Aymāq
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Total population |
|---|
| 250,000-2 million |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Afghanistan, specifically in Ghor, Farah, Herat, and Badghis Provinces |
| Languages |
|
Dari (Persian), some Nikudari |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Hazaras, Oirats, Mongols and Iranian peoples |
Aymāq (Persian: ایماق), also transliterated as Aimak or Aimaq, is a term designating Persian-speaking nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes of mixed Iranian and Mongolian stock inhabiting the north and north-west highlands of Afghanistan (immediately to the north of Herat) and in the Khorasan Province of Iran.[1]
They are closely related to the Hazara, and—in varying degrees—to the Tajiks. They live in western Hazarajat in the provinces of Ghor, Farah, Herat, Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan and Sar-e Pol. The name is Mongolian for tribe (compare Aimag).
They were originally known as chahar or (the four) Eimaks by the Hazaras, because there were four principal tribes: the Taimani (the predominating element in the population of Ghor), the Ferozkhoi, the Temuri, and the Jamshidi. Except that they are sunnis, they are Hazaras by genetics, ethnicity, language, culture, food etc. However successive Pushtun/Afghan governments have Classified them as Aimaq, as a separate ethnic Group so as to show the Hazaras in less numbers. Furthermore to create a wedge between the Hazaras on sectarian grounds. The Iranian Islamic revolution and the taliban rule further eliminated the group from the Hazaras. There had not been any efforts on the part of each group to come together as both are politicaly and economically weak.
Estimates of the Aimak population vary between 250,000 and 2 million. They are Sunni Muslims, in contrast to the Hazara, who are Shiahs.
The Chahar Aimaqs are of Mongolian origin, judging by their physical appearance and their housing (Mongolian-style yurts) but speak a Persian dialect (Dari).[2]
The best estimates of the Aimak population in Afghanistan hover around 1-2 million.
[edit] References
- ^ Janata, A.. "AYMĀQ". in Ehsan Yarshater. Encyclopædia Iranica (Online Edition ed.). United States: Columbia University. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v3f2/v3f2a038.html.
- ^ "Afghanistan". Encyclopædia Britannica. Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2008.
[edit] Further reading
- Macgregor, Central Asia, (Calcutta, 1871)
[edit] See also
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