A petition asking for recognition of the Tengrism as one of the official religions of Kazakhstan has been launched on website epetition.kz. Authors of the petition claim that the number of Kazakhstanis practising Tengrism can reach one million in the near future. CABAR.asia shows the perspectives of the initiative from legal and religious points of view.
Experts do not have a single opinion about what Tengrism is. Should it be considered as religion, mindset, philosophy or state ideology? There is only one thing beyond controversy: the foundation of Tengrism is worship of the nature, ancestry, Tengri the god of heaven.
According to Yerlan Yespenbetov, initiator of the petition, Tengrism is the essential part of cultural heritage and he wants to see it recognised at the state level.
“Tengrism was the official religion of the Turkic, Uighur, Kyrgyz khaganates. It dominated until 1321, when Uzbek-khan introduced Islam as the state religion,” Yespenbetov said.
According to him, traditions of the Tengrism never disappeared. Thus, the Kazakhs still follow the principle ‘Zheti ata’ (seven forefathers), which does not allow marriage between the persons who are relatives in seventh generation. Other examples are the belief in aruakh – guardian spirits of the ancestry and the celebration of Nauryz.
“I started to say about it openly, while many scholars are afraid of being misunderstood. Firstly, I studied all the moments not to be labelled as a cult follower, sent a letter to the Committee for Religious Affairs, the ministry of justice and personally to the president of the country, asking them to consider out petition,” Yespenbetov said.
Lawyer Mereke Gabdualiev reckons that Kazakhstan did not have ‘pure’ Islam, it was a mixture of shamanism and Islamic principles.
“The average citizen might know some surah from the Quran, and yet cook shelpek (flatbread cooked in honour of some particular events, not always Islamic ones; for example, to honour the deceased relatives – Editor’s note) on Fridays, burn adyraspan (a plant used in pre-Islamic rituals – Editor’s note) at office or home, perform some pre-Islamic rites,” the lawyer said.
According to religious scholar Ayan Oryntai, Tengrism followers are isolated, they have no consensus on that Tengrism is and what particularities it has.
“Some Tengrians do not see the Tengrism as a religion, but rather as a moral ethical philosophy. Others want to be recognised as a religious association, have legal competence and want to be heard. However, the Tengrism does not have a single holy scripture like other world religions do, or a single code of practice and religious rituals,” Oryntai specified the differences.
Lawyer Mereke Gabdualiev specified that officials should not have excessive legal provisions and authorities.
“No official may order to recognise what can and cannot be considered a religion. When we speak about religion, the question is not about the number of followers, or the number of votes for the petition. It is the religious freedom. It is the question of belief. The only thing that the state can do on its part is to register a public association,” Gabdualiev said.
Religious scholar Ayan Oryntai emphasised that it is a debating point among researches what can and cannot be considered a religion. There is no clear definition of the term ‘religion’ in the scientific environment.
“It is usually understood as a system of beliefs in some supernatural powers, yet this is a very broad definition,” the expert said.
Neither the ministry of justice, nor the Committee for Religious Affairs responded to CABAR.asia about the procedures of recognition (non-recognition) of a certain belief system as religion.
According to Ayan Oryntai, to be able to officially carry out religious activity one should be registered as a religious association in Kazakhstan. A number of requirements specified in the Law “On religious activity and religious associations” should be followed upon registration.
“The initiative group needs to have 5,000 followers among citizens of Kazakhstan, who would represent all regions, cities of national status, and the capital – at least 300 persons in each of them. By the time of registration, they need to have branch offices and representations throughout the country,” Ayan Oryntai specified particular legal requirements.
The Committee for Religious Affairs listed the requirements to the initiators of the new association in response to CABAR.asia and reported that Tengrism is not registered officially as the religious association currently.
The petition for recognition of Tengrism as a religion and for establishment of a relevant religious association would be available for signing until November 25, 2024. If it gathers 50 thousand signatures, the government will have to consider it and make a decision. The petition for Tengrism gathered 811 signatures by the time of this publication.
According to Mereke Gabdualiev, petitions are not needed to register a religious public association. Ayan Oryntai agrees with the lawyer.
“It is unclear what the initiators want to get by this petition because there are laws that prescribe the procedure of registration,” Oryntai said.
In the main photo: a mural with Tengri motives in Almaty. Photo: Tatiana Trubacheva