Abstract
Aitys is a traditional Kazakh genre of improvisational oral poetry, often performed as a poetic contest or duel between two akyns (folk poets) accompanied by the dombra. This article examines the historical development and transformation of aitys through a postcolonial lens. Originally, aitys served as a vital medium for expressing collective values, identity, and social opinion in Kazakh society. Under Russian imperial and later Soviet rule, the genre was appropriated and repurposed as a tool of colonial and ideological propaganda, triggering contradictory processes of cultural preservation and change. Drawing on postcolonial theory—particularly Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism and Frantz Fanon’s ideas on cultural reappropriation—the study analyzes how aitys functioned both as an instrument of colonial influence and as a platform for counter-discourse and cultural resilience. A diachronic comparison across different periods demonstrates that, despite significant external interference, aitys maintained its core significance and adaptability. In the post-Soviet era, aitys has experienced a revival as part of decolonization and cultural renewal in Kazakhstan, even expanding onto digital platforms. This research contributes a novel perspective by treating aitys not as a static folklore relic but as a dynamic cultural phenomenon. The findings highlight how aitys continues to shape Kazakh cultural identity and serve as a form of cultural resistance in the contemporary era.