Abstract
The origins of the Bashkirs as a tribal group date back to the ancient sources of Herodotus and Ptolemy, and references to them are found in Chinese, Arabic, and Persian chronicles. Their formation occurred amid complex ethnic and migratory processes across the Eurasian steppe, the Volga region, and the Urals. The first mentions of the Tatars date back to the 6th-9th centuries. Bashkirs and Tatars belong to the Turkic peoples of Eurasia and have close historical and cultural ties. Their ethnogenesis is complex. The ties of the Bashkirs and Tatars with Central Asia have deep historical roots (migration, cultural exchange, trade, education, and religious activity). After Kazakhstan's joining to Russia, Tatar merchants, scholars, and religious figures played an important role in the development of cities, culture, education, and Islam. Tatars are one of the largest ethnic groups in Kazakhstan. Bashkirs are also represented, but in smaller numbers. The country has a network of ethnocultural centers that maintain the traditions of their peoples. In this regard, this article will examine the activities of Tatar-Bashkir ethnocultural centers, their identity, and religious affiliation. It concludes that Tatars and Bashkirs are active participants in state-confessional relations in Kazakhstan, identify with Sunni Islam, and make a valuable contribution to the country's ethnocultural landscape and the development of their ethnic group.