What is the nationality of Azerbaijanis. Where did Azerbaijanis come from? Conquest of Azerbaijan by the Russian Empire
A very young nation, until recently its representatives themselves did not know what to call themselves and who they are. They called themselves whatever they wanted. Under Soviet power - "Baku people". The formation of the Azerbaijani nation took place under the Soviet regime, it took on such a task. But in 1926, the people were still recorded as "Turks", and already in 1939 - Azerbaijanis.
(Such types are not currently available)
Low awareness of one's own ethnicity and statehood is characteristic. Only Heydar Aliyev (father), one can say, became the creator of the nation in the full sense of the word. His son Ilham continued his father's work. His work is hard, because the technological and general level of culture of the people is very low (all this is superimposed on modern lack of culture). Historically, in these parts they not only did not know what to call themselves, but also did not strive to know anything and find out, for example, about the existence of atmospheric pressure and other physical laws. There was no Leiden jar here, Newton's apple did not fall, the Magdeburg hemispheres were not torn apart.
Even now I asked applicants and other young people what the number “pi” is, what is the radius of the Earth, its circumference, what is static electricity, what is the coefficient of friction, what is the width / length / depth of the Caspian Sea, etc. - no one answered a single question!
stylistic backwardness. Dressed as in uniform, all the guys are all as one, in jeans and white shirts. I would rather refrain from writing about girls and women. Outwardly everything Not good, so to speak. Not Italians. There are a lot of people with bad figures, women become shapeless very early. And men too. Bad teeth from the age of 25, they insert gold ones. They do not wear glasses, because don't need them. They meet through social networks, there are no live acquaintances. Men's eyes do not light up at the sight of any woman, as they once did. Facial expressions are poorly developed, expressing only gross and simple emotions. Innocent. Concrete thinking prevails. No romantics, no philosophers.
TV show.
But with all this, in general, Azerbaijan has achieved more than it should be due to its location. Thanks to natural wealth and thanks to the European ruler at the head of the country. Also an achievement!
The country looks decent, it is not a shame to show it. In general, order prevails - this is in the opinion of an outside observer (me). I have never seen anything negative or ugly. It doesn't happen often either.
Azerbaijani customs and traditions have come a long way before they formed into the species that are familiar to us now. Many centuries were needed for their formation, and many events, both positive and negative, became the cause of their occurrence. Azerbaijani traditions also reflect various religious worldviews of people, the peculiarity of their mentality, and the influence of other cultures. In the 20th century, the centralized (Soviet) government of the republic tried to eradicate many of the traditions, but no one will ever be able to destroy what is part of a person in a person. That is why many ancient traditions are still alive today.
After tea drinking, second courses, greens and fresh vegetables are served, and then - sweets or dovga. It is not customary to take food with the left hand. Rice is taken with a pinch, some dishes are also considered not shameful to take with your hand or a piece of bread. In urban settings, a meal is usually held according to European standards, with the presence of cutlery and individual portions. In rural areas, especially when it comes to some kind of community holiday, the rules of behavior at the table are more free and informal.
One of the main features of Azerbaijani cuisine, like any oriental one, is the unique aroma and spicy taste of dishes. A variety of spices give such an amazing effect to Azerbaijani food. Particular attention should be paid to saffron and sumac (powdered barberry). The first has become an integral component of numerous pilafs. And sumac is served with meat dishes. By the way, another distinctive feature of Azerbaijani cuisine is the use of lamb. Dolma is prepared from it, which is very similar to cabbage rolls.
Dishes such as kyufta bozbash (broth with meatballs, potatoes and peas), dovga (sour milk soup) and, of course, kebab are widely known. Various regions of Azerbaijan also boast special ways of cooking. For example, in the north-west of the country, the Khingal dish is popular, which is very similar to dumplings. Its filling is made from meat, kurut (dried cottage cheese) and fried onions. Lenkoraniya is famous for chickens stuffed with nuts, marmalade and onions. Confectionery products can be divided into two groups: cookies (shaker-luku, unlanan, kurabye) and pies with nut filling, which are famous as baklava. The most common national drink is sherbet. It is made with lemon, saffron, sugar, basil and mint seeds, and various fruits.
Do not be surprised if the first dish served to the table is tea. For Azerbaijanis, tea drinking has long turned into a cultural and aesthetic heritage, which has its own methods and rules. After tea is over, main courses, fresh vegetables and herbs are served, and at the end - dovga or sweets. Many dishes need to be eaten with the help of hands, for example, it is customary to take rice with a pinch. Azerbaijani lunch can last about three hours. However, in urban settings, the meal is often held according to European standards familiar to foreigners.
Teahouse
Another tradition associated with the tea ceremony. Unlike the standard Central Asian teahouse, where you can drink tea and have a hearty lunch, the Azerbaijani teahouse serves only tea. Only sweets and sweets can be offered to him, but not food. In the modern understanding of a foreign person, a teahouse can be safely called a club, and exclusively for men. Here they discuss news, business, make plans, remember the past, and most importantly, maintain relationships. In a sense, this is an institution designed to maintain stability in society. Neighbors who quarreled during the day meet in the tea house in the evening. And here, in the circle of neighbors, friends, over a glass of tea, they can calmly discuss their problems and find a mutually beneficial way out of the current situation.
Holidays
Of the holidays that are celebrated by Azerbaijanis, Kurban Bayram (holiday of sacrifice), orujluk (holiday of fasting) are widely celebrated. Novruz Bayram is celebrated most widely. This ancient folk holiday of the new year and spring. It is celebrated on March 21 - the day of the spring equinox. They have been preparing for it since the end of winter: they repair apartments, sew new clothes, but most importantly, they grow wheat on plates, then boil it in a special way. In the evening on the day of the holiday, a table is laid with rich dishes so that the year is rich and fertile. Small bonfires are kindled in the yards, over which older children jump under the supervision of older children. Novruz celebration is one of the interesting folk traditions of Azerbaijan. Novruz is a holiday of spring, the beginning of a new year. Before the celebration of Novruz, Azerbaijanis celebrate a number of previous days, which are holidays on the occasion of the end of the Old and the onset of the New Year. We are talking about four pre-holiday Wednesdays: Su Chershenbe (Wednesday on the water), Odlu Chershenbe (Wednesday on the fire), Torpag Chershenbe (Wednesday on the ground) and Akhir Chershenbe (the last Wednesday). According to popular beliefs, on the first Wednesday, water was renewed, stagnant waters began to move. In the second - fire, in the third - earth. On the fourth Wednesday, the wind opened the buds of the trees, and according to folk signs, spring came.
Cloth
As for the traditions in clothing, the national costumes of Azerbaijanis are very beautiful and original. Women's dresses have an elegant silhouette and cut, emphasizing the flexible countries of Azerbaijani beauties. They are decorated with intricate embroidery and trimmed with beautiful "golden" braid. Men's clothing is also very distinctive. She emphasizes their masculinity, does not constrain their rapid movements. Women's clothes were sewn mainly from silk and velvet, and men's clothes from cloth and homemade cashmere fabric. A notable element of the Azerbaijani costume is the underwear. She (both women's and men's) was sewn from canvas and cotton fabric. The rich beauties are made of silk. Women's clothing was distinguished by the brightness of colors. A short, fitted caftan with a pleated hem was worn over the shirt, and in winter, an additional quilted sleeveless jacket was worn. The woman's hair was put in a narrow straight cover, and a low hat with a scarf was put on her head. Leaving the yard, especially in the city, a shawl or a special long cape - a veil - was thrown over the scarf. Shoes for men were leather poles, soft boots and shoes with upturned toes. Women wore their own knitted socks at home, sometimes with hemmed leather soles, and when leaving the house they put on mules with a small heel and sharp, turned-up toes. In conditions of sharp social inequality, large differences were observed in the clothes of different social groups of the population. Wealthy men wore clothes made of expensive materials - fine cloth, silk; The Circassian coat was decorated with breast pockets, which in the past served as bandoliers, gazyrs, and girded with a thin leather belt trimmed with inlaid silver jewelry. Rich women also sewed clothes from expensive fabrics - silk, brocade, velvet; they wore a wide leather or velvet belt with t fancy silver buckles and hanging coins. Their costume was complemented by numerous jewelry - bracelets, monisto, bells, rings. At present, both men and women wear clothes of the pan-European type. Separate elements of the national costume (papakhas for men, and for women - wide skirts, shawls, scarves) can be found only in rural areas, mainly among older people.
Wedding
The richest national rituals and ceremonies were and remain wedding ceremonies. They start with an announcement...
The groom's relatives send a close relative to the girl's house. He must say about the intention to come to the matchmaking. It happens that in the house the girls do not give consent to this. In this case, the most respected of the groom's family tries to get the consent of the girl's parents.
Tea in the Azerbaijani tradition is an indispensable attribute of matchmaking. It is not customary for the people of this country to speak directly: they say, marry your daughter to our son. The fact that matchmakers will come to the house is reported in advance, and without much publicity. In the course of the matchmaking itself, the conversation is carried on only in hints and half-hints. And the answer is also given ambiguously, and a non-Azerbaijani would not understand such an answer. In general, it is given through tea: if sugar is put in the tea offered to the matchmakers, then you need to prepare for the wedding. If sugar was served separately from tea, then this means a refusal.
Particularly interesting wedding traditions Azerbaijan . There are many different pre-wedding customs in this country. One of the very first is Khabar gendarma or matchmaking notification. If the girl's family does not agree to matchmaking, the boy's relatives ask for help from respected people to help them get consent. There is also a custom of small matchmaking, according to which the bride is wooed by the young man's mother and another close relative.
Azerbaijanis have Small and Big betrothal. There is no groom at the first betrothal, but the boyfriend's relatives give the bride an engagement ring, a scarf and sweets. A few months later comes the main engagement. For this betrothal, the girl is presented with many gifts, with the exception of shoes. The most interesting traditional gift is the “shah”. It is a wedding decoration made of a tree branch, on which candles, a mirror, brocade, fruits and sweets are attached. The bride's dowry is brought to the groom's house a few days before the wedding.
Religious legalization of marriage takes place before the wedding. The ceremony is performed by Molla (representative of the Muslim mosque), who is thanked with money and a lump of sugar. In this ceremony, only the closest relatives are present. The actual wedding (“Toi”) can last up to three days. All guests say kind words to the newlyweds and dance. To the left and right of the groom are his closest friends (young). The mother of the groom must prepare gifts for them. The main thing is that the bride and groom dance a lot.
Name choice
The choice of names for newborns can also be distinguished as a custom. The choice of a name is usually associated with certain difficulties. Representatives of the dominant people are more free when choosing a name for a child. The choice may be on a name that rhymes with the name of the previous child, without much attention to the meaning, the name of the former representative of the genus, or simply at the discretion of the parent or other relative.
The family and family life are the bearers of the rich traditional culture of the ethnic group. The family life of Azerbaijanis was distinguished by a large number of patriarchal relations. The man - the head of the family - was the sovereign manager of movable and immovable property, excluding his wife's dowry. Children were brought up in strict obedience to their father and older men. The wife was in unquestioning submission to her husband, as well as mother-in-law and other older women in her husband's house. In creating a family, giving birth and raising children, living and emotional communication, organizing leisure and recreation, housekeeping, caring for elderly parents and many other aspects of family life, various elements of the traditional way of life appear and function.
Dancing
The national dances of Azerbaijan, as well as real street performances, are called an integral component of the culture of this country. Dancers dressed in national costumes circled passers-by and gathered crowds of curious onlookers around them. One of the most popular is the “kosa-kossa” ritual - dances about the arrival of spring. Young people gathered in small groups and arranged cheerful improvisations right on the street, receiving various sweets as a reward from grateful spectators. The difference between men's and women's dances is striking. Azerbaijani dancers reproduce the dance, to a greater extent, with the upper part of the body: head, arms, body. Girls bewitch the audience with smooth movements of the hands, the curve of the waist, a mischievous smile and head turns.
A modest, but mysterious and proud country with the beautiful name of Azerbaijan is neatly located on the Caspian Sea. Not lagging behind the progressive society, the Azerbaijani people, building gigantic complexes in the capital and other densely populated cities, developing office projects, modernizing oil rigs, continue to respect the spiritual richness of the heritage of their descendants. In Azerbaijan, both old and young strictly observe national traditions. Here, every person from infancy is immersed in a unique atmosphere of originality.
Childbearing traditions
To prevent the birth of a sick child, pregnant Azerbaijani women try to be always friendly and courteous. It is especially useful, according to ancient customs, to linger on beautiful flowers, water or sky. After the birth of the baby, they immediately bathed in salt water so that the child would be honest and courageous. But at the first bath, the mother should not be with the child. When the first teeth appeared in the baby, a special ceremony was held, in which a dish of 7 types of grain was prepared. P After the child was 1 year old, they began to cut his nails and cut his hair. It is customary to keep the first cut hair and nails.
The listed traditions of Azerbaijan are far from a complete list of the amazing traditions of this country. By visiting it, you will be able to feel for yourself all the diversity of the people living in this territory. In any case, acquaintance with the ancient traditions of Azerbaijanis will be not only informative, but also useful, and sometimes instructive.
Azerbaijan
When you say the words
"pogrom", everyone, as a rule, remembers the poor Jews. In fact,
if you want to know what a pogrom is, ask Russian refugees about it
from Chechnya and Azerbaijan. Well, about what they did and continue to do with
Many Chechens already know Russian. This is a separate conversation. But about
few people know the Baku pogroms of 1990. It's a pity. Otherwise, many
they would have looked differently at the guests from the Caucasus.
From all Caucasian republics
(not counting Chechnya) the greatest cruelty against the Russian
of the population distinguished Azerbaijan. If there was bloodshed in Georgia
still due primarily to territorial conflicts, then in
Russians in Baku were killed in January 1990 just because they were Russians.
The first victims of the pogroms
became Armenians, hatred for whom since the Karabakh conflict has been
over the edge. Suffice it to say that when a terrible thing happened in 1988
earthquake in Spitak and Leninakan, Baku rejoiced, and Armenia was
sent a train with fuel as part of the assistance, to which
all union republics were obliged, on the tanks of which it was written:
“Congratulations on the earthquake! We want a repeat!
Until a certain point
bloodshed was avoided, thanks to the Russian commandant of the city.
To the demand of the leadership of the "People's Front" to remove all foreigners
the general, after thinking a little and counting something in his mind, declared that he
four days are enough to evacuate non-indigenous residents, after which he
turn the city into a Muslim cemetery. Those who want to experiment
was not found, and the "people's defenders" immediately retreated. However, not for long.
The weakening of state power and the collapse of the country could not but become
a catalyst for the hard-to-contained aggression of the Azerbaijani
extremists. About the fact that the lists of those doomed to extermination were being prepared
previously known. The first list included Armenians, the second -
Russians. However, no timely measures were taken, and on January 13
the slaughter began.
Here is a live picture from Baku in the 1990s. Refugee N.I. T-va:
“Something unimaginable happened there. On January 13, 1990, pogroms began,
and my child, clinging to me, said: “Mom, they will kill us now!” A
after the introduction of troops, the director of the school where I worked (this is not for you
bazar!), an Azerbaijani, an intelligent woman, said: “Nothing,
the troops will leave - and here on every tree there will be a Russian one hanging.
They fled, leaving apartments, property, furniture ... But I was born in
Azerbaijan, and not only me: my grandmother was also born there!..”
Yes, Baku was seething in 1990
hatred for the "Russian occupiers". Highlanders created Azerbaijan for
Azerbaijanis: “a crowd of thugs is operating in the streets and in houses, and at the same time
the protesters walk around with mocking slogans: “Russians, don’t leave, we
We need slaves and prostitutes! How many hundreds of thousands, if not millions,
Russian people survived dozens of pogroms and "holocausts", so that, in the end
after all, to make sure that there is no friendship of peoples?
“The woman from Zagorsk turned out to be a Russian refugee from Baku. Externally
looks like a suddenly aged teenage girl, pale, hands
shaking, talking, strongly stuttering - so that sometimes it is difficult to make out
speech. Her problem is simple on which point of which of the legal
documents should they be considered refugees? they are not prescribed, but for work
they don’t accept without a residence permit (“true, I earn extra money by sewing, the floors in
my entrances"), the status of refugees de assign, laid down in this
no money is given. Galina Ilyinichna began to explain... The refugee took out
a sheet of paper and a fountain pen, but could not write down anything - my hands were shaking
so that the pen left only jumping scribbles on the sheet. I took
help.
When I finished writing, I asked
refugee, nodding at her shaking hands: “Why are you like this? ..” “Oh, yes
it's almost over now! I have become better to speak now (And I, a sinner
in fact, I thought that it couldn’t be worse!) But then, when they killed us ... ”“ Where
were you killed?" “Yes, in Baku, where we lived. They broke down the door, the husband was hit on
head, he lay unconscious all this time, they beat me. Then me
tied to the bed and began to rape the eldest - Olga, twelve
she was old. Six of us. It's good that Marinka is four years old in the kitchen
they locked me up, I didn’t see it ... Then they beat everyone in the apartment, raked out what
necessary, they untied me and ordered me to get out before evening. When we ran to
airport, a girl almost fell under my feet - they threw me from the top
floors from somewhere. Rip! Her blood splattered all over my dress...
We ran to the airport, and they say that there are no places for Moscow. For the third
the day just flew by. And all the time, like a flight to Moscow, cardboard boxes
with flowers, dozens of them for each flight ... They mocked at the airport,
everyone promised to kill. That's when I started to stutter. Don't speak at all
could. And now, - something like a smile appeared on her lips, -
I speak much better now. And my hands aren't shaking...
I didn't have the courage
ask her what happened to the eldest, who was twelve years old,
on the day of the monstrous abuse, how she survived all this horror
four-year-old Marina ... "
Like this. Do you have some questions to joyfully
smiling Azeri, which are full in our markets? Remember looking at
them: THAT THEY raped twelve-year-old Olga, THAT THEY threw out
Russian children from the windows, IT IS THEY who robbed and humiliated our brothers!
Another story - "Today there are tanks on the streets of Baku, houses
dressed in black mourning flags.
- On many houses there are inscriptions: "Russians -
invaders!”, “Russians are pigs!”. My mother came by distribution from
Kursk to a remote mountainous Azerbaijani village to teach children Russian
language. This was thirty years ago. Now she is a pensioner. I am the second year
worked at school as a teacher ... I came to school a week ago, and in
In the corridor there is an inscription: "Russian teachers, go to the cleaners!". I say: "You
what guys?" And they spit on me... I taught them the alphabet. Now here we are
mother here /in Russia/. We have no relatives in Russia. No money left,
there is no work... Where to? How? After all, my homeland is Baku. Women teachers, with
with which I talked in a small room, the involuntary
tears of resentment.
- I ran away with my daughter with one bag, in three minutes. Creepy
resentment! I'm not a politician, I taught children and I'm not to blame for the troubles that
were in the republic. I did not see the names on the slogans of the Popular Front
Aliyev. But they did not represent Gorbachev in the best possible way. It's a shame because
that I know these people, I have friends there, my whole life is there.
I don't give names and surnames
these women - they asked so. Their relatives and husbands remained in Baku.
Is there a little...
- The extremists are well organized, which cannot be said about the local
authorities. At the end of last year, housing offices throughout the city
demanded everyone to fill out questionnaires, ostensibly to receive coupons for
products. The questionnaires also had to indicate nationality. When did it start
pogroms, the exact addresses turned out to be in the hands of extremists: where Armenians live,
where are the Russians, where are the mixed families, etc. It was a thoughtful
nationalist action.
I go out into the corridor of the military barracks of the Moscow Higher
border command school of the KGB of the USSR, where these women live today.
Cadets with armbands walk along a long shiny corridor, on the walls
homemade pointers with arrows - "long distance phone", "children's
kitchen". Children are running around who do not know when and where they will go to
school. Sad Russian women walk quietly. Husbands of many of them today
there, in Baku, they protect the lives of Azerbaijani children.
Every day at school
more than four hundred women, old people, children arrive. Total in Moscow and
There are more than 20 thousand Russian refugees from Baku in the Moscow region.
The next victims on the plan
the pogromists were supposed to be Russian officers and their families. In the early days
a kindergarten was captured, quickly, however, recaptured by our military, then
in the waters of the Caspian Sea, they tried to sink ships with refugees, an attack
which managed to beat off by a miracle. Alexander Safarov recalls: “The third
the day of the massacre, January 15, began with a terrible roar. First I heard
a sound reminiscent of an explosion, then a rumble, and the new flotilla headquarters building on
Bail's cone disappeared in clouds of dust. The headquarters slid down the slope, destroying and
falling asleep with debris on the dining room of the coastal base of the OVR brigade.
Officially cause
the collapse of the headquarters became a landslide, but the time of the incident caused
doubts about the veracity of this version (according to the military, it was
prepared attack).
Only one wall survived from the headquarters with a balcony and the Commander-in-Chief on it. He
just went out to the balcony to look around, but he turned out to be returning
nowhere. Under the rubble of buildings, 22 people died, including my
good comrade captain 3rd rank Viktor Zaichenko. He was crushed
ceiling in the office on the second floor of the dining room. Vitya has three
sons.
Over the next months
Russians were evicted en masse from their apartments. In the courts, all claims were stated
frankly: “Who captured? Azerbaijanis? Done right! Ride your own
Russia and command there, but here we are the masters !!! But the hardest hit
Russian military personnel received after the collapse of the State Emergency Committee. Coming to power
Boris Yeltsin declared the flotilla based in Baku to be Russian, and
Russian military personnel were transferred under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan. This act was
rightly regarded by the military as a betrayal. "It was at this time, -
writes A. Safarov, - taking advantage of this situation, the Azerbaijani court
sentenced a lieutenant of a combined arms school who had used a weapon during
repelling an armed attack on the checkpoint of the school and killing several
bandits to death.
The guy spent more than a year on death row in
expectation of execution, while under the pressure of public opinion in Russia (in
mainly newspaper "Soviet Russia") Heydar Aliyev was forced to hand over
its Russian side.
And how many more like him were betrayed and did not return to their homeland
returned? All this remained a mystery, including the number of victims of the massacre. Obo
you can't tell everyone..."
According to the report of the chairman of the Russian community of Azerbaijan
Mikhail Zabelin, in 2004, about 168 thousand remained in the country
Russians, while on January 1, 1979, there were
about 476 thousand citizens of Russian nationality, in 22 districts of the republic
there were about 70 Russian settlements and settlements. In 1989
392,000 Russians lived in Azerbaijan (not counting other
Russian speakers), in 1999 - 176 thousand ...
Against this background, the mass
Azerbaijanis settled safely in Russia, in Moscow. But also this
seemed a little, and in January 2007 the Organization for the Liberation of Karabakh
issued a threat to the Russians remaining in Azerbaijan. Threat
was motivated by the alleged discrimination of their compatriots in Russia:
“The situation of Azerbaijanis in all regions of Russia, and in particular, in
central cities, deplorable. Commercial facilities owned by our
compatriots are closed, those who are trying to open new ones,
are subjected to checks, fines are imposed on them, in the homes of Azerbaijanis
searches are carried out and violence is used.
This insidious and cruel
policy towards Russian Azerbaijanis is carried out with the permission
officials, and expresses their position, which is in full
expulsion of Azerbaijanis from this country. (…)
We demand from the Russian
leadership to end discrimination against our compatriots,
living in that country, otherwise the KLO will take specific
steps to suspend the activities of the Russian embassy in Baku and
eviction of Russians from Azerbaijan,” the statement says.
Russian leadership,
of course, did not remind the Azerbaijani migrants and their defenders that
they have their own state, and they can return there and
establish their own rules there, and not in Russia.
Arriving in Azerbaijan, you will find yourself in a country where the hot sun reigns, you can see magnificent buildings (be it architectural monuments or modern houses). And, no doubt, you will be conquered by the temperament of the Azerbaijanis, who are part of the family of the Caucasian peoples and are rightfully proud of their history and culture. Without them, it is impossible to imagine either the Caucasian flavor or the post-Soviet space itself.
Origin and history of the people
What they don’t tell about Azerbaijanis! Sometimes you can even hear the opinion that this people cannot be considered Caucasian, because they have something in common with the peoples of Asia. However, these are idle speculations. They are the indigenous people of the Caucasus, as well as those inhabiting this region.
Historians have come to the conclusion that the origin of the people is associated with people from Caucasian Albania, a large state located in the eastern part of the Caucasus in the II-I centuries BC. Then the population of this country began to mix with the Huns, Cimmerians and others.
Persia also had a significant impact on the formation of the ethnic nation of Azerbaijanis. In the first centuries of our era, the Sassanid dynasty ruled in Persia, which expanded its influence to the eastern regions.
We should not forget about the later influence of the Seljuk Turks, who came to these lands in the 11th century. As a result, the local population was first exposed to the influence of Persian culture, and then to the process of Turkization. Thus, the Azerbaijani people have a rich history and it is closely connected with the history of neighboring states.
Turkic tribes constantly migrated throughout the region of Asia Minor, starting from the early Middle Ages and ending with the XV-XVI centuries. All this could not but affect the local population, which only later began to realize their ethnic identity. Some researchers believe that modern Azerbaijanis are the descendants of a particular tribe with Turkic roots.
Such a hypothesis is broken by other evidence, including cultural heritage, as well as written sources. Therefore, today we can say that the appearance of Azerbaijanis was influenced by a variety of tribes - Arab, Turkic, Iranian.
And at the same time, they still remain the indigenous ethnic group of Transcaucasia, since their history has precisely Caucasian roots. This is proved by the numerous traditions and diverse customs of the Azerbaijanis, who find their origins both in Iranian and in.
In the XVIII century, the powerful Persian dynasty of the Safavids ended its existence, resulting in the formation of a number of khanates with a semi-independent status. These small Transcaucasian principalities were headed by representatives of Azerbaijani local dynasties. However, they could not form into a single state, since they were still under the strong influence of the Persians.
And later, already in the 19th century, Russian-Persian military conflicts began, which led to the fact that they were delimited according to their regions of residence. This border ran along the Araks River, as a result of which the northern parts of Azerbaijan fell under the influence of Russia, and the southern parts went to the Persians. And if earlier the Azerbaijani elites had a strong influence on the processes taking place in Persia, then after this this influence disappeared.
Historians admit that their statehood was formed only after the October Revolution took place in Russia and national republics began to be created. Soviet power gave the modern borders and state-legal base.
When the USSR collapsed, all Soviet republics gained independence, including Azerbaijan. The date of independence is 18 October.
Language and religious denomination
The Azerbaijani language is of Turkic origin, and its formation, moreover, was influenced by the Arabic and Persian languages. However, their language also has other phonetic connections - linguists find similarities in it with the Kumyk and even Uzbek languages.
Currently, about 99% of the country's inhabitants speak Azerbaijani. Since the same language is spoken in the north of Iran and Iraq, this brings ethnic groups together and allows the accumulation of cultural ties.
As for their literary language, it was fully formed only after these territories were annexed to Russia. However, even before the Russian period of history, the literary language of Azerbaijanis gradually developed in Shirvan and the southern regions of Azerbaijan.
As for religion, most of them are Muslims. Almost 90% of those who profess Islam in Azerbaijan are Shiites, however, those who consider themselves to live here. This is another manifestation of Persian influence.
The modern faith of Azerbaijanis can be very different, since there is complete tolerance in relation to the country.
Here you can meet both Christians and followers of any other religions. A person living in the territory of this country has the right to choose which one to follow, and no one has the right to influence his beliefs.
Territorial issues of enos
Since Azerbaijanis are a very diverse ethnic group, representatives of the people are found not only in this region, but also in other countries of the world. Moreover, the division of their lands between Russia and Persia led to the fact that today there are from 15 to 20 million people living in Iran. This is much more than the population of Azerbaijan itself - according to state statistics, about 10 million people live there.
It was they who had a serious influence on the development of healthy nationalism in modern Iran. After the Second World War, the inhabitants of the Azerbaijan Republic in the USSR and the Azerbaijanis of Iran got the opportunity to communicate closely. This inner unity can be seen today.
Azerbaijanis also have close ties in Russia. In 2000, the Dagestan authorities included Azerbaijanis in the Republic of Dagestan, although this ethnic group is here classified as small. Basically, they live in the southern parts of the republic, namely in and its region they live the most. In the republic, they make up no more than 5% (or even less) of the entire Dagestan population.
A serious conflict arose at one time between Azerbaijanis and Armenians, it concerned the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, located in the east of the Armenian Highlands. Historically, this territory belonged to, but the Paris Peace Conference in 1920 attributed this region to Azerbaijan.
Since then, the Azerbaijanis consider Karabakh to be theirs, which, after the collapse of the USSR, led to a territorial conflict that resulted in full-fledged military actions on both sides.
Only in 1994, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a truce, although the tense situation in this region is still observed today. No matter how many Azerbaijanis claim that they are the legal owners of Nagorno-Karabakh, they are not going to admit it.
Culture and traditions of the Azerbaijani people
Such a colorful people as the Azerbaijanis cannot but have their own culture - and it is rooted in. Not only their folk traditions, but also many crafts can be attributed to the cultural heritage - carpet weaving, art processing of stone and bone have long been developed here, and gold products created by folk goldsmiths were widely known.
Speaking about the culture of Azerbaijanis, one cannot help but recall such traditions as holidays and folk ritual events. First of all, these are wedding customs. In many ways, it is similar to those wedding ceremonies that are practiced by other Caucasian ethnic groups. Here, not only ordinary, but also preliminary matchmaking is common, during which the parties enter into an initial agreement on a future union.
In many ways, the wedding among Azerbaijanis resembles classical ritual ones. Here the bride's face is covered with a scarf or a thin veil, and the wedding feast is arranged both in the groom's house and in the bride's house.
Azerbaijanis are always no less bright. Here you can not do without national costumes, as well as without songs and incendiary dances.
Folklore Azerbaijani music is always the use of ethnic musical instruments. And modern motifs in many ways still resemble, therefore, the songs of Azerbaijanis are distinguished by a special tonality and are largely stylized as the works of ashugs.
The national flavor is always traced in. If we consider the folk dance of the Azerbaijanis, then we cannot fail to note its peculiar rhythm. They can be either frankly rhythmic or smooth.
It is on strict observance of the rhythm that the whole pattern of the dance, its structure, is built. Those dances that have roots in ancient traditions often bear the names of plants or animals characteristic of Azerbaijan. There are many videos in which they incendiary perform their own.
Speaking about the national costumes of Azerbaijanis, it is necessary to mention their correlation with the cultural and geographical location of the region itself. Men wear an arkhalyg caftan, and under it they put on an undershirt. A man's costume also includes outerwear for cold weather - after all, in the foothills of the Caucasus in winter, only a burka or a fur coat made of dressed mutton skins can save.
If you look at the photos of Azerbaijanis, you can see that they often wear a Circassian coat with gazyrs.
Women's costume is no less bright and original. These are the top and bottom dresses, as well as the obligatory veil. A mandatory component of women's clothing has always been a belt or sash - such belts could be richly decorated with gold and embroidery, which could tell a lot about the status of a woman.
Another custom regarding the appearance of women is the traditional dyeing of hair and nails with henna. Henna dyeing is also a legacy of Persian cultural influences.
Azerbaijanis in Russia today
At present, Azerbaijanis are settled far beyond the borders of Azerbaijan (it is worth remembering the Iranian representatives of this ethnic group). Today their total number is up to 35 million people. They can meet in a variety of countries, including not only the states of the post-Soviet space, but also Turkey, Afghanistan, and European countries.
As for the Azerbaijanis living in Russia, according to rough estimates, there are about 60,000 of them in Moscow alone. They also live in Siberia, where Yugra and the Tyumen region occupy the first place in terms of their numbers.
When asked why Azerbaijanis feel at home everywhere, one can answer that these people have always been open, cheerful and very friendly. They expect the same attitude towards themselves.
Composer Uzeyir Gadzhibekov, writer Chingiz Abdullayev, film director Rustam Ibragimbekov and many others.
Considering as a great community of various ethnic groups, you understand that Azerbaijanis are an integral part of the peoples of this beautiful mountainous region. And without Azerbaijan, the history of the entire Caucasus will be incomplete.
Historically, the territory of modern independent Azerbaijan is part of the Iranian system of statehood. It ceded to Russia only under two peace treaties, the Gulistan of 1813 and the Turkmanchay of 1828. Now, according to various sources, from fifteen percent to almost a third of the population of Iran are ethnic Azerbaijanis, also known as Azeri or often called simply Turks in Iran. It is difficult to say exactly about the numbers, since we do not have sufficiently reliable demographic sources, but it can be stated with high accuracy that now more Azerbaijanis live in Iran than in Azerbaijan itself. Azerbaijanis are an integral part of Iranian society, which has played and continues to play an important role in culture, literature and politics of the country. Thus, during the 20th century, Iranian Azerbaijanis made a significant contribution to the Constitutional Movement, as well as to the victory of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. According to a number of sources, the current Rahbar (Supreme Leader of Iran) - Ali Akbar Khamenei - is ethnically Azerbaijani, which is often not advertised inside the country.
There is another example: after the Soviet-British occupation of Iran during the Second World War, there was an attempt to form a socialist Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, but it was based not on ethnicity, but rather on leftist ideas. After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from its territory, this movement was severely suppressed by the last Shah, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi.
Rizvan GUSEYNOV, member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Director of the Center for the History of the Caucasus, Associate Professor of UNESCO/UNITWIN for the North Caucasus.
Azerbaijanis (Turks) and Persians for many centuries were and remain peoples who created a number of brilliant medieval empires. In particular, in the 9th century, the Turks created a number of military-political alliances on the basis of which states were created, which included the vast territories of the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Western Asia. The Azerbaijani Turkic dynasties created the Kara-Koyunlu and Ak-Koyunlu empires in the 15th century, then the Safavid state in the 16th century, which played an important role in history and world politics for many centuries. Then, during the weakening of the Safavid Empire in the 18th century, a talented commander Nadir Shah appeared - a native of the Turkic Afshar tribe. He was able to unite the empire for a short period and make extensive conquests, for which he was compared with Alexander the Great. Then the Turkic Qajar dynasty came to power, which tried to stop the collapse of the empire. However, this was not possible, especially heavy was the loss of Northern (Caucasian) Azerbaijan, which, according to the Turkmanchay Treaty of 1828, went to the Russian Empire. As a result, the Azerbaijani Turkic factor weakened in the empire, which went into decline and the Shah's power ceased to exist in 1979. Today, about 10 million Azerbaijani Turks live in the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as hundreds of thousands in Georgia, Dagestan and other regions of the Caucasus. And according to approximate data, about 25-28 million Azerbaijani Turks live in Iran.
