The Aimaq, Aimaq Persians (), or Chahar Aimaq (), also transliterated as Aymaq, Aimagh, Aimak, and Aymak, are a collection of
Sunni
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
and mostly
Persian-speaking nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes. They live mainly in the central and western highlands of
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, especially in
Ghor and
Badghis. Aimaqs were originally known as ''chahar'' ("four") Aymaqs:
Jamshidi,
Aimaq Hazara,
Firozkohi, and
Taymani.
The
Timuri, which is a separate tribe but is sometimes included among Aimaqs, which is known as ''Aimaq-e digar'' ("another Aimaq").
The Aimaq speak several subdialects of the
Aimaq dialect of the
Persian language
Persian ( ), also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Farsi (, Fārsī ), is a Western Iranian languages, Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian subdivision ...
, but some southern groups of Taymani, Firozkohi, and northeastern Timuri Aimaqs have adopted the
Pashto language
Pashto ( , ; , ) is an eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family, natively spoken in northwestern Pakistan and southern and eastern Afghanistan. It has official status in Afghanistan and the Pakistani province of Khyb ...
.
Etymology
The word "Aimaq" is derived from the
Turkic-
Mongolic word "Oymaq" that means "tribe" and "group of tribes".
Origin
The Aimaqs claim different origins based on their tribal background. Some claim to be descended from the troops of
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; August 1227), also known as Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan (title), khan of the Mongol Empire. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongols, Mongol tribes, he launched Mongol invasions and ...
.
The
Taymani and
Firozkohi claim descent from
Pashtun tribes.
Culture and society
The Aimaq are largely nomadic to semi-nomadic goat and sheep herders. They also trade with villages and farmers during migrations for pastures for their livestock. The material culture and foodstuffs of the Aimaq include skins, carpets, milk, dairy products and more. They trade these products to settled peoples in return for vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and other types of foods and goods.
Religion
Aimaqs are largely
Sunni Muslim except for the Jamshidi who are mainly
Isma'ili Shia Muslims.
Demographics
In 2021, the Aimaq made up 4% of Afghanistan's population.
See also
*
Hazaras
The Hazaras (; ) are an ethnic group and a principal component of Afghanistan’s population. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan, primarily residing in the Hazaristan (Hazarajat) region in central Afghanistan. Hazaras al ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* Macgregor, ''Central Asia'', (Calcutta, 1871)
*
External links
Aimaq Man with Children, Pal-Kotal-I-Guk, Ghor Province
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aimaq
Aymaq
Afghan nomads
Iranian nomads
Nomads
Ethnic groups in Afghanistan
Modern nomads