We present to our readers a new interview with him. 

 –  Can you tell us what first sparked your interest in Kazakh horses?

My interest in Kazakh horses was something that came along very slowly throughout my research. Early on in my PhD program, I never really even thought about Kazakh horses, actually. I was always interested in human movement, though, and that is what drew me to the history of Kazakhstan. As a child growing up in the United States and studying the history here, we learned about the expansion of the country westward to the Pacific Ocean in the 1800s and the settlers who migrated there in hopes of starting a new life. When I began working on my PhD at Michigan State University, my advisor Lewis Siegelbaum and his wife, Leslie Page Moch (who was also on my dissertation committee) were working on a new book about migration in Russian and Soviet political space – Broad Is My Native Land: Repertoires and Regimes of Migration in Russia’s Twentieth Century (Cornell, 2014). Part of their research entailed the study of Russian and other migrants making their way (primarily) to areas of Siberia and the Kazakh Steppe. This really interested me because of the similarities to the history of the United States, and I began focusing a lot of my own research on this period. Within this, both my advisor and myself began to see that there was a lot of discussion of horses in the historical documents which makes sense – settlers needed horses for all kinds of jobs, from transportation, to farming, to herding, etc. It just so happens that the Kazakh Steppe had the largest horse population in the world and the native Kazakhs had a long history with the animals and relied on them very much in their day-to-day activities. So this set up a really interesting dynamic – new people who needed horses with native populations who had horses. I found this fascinating and began to focus my entire research on all the ways that horses fit into this particular period of history and how they dictated the interactions between Kazakhs and outsiders. 

 – What is the historical importance of horses in Kazakh nomadic culture?

Horses have been the most important animal not only in Kazakh nomadic culture but in the history of Central Asia for millennia. From the time that they were domesticated – a lot of evidence points to the Botai culture in northern Kazakhstan – horses have shaped the history of Central Asia. The Scythian culture that spread throughout the region were not only some of the first great horse-mounted warriors in history, but also some of the first great horse breeders in history and other people traveled to the regio specifically to purchase some their horses. In fact, it was the Chinese Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty who sent men to the region in the 2nd Century BCE to bring back the “blood-sweating horses” of Ferghana. This chapter of history, in many ways, gave rise to the famed “Silk Roads” and increased trade between east and west. Actually, a recently published work on horses argues that we should perhaps call the Silk Roads the “Horse Roads” instead. At any rate, this is the long history that Kazakh nomadic culture is built upon – the Golden Warrior Monument in Republic Square in Almaty is testament to this history. The importance of the horse only continued - The sixteenth century Kazakh leader, Kasym Khan, once reported stated that “we are residents of the steppe; our possessions and goods are not rare and they are not valuable. But our greatest riches are our horses.” The importance of the horse was notable in almost every aspect of a Kazakh nomad from birth to death.  

 – What were the main scientific methods or disciplines you used in your research (e.g., genetics, anthropology, archaeology)?

I am strictly a historian. My research was completed primarily at the Central State Archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Library of Kazakhstan in Almaty, the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, the Russian State Historical Archive in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the National Library of Russia also in St. Petersburg. 
– How do Kazakh horse traditions compare to those in other parts of the world, such as Mongolia or Native American cultures?

I do not know as much about Mongolian culture but obviously they have a deep connection with horses as well – from the mounted warriors of Genghis Khan to the nomadic pastoralism which is still practiced in the region to this day. Some native American cultures likewise have a history with horses but not nearly as long as the Kazakhs, other Central Asian cultures, or the Mongolians. Although the ancient ancestor of the modern horse was native to North America, it went extinct long ago and horses were not present on the continent until Spanish explorers brought horses with them at the end of the 15th century. From there, the climate and landscape of the American west (similar to that of the Kazakh Steppe) allowed the horse population to explode. In fact, by 1900, the region of the Kazakh Steppe had the largest horse population in the world and the only other place to come close was the plains of the American west. But the Native American cultures used their horses a bit differently than Kazakhs. While Kazakhs primarily used horses to herd other animals – goats, sheep, etc. – Native Americans used them to hunt bison/buffalo that roamed the plains in great numbers. 

– How important were horses to the everyday life of Kazakh nomads in the past?

Horses were their primary means of survival – from traversing the great distances of the steppe, to herding animals, to breeding and selling horses, to warfare, to drinking kumis, to eating beshbarmak  – everything a Kazakh nomad did revolved around their horses. This is why horses were present in so many ceremonies – birth, marriage, even death. Ancient warriors were often buried with their horse and, depending on how important the person was, many horses would often be sacrificed and buried in the large kurgans/graves.

– What was the most surprising or unexpected discovery during your research? Or did you discover any interesting historical facts about horses in the Kazakh steppe?

The most surprising or unexpected discovery was actually just how much I came to love Kazakhstan and its people. Prior to starting my research, I am not sure I would have ever thought about traveling to Kazakhstan and now I want to return every chance I can get to keep exploring the country and experiencing the wonderful culture. In the United States, most people have little knowledge of Kazakhstan, so it makes me happy to be able to tell my students and others about what an exciting and welcoming place it is. 

 –  What did you learn from Kazakh horse breeders, herders, or local historians?

I actually never talked much with Kazakh horse breeders or herders, although I wish I had and will definitely try to do so on my next trip. A historian I learned quite a bit from is Akhmet Toktabai, who has written extensively on Kazakh horse history. My knowledge from him comes mostly from his books, but I did get to meet with him in 2017 at the National Academy of Sciences in Almaty. We talked about my research and he was nice enough to sign a copy of his book - Қазақ жылқысының тарихы – for me. I display it proudly in my office now. 

 – Finally, what has Kazakhstan and its horse culture taught you personally?

I have always had a deep respect for horses. Growing up, my sister used to ride horses and while I never really rode them myself, I loved to be around them and I think they are fascinating animals. But as much as Americans might love horses and embrace a history of “cowboys” and “the west”, the horse culture the Kazakhs far surpasses any of it. One interesting aspect of this difference is in how Kazakhs use horses as a source of nourishment – drinking kumiss and eating horse meat. In the United States, people react quite negatively to the idea of this, going so far as to consider the act of eating horse meat “mean” and saying things like “how could they do that?!? The poor horse!!” – But I think this just showcases how important horses were/are to Kazakhs and I think the respect for horses goes much deeper in Kazakh culture than it ever could in most cultures of the west. I find that to be extremely fascinating.  

                                                           Interviewer Duisenali Alimakyn