Transition to settlement: a transformation process among nomadic Kyrgyz (second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries)

This article explores the transformation processes experienced by the nomadic Kyrgyz populations in the Fergana and Semirecheskaya regions during their transition to settled life, drawing from pre-revolutionary sources. The shift towards settled living in these regions is closely intertwined with the gradual resettlement policy of the Russian Empire. This transition, influenced by various factors, including the breakdown of village communities, mass mortality of livestock due to a shortage of food, the rise of commodity-money relationships, and more, was primarily spurred by shifts in agricultural practices. However, one of the main reasons was a change in agricultural culture, as a result of which new agricultural tools and expanded cultivated areas played a pivotal role in the sedentarization of nomadic communities. Additionally, the transition from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles was associated with the implementation of new administrative management systems, designed to dissolve the remnants of clan and village communities. These communities, built upon the foundation of seasonal pastures and the collective property interests of clan members, were fundamentally altered. The authors highlight that the process of transitioning to sedentary life in agricultural and foothill areas occurred at a slow and uneven pace.