On March 4, 2026, an academic seminar titled “Kazakh Interpreters of the Semirechye Region at the Turn of the 19th–20th Centuries: Their Public Roles under Colonial Administration” was held at Zhetysu University. The speaker was Miras Abdrakhim, PhD, lecturer of the Department of History and Social-Humanitarian Disciplines.
During the seminar, the presenter introduced new insights into the administrative functions and social roles of Kazakh interpreters who served in the Semirechye region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Drawing on archival materials, he analyzed their position within the colonial administrative apparatus, their role as intermediaries between local communities and the imperial authorities, as well as their professional training and social status.
The event was attended by the faculty members of the Humanities Department, as well as master’s and doctoral students. During the discussion, participants noted that the interpreters’ mastery of two languages and two cultural environments enabled them to influence the political and social processes of the region.
