Origin, life and traditions of the Kazakhs in Central Asia, and their influence on modern Kazakhstan

Abstract This article analyses the historical development of Kazakh culture and its impact on the ethno-religious and socio-cultural state of modern Kazakhstan, focusing on adaptation to modernisation. The study explores the formation of the Kazakh ethnic group and the role of traditionalism in contemporary society using various historical and comparative methods. The research clarifies the stages of Kazakh ethnogenesis, emphasising the influence of nomadic migrations and cultural contacts, particularly the blending of Turkic and Turkic-Mongolian tribes. The syncretism of Islam and pre-Muslim beliefs established traditional religiosity, crucial for early Kazakh statehood and legal systems. Modernisation during Russian and Soviet periods displaced traditional norms to the family level, shaping ethno-religious identity. Today, traditionalism remains significant in family, domestic and religious spheres, vital for national identity.