Besermyan

The Besermyan, Biserman, Besermans or Besermens (Russian: бесермяне, besermyane singular: besermyanin, Udmurt: бесерманъёс, Tatar Cyrillic: бисермәннәр, Latin: bisermännär) are a small numbered Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia.

The Russian Empire Census of 1897 listed 10,800 besermens. There were 10,000 Besermyans in 1926, but according to the Russian Census (2002), there were only 3,122 of them in Russia. [1]

The Besermyan live in the northwest region of Yukamenskoye, Glazov, Balezino, and Yar Districts of Udmurtia. There are ten villages of pure Besermyan ethnicity in Russia, and 41 villages with a partial Besermyan population.

The Besermyans' language is a dialect of the Udmurt language with Tatar influences.

Some Besermyans' traditions differ from other Udmurtian customs due to the Islamic influence during the Volga Bulgaria and Khanate of Kazan periods.

References

  1. ↑ demoskop.ru: Alphabetical list of peoples of the Russian Empire