The Overlooked: Minority Nations of the former Soviet Union

In the cliché-ridden propaganda of the Soviet era tsarist Russia was frequently dubbed the “prison of nations”. When the Soviets came into power this “prison”, by virtue of new national policies, transformed into a family of friendly and brotherly nations in whose bosom all the national cultures flourished. To boast of the achievements under the Communist Party leadership, grandiose cultural festivals were arranged in the Soviet republics, folkloristic dance, song and instrumental groups were established and the revival of old peasant culture was encouraged. The slogan “socialist in content, nationalist in form” came to be applied to the new Soviet culture. Behind this deceptive facade of ethnographic originality, the tsarist prison of nations never ceased to exist: russification was carried out on a large scale, nationalist intellectuals were persecuted, a policy of extensive exploitation of land was pursued and nations were continuously resettled and mingled. The desired result was the birth of a new, Russian-speaking “Soviet nation.”

-Excerpt from the introduction of The Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire

When the Soviet Union collapsed the various ethnic groups divided up the carcass of the old Tsar/Soviet empire. Or so most think. In reality many minorities were left in another nation's homeland. Their cultures vary between European, Eurasian, Asian, and some even share cultural traits with North American Eskimos.

The Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire is an excellent encyclopedia made in 1993 Estonia. The book has numerous entries on the wide range of nations that were added to the Russian/Soviet Empire. Each entry has information on population, history, and lifestyle as well as a map.

Some groups are doing well while others are fading away. Each entry gives a taste of a rich history of an overlooked people. Enjoy sections about arctic dwelling Nganasans, Turkic Tats, Moutain Jews, and many more.

The Overlooked: Ahwazi Arabs

From the British Ahwazi Friendship Society

Three million Arabs live under the control of a foreign power which share little of their culture and values. Their country lies in ruins, religious institutions are co-opted, services denied, and political activities outlawed. However, unlike the Palestinians there is little to no international concern about these Arabs. These Arabs are the Ahwazi Arabs of present-day Khuzestan, Iran.

Location
There are approximately three million Ahwazi Arabs living in Khuzestan.

Culture and Religion
Most Ahwazi Arabs are Shia Muslim like the vast majority of Iranians. The religious minorities of Ahwazi Arabs are mostly Sunni Muslim but there are Mandeans, Gnostics who believe John the Baptist is God's highest prophet (and believe Jesus corrupted John's message). The tribal system still exists and continues on into major cities like Ahvaz. Some tribes have kin in the southern part of Iraq.

History
From the 1500s until the early twentieth-century the land of Khuzestan was known as Arabistan. The name was earned by various Arab tribes who invaded the region. Arabistan was an autonomous province which paid taxes to Persia and little else. The late nineteenth century saw the rise of British influence. The Brits and Arabs worked out trade agreements and looked out for each others interest. All this understandably caused the Persian regime to get upset. Things changed though in 1925. Reza Shah founded Iran from Persia. Shah had the backing of the British because of his strong anti-Russian policies. Shah deposed the leader of Arabistan without British influence and made renamed it Khuzestan.

Khuzestan's marginal economy was boosted with the rise of the petroleum industry (90% of Iran's oil is found in the province); however, most of the funds stayed in the hands of Persians who moved into the region to run the oil business. Arabs complained that the pro-Persian government ignored the needs of Arabs.

Everything changed in 1980. Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded Iran. Hussein hoped the Ahwazi Arabs would rebel against the new Islamic Republic in favor of Arab Iraq. Ahwazi Arabs instead picked up arms for Iran and fought the much more technologically capable Iraqi Army to a bloody halt. Hundreds of thousands of Ahwazi Arabs lost their homes and fled to relatively safe places like Ahvaz.

The sacrifices of Ahwazi Arabs were not rewarded by the Persian Islamic Republic. Redeveloped areas were given to Persians and Azeris who moved in from elsewhere. All but the lowest paying jobs were denied to Ahwazi Arabs, Arab language newspapers and media broadcasts were outlawed, and political activities curtailed. In 2003, an Arab party won local elections in Ahvaz but it was then outlawed for being "ultra-reformist."

Today
Today Ahwazi Arabs are a people under occupation and cultural siege. The Iranian government does not allow education in Arabic. Public executions are a monthly affair. Khuzestan is one of the richest provinces yet the wealth is only found with the Persians and Azeris who move in for the oil jobs.

Though the Ahwazi Arabs are not playing innocent victims - a series of bombings, riots, and assassinations have been preformed. The Sunni minority allegedly has ties to al Qaeda while Iran claims the secular groups are also involved in terrorism.

Additional Resources
The National Liberation Movement of Ahwaz - Political News Site

British Ahwazi Friendship Society - Political News and Cultural Information (Note: on February 12, 2008 the site was currently hacked by Iranian hackers)

Warning: Graphic Scenes in Film

The Overlooked: Samaritans

Samaritan Priest and others at Passover. Photo from here

The story of the Good Samaritan is what most people think of when they hear the word "Samaritan." The story was revolutionary at the time because a Samaritan, the outsider of the outsiders, was the only one to offer help to the wounded Jew. Today many people do not know what a Samaritan is or that Samaritans continue to live today.

Location
There are only about 705 Samaritans left. About half of them on the outskirts of Nablus and the other half lives in Holon near Tel Aviv.

Culture and Religion
Samaritans share the same lineage as Jews. However, they claim to be the true keepers of the faith and culture of the ancient Israelites. Their religion, Samaritanism, is based on the written Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) but with a different version of the ten commandments. The last commandment is expanded to include God declaring Mount Gerizim the holy spot of Israel. It is this commandment which gives Samaritans religious justification to its construction of their holy temple on Gerizim. Samaritans believe Moses was the last prophet (the other prophets of the Old Testments are fictional according to the Samaritans). Another difference to present-day Judaism include the Samaritans continued use of a priesthood and denial of the Talmud and any rabbinical law.

History
It is known that Samaritans came from the northern tribes of ancient Israel. No one knows exactly when Samaritans and Jews separated from each other. It was once believed the Samaritans intermixed with invading pagan groups but this theory has fallen out of favor. Whatever the reason, by the end of the fourth century BC the split was finalized. The Jews had their temple in Jerusalem while the Samaritans had their's forty miles away on Mount Gerizim.

During Greek occupation the Samaritans were relatively well off. However, while external persecution was light some Samaritans embraced Greek culture. Things changed when the Maccabeean John Hyrcanus conquered Samaritan lands and destroyed their temple.

The Roman era was a mixed time for the Samaritans. The Samaritans were not granted the same special exception of religious freedom that the Jews received. The Samaritans were forced to offer sacrifices to the Roman imperial cult. The local Jewish leaders kept up persecution on Samaritans who became virtual untouchables. After the failed Jewish revolts against Rome, things changed somewhat. Samaritans were allowed to rebuild their temple. The Samaritan leadership made the effort to constantly remind the Roman authorities that Samaritans were not like the "troublesome" Jews.

The Christian empire was no friend of the Samaritans. Religious oppression led to failed revolts against Emperor Zeno and Justinian I. The temple was destroyed again. Justinian I allied with the Christian Ghassanid Arabs to crush the last Samaritan revolt. Tens of thousands of Samaritans were killed or forcibly converted. It was a blow that the Samaritans would never recover from.

The Islamic Era was one of attrition. Samaritans were granted People of the Book (Dhimmi) status. Many of the remaining Samaritans converted over time to end the economical and social oppression against them.

Today
Despite their history and being in a geopolitical powder cake Samaritans have managed to reach an equilibrium. They keep their faith while sending the children to either Israeli or Palestinian schools for secular education. The close knit group official remains neutral on the complex political issues that everyone else has strong opinions on.

The religious ceremonies held by the Samaritans are now open to religious tourists. Tourism has brought in money which the Samaritans have used to improve themselves. There is no current effort to rebuild the temple but all temple functions including sacrifice continues. The videos below documents the Samaritans' Passover celebration near Nablus.



With such a small community there are fears of interbreeding. So men are allowed to marry someone outside the faith as long as they convert. Recently the Samaritans contracted with a Ukrainian agency to find brides for two members.

There is no one external threat to the Samaritans currently. However; by being such a small group in such a dangerous area, any disaster could destroy the Samaritans chance for a future.

Additional Resources
Wikipedia Article on Samaritans

The Samaritan News - Defunct newsletter on Samaritans

The Samaritans - Everything you ever wanted to know about the Samaritans... ever

The Samaritans' Newsletter - Updates on the Samaritans

The Overlooked: Kalash

Part two in The Overlooked series. Dedicated to those peoples who struggle for survival in identity in retaliative obscurity. The series will now go on a short hiatus as the Oregon Trail and Online Mapping Sites reviews are finished.

Kalash Girls. Photo courtesy from Shara

The Kalash are an extremely small and isolated group. Odds are you never heard of them. They are an anachronism, a people out of time and place. They are struggling to survive in a region which has become noticed for all the wrong reasons.

Location
There are between 3,000 and 6,000 Kalash left in the world. They live in a valley region in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan. The land of the Kalash is known as Kafiristan (literally "land of the infidel"). The valleys which they inhabit are known for their beauty.

Culture
The culture of the Kalash is unique. The Kalash are polytheists who share similarities to the Olympian gods of Greece. Sexes intermix and the only hint at sexism is that women are isolated during their periods and are then required to purify. While there are cases of arranged marriages, men and women are free to purpose their own intentions.

Kalash live as subsistence farmers. There way of life has been practically unchanged for hundreds of years. They practice ancient traditions which are just now being documented.

Some Kalash have modernized and converted to Islam. While these people wish to stay near their relations (family being a major aspect of Kalash life) they are considered persona non grata.

History
The origins of the Kalash is highly controversial. They are a white race with many of their members having blond hair. Legends claim they are descendants from Greek and Macedonian soldiers who fought for Alexander. Some DNA testing backs up this claim. Other testing disputes this but still shows evidence of locals intermixing with Greeks.

For most of their history the Kalash have lived on good terms with their neighbors. In the 1700s they came under the rule of the Mehtars, rulers of northern now day Pakistan, who were tolerant of the Kalash as long as they paid taxes. Time seemed a foreign concept as rulers came and went. The Kalash stayed out of the affairs of others and others stayed out of the affairs of the Kalash.

Things started to change towards the end of the nineteenth century. The Nuristani, possible relations to the Kalash, were forced to convert to Islam in 1895. The Nuristanti quickly became radicalized (so radical in fact that they were the first to wage Jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan).

As the twentieth century continued increase pressure was mounted against the Kalash. Higher taxes were imposed and services like loans and support were denied. Many converted to Islam for economic betterment. When the Afghan-Soviet war broke out the lands nearby became home to Jihadis on their way to Afghanistan. Seeing an oppurtunity, many Muslims organizations funded mosques and madrasah built on seized Kalash lands. When the Islamists' desired result of total conversion was not achieved tactics of ethnic cleansing were used.

Today
The Afghanistan problem is repeating itself in the opening years of the twenty-first century. Sporadic violence breaks out against the Kalash even today. It does not help that the province they live in is known as the most radical Islamic one in Pakistan. Taliban, al Qaeda, and others know to harbor hate and their political allies keep the flames of bigotry alive.

There is some hope however. Their numbers are slightly rebounding with a high fertility rate among those who defend their culture the most. The national Pakistani government has begun a more tolerant relation with the Kalash and international aid and attention helps with some cultural preservation.

Tourism is now a major issue to the Kalash. Some see it as a savior, a source of massive funding the likes of which have never been seen before in the valleys. With money they can afford security and betterment. Some see negative affects however. After resisting outside forces for over 2,000 years will they succumb to globalized tourism? Will their cultural meanings, their every essences, be lost to hotels and Disneyland-style presentations of themselves? Time will tell.

The gorgeous valleys have protected the Kalash for thousands of years. Outside forces, ranging from hostile to good intentioned, seek to modify the Kalash way of life. Unlike the Roma there seems to be no middle ground to stand upon and thrive. Time will tell if the small population of Kalash can continue or fade away into the fog of history.

Additional Resources
Kalash article from Picturesque Pakistan - Everything you ever wanted to know about the Kalash

KalashaPeople.org - A multilingual blog by the Kalash

Kalash Valleys - Beautiful pictures of the Kalash and their valleys

Kalash of Cultures - Transcript of a Foriegn Correspondent episode about the Kalash

The Overlooked: Roma

This is the first part in a running series of stateless nations which have been frequently overlooked and have been struggling for identity. Feel free to comment on other groups you wish to be covered.

Montage of Roma people. Photos from [1][2]

When one hears the word "gypsy" there are several things which can come to mind. Some may be untrustworthy, nomads, people in touch with magic and nature. These stereotypes are based on centuries old stories concerning the Rom people. One needs only to do a Google search to see that these stereotypes are still alive.

Location
There up to ten million Roma in the world. The majority of them are found in a belt from Poland, down the old Eastern Europe, and into Turkey (map).

History
Up to a thousand years ago what would become the Roma (the preferred term over "gypsy") lived in Inida. No one knows why the Roma were forced to leave but quickly a massive migration began to Europe. Within 500 years they had spread all over Europe and Turkey while settling mostly in the Balkans.

Europe proved no safe haven however. Romania enslaved the Roma until the nineteenth-century and else where they were not allowed to settle. The Roma were forced into a nomadic life of going town to town doing odd jobs, bartering, and when necessary resorting to begging and theft.

The twentieth-century was especially rough. The Nazis engaged in a holocaust against them known as the Porajmos. Nazi death squads searched out and slaughtered Roma on site. For those brought to camps, the Germans used eastern European guards who were particularly cruel to the Roma. During the era of Communism Soviet-backed governments sought cultural annihilation with tactics like taking children away from their parents and even demanding people make their names less Roma.

Today
Roma are making great progress in acceptance. It is a generalization but it is safe to say that a balance has been struck into accepting and work with the dominate culture while still retaining identity. The European Union authorized International Roma Day and recognized the current struggle of Roma people. Roma are too small a minority and too dispersed to have their own state but are gaining acceptance in their countries of residence.

There are problems however. Along with other emigrants, those moving from Eastern to Western Europe are discovering success is not guaranteed. There has been an increase in vagrants who engage in prostitution and crime. Tourists in Western Europe are especially warned not to engage with Roma.

The long night of the twentieth-century is over and with increased economic and political opportunities in Eastern Europe the future appears bright for the Roma.

Additional Resources
Roma in the Czech Republic - a website with plenty of information on Roma and the Roma's impact on the Czech Republic

Amalipen - a sort of Roma Myspace with a free web radio station which broadcasts Roma music

Rroma - a website devoted to Roma culture, organizations, and history

Dzeno Association - news and issues relating to the Roma