Abstract
KYRGYZES AND LAKAYS: ETHNIC RELATIONS
Settlement areas of Lakays, one of the Turkic tribes of Central Asia, are located in modern Tacikistan and Afghanistan. Lakays have preserved their semi-nomadic lifestyle. Their culture, language, and tribal-ethnic names and tamgas (signs) have been historically similar those of Kirghiz and Kazakhs, Karakalpaks, Nogaies, Bashkir, peoples speaking Kipchak-language. Lakays are ethnically close to Kirghizs living today in a mountainous area close to the capital of Tajikistan Duşambe. Ethnonym “Lakay” is only available between Kirghiz tribes’ and clans’ name in Munduz tribe. Tajiks are not doing wrong when they call Lakays as “Kirghizs”.
Keywords
Lakays, Ethnic History, Turkic, Kirghiz, Central Asia, Tamga.
