Continuity and Change of Minority Cultures in Xinjiang

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The ultimate aim of this study is to contribute to the solution of the conflict between nation-states and ethnic minorities or among ethnic groups themselves, especially in the case of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, China. While anthropological studies on religious activities in Xinjiang are extremely difficult today, we concentrated in the study on continuity and change of ethnic cultures through the understanding of human relations in family, education at school and family, and economic activity.The main findings of this research are as follows :(1) Custom of adopting one of grand child as a child is found in Uygur and Kazak people in Kash and Hami. Through the analysis of this custom, the kinship structure and the family cycle were clarified.(2) Although it was difficult to observe the Islamic belief customs of the Uygur directly, we could describe and analyze the Uygur rites of passage, which seem to constitute the core of the ethnic culture of the Uygur.(3) The Chinese government's policy is to settle down the nomads in Xinjiang and the change of their life style seems to change the ethnic culture of the minority people including the Mongols.(4) Our Chinese counterparts contributed to our project greatly sending us their papers on the educational policy and the problem of language.