Aksakal

An aksakal in Dushanbe

An aksakal (also: axakal , aqsaqal ; German: white beard ) is a person in the Central Asian and Caucasian tradition who is particularly respected in their village community and therefore functions as an arbitrator, organizer and cultural mediator. An aksakal is often the village elder , which is already implied in the term.

tradition

The aksakal has been known in Central Asia and the Caucasus for many centuries and plays an important role in social organization. It should be noted that an aksakal does not exercise any formally stipulated power, but is only legitimized in his position through reputation and respect in the village community. Aksakal are generally considered experienced and wise, which is why they are also called upon in arbitration proceedings. In doing so, they refer to written law less often than to a fundamental worldview on which the evaluation of conflicts is based.

The exchange between the Aksakal of several village communities also has a tradition. It is common for several Aksakal to meet regularly to discuss local issues.

Modern

In the modern age, the tradition of the aksakal has survived to a different extent. The centralized structures of the states in which the villages with a long tradition of the Aksakal are located today ensure constant conflicts between the Aksakal and the state authorities. Attempts are being made, especially in Central Asia, to counteract this development by integrating the Aksakal into state institutions. For example, in Kyrgyzstan there are Aksakal dishes, at which Aksakal judge according to their belief in the traditional way. Similar mechanisms for the involvement of the Aksakal in the judiciary exist in Turkmenistan , Tajikistan , Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan .

A problem of the Aksakal tradition in modern times is the manipulation and bribery of Aksakal, for example by state officials. This topic goes so far that it has given the Aksakal the nickname Akshakal (German: White Jackal).

Individual evidence

1. ^ Klaus Pander: Central Asia cultural travel guide .
2. ↑ aksakal | Definition of aksakal in English by Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved June 2, 2019 . 
3. ^ Judith Beyer: Customizations of Law: Courts of Elders (Aksakal Courts) in Rural and Urban Kyrgyzstan . In: PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review . tape 38 , no. 1 , 2015, ISSN  1555-2934 , p. 53-71 , doi : 10.1111 / plar.12086 ( wiley.com [accessed June 2, 2019]).
4. ↑ Azamat Temirkulov: The Mediating Role of the institution in Aksakal Local Conflicts in Kyrgyzstan .
5. ↑ Mahabad Sadyrbek: Legal Pluralism in Central Asia: Local Jurisdiction and Customary Practices .