations into their language, history, and cultural heritage.