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Abstract

The Kazakh press of the early 20th century was a vivid reflection of the formation of national consciousness and the struggle for independence. During this period, women were often marginalized in Kazakh society due to gender inequality and patriarchal structures. Although Kazakh women fought to bring their voices and problems to society, their voices were filtered through colonial power and social restrictions. In this context, the theory of the subaltern and the postcolonial perspective allow us to explain the place of women in society and the reasons why their voices were not heard.

In the early 20th century, the issue of women became relevant in Kazakh society, which was under the oppression of colonialism. Realizing that society could not progress without improving the status of women, educated Kazakh intellectuals began publishing articles in the press defending women’s rights and writing works of fiction that promoted women’s freedom. These actions of Kazakh intellectuals made society think. But time has shown that no one can express women’s sorrow better than women themselves. At that time, Kazakh women’s journalism emerged, aiming to address the “women’s problem”, and this had its own impact on the role of women in society.

In response to Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s question “Can the Subaltern Speak?”, this article analyzes the issue of women in the Kazakh press and studies the revival of the subaltern voice. The image of women in the Kazakh press and their role in society are examined from the perspective of patriarchal structures and colonial oppression at the beginning of the 20th century. Based on materials published in the press outlets that influenced the transformation of public consciousness during that period — the journal Aiqap and the newspaper Qazaq — the study explores the contributions of Kazakh women to political, cultural, and social life, as well as the revival of their subaltern voice.

This study raises important issues related to the struggle of Kazakh women to find their voice in the press and the revival of their lost voice. It aims to illustrate the postcolonial and gender dimensions of that period by analyzing women’s attempts to find their place in society and to participate actively in national political processes through the theory of the subaltern.

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Abstract

Kazakh proverbs constitute an important part of oral tradition and cultural knowledge, transmitting social norms, moral values, and collective worldviews across generations. This study examines how proverbs function as mechanisms of symbolic power, shaping gendered identities and social hierarchies in the Kazakh cultural context.

The study's theoretical framework draws on Judith Butler's concept of gender performativity and Pierre Bourdieu's notion of the symbolic power of language. From Butler’s perspective, gender identities are produced through the repeated performance of discursive practices, including culturally embedded expressions such as proverbs. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of language as a medium of symbolic domination, the paper argues that proverbs are not neutral expressions but tools that legitimize authority, reinforce social stratification, and regulate acceptable behaviors for men and women. Bourdieu’s theory highlights how linguistic forms can function as instruments of symbolic power, legitimizing social hierarchies and normative expectations.

The empirical material of the study includes a selection of traditional Kazakh proverbs that articulate gendered representations, such as “Qyzdyñ joly jiñişke” (“A girl’s path is narrow”), “Qyzğa qyryq üyden tıyım” (“A girl is restricted by forty prohibitions”), and “Jaqsy äyel – yrys” (“A good woman brings prosperity”). Through discourse analysis, the paper demonstrates how these proverbs construct a gender ideology in which men are associated with authority, public activity, and social agency, while women are linked to morality, family responsibility, and social harmony. This discourse analysis highlights the role of proverbs not only as cultural heritage but also as a socially significant linguistic tool in contemporary Kazakh society.

The article also analyzes the contemporary semantic use of some traditional proverbs in modern discourse, specifically, and discusses the reinterpretation of some proverbs in the digital environment.

Keywords: Kazakh paremiology, gender identity, social hierarchy, the Kazakh cultural context.

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Abstract

The wedding ceremony of the Kazakh people is an important part of the national culture, it is not only a family and social value, but also an indicator of national identity and the spiritual foundations of society. The relevance of the study is determined by such issues as distinguishing between the personal feelings of a person and the common collective content in song “Synsu”, and how much the Kazakhs are trying to preserve their cultural identity in the context of modern globalization.

The ritual song "Synsu" is one of the traditional folk songs of the Kazakh people, a sad song sung at the wedding ceremony when saying goodbye to relatives, parents and the place of birth. The content of the song clearly shows the girl’s feelings of farewell, the sorrow of separation, her tears, and emotions. The reason for this is that, in the past, girls were often married off to distant regions; leaving their homeland, and being unable to see their parents and relatives for a long time reflect the girl’s inner feelings and emotions.

On the other hand, the ritual song "Synsu" is one of the most important traditions of our people, which has been passed down from ancient times through the continuity of generations. The purpose of the song can be seen as both a ritual and social act that legitimizes the transition of a girl from one social space to another. To this end, the song "Synsu" can be considered as a common spiritual value, which is educational, aimed at preserving the unity of the people on the basis of common interests. "Synsu" is not only a farewell song of the bride, it is an artistic expression of the people, which unites the individual and the people.

Today, the ritual song "Synsu" has a new meaning, the song not only returns to the wedding of the Kazakhs, but also acquires a deep symbolism within the framework of the national revival. Young Kazakhs want to include traditional rituals at weddings that remind them of who they are and where they come from. This interest is not just a fleeting fashion, but young people’s efforts to find their identity in the context of globalization while maintaining a connection to their roots.

Keywords: ritual song, song transformation, wedding ceremony, cultural identity, national

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Abstract

In Kazakh literature of the Independence period, the dominant themes are the restoration of national consciousness, distorted during the colonial era, and the artistic representation of collective traumas such as famine, repression, and nuclear disaster. These national traumas have had a profound impact on the psychological and social condition of Kazakh society, especially on Kazakh women, whose fate has become a clear indicator of imperial tyranny.

This article examines the relationship between national trauma and the representation of women in the works of leading figures of contemporary Kazakh literature, R. Mukhanova and A. Kemelbayeva. Within the framework of postcolonial and gender theories, the concepts of “physical trauma” and “memory trauma” are explored, along with the artistic manifestations of the decolonization process. In the works of R. Mukhanova and A. Kemelbayeva, female characters are depicted as active subjects who experience trauma and express the national tragedy.

For example, Laila in Roza Mukhanova's story "The Eternal Child" is the most complex traumatic figure in Kazakh literature. In the story, the national trauma is conveyed through the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Laila’s physical disability is not just a biological anomaly; in a postcolonial context, it is the “mark” that the empire has placed on the Kazakh body. Laila’s stunted body is a symbolic representation of how the totalitarian system has stifled the future of the Kazakh people. As a woman, Laila’s greatest trauma is the denial of her feminine identity by a society that treats her as disabled.

Aigul Kemelbayeva's prose (the novel "Munara", the story "Shashty") focuses on intellectual and spiritual decolonization. A. Kemelbayeva's characters stand in contrast to R. Mukhanova's Laila. They are educated, study history, and strive to uncover the mysteries of the past. In Kemelbayeva’s prose, the trauma shifts from the physical to the intellectual level. The writer seeks a way to heal national trauma by returning to national codes (folklore, myth, and genealogy). Her characters demonstrate a new stage in the representation of women in Kazakh prose.

In conclusion, R. Mukhanova's "physical trauma" and A. Kemelbayeva's "memory reflection" complement each other and are not just a lament for the past, but an artistic way of overcoming trauma and healing the national spirit. The study is based on the concept of the "subaltern" by postcolonial critic G. Spivak, and the works of Cathy Caruth and Dominick LaCapra on the theory of trauma (Trauma Studies).