No need to fear interracial marriage, says ethnographer
The issue of interracial marriage remains a subject of debate and continues to generate differing opinions across society.
The discussion recently resurfaced in Kazakhstan following reports that Altynay Jakisheva, the daughter of former Kazatomprom chief Mukhtar Dzhakishev, had married a Nigerian man.
In an interview with the Zhas Alash newspaper, renowned ethnographer and historian Zhambyl Artykbayev said there is no reason to fear interracial marriage.
«After all, we are an open society. We all interact and mix with one another. Interracial marriages are inevitable. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: we want only the best families for our daughters — yet we ourselves often fail to meet that standard,» Artykbayev said.
Criticism of public attitudes
Artykbayev also criticized what he described as contradictory public attitudes toward Kazakhs living abroad.
«It’s strange how our mindset works. We’re the ones pushing young women to move overseas. We cheer when they land a successful career there, yet we frown the moment they decide to tie the knot,» he said.
«Years ago, under Nazarbayev, her [Altynay’s] father […] was thrown in prison for defending our nation’s interests, and absolute silence followed. Now, everyone is suddenly up in arms about our wounded pride. This says it all: we don’t have true national pride — we just have a thin veneer of casual nationalism.»
Mixed marriages and national identity
Responding to a question about whether the growth of mixed marriages in the era of globalization threatens the preservation of national culture and identity, Artykbayev said such marriages can affect national culture and ethnic identity only after they reach a certain threshold.
According to him, academic research suggests that when mixed marriages account for about 25% of all marriages, the key ethnic markers that support a nation’s daily life — language, traditions and cultural environment — begin to weaken.
Kazakhstan remains below the threshold
Artykbayev said Kazakhstan has not yet reached that point.
According to data from last year, mixed marriages account for about 18% of all marriages in the country. Among ethnic Kazakhs, the figures are considerably lower: 6.9% of Kazakh men and 5.7% of Kazakh women have married people from other ethnic groups.
«Ultimately, pointing the finger at mixed marriages as a cultural threat misses the point entirely. A culture’s vitality is not determined by the ethnic backgrounds of the parents, but by the language they choose to pass on, the traditions they maintain in daily life, and the moral compass they impart to their children,» the expert said.
Hence, he maintained, there is simply no justification for painting today’s reality as a crisis for the Kazakh people.
