Karachays
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Karachay patriarchs in the 19th century |
| Total population |
|---|
| 300,000 (est.) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, USA, Syria |
| Languages |
| Religion |
The Karachays (Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla) are a Turkic people of the North Caucasus, mostly situated in the Russian Karachay-Cherkess Republic.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Karachays are a Turkic people descending from the Kypchaks, with some admixture of the medieval Alans.[1] The state of Alania established in the Middle Ages had its capital in Maghas, which some authors locate in Arkhyz, 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, the name "Karachay" means in turkish "Black River".
In 1828 the Russian army invaded the area of Karachi. October 20, 1828 occurred Hasaukinskoe bloodiest battle in which the king's troops (were under the personal command of General Emanuel), equipped with artillery, managed to win. Troops Emanuel lost and injured 163 people, which exceeded the loss of the Russians in the battle with the 30 thousandth shell-Batal Pasha. Karachaevskij elders have taken steps to prevent the massacres of their villages. The day after the battle, when troops are already Emanuel approached to-Dzhurtu, they went to meet the delegation of elders. As a result of negotiations, agreement was reached on the inclusion of Karachi in the Russian Empire. After the annexation has been left intact all the internal self-government Karachi: officials and courts. Proceedings of the neighboring Muslim peoples continued to take place on folk customs and the Sharia. In Karachay even assigned arms, but were taken from Karachai Amanat pledge their loyalty oath. 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.
Accession (in many ways more formal) Karachi to the Empire was considered very important achievement of the king's generals. GA Emanuel compared his victory with a well-known mastery Fermopilami (in a transcription - «Termopilami») [2]
In November 1943, on false charges of collaboration with Nazi Germany, Karachai were resettled in Central Asia: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The total population at that time numbered about 80 thousand people. The advantage of children, women and the elderly. Man of the people fought against the fascists at the front lines of World War II. By not documented to the Soviet politician MA Suslov (one of the main initsiatorov repression north Caucasian peoples) had a personal dislike of Karachai. According to eyewitnesses, Suslov was present at the wedding in Karachae, where, during the feast, assaulted one of the elders, for which he was severely beaten by young mountaineers. These and many attribute the subsequent difficulties in the rehabilitation of Karachay people. Disease and famine caused the death of 35% of the population only for the first two years of deportation. Of the 28 thousand children were killed 22 thousand (about 78%). Currently, the elders of Karachi, who were eyewitnesses to these events, the report: «The time in Central Asia, it was terrible. Hunger, the expulsion of war and violence ... but Karachai preferred to die than to beg, and thus to disgrace himself and his clan ».
After 14 years of deportation, during the N. Khrushchev, in 1957 Karachai return home.
[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. Most Karachay people follow Islam.
[edit] Diaspora
Czarist Russian annexation of the Karachay nation led to mass migration to Turkey in the early 20th century. Karachays were also displaced en masse to the then Soviet controlled Central Asian states of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan after Stalin's relocation campaign in 1944. Since the Khrushchev era in the Soviet Union, many Karachays have been repatriated to their homeland from Central Asia. Karachays residing in Turkey have also migrated to numerous Western countries in search of economic opportunity. Today, there are sizable Karachay communities in Turkey (centered around Eskisehir), Uzbekistan, United States of America, and Germany.
[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.
Prominent tukums include: Aci, Batcha (Batca), Baychora, Bayrimuk (Bayramuk), Bostan, Catto, Cosar (Çese), Duda, Hubey (Hubi), Karabash, Laypan, Lepshok, Ozden, Silpagar, Teke, Toturkul, and many others. There are roughly 32 Karachay tukums. A tukum is basically a family's clan-based lineage.
Karachay people are very independent in their behavior and adherence to their freedom. They have strong historically developed traditions and customs which regulate their lives: the wedding, the funeral, the pronouncement of family decisions, etc. They are fiercely loyal to their immediate family, as well, as their "tukum" or clan. They will never offend a guest. Cowardice is the most serious shame for the male.
[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.
«The people of the right flank, knowing militancy Karachai and tempered nature, are afraid to touch them and live peacefully with them». I. Zabudsky, «Military Statistical Review of Russian Empire», Stavropol Province. P-Pb, 1851, t.16, ch.1, s.132
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- (English)(Turkish) Ulu Cami: A Karachay Mosque serving Muslim Community in Northern Jersey
http://www.akba.org American Karachay Benevolent Association
http://kcr.narod.ru/miziev/miz-e.htm I. Miziev. The history of Karachais from ancient times.
www.karachay.com
