The phenomenon of "namys"
Namys.
The management system in traditional Kyrgyz society was based on the principles of solidarity, mutual assistance, mutual support (patronage, clan, tribal), and collective responsibility. At the core of this system was the idea of the honor of the clan or tribe - namys, for which each individual was expected to give their all. In Soviet historiography, such a system was considered a hidden form of exploitation by the wealthy part of the population over their kin; in reality, the phenomenon of namys deserves a different definition. Honor and dignity of namys served as a banner in the struggle for the authority of the clan or tribe, for a proper place in clan-tribal relations. At the call of the leader, every adult capable of bearing arms was expected to go into battle fully equipped. During mass celebrations or funerals, competitions were held between clans and tribes, and each participant competed for the honor of their clan. Any member of the clan, regardless of social or public status, was under the protection of their kin. Humiliations, insults, and beatings of a clan member, family, or clan subdivisions were perceived as an attack on the honor and dignity of the entire clan or tribe. Complaints about such actions by representatives of foreign clans immediately became subjects of intertribal or interclan disputes.
The leader of the clan or tribe demanded explanations and compensation for moral harm ayypom (a fine), which the guilty clan or tribe would collect collectively. For serious crimes, bloodshed was once avenged with blood kanga kan, elumge olum (blood for blood, death for death). In the 17th to the first half of the 19th century, blood revenge was replaced by kun (payment for murder). Kun was paid in large livestock, and a small clan group of unclear origin or a girl could be given. The entire clan or tribe acted as the defendant, depending on the scale of the conflict. The most complex situations were those related to the murder of clan leaders. Such cases were resolved with the mediation of influential clan leaders not involved in the conflict. The institution of mediation araczy, ortomchu, kepildik was one of the effective mechanisms for peacefully resolving contentious issues in the sphere of interclan and intertribal relations.
The power of a tribal leader did not extend to representatives of foreign tribes, even those in low social positions. Any attempts at subjugation were perceived as an attack on the honor of another tribe, i.e., the system of power relations was limited to the boundaries of the clan or tribe. Clan-tribal solidarity was vitally important and, in essence, guaranteed protection, provided assistance, and social support to kin in distress. This was dictated by the concern for preserving the well-being of the entire clan or tribe, from which its authority and influence in intertribal relations depended.
The Supratribal Nature of Oaths Among the Kyrgyz
