The Tradition of Giving 'Kalyn' (Bride Price)' in Kyrgyz Society From Past to Present = Kırgız Toplumunda Geçmişten Günümüze Kalın (Başlık Parası) Geleneği

The custom of giving the ‘kalyn’ (bride price), existing as one of the forms of cultural traditions and obtaining an important function within starting a new family unit, can be found in almost all communities and ethnic groups in the world. In the institution of the family, which is created to ensure the bloodline, a bride price is one of the symbols of marriage. Bride price aims to acknowledge and protect the economic value of a woman and her human dignity at the time of marriage of two persons of different sexes belonging to two different groups or families. Associated with the dynamics of social structure, bride price usually maintains this relationship. Sometimes this situation has compulsory and violent nature, but at the same time it can be culturally appropriate and is able to earn new social identity and belonging. It can be observed that in culturally and religiously conservative communities, money, property or other form of wealth is paid by groom or his family to bride's side. Thus, this practice entails different legal and social consequences. In communities and societies, where bride price is considered as valid action, there are various interpretations of this ritual's practice and notion. In Ancient Rome and Athens, any form of wealth paid by the groom's side had a real sale price, thus, we can understand that groom was literally purchasing a woman, paying a certain price to bride's parents, or her personally. At the same time, it could be found that bride's father pays dowry (drahoma) to his son-in-law, in order to secure his daughter's status in new family. According to Jewish and Canon law, a certificate of marriage was considered as same as a sales agreement, it can easily be found in written sources, that groom's family made payments known as a tamirtu: tirhatu, m'aru or mohar, which was given to the bride's family. In Pre-Islamic Arab communities, bride price payment existed and was known as mahr, sadak, sidak or saduka. A tradition of giving the bride price, usually known as kalyn among Turkic-speaking peoples is one of the most important parts of the marriage ritual. This tradition, appeared and mentioned in a number of foreign written sources, and even in ancient Orkhon-Yenisey runic inscriptions, is still alive among Kyrgyz people and forms one of the important phases in the marriage process. In this research, studies have been conducted on a phenomenon of kalyn, one of the traditional rituals, its historic development and transformation processes, ways of its perception in Kyrgyz family, and its current position in the society. Furthermore, for the purpose of clarifying the topic and revealing historical process, information is provided about how Turkic-speaking ethnic groups used a term ‘bride price – kalyn’ and its meaning. Speaking of history of bride price giving practice in Kyrgyz society, attempts have been made to put historical approach on the basis of ethnographical and folklore sources about Kyrgyz family. Efforts were made to provide information about how a tradition of giving bride price is used and well-preserved among modern Kyrgyz society.