The Three Kazakh Hordes
In modern Kazakhstan, tribalism is fading away in business and government life. Still it is common for Kazakhs to ask which tribe they belong to when they meet each other. Nowadays, it is more of a tradition than necessity. There is no hostility between tribes. Kazakhs, regardless of their tribal origin, consider themselves one nation.
The majority of Kazakhs of modern-day Kazakhstan belong to one of the three juzes (juz, roughly translatable as "horde" or "hundred"):
- The Elder, Senior, or Great Horde (Ulı Juz)
- The Junior, Younger, or Lesser Horde (Kişi juz)
- The Middle or Central Horde (Orta juz)
Each Horde consists of tribal groups (taypa), tribes (ruw or "ruh") and small family-tied clans. Also considered Kazakhs, but of Chingisid descent, are the tore (direct descendants of Genghis Khan). In addition to these traditionally political leaders, there were religious families outside of the Hordes called Qozha/Khoja (descendants of Arabian missionaries). In addition there are also the Tolengit (descendants of Oirat captives), the "Sunak" (like "Qozha" Khoja - descendants of Arabian missionaries) and the "Kolegen" (descendants of Ancient Sairam inhabitants).
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