NEO-TENGRISM MOVEMENTS IN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES: ISSUES OF REVIVAL

Abstract

 The Tengrist faith is a religious belief system based on the ancient Turkic worldview, harmony with nature, and ancestor worship. This religious belief, which was widespread among the ancient Turkic-speaking peoples, was greatly weakened with the advent of Islam and seemed to disappear in the Turkic world. In the last 10-15 years, however, it has experienced a revival among the Turkic-speaking peoples of the Central Asian, and some former post-Soviet countries. This phenomenon has aroused the interest of scholars. This article examines the reasons for the emergence of neo-Turkic movements in the Central Asian region, particularly in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and the issues surrounding their revival. The spiritual vacuum after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the process of searching for national identity have led to a resurgence of the religious phenomenon in Kazakh society as a whole. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, this phenomenon is reflected in various cultural organizations and public movements. The article analyses the modern interpretations of neo-Tengrism and its manifestations in Central Asia. More specifically, it analyses and compares the phenomena of Tengrism in the states of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The data on the belief in Neo-Tengrism and its spread are analysed. The research mainly uses methods such as scientific analysis, literature review, analytical review.

Keywords: Central Asia, religion, tengri, neo-tengrism, revival