Jety-ata

Jety-ata (Kazakh: Жеті ата, “seven grandfathers/ancestors”) is a tradition among the Kazakh people, in which each Kazakh should know the names of their at least seven ancestors such as father, grandfather, great grandfather and great-great-grandfather etc. For example, the list of seven ancestors is:

1. Ake (father)

2. Bala (grandfather)

3. Nemere (great grandfather)

4. Shobere (great-great-grandfather)

5. Shopshek (great-great-grandfather’s father)

6. Nemene (great-great-grandfather’s grandfather)

7. Tuazhat (great-great-grandfather’s great grandfather).

For Kazakh, the knowledge of my genealogy underlines the importance of memory and is valued as the most precious possession. Furthermore, as they know who their ancestors were, it gives them inspiration and a sweet feeling of belongingness.

Among Kazakhs, people are not allowed having marriage relation within seven generations. In the oral folklore of Kazakhs it is said that the more distant kinship relation between a man and a woman is, the wiser, healthier and stronger their newborn baby is.

Іn earlier tіmе, іn order tо mеmоrіsе Shеzhіrе (Family Tree) and pass it from generation to generation, elderly people hаd а hаbіt to tell about their ancestors to children, and these children also told about them to their children. Thus, everyone wаs аwаrе оf their roots. Nowadays іt hаs bеcоmе easier tо mеmоrіsе Family Tree: most Kazakh families hаvе а Family Tree book in their hоmе.

Read the text again and mark the sentences T (true) or F (false). If the sentence is false, make it true.

1. Everyone in Kazakh family should know his seven ancestors. T

2. Knowing genealogy highlights the significance of memory. T

3. A man and a woman who have relation marriage in less than 7 generations usually have a wise, healthy and strong newborn child. F

4. People in the past used to learn their Family Tree and pass their Family Tree books from generation to generation. F

Retrieved and adapted from https://el.kz/en/news/istoriya/the_role_geneology_in_people_s_life