From July 4 to 18, 2025, a research trip was conducted to the city of Oral as part of the implementation of the priority areas of the research project titled “The Specificity of Kazakh–Russian Relations in the Kazakh Ural: The Interconnection of Ideology and Practice in a Historical Context.”
The purpose of the trip was a comprehensive study of the ethno-confessional and socio-political landscape of the Ural region in the 16th–19th centuries. Special attention was given to the role of the Cossacks from Oral, Astrakhan, Guryev, and Orenburg, as well as to the particularities of Kazakh-Cossack and Kazakh-Russian relations under the conditions of imperial influence and colonization.
The identification of sources and consultations with leading scholars of Oral were carried out by candidates of historical sciences, senior researchers, and members of the research team – G.A. Shotanova and E.M. Ushkenov.
The study paid special attention to the application of modern methodological approaches to the study of transboundary communities, military presence, and social transformations in the region stretching along the Ural River from Orenburg to Astrakhan. The trip was aimed at identifying and analyzing a wide range of sources, including written records, museum collections, oral traditions, and archaeological materials, allowing for a multifaceted reconstruction of daily life in the historical region.
The main objects of the study were the scientific collections of the West Kazakhstan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore and the Khan Ordasy Museum-Reserve.
Institute researchers carried out targeted work with the museum’s archives, focusing on documents reflecting interethnic relations, social stratification, and the military aspects of Cossack presence.
As part of the trip, meetings were held with prominent local historians who possess in-depth knowledge of the region’s past. Among them were Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Zh.T. Ernazarov, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Associate Professor Zh.A. Ismurzyn, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Professor M.D. Kalmenov (a leading archaeologist and researcher of the Zhayyk settlement), and historian-ethnographer Ya.A. Lukpanova.
Engaging scholarly discussions with these experts helped clarify several aspects of Kazakh–Cossack interactions, identify local specificities, and refine the project’s terminological framework.
Support for access to the archives of the Khan Ordasy Museum-Reserve was provided by A. Kurumbaev, head of the Public Foundation for the Promotion of Scientific Research.
Work with the museum collections offered valuable insights into unique exhibits illustrating key stages in the cultural, administrative, and social history of Cossack stanitsas and Kazakh auls.
The Khan Ordasy Museum-Reserve stands out as a historical and cultural center housing important records of the Bukey Khanate – the first Kazakh political formation incorporated into the Russian Empire. Its exhibitions demonstrate the complex transformation of traditional Kazakh statehood under imperial jurisdiction and showcase the interaction between Cossack settlers and Kazakh clans throughout the 19th century. Through preserved archival materials, household items, weaponry, clothing, and visual sources, the museum offers a rare opportunity to trace the coexistence and mutual adaptation of two sociocultural worlds in a shared borderland space.
Valuable assistance was provided by the museum staff, including Director Gaisa Temirbulatovich Makhimov, Deputy Director for Science Gulmaru Samigollakyzy Myrzagaliyeva, Researcher Mira Yerbolatovna, and other colleagues from the scientific department. Their professionalism, attentiveness, and academic engagement greatly contributed to the expansion of the research’s empirical base.
The materials studied at the Khan Ordasy Museum enhanced understanding of the specific nature of Cossack presence in the Ural region, interethnic and military-political relations, as well as the transformation of regional identity under the colonial policy of the Russian Empire. The gathered sources and established academic contacts will be used in the preparation of forthcoming publications and a scholarly monograph under this research project.
Additionally, the team worked with the library and exhibition collections of the folk museum “Old Oral,” which holds unique artifacts and exhibits enabling the reconstruction of the daily life of Ural Cossacks. The museum visually presents various aspects of the material and spiritual culture of the Cossacks – from household items and traditional weaponry to uniforms, farming tools, and family life objects.
Particular attention was paid to analyzing exhibits reflecting transformations in Cossack society across different historical periods, including the era of the Russian Empire.
Furthermore, consultations were held with specialists from the Center for History and Archaeology of West Kazakhstan Region. Discussions covered the localization and characteristics of medieval settlements, Cossack stanitsas, and military outposts from the 17th to 19th centuries along the Ural River and in adjacent border areas. These discussions helped clarify the historical-geographical boundaries and chronological patterns of settlement in the region.
In conclusion, the research trip deepened scholarly understanding of the nature of Cossack presence in the Ural region, interethnic and military-political dynamics, and the transformation of regional identity under Russian imperial colonial policy. The collected materials and academic contacts will be extensively used in upcoming publications and a monograph developed within the framework of this project.
Memorandum. During the trip, preliminary discussions were also held regarding the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology and several regional museum institutions.
Specifically, initial negotiations took place with the leadership of the West Kazakhstan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore (Oral) and the Khan Ordasy Museum-Reserve about the conclusion of a bilateral memorandum.
The proposed agreement aims to establish sustainable research and educational collaboration, organize joint events, exchange scholarly materials, conduct joint expeditions, and implement projects focused on the study of the region’s history, ethnography, and archaeology. Special emphasis within the framework of cooperation will be placed on the joint study of historical and cultural heritage, the exchange of archival and museum sources, and the popularization of academic knowledge among a wider audience.
