[Discussion] Identity Markers: URAN, TAMGA, DASTAN

[Paksoy, Hb]

Identity Markers: URAN, TAMGA, DASTAN

Turkistan Newsletter Wed, 8 Jan 2003 20:09:44 
Turkistan Bulteni ISSN:1386-6265 
Uze Tengri basmasar asra yer telinmeser, Turk bodun ilining torugin 
kem artati, udaci erti. [Bilge Kagan in Orkhon inscriptions] 
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From: "Paksoy, Hb" <hb.paksoy@ttu.edu> 
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 08:26:07 -0600 



Identity Markers: 
URAN, TAMGA, DASTAN 

H.B. Paksoy 




1. The reconstruction of historical events essentially revolve around 
understanding the societal dynamics of the polity under study.  This will 
involve a broad based approach to the subject, including literature, 
material culture, philosophy of governance, and so on. 

2. Polities that are insulated by natural barriers from their neighbors more

readily coagulate into "nations" and "states."  These polities tend to form 
and maintain their political and cultural states around a specific 
ethnicity, and traditions.  The incursions from the "outside" are less often

than that occurs on a continental scale.  And the effects of these 
incursions, and the local response, take particularly different paths. 
Ireland, Great Britain and Japan, among others, may serve as examples.  

3. On the Asian continent polities are adjacent in contiguous tracts.  The 
geography comprises vast expanses, with demanding climactic conditions. 
This causes the politics to evolve in a bit more complicated fashion.  A 
culture heavily dependent on horses is much more fluid.  They are very 
mobile.  Neighbors can come calling at short notice, and may not leave for a

long time.  Cultural contact ensues, sometimes in intense measures. 
Polities may change character or even structure as one result.  This, in 
sum, is what has been happening in the heart of Asia, for close to two 
millennia often termed Turkistan. 

4. Not all corners of the Asian continent is lush with tropical forests, nor

all land is arable or suitable for agriculture.  Large areas, especially in 
the center of Asia, are designated bozkir, supporting limited vegetation, 
mostly saksaul (Holoxylon Ammodendron).  Rainfall is exceedingly rare, and 
benefits mostly small irrigated patches where cities are located.  All are 
separated with sizeable deserts such as Karakum, Kizilkum, Gobi, Taklamakan.




5. In these conditions, family units must depend on each other for survival.

This is accomplished largely by engaging in animal husbandry, primarily 
horses and sheep.  These species provided the basic necessities of life in 
the bozkir, including the fibers to produce clothing and shelter (not to 
mention food and drink).  Anyone attempting to live alone, could hardly see 
the next spring in the harsh continental climate.  

6. Similarly, a single family, regardless of how large it might be, could 
not survive without other kinsmen.  The Central Asians, as one consequence, 
have highly developed vocabulary to define social relations and familial 
ties.  

7. Thus, we observe that a pyramidal structure constitutes the bases of the 
broad community in Central Asia.  It has a defined set of steps.  An uruk is

comprised of oymak, which are made up of aris, a composition of soy, itself 
a subdivided into tire, constituted by ara: 
uruk > oymak > aris > soy > tire > ara 
(http://orientalrug.topcities.com/zy9952.htm) 

8. In times of political strain, when war clouds are visible, various uruk 
form coalitions and establish the ultimate political and economic union: the

confederation.  The Central Asians termed this process "tug baglamak."   

9. Tug  is the horse-tail standard.   The leader of a polity or unit had the

traditional right to tie a tug to his lance.   (As the tug would be more 
visible than a naked lance,  this tug was used to identify the polity and, 
when needed, to signal the cavalry, to order various attacking, flanking, 
retreat and regrouping signals).  

10. When the leader in question attracted more of his kinsmen to his 
standard, he would be in a position to add additional tug  to his own lance.

This was necessary because he now had more divisions to command, each with a

designated lieutenant, called tugbay.  For example, in the very late 15th 
and very early 16th centuries, the Özbeks and the Kazaks formed their 
confederations in this time-honored fashion. In the 14th century, Timur was 
another example.  Their population comprised primarily of urug, oymak, aris 
and so on, that arrived from the Nogay confederation that was dissolving. 
This was the mechanics by which the Central Asians established their 
polities, which we might now call states, complete with their geographic 
domains and governance structures.  

11. The name adopted as the appellation of the confederation is chosen 
carefully, as it determines the character of the polity.  For example, 
Özbeks named themselves after Özbek Han.  This took place after an earlier 
confederation was dissolved, and the components of that earlier 
confederation chose to join others to form a brand-new confederation.   Z. 
V. Togan, in his "Origins of the Özbeks and the Kazaks" summarizes the 
process involved (http://webpages.acs.ttu.edu/hpaksoy/oko.htm) 

13. Each polity would choose an uran as a part of their membership kit. 
Uran is the word shouted in the heat of the battle, to allow combatants to 
identify and gauge the whereabouts of their fellows without taking their 
eyes off the common adversary.  The uran serves as the general password of 
the members of a polity, as seen for example, with the Nogay.  The utterance

of the uran (during the act of the strike, of the motion of the sword, to 
release the pressure on the diaphragm) marked the membership in a given 
polity as well as access to other members not personally acquainted in 
non-combat times.        Thus, uran is an integral part of identity in 
Central Asia, forming a triad, along with tamga and dastan. 

14. The term tamga, originally referring to the ``seal'' of a given group, 
was later borrowed by Russians to designate customs levies (Russian: 
tamozhnia). The tamga was embroidered on Central Asian tents, incorporated 
into rugs, filigreed into jewelry, struck into coins, and used as a cattle 
brand.  A list of early tamgas is found in Kashgarli Mahmut's eleventh 
century work the Diwan Lugat at Türk.  It provides, in part, the visual 
identification component of the membership in the polity.  

15. A dastan, on the other hand is an ornate ``oral history'' of the 
origins, customs, practices, and exploits of ancestors.  It was a shameful 
act on the part of any member who could not recite a portion of the 
designated dastan.  The dastan contains the events that brought the polity 
together (http://www.ukans.edu/~ibetext/texts/paksoy-1/).  

16. As one result, the triad uran, tamga, dastan comprise, if you will, the 
constitution, passport and national anthem of the confederation.  Together, 
they form the emblems of a polity, or statehood.  In the political party 
platforms of the proposed Turkistan independent republic, the traces of 
these elements are discernible.  This triad was always used by Central Asian

polities, even after large-scale Central Asian empires, city-states or other

smaller entities, dissolved.  The triad lay dormant for a period, until new 
conditions favorable for another confederation presented themselves.  It 
happened in the fifth to seventh centuries A.D., when the Göktürk empire 
rose from its earlier roots, and even after the thirteenth century Mongol 
irruption as the Timurid empire demonstrates.  

17. In the twentieth century, this uran, tamga, dastan triad began to make 
itself felt once again.   Much like the Australian colonies confederating in

1901 to form Australia, or the American colonies in 1776 making use of 
earlier symbolisms and traditions, forming coalitions.  

18. The leaders of the Turkistan National Liberation Movement (1919-1930s) 
took on the historical title Korbashi, meaning "commander of defense troops"

as recorded in the eleventh century, and set about engaging the colonizer 
and preparing for sovereignty.   Along the way, the elements of Uran, Tamga,

Dastan played a prominent role in this struggle; as they continue to do so. 
(http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/~kansite/ww_one/comment/togan.html) 

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