MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION
OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
SCIENCE COMMITTEE
CH.CH. VALIKHANOV INSTITUTE OF HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY
“Methodology of Working with Texts in the Preparation
of Selected Works by Kh.A. Argynbayev”
Methodological seminar
On September 23, 2025, the Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology of the Committee of Science under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan will hold a methodological seminar titled “Methodology of Working with Texts in the Preparation of Selected Works by Kh.A. Argynbayev”. The seminar is organized within the framework of the grant-funded project IRN AP23487059 titled “Historical Ethnography of the Kazakhs in the Scholarly Legacy of Professor Kh. Argynbayev: Publication of Works in Three Volumes”, with financial support from the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The main goal of the seminar is to highlight the outstanding contribution of ethnographer Khаlel Argynbayev to the development of academic science in Kazakhstan in the second half of the 20th century. The seminar will include discussions on the methodology of bibliographic work, the structure of each volume of the three-volume edition, the approach to presenting materials (text and illustrations), as well as an exchange of views on the current state and future development of Kazakhstani ethnology in the context of preserving and exploring the cultural heritage of the prominent scholars of the Kazakh Ethnographic School (KES).
Khalel Argynbaev (1924–1998) – a major academic ethnographer of the post-war period, a recognized leader of Kazakh ethnologists of the 1970s – early 1990s, Doctor of Historical Sciences (1977), professor (1982); Head of the Ethnography Department of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR (1976–1989).
The scholar was a prominent representative of the older generation of domestic ethnographers, a person of an interesting and complex fate. Kh. Argynbayev was born on September 21, 1924 in the Bayanaul district of the Pavlodar region in a sharua peasant family, which in the difficult 1930s was forced, in search of salvation from hunger, to make a difficult journey across Siberia and the Far East: Kuzbass, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky . Upon the family’s return (in 1935) to Zhetysu, young Khalel graduated from an eight-year school in 1939, and then from a pedagogical school in the Kapal region. Khalel Argynbaev belonged to that glorious generation of Soviet scholars who, in their early youth, had a severe test – to participate in the battles against fascism during World War II. From January 1943 to May 1945 he served as a radio communications operator in the active army and participated in the liberation of Ukraine, Moldova, and the countries of Eastern and Central Europe from German fascism; For military services he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War and medals. After demobilization from the ranks of the Soviet Army in 1947, he studied at the history department of the Abai Kazakh Pedagogical Institute and graduated with honors in 1951, and then for a number of years he worked in the outback as a head teacher and history teacher at the Panfilov Pedagogical College (now Zharkent).
Since 1954, the further fate of Khalel Argynbaev has been connected with the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, where he entered graduate studies in Ethnography. The formation of a talented scholar occurs under the influence of senior colleagues: orientalists N. Sabitov, A.Kh. Marghulan, ethnographer I.V. Zakharova; he was surrounded by the other young and creative researchers (V. Vostrov, E. Masanov, M. Mukanov, R. Khodzhaeva, G. Valikhanov, O. Ismagulov, etc.). The scholar completes work on his candidate’s dissertation “Historical and cultural ties of the Russian and Kazakh peoples and their influence on the material culture of the Kazakhs” and in 1960 he successfully defended it at the authoritative N.N. Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnography in Moscow. During these years, Kh. Argynbayev was actively engaged in the development of many key issues of the historical ethnography of the Kazakhs (livestock husbandry and folk veterinary medicine, family and marriage relations, crafts and applied arts, etc.), intensively carrying out field research in all regions of the republic (about 30 expeditions until the beginning of 1980s). At the same time, a characteristic feature of his research activity is the monographic focus of his research. In 1969, an interesting and informative study by the ethnographer, “Kazaktyn mal sharuashylygy zhaiynda ethnographic essay” (“Ethnographic sketch of the Kazakh cattle breeding economy”) was published.
In 1973, a major generalizing monograph by Kh. Argynbayev “Kazak halkyndagy family men neke” (“Family and marriage among the Kazakhs”) was published, which immediately acquired paramount scientific and practical significance and was highly praised as a major achievement of Kazakhstan ethnography. In 1976, the scholar defended his doctoral dissertation on this issue at the same Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and from that time until the end of the 1980s he headed the academic department of ethnography. Under Argynbayev, this unit becomes a major scientific center in specialized science, a new generation of ethnographers was forming, along with the direction of historical ethnography, the disciplines of ethnosociology, ethnoarchaeology, etc. were developing. The name of the scholar becomes widely known among Soviet ethnographers, close creative relationships were established with many of them: N.A. Kislyakov, S.M. Abramzon, T.A. Zhdanko, R.G. Kuzeyev, B.Kh. Karmysheva, V.P. Kurylev, K. Shaniyazov, A. Orazov, I. Mukhitdinov, Kh.A. Esbergenov, V.N. Basilov and others.
During this period Kh. Argynbayev published his generalizing articles in reputable scientific collections, journals of national importance, and foreign editions; participates in a number of international congresses and conferences, All-Union ethnographic sessions, one of which was held in Almaty in 1990. The scholar paid serious attention to scientific and organizational issues: conducting expeditionary research, coordinating work on the creation of collective works – including the landmark edition “Economy of Kazakhs” (1980). In the mid-1980s under the leadership of Kh. Argynbayev, a general study on the historical ethnography of the Kazakhs “Kazakhs: a historical and ethnographic study” was prepared, which was published later (Almaty, 1995). Until the end of the 1990s under his authorship a number of major works were published: the monograph “Kazakh halkynyn koloneri” (Almaty, 1987), “Kazakh otbasy” (Almaty, 1996); “Traditional life support culture of the Kazakhs. Essays on history and theory” (co-authored, Almaty, 1998); “Kazak shezhiresi hakynda” (co-authored, Almaty, 1999). In total, the scholar published eight separate monographic publications; the total number of publications by the ethnographer is about 250.
Of particular importance was the scientific and pedagogical activity of the scholar. 10 candidate and 5 doctoral dissertations were defended under his leadership. Professor Khalel Argynbayev played a fundamental role in the formation of the “second wave” of ethnographers in Kazakhstan, in the formation of prominent specialists – ethnologists, historians, doctors and candidates of science: N. Massanov, A. Toleubayev, U. Kydyralin, Sh. Tokhtabayeva, S. Azhigali, B Kamalashuly, A. Toktabay, N. Alimbay, A. Kalysh, Zh. Artykbayev and others. Many of his students and young researchers are successfully developing those areas of ethnology, the groundwork in which was created by Kh. Argynbayev in his time. The scholar’s contribution to the training of student personnel at Kazakh Pedagogiocal Institute and Kazakh State University is very significant. For many years he lectured there on general historical disciplines, general ethnography, and ethnography of the Kazakhs.
Professor Khalel Argynbayev made an outstanding contribution to the development of ethnography of Kazakhstan, which was important for a number of related sciences and disciplines, to the training of highly professional personnel, to the formation of a modern school of ethnologists, ethnosociologists, ethnoarchaeologists, museologists, etc., who are developing traditional and new areas of research, expanding, promoting and deepening further many of the developments and achievements of the “Kazakh ethnographic school” of the 2nd half of the 20th century.
A wide range of the academic community is invited to participate in the methodological seminar,including domestic and international specialists – ethnologists, historians, anthropologists, cultural studies experts, archaeologists, museum professionals, philologists, and others; representatives of universities and research and educational institutions; relevant master’s and doctoral students, as well as media representatives.
Working languages of the conference – Kazakh, Russian, English.
The following topics will be addressed:
- Ethnographer Khalel Argynbayev: Life, Work, and Scientific Legacy
- Foundational Works of Professor Kh. Argynbayev and Issues in the Historical Ethnography of the Kazakhs
- Discussion of Bibliographic Methodology, Volume Structure, and Text and Illustration Presentation Techniques
- Exchange of Views on the Current State and Development Prospects of National Ethnology in the Study of the Cultural Heritage of the Kazakh Ethnographic School (KES)
Address: 28 Shevchenko Street, 2nd floor, Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 050100, Almaty.
Form of participation: offline and online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84853245027?pwd=9XjTbHwHdb9AbxUPKtP2kj2vvbrMVr.1
Conference schedule: 11.00–12.30.
Conference ID: 848 5324 5027, access code: 033290.
Contact persons (to solve scientific and organizational issues):
Abdulina Aksunkar Tursunovna – head of the Department of Ethnology and Anthropology, Candidate of Historical Sciences, e-mail: aksunkar1168@gmail.com, mob.: +7 777 312 20 36.
Best regards,
Organizing Committee