Karachays
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Karachays | |
|---|---|
 Karachay patriarchs in the 19th century |
|
| Total population | 250,000 (est.) |
| Regions with significant populations | Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey |
| Language | Karachay |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Related ethnic groups | Other Turkic peoples, Kipchaks |
The Karachays (Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla) are a Turkic people of the Ciscaucasus, mostly situated in the Russian Karachay-Cherkess Republic. They sometime refer to themselves as Alans (аланла, alanla).
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[edit] History
As several other ethnic groups in the Caucasus, the Karachays see themsevels as descendants of the Alans.[1] The state of 'Alania' established in the Middle Ages had its capital in Maghas, which some authors locate in the mountains currently inhabited by the Karachay (others place it in modern Ingushetia or North Ossetia). In the 14th century, Alania was destroyed by Timur and the decimated population dispersed in the mountains. Timur's intervention to the North Caucasus introduced the local nations to Islam.
In 1828, the Russian army broke into the Karachay's territory and, after the series of battles with numerically insignificant military forces of hillmen, formally annexed the Karachay territories. In 1831 - 1860, Karachays joined the bloody anti-Russian struggles carried out by Caucasian peoples. In 1861 - 1880, to escape repression by the Russian army, large numbers of Karachays migrated to Turkey. Between Jan 1, 1921 - Dec 12, 1930 (early Soviet period), Bolshevik authorities quelled resistance to Soviet rule in Karachay region and other territories of the Caucasus. In 1942, the invading German army occupied the Karachay region.
In November 1943, the Karachay people were forcibly resettled to the desert areas of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The population of the nation at that time was nearly 80,000 people, primarily children, women and old men. Most of the male population were fighting with Nazis on the fronts of the World War II. With mass starvation, cholera, typhoid fever and other diseases, approximately 35% of the population died in 2 years (mainly the children). Out of 28,000 children, 22,000 died (approx. 78%)[2] Nowadays old men say: "That time in the Middle Asia was terrible for Karachay people: hunger, expulsion, and military violence; and Karachays preferred to die than to ask alms of others or blemish his or her honour or honour of the clan".
After 14 years, during the Khrushchev era in 1957, the chance to return to their historical lands was given to Karachay people .
[edit] Geography
The Karachay nation, as well as its brother nation, the Balkars, took the valleys and foothills of the Central Caucasus in the water gaps of the Kuban, Zelenchuk, Malka, Baksan, Cherek and others.
The Karachays and Balkars are very proud of the symbol of the nations, Mount Elbrus, the highest double-headed mountain in Europe with an altitude 5,642 meters.
Locations with dominant Karachay populations: Uchkulan, Huzruk, Kart Dzhurt, Arhyz, Dombai, Teberda, Karachaevsk, Ust-Dzheguta, Uchkeken, Novaya Dzheguta, Staraya Dzheguta, Kuzul Kala, Eltarkach.
[edit] Language and religion
The Karachay dialect of Karachay-Balkar language is of the Northwestern branch of Turkic languages. The Karachay are predominantly Sunni Muslim. They often fuse pre-Islamic pagan traditions with that of Islam.
[edit] Character of the nation
The isolated lifestyle among the Caucasus Mountains was one of the reasons of the establishment of the Karachay's unique character. Karachay people live in communities that are divided into clans and families: Uidegi – Ataul - Tukum – Tiire.
Karachay people are very independent in their behavior and adherents of freedom. They have strong historically developed traditions and customs, which are regulating the different aspects of life: wedding, funeral, pronouncement of family decisions, etc. They will never offend their guest and still keeping distinct attitude to woman. The fact of the offence Karachay man's parents is a fatal default for the offender. Cowardice is the most serious shame for the male. The blood feud takes place till the present times.
[edit] Quotations
“The Karachay is a neutral nation, which lives at the root of Elbrus, and excelling by its loyalty, goodliness and bravery”'.
— Leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist and philosopher,
Omnibus Edition (anniversary edition),
Moscow, Volume 46, page 184.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ HISTORY OF KARACHAY-BALKAR PEOPLE: From the ancient times to joining Russia, by Ismail M. Miziyev, Nalchik: Mingi-Tau Publishing, 1994. Translation from Russian and footnotes by P. B. Ivanov - Moscow, 1997.
- ^ Genocide in Karachay by Hamit Botas.
