BATALASU AS A MECHANISM FOR THE FORMATION OF THE KAZAKH SOCIETY

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the study of the role of the institution of "batalasu" as a key mechanism in the nation-building of Kazakh society. The author examines "batalasu" as a form of oath and blessing used to strengthen the administrative-territorial and political structures of Kazakh society, starting from the formation of the Kazakh Khanate. An analysis of the historiography of the issue is conducted, comparing pre-revolutionary, Soviet, and contemporary approaches to the study of the social organization of the Kazakhs. Special attention is paid to genealogical ties, the kinship system, and the role of "batalasu" in integrating various clans and tribes into a single ethnic whole. Examples from oral tradition and historical sources are provided, illustrating the practice of "batalasu" in various contexts—from intertribal relations to the inclusion of ethnically diverse groups into the Kazakh ethnos. The author concludes that "batalasu" played a fundamental role in the formation of the Kazakh nation and continues to remain an important social institution in modern society.