Karapapak

Karapapaken (proper name: Qarapapah, Azerbaijani Qarapapaqlar. ) Are a Turkic ethnic group in the Caucasus region. Today, it is debatable whether they are Turks or Azeris. But since they are closer linguistically to the latter, it is common practice to count them among the Azerbaijanis.

However, the Karapapaken should not be confused with the Central Asian Karakalpaks, which belong to a different linguistic group within the Turkic languages ​​.

Alternative designations

The Karapapaken are referred to in Turkey as Karapapaklar. An alternative name is also türk Terekeme or Azerbaijani. Tərəkəmə.

Size and settlement areas

How many Karapapaken there is unknown. 1977 known in Turkey about 81,000 people to this ethnic group. The Karapapaken originally lived on both sides of the former Turkish- Soviet border. Today, they live isolated in Iran, Russia and Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. In Europe, they are summed as Turks because of their Turkish nationality.

In earlier times, when the Karapapaken were still nomadic, they settled in Georgia, Armenia and the Northwest Süddagestan. In addition, groups of them lived in the northwestern and central Azerbaijan.

After the conquest of their territory by the Russian Tsarist Empire (1813-1828), the majority of them migrated to the Ottoman Empire and Persia.

Origin of the name

The name Karapapaken (German Black Hat ) is derived from the black lambskin caps, which were worn by the men folk costumes.

Language and religion

Linguistically are the Karapapaken between the Turkish and Azerbaijani. But since they have more similarities with the latter, is considered in Azerbaijan and their language a dialect called. The religion after the Karapapaken Muslims, the majority of Shiites.

History

The origin of the Karapapaken is controversial and is largely in the dark. To see some Turkish studies as Fahrettin Kırzıoğlu them standing in conjunction with the Kumyks. However, probably descended from several Turkic-speaking tribes. After the Russian-Turkish war (1878 ) and the new boundary between the Ottoman and Russian Empire came again to out-migration of this people. With the Meskhetian who lived near their Georgian settlements, the Karapapaken seem to have been closely related. Thus for example the " Metzler Lexikon Sprache " the Meschetische as a subgroup of Karapapakischen on.

The Karapapaken were deported in 1944 along with other Turkic-speaking ethnic groups in Central Asia and were allowed until 1967 to return to the old settlements.