Aqsaqal

Aqsaqal (or "aksakal") in Turki literally means "white beard" that refers to the old and wise of the community. In earlier times, Aqsaqal played great role in the politics of the different tribes as advisors and judges. For instance, there are Aksakals' Courts in Kyrgyzstan. In Uzbekistan, which has traditionally been a more urban society (the Uzbeks being 'sarts' or town-dwellers, as opposed to nomadic Turks), cities are divided up into mahallas. Each mahalla has an aqsaqal who acts as the district leader. Today, the aqsaqals have been employed by the government of Islam Karimov to act as informants for anyone who might be in opposition to the Karimov regime.