The Adjarians ( ka, აჭარლები, Ačarlebi) are an
ethnographic group An ethnographic group is a group that has cultural traits that make it stand out from the larger ethnic group it is a part of. In other words, members of an ethnographic group will also consider themselves to be members of a larger ethnic group, bo ...
of
Georgians
The Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. Georgian diaspora communities are also present throughout Russia, Turkey, G ...
living mainly in
Adjara
Adjara ( ka, აჭარა ''Ach’ara'' ) or Achara, officially known as the Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( ka, აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა ''Ach’aris Avt’onomiuri Resp’ublik’a'' ...
in south-western
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
and speaking the
Adjarian dialect
The Adjaran dialect (also called Ach'aruli, Acharuli, Adjaruli, Ajaruli, Adzharuli, Acharian, Adjarian, Ajarian, Adzharian, Acharan, Adjaran, Ajaran, Adzharan, Achar, Adjar, Ajar, and Adzhar / აჭარული) is one of the Georgian dialects. ...
of the
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
language.
The Adjarians had their own territorial entity, the
Autonomous Republic
An autonomous republic is a type of administrative division similar to a province or state. A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. Man ...
of
Adjara
Adjara ( ka, აჭარა ''Ach’ara'' ) or Achara, officially known as the Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( ka, აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა ''Ach’aris Avt’onomiuri Resp’ublik’a'' ...
, founded on 16 July 1921 as the
Adjara ASSR
The Adjarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Adjarian ASSR or Adzhar ASSR; ka, აჭარის ავტონომიური საბჭოთა სოციალისტური რესპუბლიკა; russian: Адж ...
. After years of
post-Soviet
The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union (FSU), the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad (russian: links=no, ближнее зарубежье, blizhneye zarubezhye), are the 15 sovereign states that wer ...
stalemate
Stalemate is a situation in the game of chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check and has no legal move. Stalemate results in a draw. During the endgame, stalemate is a resource that can enable the player with the inferior ...
, the region was brought closer within the framework of the Georgian state in 2004, retaining its autonomous status.
Adjarian settlements are also found in the Georgian provinces of
Guria
Guria ( ka, გურია) is a region (''mkhare'') in Georgia, in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. The region has a population of 113,000 (2016), with Ozurgeti as the regional capital.
Geography
...
,
Kvemo Kartli
Kvemo Kartli ( ka, ქვემო ქართლი, az, Aşağı Kartli) or "Lower Kartli", is a historic province and current administrative region (mkhare) in southeastern Georgia. The city of Rustavi is the regional capital.
Location
Kvem ...
, and
Kakheti
Kakheti ( ka, კახეთი ''K’akheti''; ) is a region (mkhare) formed in the 1990s in eastern Georgia from the historical province of Kakheti and the small, mountainous province of Tusheti. Telavi is its capital. The region comprises eigh ...
, as well as in several areas of neighbouring
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
.
History and Religion
Many Adjarians converted to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
in the 16th and 17th centuries when the Ottomans ruled over southwestern Georgian lands.
The Georgian population of Adjara had been generally known as
Muslim Georgians
Islam in Georgia () was introduced in 654 when an army sent by the Third Caliph of Islam, Uthman, conquered Eastern Georgia and established Muslim rule in Tbilisi. Currently, Muslims constitute approximately 9.9%Religion and education in Europ ...
until the 1926 Soviet
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
listed them as ''Adjarians'', separate from the rest of Georgians, counting 71,426 of them. In subsequent censuses (1939–1989), they were listed with other Georgians, as no official Soviet census asked about religion. In the 1920s, the suppression of religion and compulsory collectivization led to armed resistance against Communist authorities by Adjarians.
The collapse of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
and the re-establishment of Georgian independence accelerated the Christianization of Adjarians, especially among the young.
[George Sanikidze and Edward W. Walker (2004), ''Islam and Islamic Practices in Georgia.'' Berkeley Program in Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies. ]University of California
The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, ...
, Berkeley Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies. However, a number of Adjarians, particularly in and around
Khulo
Khulo ( ka, ხულო ) is a townlet ('' daba'') in Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia, 88 km east of the regional capital Batumi, in the upper valley of the Adjaristsqali River. The town and adjoining 78 villages form the ...
, remain
Sunni Muslim
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagree ...
. According to census data recently published by the Department of Statistics of Adjara, 54% are Christians, and 39%
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
.
[Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Department of Statistics.]
/ref>
Language
The Adjarians speak Adjarian, a Georgian dialect Georgian (ქართული ''kartuli'') is a Kartvelian language spoken by about 4 million people, primarily in Georgia but also by indigenous communities in northern Turkey and Azerbaijan, and the diaspora, such as in Russia, Turkey, Iran, Eur ...
related to the one spoken in the neighbouring northern province of Guria
Guria ( ka, გურია) is a region (''mkhare'') in Georgia, in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. The region has a population of 113,000 (2016), with Ozurgeti as the regional capital.
Geography
...
, but with a number of Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
loanword
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because th ...
s. Adjarian also possesses many features in common with the Zan languages
The Zan languages, or Zanuri ( ka, ზანური ენები) or Colchidian, are a branch of the Kartvelian languages constituted by the Mingrelian and Laz languages. The grouping is disputed as some Georgian linguists consider the two ...
(Mingrelian Mingrelian may refer to:
*the Mingrelians
*the Mingrelian language
Mingrelian or Megrelian (, ) is a Kartvelian language spoken in Western Georgia (regions of Mingrelia and Abkhazia), primarily by the Mingrelians. The language was also called ...
and Laz), which are sisters
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...
to Georgian and are included in the Kartvelian language
The Kartvelian languages (; ka, ქართველური ენები, tr; also known as South Caucasian, Kartvelic, and Iberian languagesBoeder (2002), p. 3) are a language family indigenous to the South Caucasus and spoken primari ...
group.
Famous Adjarians
* Emzar Paksadze (b. 1972), famous lawyer from adjara
* Aslan Abashidze
Aslan Abashidze ( ka, ასლან აბაშიძე; born July 20, 1938) is the former leader of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic in western Georgia. He served in this capacity from 18 August 1991 to May 5, 2004. He resigned under the pres ...
(b. 1938), former leader of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic
* Memed Abashidze
Memed Abashidze ( ka, მემედ აბაშიძე; January 18, 1873 – 1937) was a Georgian politician, writer and public benefactor. An eminent leader of Muslim Georgian community of Adjarians, he was a major proponent of pro-Georgian ...
(1873–1941), Muslim Georgian politician
* Rostom Abashidze
Rost'om (Rostom) Omeris Abashidze ( ka, როსტომ ომერის ძე აბაშიძე, russian: Ростом Омарович Абашидзе, born 23 February 1935) is a retired light-heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestler from ...
(b. 1935), Greco-Roman wrestler
* Tbeli Abuserisdze
Tbeli Abuserisdze ( ka, ტბელი აბუსერისძე) (c. 1190 – 1240) was a medieval Georgian scholar and religious writer.
His merits
A son of Ivane Abuserisdze, ''eristavt-eristavi'' ("archduke") of Khikhata ( Upper A ...
(1190–1240), Georgian writer and scientist
* Niaz Diasamidze
Niaz Diasamidze ( ka, ნიაზ დიასამიძე; born 13 June 1973) is a Georgian musician, singer, songwriter, calligrapher and actor, best known as the lead vocalist and a founder member of 33a.
Niaz was born in Tbilisi, the cap ...
(b. 1974), singer and composer
* Nino Katamadze
Nino Katamadze ( ka, ნინო ქათამაძე; born 21 August 1972) is a Georgian jazz singer and artist.
Biography
Nino Katamadze was born in Kobuleti, Adjara, Soviet Georgia in 1972. In 1990, she entered the vocal department of t ...
(b. 1972), jazz singer
* Sopho Khalvashi
Sopho Khalvashi ( ka, სოფო ხალვაში ; born 31 May 1986 in Batumi, Adjara, Georgia), also sometimes known as simply Sopho, is a Georgian musician of Laz heritage.
Biography
She claimed third prize at the commercial song co ...
, Georgian singer
* Ahmed-Pasha Khimshiashvili
Ahmed Bey, subsequently Ahmed Paşa (1781 – October 1836) was a Islam in Georgia (country), Muslim Georgians, Georgian nobleman of the Khimshiashvili clan from Adjara, which he ruled as an autonomous ruler (''bey'') under the Ottoman Empire afte ...
(1781–1836), ruler and military leader under the Ottoman Empire
* Selim Khimshiashvili Selim Paşa (1755 – 3 June 1815) was a Georgian nobleman of the Khimshiashvili princedom and dukedom and a Beylerbey of Upper Adjara under the Ottoman suzerainty, but with considerable autonomy. His seizure of power in the Pashalik of Akhaltsi ...
(1755–1815), ruler under the Ottoman Empire
* Konstantin Meladze
Konstantin Shotayevich Meladze (russian: Константин Шотаевич Меладзе, ka, კონსტანტინე მელაძე) (born 11 May 1963 in Batumi) is a Ukrainian-Russian composer and producer. He is the older b ...
(b. 1963), Russian composer
* Valery Meladze
Valerian Shotayevich Meladze, ka, ვალერიან შოთას ძე მელაძე (born 23 June 1965), known professionally as Valery Meladze , is a Georgian singer and a Meritorious Artist of Russia. He is the brother of c ...
(b. 1965), Russian singer
* Zurab Noghaideli
Zurab Nogaideli ( ka, ზურაბ ნოღაიდელი) (born 22 October 1964) is a Georgian businessman and a politician who served as the Prime Minister of Georgia from February 2005 until he resigned, citing health problems, on 16 N ...
(b. 1964), former Prime Minister of Georgia
The prime minister of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს პრემიერ-მინისტრი, tr) is the head of government and chief executive of Georgia.
In Georgia, the president is a ceremonial head of state and mai ...
, (2005–2007)
* Ulvi Rajab
Ulvi Rajab ( az, Ülvi Rəcəb; 1903, Janivri, near Batumi – 2 January 1938, Baku) was an Azerbaijani stage actor.
Life and career
He was born Ulvi Shashygzade ( ka, ულვი შაშიკაძე) in the village of Janivri (presently i ...
(1903–1938), Azerbaijani actor
* Levan Varshalomidze
Levan Varshalomidze ( ka, ლევან ვარშალომიძე) (born 17 January 1972) is a Georgian politician and the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara from 2004 to 2012. He assumed office on 20 July 200 ...
(b. 1973), former leader of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic
* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician serving as the List of presidents of Turkey, 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014 and as Lis ...
(b. 1954) President of Turkey
* Lasha Gobadze
Lasha Gobadze ( ka, ლაშა გობაძე , born 10 January 1994) is a Georgian sport wrestler who competes in the men's Greco Roman category and a current world champion in the men's 82kg Greco Roman event. He claimed gold medal in t ...
(b. 1994) Georgian sport wrestler
* Shmagi Bolkvadze
Shmagi Bolkvadze ( ka, შმაგი ბოლქვაძე; born July 26, 1994) is a Greco-Roman wrestler from Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state) ...
(b. 1994) Greco-Roman wrestler from Georgia.
* Amiran Shavadze
Amiran Shavadze (born 22 September 1993) is a Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler. In 2020, he won one of the bronze medals in the 60 kg event at the 2020 European Wrestling Championships
The 2020 European Wrestling Championships was held in Rome, I ...
(b. 1993) Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler
* Nebahat Çehre
Hilal Nebahat Çehre (; born 15 March 1945), is a Turkish actress, model, and singer who was crowned Miss Turkey 1960. She is best known for her protagonist roles as Firdevs Yöreoğlu on the Kanal D drama series '' Aşk-ı Memnu'' (2008–10) ...
(b. 1944) Turkish-Georgian actress, model, and singer
* Murat Cemcir
Murat Cemcir (born November 30, 1976) is a Turkish actor of Georgian descent who appears regularly in Turkish films and on television, primarily in comedies.
Career
Cemcir appeared in the film '' Çalgı Çengi'' with Ahmet Kural in 2011. He ...
(b. 1976) Turkish actor
* Haidar Abashidze
Haidar Abashidze ( ka, ჰაიდარ აბაშიძე; 15 August 1893 – 3 January 1966) was a Georgian politician, journalist, and educator from the Muslim community of Adjara.
Born in Batum, then part of the Russian Empire, of a Musli ...
(b. 1966) Georgian politician, journalist, and educator
* Gürkan Uygun
Gürkan Uygun (born 27 May 1974) is a Turkish actor of Georgian descent.
He joined theater in his high school years. He started his career as an amateur actor in 1990. Then he received training at the Dormen Theater. In 1996, he made his debut o ...
(b. 1974) Turkish actor of Georgian descent
* Beyazıt Öztürk
Beyazıt Öztürk (born 12 March 1969), also known as Beyaz, is a Turkish television personality, standup comedian and actor. He is the host of ''Beyaz Show'', a popular Turkish talk show. In 2018, he became one of the judges on ''O Ses Türkiye'' ...
(b. 1969) also known as Beyaz, Turkish television personality, standup comedian and actor
* Sherip Khimshiashvili
Şerif Bey, Sherip Khimshiashvili ( ka, შერიფ ხიმშიაშვილი), or Sherif-Bek Adzharsky (russian: Шериф-бек Аджарский) (1829 or 7 January 1833 – 1892) was a Muslim Georgian nobleman (''bey'') of th ...
(b. January 1833)
was a Muslim Georgian nobleman (bey) of the Khimshiashvili from Adjara in the Ottoman service.
See also
*Chveneburi
Georgians in Turkey ( ka, ქართველები თურქეთში) refers to citizens and denizens of Turkey who are, or descend from, ethnic Georgians.
Numbers and distribution
In the census of 1965, those who spoke Georgian ...
, ethnic Georgians in Turkey many of whom are of Adjarian heritage
*Laz people
The Laz people, or Lazi ( lzz, ლაზი ''Lazi''; ka, ლაზი, ''lazi''; or ჭანი, ''ch'ani''; tr, Laz), are an indigenous ethnic group who mainly live in Black Sea coastal regions of Black Sea Region, Turkey and Georgia (countr ...
, Kartvelian-speaking ethnic subgroup of Georgians
Notes
References
*Nugzar Mgeladze (Translated by Kevin Tuite
Kevin Tuite ( Irish: ''Caoimhín de Tiúit''; born April 3, 1954) is a full Professor of Anthropology at the Université de Montréal. He is a citizen of both Canada and Ireland. )
Ajarians
''World Culture Encyclopedia''. Accessed on 1 September 2007.
{{Authority control
Adjara
People from Georgia (country) by ethnic or national origin