Aqsaqal or aksakal (literally meaning "white beard" in Turkic languages) refers to the Patriarchy of communities in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Volga. Traditionally, an aqsaqal is the leader of a village or aul, and is in charge of all matters relating to customary law.[ "Kishlak" , Encyclopedia of Central Asia] Acting as advisors or judges, these elders have or had a role in politics and the justice system in countries and tribes for centuries. Recently, there have been distinct aksakal courts established in Kyrgyzstan. In Uzbekistan, which has traditionally been a more urban society (the Uzbeks being sarts or town-dwellers, as opposed to Yörüks), cities are divided up into mahallas. Each mahalla has an aqsaqal who acts as the district leader.
Redevelopment of the aqsaqal courts in Kyrgyzstan
In 1995, then-President of Kyrgyzstan
Askar Akayev announced a decree to revitalize the
aqsaqal courts. The courts would have jurisdiction over property, torts and family law.
[Judith Beyer, Kyrgyz Aksakal Courts: Pluralistic Accounts of History, 53 J. OF L. PLURALISM 144 (2006)] The
aqsaqal courts were eventually included under Article 92 of the Kyrgyz constitution. As of 2006, there were approximately 1,000
aqsaqal courts throughout Kyrgyzstan, including in the capital of
Bishkek.
Akaev linked the development of these courts to the rekindling of Kyrgyz national identity. In a 2005 speech, he connected the courts back to the country's nomadic past and extolled how the courts expressed the Kyrgyz ability of self-governance.
[Former President Akaev, quoted in Beyer, Kyrgyz Aksakal Courts]
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