‘I Take MyDombraand Sing to Remember my Homeland’: Identity, Landscape and Music in Kazakh Communities of Western Mongolia

Abstract

Kazakh residents in Bayan Ölgii province in Western Mongolia use production and performance of the long-necked lute dombra to construct and reconstruct Kazakh perceptions of identity, homeland and place. The performances and instrument-making practices by both nomadic herders and settled residents reveal that they define Kazakhness in relation to their long residence in this mountainous terrain, and in many cases the homeland they refer to in their music is in Bayan Ölgii, a place where Kazakhs continue to maintain local distinctiveness as Mongolian residents. Their musical events contribute to community solidarity in response to nationalization efforts of Khalka Mongolians that often exclude Kazakh interests, and their actions also help residents navigate their struggles over decisions regarding repatriation and the daily impact that globalization has on their lives.

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