For the peoples of the Caucasus and Central Asia, aksakal is a person who enjoys great respect. The reason is not only respectable age, but also wisdom multiplied by knowledge of traditions and customs and the ability not only to fairly resolve minor disputes, but also to prevent large ones. And the word itself has Turkic roots: in translation from Turkish, “aksakal” is a gray-bearded man.
What is the role of aksakal?
In ancient times, aksakal was a person who, along with other people, was involved in organizing public works and managing social events such as weddings and funerals. This role is inherent in him for a reason, since this is a person who had high moral qualities, earned respect not only for his good qualities, but also for his excellent knowledge of customs and traditions.
Thus, aksakal is a person whose activities reflected the national mentality and traditions, since he acted on the basis of morality, moral conviction and personal conscience. This means that in his hands were the traditions and customs of the people, and he controlled their faithful adherence.
Are there any elders now?
Despite the long past, over time, the institution of elders did not go down in history, but continues to exist successfully in the form of a social movement. A vivid example is the Aksakals Court in Kyrgyzstan, the Aksakals Council in Tatarstan and Styr Nykhas in Ossetia, not counting the informal, local councils of villages, cities and republics.
Today, aksakal is a person who acts on the basis of adat and applies its norms that do not contradict the law. The councils of elders are not included in the judicial system of the state, but only supplement it when considering disputes in a particular locality. Today, aksakal is a person who can consider cases by:
- property disputes;
- disputes related to family land and their irrational use;
- failure to fulfill parental duties in relation to children;
- administrative offenses.
But this does not mean that the elders are strict guardians of the past. New trends are not alien to them. So, Olzhabay Smagulov, the elder, whose photo is presented below, is a candidate for a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
Once a year, the Council of aksakals reports to the founders. If the decision made by the aksakals is not satisfied, it can be appealed.