Abazins
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Abazins
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 Flag of the Abazins |
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Abkhaz, other "Circassian" peoples |
The Abazins (ethnonym: Abaza or Asuwa) are an ethnic group of the Caucasus that lives mostly in the Karachay–Cherkessia and Adygea republics in Russia. The Abazins originally inhabited the Sadzen region in the western part of Abkhazia, but migrated from Abkhazia to Abazinia in 14th and 15th centuries, and later to other regions of the Middle East in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their dominant religion is Sunni Islam. Abazins speak the Abaza language, a Northwest Caucasian language closely related to Abkhaz. There are two dialects of Abazian in Karachay–Cherkessia—Ashkharua and Tapanta.
According to the 2002 census, there were 37,942 Abazins in Russia. An Abazin diaspora exists in Turkey,[1] Jordan,[citation needed] Syria,[citation needed] Egypt (which features the Abaza family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Egypt)[citation needed], and other Islamic countries, most of which are descendants of refugees (muhajirs) from the Caucasian War with the Russian Empire.
There is a significant Abazin presence in Turkey. An estimated number of 150,000 Abazins live in the provinces of Eskişehir, Samsun, Yozgat, Adana and Kayseri-Uzunyayla (the long plateau). Most of them belong to Ashkharua clan that fought against the Tsarist army and emigrated to Turkey after losing the battle of Kbaada (Krasnaya Polyana in today's Sochi), whereas the Tapanta clan fought with the Russian forces.
History
Mention of Abazin tribes is found in the writings of ancient authors beginning in the 5th century B.C. under the ехonym Abaza. For example the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (5th century B.C.) in his map of the ancient world listed the Abazgii tribe among peoples who lived on the shores of the Black Sea. Strabo referred to the Abazins (Abaza) and other related tribes under the collective ехоnym Zygii.[2]
See also
References
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