Etimology of the Etnonim “iTeyit/i”

The present article offers a comprehensive etymological investigation into the ethnonym Teyit, a self-designation used by one of the most prominent groups within the Ichkilik Kyrgyz tribal confederation. The author performs a critical re-evaluation of the long-standing hypothesis that attempts to link this name to the Arab tribe of Tayyi’, which purportedly settled in Transoxiana during the Islamic conquests of the 8th century. In contrast to this traditional view, the study proposes a novel interpretation that connects the ethnonym to the phytonym tiit (larch tree), a term found in various Turkic languages with phonetic variants such as itit/i or ityt/i. This hypothesis is substantiated by the sacred significance of the larch tree within the archaic spiritual traditions of Siberian peoples. By synthesizing data from comparative linguistics, ethnography, and population genetics, the author demonstrates the invalidity of the Arabian theory and proves the autochthonous Turkic origins of the ethnonym, rooted in ancient cults of nature. Furthermore, the research explores the historical involvement of the Enisei Kyrgyz in the ethnogenesis of the Yakut (Sakha) people. By analyzing previously overlooked Yakut historical folklore and oral traditions, the author argues that the Kyrgyz component played a far more substantial role in Yakut history than is currently acknowledged in mainstream historiography. A point of significant scholarly novelty is the author’s hypothesis regarding the origin of the ethnonym Kurykan —the ancestors of the Yakut people. The study suggests a direct linguistic correlation between this name and an alternative reading of the ancient Chinese characters traditionally used to denote the ethnonym Kyrgyz. This multidisciplinary approach provides a fresh perspective on the migration patterns and cultural synthesis of Turkic-speaking nomadic societies in Central and North-East Asia.