 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 12,174 (2014, census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Tbilisi | |
| Languages | |
| Kurmanji Kurdish,Georgian |
Yazidism in Georgia refers to adherents ofYazidism amongKurds in Georgia. Yazidis of Georgia fled from theOttoman Empire due topersecution in the 19th and early 20th centuries and sought refuge inGeorgia.[1][2]
In 1919, the Yazidis received permission from the Georgian government to register an organization calledThe National Council of Yazidis inTbilisi.[3]
In the late 1990s, the main issue among the Yazidi community of Georgia was the construction of aYazidi temple and cultural centre on the outskirts of Tbilisi, which marked a significant milestone among the Yazidis ofTranscaucasus, who had previously lacked a temple. The construction of the temple was delayed due to a number of disputes and difficulties, caused by lack of resources and the economic crises during the 1990s as well as the mass emigration from the country, internal disputes within the community on the legitimacy of constructing a Yazidi temple outside historically sacred places likeLalish orSinjar, and also the close collaboration between theGeorgian state and theOrthodox Church of Georgia who opposed construction of buildings for other religions.[4]
The temple was finally opened in 2013 on the outskirts of Tbilisi. Since 2016, another building adjacent to this temple hosts the Yezidi Academy of Theology, which is headed by a cleric, Pîr Dima, who is the President of the Spiritual Council of Yezidis of Georgia. The academy offers religious classes taught inKurdish andRussian, as well as includingArabic courses for any Yazidi who wishes to partake. Students are trained for religious roles such as being the guardian (Micêwir) of the temple and clerics for wedding ceremonies.[4]
In 2012, a ritual of "reconversion" to Yazidism, which was proposed by the Academy of Theology, was authorized by the top religious leaders of Yazidis,Mîr Tehsîn Beg andBabê Şêx Xurto during their visit to Tbilisi. This ritual allows Yazidis who converted to Christianity and were thus excommunicated from the community, to return to Yazidism provided they have not been married in the meantime.[4]
The Yazidis in Georgia are among the poorest and most persecuted people in Georgia. In theSoviet Union there was almost no contact between Yazidis in Georgia andYazidis in Armenia with the Yazidis inIraq,Turkey andSyria. In 1989 there were 33,000 Yazidis in Georgia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, thousands of Yazidis fled from Georgia toGermany because of persecution and discrimination. In 2008, the number of Yazidis in Georgia was 12,000.[1]