Kyz ala kachuu and adat: Non-consensual bride kidnapping and tradition in Kyrgyzstan

Central Asian Survey

Volumn 26, Issue 2, 2007, Pages 217-233

  Kleinbach, Russ ^a   Salimjanova, Lilly ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CULTURAL TRADITION; ETHNIC GROUP; POLITICAL CHANGE; SOCIAL CHANGE;

ASIA; EURASIA; KYRGYZSTAN; WEST ASIA;

EID: 34548727334     PISSN: 02634937     EISSN: 14653354     Source Type: Trade Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/02634930701517466     Document Type: Article

References (85)

1. Human Rights Watch Report, 'Reconciled to violence: State failure to stop domestic abuse and abduction of women in Kyrgyzstan', Human Rights Watch Report, Vol 18, No 9 (D), September 2006.
2. Oljobai Karataev and Salaidin Eraliev, Dictionary of Kyrgyz Ethnography (Bishkek: Biyiktik, 2000).
3. Article 155 of the Criminal code of the Kyrgyz Republic, 'Forcing a woman to marry or to continue a marriage or kidnapping her in order to marry without her consent, also standing in the way of marriage (impediment) is subject to punishment as a fine in the amount of 100 to 200 minimal wages per month or to imprisonment up to five years.'
4. 'The Islamic marriage contract consists of an offer (ijab) and acceptance (qabul) that occur at the same meeting. In order for the contract to be valid, the man and woman must both hear and understand the offer and acceptance.' At http://www.expertlaw.com/ library/family_anw/islamic_custody-2.html#50 (accessed 15 June 2006).
5. Article 1 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993), states, 'For the purposes of this Declaration, the term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.'
6. Sarah Amsler and Russ Kleinbach, 'Bride kidnapping in the Kyrgyz Republic', International Journal of Central Asian Studies, Vol 4 (1999), pp 185-216
7. S. Lloyd-Roberts, 'Plight of Kyrgyzstan brides who are kidnapped, raped, and abandoned', The Independent, 6 March 1999
8. Petr Lom, Documentary Film, 'Bride Kidnapping In Kyrgyzstan', available at petrλomfilms.com (accessed 15 October 2006)
9. L. M. Handrahan, 'Hunting for women: Bride-kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan', International Feminist Journal of Politics, Vol 6, No 2 (2004), pp 207-233
10. Raya K. Osmonalieva, Jenshiny Kyrgyzstana: Vchera i Segodnya' (Bishkek: Prosveshenie, 2003).
11. Russ Kleinbach, 'Frequency of non-consensual bride kidnapping in the Kyrgyz Republic', International Journal of Central Asian Studies, Vol 8, No 1 (2003), pp 108-128.
12. Russell Kleinbach, Mehrigiul Ablezova and Medina Aitieva, 'Kidnapping for marriage (ala kachuu) in a Kyrgyz village', Central Asian Survey, Vol 24, No 2 (2005), p 195.
13. Ibid, pp 191-202.
14. Ibid; Osmonalieva, op cit, Ref 6, p 107.
15. Kleinbach, op cit, Ref 8.
16. Z. L. Amitin Shapiro, Annotirovanniy Ukazatel literatury po istorii, arheologii i etnografii Kirgizii (1750-1917) (Frunze, Kyrgyzstan: Izdatelstvo Akademii Nauk Kirgizskoi SSR, 1958).
17. N. I. Grodekov, Kirgizy i karakirgizy Syr-Daryinskoy oblasti. Yuridicheskiy byt, T. 1 (Tashkent, 1889)
18. A. P. Smirnov, Byt i nravy Kirgizov (St Peterburg: Tipografiya M. Akinfieva i I. Leontieva, 1897).
19. S. M. Abramzon, Kirgizy i ih ethnogeneticheskie i istoriko-kulturnye svyazi (Frunze, Kyrgyzstan: 1990), p 245
20. S. K. Kojonaliev, Obychnoe pravo kyrgyzov (HESP, Soros-Foundation, 2000)
21. E. T. Smirnov, Sredniaya Azia (Tashkent: Tipo-Litografiya torg.doma F.i G.Br. Kamenskie, 1895), p 63
22. D. D. Semionov, Turketstanskiy kray (Moskva: Tipografiya E.Lissnera i Y. Romana, 1887), p 146
23. B. Soltonoev, 'Iz drevney istorii Kirgizov', in O. Karaev and K. Jusupov, eds, Kyrgyzy: Istochniki, istoriya, etnografiya (Bishkek: 'Sham', 1996), p 400
24. Smirnov (1897) in ibid, p 22.
25. R. Osmonalieva, 'Krasiviy obychai (Umykanie nevesty)', in Jenskaya ustnaya istoriya: Gendernye issledovaniya (Bishkek: Tsentr izdatelskogo razvitiya', 2005), p 450.
26. L. F. Kostenko, Turkestanskiy kray. Opyt voenno-statisticheskogo obozreniya Turkestanskogo voennogo okruga. Materialy dlia geografii i statistiki Rossii, T. 1 (SPb, 1880), p 347
27. A. I. Levshin, Opisanie kirgiz-kazachyih ili kirgizkaysatskih ord i stepey (Almaty: 'Sanat' [SPb, 1832], 1996), p 314.
28. S. M. Abramzon, 'Nekotorye storony byta kirgizskoy molodeji XIX-XX', in Semya i semeynye obriady u narodov Sredney Azii i Kazahstana (Moskva: Nauka, 1978), pp 106-110.
29. Semionov, op cit, Ref 14, p 146
30. Soltonoev, op cit, Ref 14, p 400. 'Among Kyrgyz, the parents arrange marriage for their children beforehand, considering the wealth of both families; if it happens that the groom dies, the right to marry the woman is given to his closest relative, if he also dies, then kalym is given back. Kalym, excluding the poorest, equals from 150 to 1000 rubles and includes a number of horses and other cattle. The bride, in return, takes with her a yurt, bedding, dresses, trunks, golden and silver jewelry, corals, pearls, etc., a sum often equal to the kalym. Bride and groom do not see each other beforehand, and their happiness fully depends on match-makers; in spite of this, their marriages are often quite happy.
31. Arguments between husband and wife are very rare, but are more often in cases of polygamy between the wives' (Semionov, op cit, Ref 14, p 146).
32. 'Kyrgyz adat on family/marriage relations: Gender inequality; superiority of husband over wife; father's authority over children and other members of the family; caring for women and under-age unmarried sons; women's non-participation in decision making on marriage - were given by their fathers, brothers, caregivers. Protest of the bride was considered to be against adat. The ceremony of the wedding was conducted by mullah (Moldo) according to all traditions and practices. Girls were considered of full age to get married at the age of 13-15, for young men it is 15-17 years.' Osmonalieva, 2005, op cit, Ref 15, pp 449-450.
33. Smirnov, op cit, Ref 13, p 24.
34. G. Karimova, and A. Kasybekov, 'Brides are keeping quiet', Vecherniy Bishkek, 21 October 2003, p 8; Kojonaliev, op cit, Ref 14
35. A. Tabyshalieva, 'Revival of traditions in post-Soviet Central Asia', Institute for Regional Studies, 2003, http://www.ifrs.elcat.kg/ Publication/Anara,%20Revival%20of%20 Traditions%20in%20Post-Soviet%20Central%20Asia.htm (accessed 1 June 2004).
36. K. P. Kalmakov, 'Nekotorye semeynye obychai Kirgizov severnyh uezdov Syr-Daryinskoy oblasti', in Kaufman, ed, Kaufmanskiy sbornik (Moskva: I. N. Kushnerev i K, 1910), p 226.
37. Abramzon, op cit, Ref 14, p 245.
38. Talantaaly Bakchiev, (Manaschi and faculty in the Department of Cultural Anthropology and Archeology, American University-Central Asia), interview, 17 December 2004.
39. N.A. Aristov, 'K etnicheskoy istorii kyrgyzov', in O. Karaev and K. Jusupov, eds, Kyrgyzy: Istochniki, istoriya, etnografiya (Bishkek: 'Sham', 1996), p 379.
40. B. Valieva, F. Zaikov, A. Niyazova, Z. Chikeeva, A. Karasaeva, K. Mallinson, S. Osaulenko, A. Saralinova, L. Sydykova, B, Tugelbaeva and A. Cholponkulova, Women's Rights in Kyrgyzstan: Muslim Traditions, Islam Values and Modern Law (in Russian and Kyrgyz) (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: Press Association "Diamond", 2001), pp 30-31.
41. F. A. Fiel'strup, Iz Obriadovoi Zhizni Kirgizov [From the Ritual Life of Kyrgyz]. (Moscow: Nauka, 2002), pp 16-17.
42. Kojonaliev, op cit, Ref 14, pp 297-298.
43. Ibid, p 141.
44. S. K. Kojonaliev, Sud i ugolovnoe obychnoe pravo Kirgizov do Oktiabrskoy revoliutsii (Frunze: Izatelstvo Akademii Nauk Kirgizskoi, 1963), pp 44-45.
45. J. S. Tatybekova, Raskreposchenie jenschiny kirgizki Velikoy oktiabrskoy revolutsiey (Frunze: Izdatelstvo Akademii Nauk Kirgizskoy SSR, 1963).
46. Grodekov, op cit, Ref 13; several sources mention the fine of 'three nines' as the size of kalym - nine horses, nine cows, nine camels and a large number of sheep. Soltonoev (op cit, Ref 14, p 400) states that it is the size of fine for kidnapping a woman promised to someone else.
47. Interview with NGO leaders, organized by NGO Boruker-Urmat, 23 March 2005.
48. 'Kyz uzatuu' (Marriage of a Daughter), Kyrgyz Tuusu (newspaper), 8-10 February 2005, p 21.
49. Y. A. Rossel, 'Sredneaziatskaya kultura i nasha politika na vostoke', Vestnik Evropy, Vol 6 (St Petersburg: 1878), pp 592-598
50. Semionov, op cit, Ref 14, pp 146-148
51. E. Markov, Rossiya v Sredney Azii, Ocherki Puteshestviya po Zakavkazyu, Turkmenii, Buhare, Samarkandskoy, Tashkentsky i Ferganskoy oblastiam, Kaspiyskomu moriu i Volge (SPb: Tipografiya M. M. Stasiulevicha, 1901), pp 155-158
52. Kalmakov, op cit, Ref 22, pp 226-228
53. K. Sh. Diushaliev and E.S. Luzanova, Kyrgyzskoe narodnoe muzykalnoe tvorchestvo (Bishkek: Ilim, 1999), pp 42-43
54. 'Finally, also bride kidnapping was practiced, with necessary agreement of the young woman. Kidnapping did not relieve the kidnapper from paying kalym. Size of kalym (payment of kalym in the distant past was done by the whole clan to which the groom belonged) varied, depending on the wealth of the couple's families.' (S. M. Abramzon, Ocherk kultury kirgizskogo naroda (Frunze: Izdatelstvo Kirgizskogo Filiala Akademii Nauk SSSR, 1946), p 49.)
55. Walter May, Manas, Vol 2 (Moscow, Kirgiz Branch of International Centre "Traditional Cultures and Environment", and Publishing House "Door" of AIP, 1995), pp 82-84.
56. Ibid, p 83.
57. Ibid, p 87.
58. Ibid, pp 83-163.
59. Talantaaly Bakchiev, (Manaschi), op cit, Ref 24.
60. Rysbai Isakov, (Manaschi), interview, 6 March 2006.
61. Anarbek Jumaliev, (Manaschi), interview, 12 June 2006.
62. Satkanbai Momunaliev, unpublished written statement, 15 July 2006.
63. A. V. Avksentiev, S. M. Arutiunian and R. H. Djanibekova, Novyi byt Novye obychai (Stavropol: Karachaevo-Cherkesskiy nauchno-issledovatelskiy institut ekonomiki, istorii, yazyka i literatury, 1977), p 78.
64. S. M. Abramzon, V Kyrgyzskih kolhozah Tian-Shania (B.m., 1949), p 72.
65. N. K. Kislyakov, Ocherki po istorii u narodov Sredney Azii I Kazakstana (Leningrad Akademia Nauk, 1969), p 97.
66. A. Lomakin, The Common Law of the Turkmens (Adat) (Ashgabat: 'Ylym', [1897], 1993), p 10.
67. Ibid.
68. Ibid, p 21.
69. Ibid, p 23.
70. A. Aminova, 'Uzbekistan: No love lost in Karakalpak bride thefts', IWPR, RCA No. 294, 18 June 2004, available at (accessed 12 July 2004).
71. H.-M. Hashaev, Pamyatniki obychnogo prava Dagestana XVII-XIX vv. Arhivnye materialy (Moskva: Izdatelstvo Nauka, 1965), pp 66, 71, 148, 157, 173.
72. Ibid, p 71, 157.
73. Ibid, p 157.
74. Sh. Inal-Ipa, 'Ocherki po istorii braka i semyi u Abhazov', Izdanie Abgiza, 1954, p 13.
75. Ibid, p 40.
76. Ibid, p 50.
77. Hashaev, op cit, Ref 52, p 177.
78. Ibid, pp 196-197.
79. Ibid.
80. B. M. Alimova, 'Brak i svadebnye obriady u Tabasarantsev', in Brak i svadebnye obridy u narodov Dagestana (Mahachkala: Akademia Nauk, 1986), p 30.
81. Abramzon, op cit, Ref 45.
82. Markov, op cit, Ref 35, p 156.
83. Levshin, op cit, Ref 16, pp 336-337.
84. Kostenko, op cit, Ref 16, pp 342-343
85. see also Rossel, op cit, Ref 35, p 598.