The Kawliya, Qawliya or Awaz, Keche-Hjälp ( ar, كاولية or كاولي), also known as Zott and Ghorbati (known in English as ''Gypsies''), is a community in
Iraq of
Indian origin, estimated to number over 60,000 people. Today they speak mostly
Arabic, while their
ethnolect is a mixture of
Persian,
Kurdish and
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 ...
, only spoken by the older generations. The largest tribes are the Bu-Baroud, Bu-Swailem, Bu-Helio, Bu-Dakhil, Bu-Akkar, Bu-Murad, Bu-Thanio, Bu-Shati, Al-Farahedah, Al-Mtairat, Bu-Khuzam, Bu-Abd, Bu-Nasif, Bu-Delli and Al-Nawar. Their main occupation is entertainment, and also small trades.
The Kawliya migrated from
India approximately 1,000 years ago.
Kawliya is also the name of a former village in the
Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate near
Al Diwaniyah
Al Diwaniyah ( ar, ٱلدِّيوَانِيَّة ''ad-Dīwānīyah''), also spelt Diwaniya, is the capital city of Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate. In 2002 the population was estimated at 440,927.
Overview
The area around Al Diwaniyah, which i ...
, located about 100 miles southeast of
Baghdad, where they live.
See also
*
Doms in Syria
*
Nawar (people)
*
Ghorbati
References
Further reading
*
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*
{{Romani diaspora
Dom in the Middle East
Ethnic groups in Iraq
Modern nomads
Nomadic groups in Eurasia
Romani in Iraq