Report of the Chief of the Pishpek District to the Semirechensk Regional Administration on the Place and Role of Shabdan Jantaev Among the Kara-Kyrgyz. Part - 2

Part - 2

Having thus clarified the essence and origin of the influence that Shabdan Zhantayev exerts on the people, I add that this influence is by no means beneficial in administrative matters, although I do not see any direct harm in this influence. Sometimes, directives on private matters come from him that are not in line with the administration's directives, but such directives, as soon as they become known, are halted. Under him, the positions of the volost manager and the legal people's judges do not have the proper significance, but this is when the Russian authorities are absent; in their presence, he becomes a private individual, and over time, his significance diminishes to such an extent that he is now forced to request an increase in the Government subsidy, which currently amounts to 300 rubles per year. Previously, he did not need this, as the people did everything for Shabdan, as a deserving figure before the government.

Now, among the Kyrgyz, there is a growing awareness of personal freedom and the right of each individual to their private property. From this awareness, Shabdan's influence and his favored theory, which he has told me repeatedly—that the Kyrgyz should live together like bees in one hive, with him, Shabdan, portraying the queen—begin to decline. When the new draft of the criminal code, which will prosecute leaders regardless of whether they hold positions or not, gains the force of law, it will decisively and systematically instill in the consciousness of the people that the manaps are equal to other Kyrgyz, that no advantages were recognized for them under the 1867 statute and are not recognized under the steppe regulations, from which the legal authorities will benefit and the manap system will suffer defeat, which is why it is hardly timely to support them in any regard. However, Shabdan Zhantayev is sometimes useful even now for settling Kyrgyz party disputes, for which, as well as for his merits before the government, he is shown due courtesy.

In response to the question about Shabdan's way of life and activities, I report that in the steppe he plays the role of an assistant to the district chief; people come to him with complaints, which he addresses, asking for his intercession before the higher government, and he advocates on behalf of all the Kyrgyz in the district when concluding debt transactions, and he fulfills this as well.

He is constantly occupied with public affairs, which he conducts not without an expectation of reward, as grateful clients pay him well for his efforts. When he finds himself in need, he turns to the people with a request for "jilu," which according to Kyrgyz customs is called "voluntary donations from friends" and constitutes "mandatory contributions from the people." This "jilu" is willingly given to him, and they do not complain because they eat and drink with him. Once, in one day, he fed the Kyrgyz 18 poods of fresh honey from his apiary, leaving not even for the bees. To throw dust in the eyes of the people, he gives away his last horse to a poor man, which stands out significantly and earns him fame. Such gifts return to him threefold in the form of "jilu." His brothers told me that he divided all his property among them and his sons and that he now has nothing of his own, and if he had all their property, he would make them poor. This means that his sons are wealthy; only Shabdan is poor in the eyes of the people, but he is certainly not among his wealthy brothers and sons, of whom, as seen from the attached list, there are eleven yurts. He also has a multitude of rich nephews, among whom Alagush has been the Sarbagysh volost manager for several years.

In response to the question about his behavior and material situation, I report that he behaves decently, with tact, living like a true steppe nobleman. In the valley of the great Kebeny, he has a good Russian house with mirrors, carpets, furniture, and silverware, and he owns several yurts, one of which is the most luxurious in the district, with its entire upper part draped in brocade, and the sides and floors covered with expensive carpets. He also has a house in Pishpek.

I have not heard anything about expenses for the needs of the people, except for the gifts I mentioned above, but in my opinion, he makes these gifts for personal popularity and to maintain his authority, which is very profitably compensated by the people for Shabdan.

He bears no expenses for the needs of the Government, except for tax contributions. This is some misunderstanding in Baron Shtakelberg's letter. At least, I know nothing and have heard nothing about such expenses of Shabdan.

District Chief A. Talizin

Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan. F. 44.. On. 1.D. 695. L. 2-7 ob. Original.

The document bears the note "Regarding the content of this letter, inform Lieutenant General Kuropatkin, adding that I see no merits of Shabdan Zhantayev that would give me the right to provide references for his award; on the contrary, as far as I understand Shabdan, he is rather harmful to us at this time than beneficial, and therefore it is necessary to neither glorify him nor those like him, but gradually, without sharpness, to diminish their influence on the people. All this should be left to the discretion of the chief authorities of the region..."

Report of the Chief of Pishpek District to the Semirechensk Regional Administration on the Place and Role of Shabdan Zhantayev among the Kara-Kyrgyz. Part - 1