TheAbkhazians orAbkhazes[a] are aNorthwest Caucasianethnic group, mainly living inAbkhazia, a disputed region on the northeastern coast of theBlack Sea. A large Abkhazdiaspora population resides in Turkey, the origins of which lie in theCaucasian War in the late 19th century. Many Abkhaz also live in other parts of the formerSoviet Union, particularly in Russia and Ukraine.[18]
TheAbkhaz language belongs to the isolateNorthwest Caucasian language family, also known as Abkhaz–Adyghe or Pontic family, which groups the dialectic continuum spoken by theAbaza–Abkhaz (Abazgi) andAdyghe ("Circassians" in English).[19] Abkhazians are closely ethnically related to Circassians.[20] Classical sources speak of several tribes dwelling in the region, but their exact identity and location remain controversial due to Abkhaz–Georgian historiographical conflict.[citation needed]
There are also three subgroups of the Abkhaz people. The Bzyb (Бзыԥ, Bzyph) reside in theBzyb River region, and speak theirown dialect.[21] The Abzhui (Абжьыуа, Abzhwa) live in theKodori River region, and also speak their own dialect, which the Abkhaz literary language is based upon.[21] Finally, there are theSamurzakan who reside in the southeast of Abkhazia.[21]
Lazica was a vassal kingdom of theByzantine Empire throughout most of its existence. Later the independentKingdom of Abkhazia was established and the region became a part of the Georgian cultural world. The local nobility, clergy and educated class used Georgian as a language of literacy and culture. From the early 11th to the 15th century, Abkhazia was a part of the all-Georgian monarchy, but then became a separatePrincipality of Abkhazia only to be conquered by theOttomans.[citation needed]
Conference of Abkhazian nobility in 1839
Towards the end of the 17th century, the region became a theatre of widespreadslave trade and piracy. According to a controversial theory developed byPavle Ingorokva in the 1950s, at that time a number of theNorthwest Caucasian paganAbaza tribes migrated from the north and blended with the local ethnic elements, significantly changing the region's demographic situation. These views were described as ethnocentric and having little historical support.[23][24]
Abkhaz girl in 1881
The Russian conquest of Abkhazia from the 1810s to the 1860s was accompanied by a massive expulsion ofMuslim Abkhaz to theOttoman Empire and the introduction of a strongRussification policy. As a result, the Abkhaz diaspora is currently estimated to measure at least twice the number of Abkhaz that reside in Abkhazia. The largest part of the diaspora now lives inTurkey, with estimates ranging from 100,000 to 500,000, with smaller groups inSyria (5,000 – 10,000) andJordan. In recent years, some of these have emigrated to the West, principally toGermany (5,000),Netherlands,Switzerland,Belgium,France,United Kingdom,Austria and theUnited States (mainly toNew Jersey).[25]
The lands of the Abkhaz/Abaza and their neighbours in the beginning of the 19th century
After theRussian Revolution of 1917, Abkhazia became part of theDemocratic Republic of Georgia as anautonomous unit, but wasconquered by the Red Army in 1921 and eventually entered theSoviet Union as aSoviet Socialist Republic associated with theGeorgian SSR. The status of Abkhazia was downgraded in 1931 when it became anAutonomous SSR within the Georgian SSR. UnderJoseph Stalin, a forciblecollectivization was introduced and the native communist elite purged. The influx of Armenians, Russians and Georgians into the growing agricultural and tourism sectors was also encouraged, and Abkhaz schools were briefly closed. By 1989, the number of Abkhaz was about 93,000 (18% of the population of the autonomous republic), while the Georgian population numbered 240,000 (45%). The number of Armenians (15% of the entire population) and Russians (14%) grew substantially as well.[citation needed]
The1992–1993 War in Abkhazia followed by theethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia left the Abkhaz an ethnic plurality of ca. 45%, with Russians, Armenians, Georgians, Greeks, and Jews comprising most of the remainder of the population of Abkhazia. The 2003 census established the total number of Abkhaz in Abkhazia at 94,606.[2] However, the exact demographic figures for the region are disputed and alternative figures are available.[26] The de facto Abkhaz presidentSergey Bagapsh suggested, in 2005, that less than 70,000 ethnic Abkhaz lived in Abkhazia.[27]
At the time of the 2011 Census, 122,175 Abkhaz were living in Abkhazia. They were 50.8% of the total population of the republic.[28]
In the course of theSyrian uprising, a number of Abkhaz living in Syria immigrated to Abkhazia.[14] By mid-April 2013, approximately 200 Syrians of Abkhaz descent had arrived in Abkhazia.[29][30] A further 150 were due to arrive by the end of April.[29] The Abkhazian leadership has stated that it would continue the repatriation of Abkhaz living abroad.[30] As of August 2013, 531 Abkhaz had arrived from Syria according to the Abkhazian government.[31]
The Abkhaz people are principally divided intoAbkhazian Orthodox Christian (the Abkhazian Orthodox Church is not recognized by any of the world Orthodox churches, but the territory is recognized as theEparchy of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia of theGeorgian Orthodox Church) andSunni Muslim (Hanafi) communities,[21] (prevalent in Abkhazia and Turkey respectively) but the indigenous non-Abrahamic beliefs have always been strong.[32] Although Christianity made its first appearance in the realm of their Circassian neighbours in the first century AD via the travels and preaching of theSaint Andrew,[33] and became the dominant religion of Circassians in the 3rd to 4th centuries, Christianity became the dominant religion of Abkhazians in the 6th century during the reign ofByzantine emperorJustinian I, and continued to be followed under the kings of Georgia in theHigh Middle Ages. TheOttomans introducedIslam in the 16th century and the region became largely Muslim gradually until the 1860s.[34]
Abaza family elders at their palace inSharqia in theNile Delta. It is the country's largest aristocratic, literary and political family.
Many Muslim Circassians, Abkhaz and Chechens migrated to the Ottoman Empire following revolts against Russian rule.[35] It is believed that the Abkhaz community in Turkey is larger than that of Abkhazia itself.[35] Some 250 Abkhaz-Abaza villages are estimated throughout Turkey.[35] According toAndrew Dalby, Abkhazian-speakers might number more than 100,000 in Turkey,[36] however, the 1963 census only recorded 4,700 native speakers and 8,000 secondary speakers.[37] Of the 15,000 ethnic Abkhaz in Turkey, only 4,000 speak the language, the rest having assimilated into Turkish society.[38] As of 2006, it is estimated that 600,000 to 1,500,000[39] Abkhazians by descent live inTurkey.[12] InEgypt, the largest Circassian clan in the country, theAbaza family, originated from Abkhazia and is "deeply rooted in Egyptian society... [and] in the history of the country".[40] It also contributed to Egyptian and Arabic cultural literary, intellectual, and political life starting with the reign ofMuhammad Ali Pasha in Egypt and continuing to the modern day.[41][42][43][44]
^The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence fromGeorgia in 1992, Abkhaziais formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it asde jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it asRussian-occupied territory.
^Johansons, Andrejs. (Feb. 1972) The Shamaness of the Abkhazians.History of Religions. Vol. 11, No. 3. pp. 251–256.
^Taylor, Jeremy (1613–1667).Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles: in two parts. p. 101.
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