Genealogy is the “tree of life” of a person. The Turks, including the Kyrgyz, who, due to their nomadic lifestyle, had well-developed clan relations, also paid great attention to studying the origins of their ancestry.
Who are you? Who were your father, grandfather? What clan or tribe do you belong to? Only sanjyras — genealogies based on numerous folk traditions — could answer such questions. The word “sanjyra” comes from the Arabic word “chajyra” — tree. Among the Turkic peoples, it was pronounced differently: chezhere, shezhere, shajyra. The sanjyra represents the genealogical history of the people in the form of a sprawling tree crown. There is a special meaning in this. Each tribe, each people has roots — ancestors from whom the following generations — the branches of the tree — originate. That is why sanjyra is called the “tree of life.”
Genealogical traditions — sanjyra — are one of the types of historical oral sources that narrate the historical past of the Kyrgyz. With the development of writing among most Turkic peoples, sanjyras, which existed as oral traditions, increasingly gave way to written versions.
The distinctive feature of sanjyra as genealogical traditions is that the origins of the peoples of the earth trace back to common ancestors — Adam and Eve. Besides genealogical traditions, only the Bible (the holy book of Jews and Christians) contains the names of the legendary ancestors of humanity from the first man Adam to the righteous Noah.
Here is what is said in the genealogy of the Kyrgyz:
“In ancient times, a worldwide flood occurred on earth. During this flood, all descendants of Adam and Eve perished. Only the righteous Noah, his sons Ham, Shem, Japheth, and three daughters-in-law were saved. Therefore, it is believed that all currently living peoples descended from the sons of the elder Noah. The progenitor of the Turkic peoples is considered to be Turk-Ata — the grandson of Japheth. The Kyrgyz descended from the first son of Turk-Ata — Turenir. Hundreds of generations changed before Dolon-biy appeared — the ancestor of the right and left wings of the Kyrgyz. From his younger brother Sabatay, the group of ichkilik originates.”
Thus, the Kyrgyz, currently living in the country and beyond its borders, trace their ancestry from common ancestors and consist of three large groups: the right wing (on), the left wing (sol), and the groups of ichkilik.
Once, among the Kyrgyz, every boy who reached the age of seven was required to know the names of his seven ancestors. There was a backstory to this strict requirement. Here is how the legend recounts it.
There was a time when the Kyrgyz lived on the banks of the great river Ene-Say (Yenisei). They had a powerful state that occupied a vast territory. Their enemies feared them. Time passed. In the East, another, even stronger state arose. Gathering a numerous army, it advanced against the Kyrgyz, intending to exterminate them all and seize their lands. As a result of fierce battles, many tribes and clans of the Kyrgyz were completely destroyed, others fled to the mountains, seeking refuge in the depths of the forests, and others returned to Ala-Too.
Wise elders and clan leaders gathered for a council to discuss what to do next. Then, a hundred-year-old bearded elder stood up and said: “I have learned that the enemies spare boys who have not yet reached the age of seven. They believe that at this age, children understand nothing, do not know their ancestors, and can easily be turned into mute slaves. You must tell each boy about his seven ancestors so that, when they grow up, they can take revenge for them. And they should pass this instruction to their children. Those who do not know their seven ancestors by the age of seven will likely grow up to be worthless people and will forget the name ‘Kyrgyz,’” he said, raising his hands in prayer to the heavenly deity. And there was not a single boy who did not know the name of his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, the history of his clan, tribe, and finally, of the entire people. The boys grew up, became warriors, and expelled the enemies from their land. The Kyrgyz state was revived. The Kyrgyz returned to their native lands, the rights to which were granted by the graves of their seven ancestors.
Genealogies in modern times. During the Soviet era, the study of sanjyras was a forbidden topic. They were not mentioned in school textbooks or higher educational institutions. The rich historical information contained in folk traditions about the origins of Kyrgyz clans was almost inaccessible to the broader masses. With the acquisition of independence, the Kyrgyz gained the opportunity to learn their own history more deeply. The study of genealogical traditions is a step toward understanding the past of their people. Another important point. According to folk traditions, the Kyrgyz, along with other peoples, trace their origins from the sons of the righteous Noah, i.e., the traditions testify to the common roots of different peoples and call for friendship and harmony among all people.
Therefore, even today, continuing the traditions of their ancestors, Kyrgyzstan builds its foreign and domestic policy on the principles of peace, friendship, good neighborliness, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
Traditions of Kyrgyz sanjyrachi. Experts on Kyrgyz clans and genealogical traditions are called sanjyrachis in the people. The storytellers of sanjyras were gifted individuals with eloquence and excellent memory. Sanjyrachi enjoyed boundless respect from the people, as they carried the truth about the past from generation to generation, telling about the ancestors. In their narratives, sanjyrachi did not glorify one clan while belittling another; they cared for the strengthening of harmony and unity, carefully preserving national values — the history of the people, its traditions, and customs. The true sanjyrachi was known and loved by the people. In the era of nomadism, there were sanjyrachi who knew the genealogies not only of individual clans and tribes but of the entire Kyrgyz people.
Starting from the 19th century, attempts were made to record sanjyras. Currently, four written versions of sanjyras are known. The first was written by the sanjyrachi Bala Aiylchi. Seven copies were made from it, which spread throughout the Chui Valley. The author of the second is Turgunbay Alimbek uulu. In his sanjyra, the history of the Kyrgyz begins 3000 years ago and contains a large number of interesting legends and tales. The third was written by Osmonaly Sydyk uulu. His version of the genealogy of the Kyrgyz was printed in 1913 in the city of Ufa under the title “History of the Kyrgyz.”
From Ufa, the books were transported on camels and then put up for sale. The fourth sanjyra, which circulated in written form, belongs to the pen of sanjyrachis Baymyrza, who lived in China. It was copied and then disseminated among the people by Arun Ukayev, who fled to China after the uprising in 1916 and met Baymyrza there.
Since the proclamation of independence in Kyrgyzstan, sanjyras by other authors have been published. A significant contribution to the scientific study of Kyrgyz genealogical traditions has been made by Professor Sabyr Attokurov.