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{{ethnic group| {{ethnic group|
|group=Hamshenis |group=Hamshenis
|image=<!-- Unsourced image removed: ] --><!-- Unsourced image removed: ] -->] |image=]]]
|poptime=30.000 - 50.000 |poptime= 400,000 (est.)
|popplace=], ], ], and ] |popplace=], ], ] (]), and ]
|rels=] |rels=] and ]
|langs=], ], and ] |langs=] and ]
|related=] |related=]
}} }}


'''Hamshenis''' or '''Hemshils''' (] ''Hemşinli'', plural ''Hemşinliler'') are a distinct ethnic group inhabiting the ] region of ]. They are ] by faith. They are considered to be descendants of ]s who converted to ] in the 17th and 18th centuries. The '''Hamshenis''' (also known as '''Hemshinlis''' or '''Khemshils'''; Համշինի in ]; Hemşinli in ]; Кхэмшыл in ]) are a distinct ethnic group of ] origin that inhabit the ] coastal areas of ], ], and ] (]). A handful live in ] after being deported from Georgia by ]. Most practice ] as their religion, while others follow the ].


==Origins==
Hamshenis themselves are divided into two main groups;
In the 8th century, ] wrote that the Armenian princes ] and ], who lost their domains in ] to the ], moved to the ] with 12,000 of their people. They settled in the town of Tambut in the mountains and it was eventually renamed Hamamashen, which evolved to Hamshen (the Armenian and local name for it) or ] (today the official Turkish name). This group of Armenians prospered in the Pontic Mountains, and, virtually cut of from other Armenian populations, developed it's unique dialect of Armenian.


The majority of these Armenians were Christians, belonging to the diocese of Khachkar of the ]. However, in the 16th century and on a larger scale in the 18th century, a significant number of them began to convert to Islam. Still, these Hamshenis retained both their dialect and their culture. The Islamic Hamshenis were allowed to remain in situ, and have been left virtually undisturbed since that time.
*'''Baş Hemşin''', or the Western group, reside in the mountainous villages in ]. They are abundantly present in the districts of ] and ].


Those who refused to convert either fled or remained where they were. Most fled to farther western regions of Turkey, but due to events such as the ] and the ], they emigrated and successfully established new communities along the Black Sea coasts of Georgia and Russia.
*'''Hopa Hemşin''', or the Eastern group, take their name from the district of ] in ]. They form the majority of the population in and around the town of Kemalpaşa (Makriali) in Hopa and also in Muratlı (Berlivan) village in ].


==Groups==
Many Hamshenis had also settled in ], ], and ] after the ] in ]. A significant number of Hamshenis live in cities such as ], ], ], and ]. A small community of the Eastern group live in ], where they were exiled from ] during the ] era. Many ] currently reside in ] with other "]".


Hamshenis themselves are divided into three main groups as designated by Professor of Linguistics ] at the ]:
Before ], there was also a '''Northern group''', mainly of Christian Hamshenis (the number of "]", members of ], among this population is a matter of dispute) who fled Hamshen following conversions in 18th century and settled in interiors of ] (particularly in Karadere valley) and ] provinces and also in ] and ]. In late 19th century, began a trend of mass migration to Eastern Black Sea coast of the ], but also to Turkish towns such as ]. Today, the Northern group, who live mostly in Krasnodar and ], had become widely assimilated into general Armenian community.


*'''Western Hamshenis''' primarily reside in the mountainous villages in the ]. They are Sunni Muslim by faith and abundantly present in the districts of ] and Hemşin. Smaller communities of these Hamshenis can be found in farther western regions of Turkey such as ], ], ], ], and ]. The Western group speaks a peculiar dialect of ] called '']'', adopted under Turkic rule.
Significant differences exist between the Western and Eastern groups. The main difference is linguistic; the Western group speaks a peculiar dialect of ] (sometimes called ''Hemşince''), adopted under Turkic rule. Meanwhile, the Eastern group to this day speak an archaic dialect of ], known to its speakers as '']'' or ''Homshetsi lizu'' ("the Hamshen language"). In the West, '']'' (the ] ]) accompanies the local dances, in the East, ''şimşir kaval'' (a wooden ]).


*'''Eastern Hamshenis''' are also Sunni Muslims and live in the ]. They form the majority of the population in and around the town of Kemalpaşa (Makriali) in ] and also in Muratlı (Berlivan) village in ]. This group also once comprised a sizeable population in the ] area of Georgia, but were deported by Stalin to Kazakhstan. The Eastern group speaks an archaic dialect of ], known to its speakers as '']'' or ''Homshetsi lizu'' ("the Hamshen language"). These Hamshenis are said to be the last to convert to Islam en masse (in the 20th century)
⚫ There is a current cultural revival going on among the Eastern group. The first motion picture in Homshetsi, ''Momi'' (Grandma) was shot in ]. Hamsheni singer Gökhan Birben (from the Western group) and ] singer Kâzım Koyuncu had also sung in Homshetsi. In ], the first music album exclusively of anonymous Hamshen folk songs and sung mostly in Homshetsi, ''Vova'' was released.


*'''Northern Hamshenis''' are the descendants of non-Islamicized Hamshenis who once resided in the areas of ], ], ], and ] but fled during the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish War of Independence. Although they are Christian and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, they still keep their Hamsheni identity and culture. Like the Eastern group, they too speak the Homshetsi language (though they refer to it as Homshetsma). Most of these Hamshenis are located in the Abkhazia ] of Georgia and in the ] region of Russia, in particular, the ] area.
Older generations see the reference "Ermeni" (often used by their Laz neighbours) as an insult but some among younger generations, particularly those with strong ] leanings (such as ]) tend to identify themselves as Armenians. Because ''mainstream'' Armenians are ] and Hamshenis are ], major socio-religious barriers exist &mdash; all Armenians having adopted ] in the year ], while those now known as Hamshenis again adopted another religion, ], centuries later while under ] rule and thus followed a significantly different path in cultural terms.


==Culture==
⚫ ], a former Prime Minister of Turkey, was born in ] to a family with partial Hamsheni (Western group) origins. ] (who was born in Yaltkaya (Gomno) village of Hemşin), a Deputy ] and before that, a ] in Turkey within successive ] governments between ]-], as well as ], the ] ] on the eve of the ] in ] were also Hamshenis. The community issued other important names in Turkish history and society such as ], current leader of ] and a former Deputy Prime Minister and mayor of ]. Hamshenis are also active in economic life as expert ]s, ]s, and ]s.
The Hamshenis are well-known for the clever jokes, riddles, and stories that they tell. Some of the anecdotes that the Muslim Hamshenis tell are actually based on older Armenian ones. They accompany dances with their own brand of music using the '']'' (the ] ]) or the ''şimşir kaval'' (a wooden ]). The traditional occupations of the Turkish Hamshenis are cultivating tea and corn, breeding livestock, and beekeeping. The Northern Hamshenis of Russia and Georgia, meanwhile, are primarily fishermen. Some Hamshenis (both Muslim and Christian) are also active in economic life as expert bakers, restauranteurs, and transporters.

==Present situation of the Hamshenis==

===Hamshenis in Turkey===

⚫ There is a current cultural revival going on among the Eastern group of Hamshenis in Turkey. The first motion picture in Homshetsi, ''Momi'' (Grandma) was shot in ]. Hamsheni singer Gökhan Birben (from the Western group) and ] singer Kâzım Koyuncu had also sung in Homshetsi. In ], the first music album exclusively of anonymous Hamshen folk songs and sung mostly in Homshetsi, ''Vova'' was released.

Older generations of Turkish Hamshenis see the reference "Ermeni" (often used by their Laz neighbours) as an insult but some among younger generations, particularly those with strong ] leanings (such as ]) tend to identify themselves as Armenians.

⚫ ], a former Prime Minister of Turkey, was born in ] to a family with partial Hamsheni (Western group) origins. ] (who was born in Yaltkaya (Gomno) village of Hemşin), a Deputy ] and before that, a ] in Turkey within successive ] governments between ]-], as well as ], the ] ] on the eve of the ] in ] were also Hamshenis. The community issued other important names in Turkish history and society such as ], current leader of ] and a former Deputy Prime Minister and mayor of ].

Presently, a major issue in Turkey regarding the Hamshenis is tourism. The area's atmosphere is slowly being threatened by the increase of tourists who are drawn to the beauty of areas such as Rize, Hopa, and Ayder. Many Hamshenis are angry with this sudden boost of tourism. "Ayder's degeneration began after it was linked by road to the nearby town of Camlihemsin," said Selcuk Guney, a local Hamsheni activist. One of his aims is to ensure that his birthplace, the neighbouring Firtina valley, avoids a similar fate.

===Hamshenis in Russia and the former Soviet Union===

During the ] period of the ] in the late ], the Hamshenis of Kazakhstan began petitioning for the government to be moved to the ]. However, this move was denied by ] because of fears that the Muslim Hamshenis might spark ethnic conflicts with their Christian Armenian brothers.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most Hamshenis lived relatively undisturbed. However, those in the Abkhazia region of Georgia had trouble coping with day-to-day life during the ].

Recently, most of the Muslim Hamshenis in Russia who were forcibly moved by Stalin to Kazakhstan, wish to have their own cultural organization in the Krasnodar Krai in Russia. The action was continously denied by Krasnodar officials and has prompted an organization of their co-ethnics and co-religionists in Armenia itself to appeal to the Russian ambassador in ] to get Moscow to intervene in this case and overrule the regional officials who seem intent on preventing Hamshenis from gaining official registration.

===Recognition by the Armenian mainstream===

Whether Christian or Muslim, most Armenians are willing to work with and try to understand their ethnic cousins. From ] to ], ], a Hamshen international scientific convention was held in Sochi. The conference was organized under the ] with active support by the ]. It involved scholars from Armenia, Russia, the ], ], and ] to discuss the past of the Hamshenis. Among the reports presented at the event were "Hamshen: A Historical and Geographic Outline," "Hamshen Armenians," "Pont and Armenia in 1914-1921," "Genocide of Hamshen Armenians in 1915-1923," "Abkhazian Armenians on the Threshold of 21st century," and others. Following the conference, ethnic groups of Hamshen Armenians of the Black Sea coast of ] gave a cultural performance.


==See also== ==See also==
*] *]
*] *]
*] *]
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*] *]
*] *]
*]


== Reference == == Reference ==
⚫ * Bert Vaux, '''', Harvard University, 2001.
* M. Chahin, ''The Kingdom of Armenia: A History'', Routledge, London, 2001. * Mack Chahin, ''The Kingdom of Armenia: A History'', Routledge, London, 2001. (ISBN 0700714529)
* Robert Hewson, ''Armenia: A Historical Atlas'', University Of Chicago Press, 2000. (ISBN 0226332284)


== External links == == External links ==


* (in Turkish) * (in Turkish)
⚫ * A competent paper on Hamshenis by ]
* (in Turkish) * (in Turkish)
* *
* ''Hemşince'' text written in modified Turkish alphabet * ''Hemşince'' text written in modified Turkish alphabet
*


] ]
⚫ ]
⚫ ]
] ]
]
]
⚫ ]
] ]
]
⚫ ]

Revision as of 22:27, 4 June 2006

Ethnic group
Hamshenis
File:Murat Karayalcin.jpgFile:Hamsheni woman in traditional dress.jpgFile:AhmetTevfikİleri.jpg
Regions with significant populations
Turkey, Russia, Abkhazia (Georgia), and Kazakhstan
Languages
Homshetsi and Hemşince
Religion
Sunni Islam and Armenian Apostolic Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Armenians

The Hamshenis (also known as Hemshinlis or Khemshils; Համշինի in Armenian; Hemşinli in Turkish; Кхэмшыл in Russian) are a distinct ethnic group of Armenian origin that inhabit the Black Sea coastal areas of Turkey, Russia, and Abkhazia (Georgia). A handful live in Kazakhstan after being deported from Georgia by Joseph Stalin. Most practice Sunni Islam as their religion, while others follow the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Origins

In the 8th century, Leontius the Priest wrote that the Armenian princes Hamam and Shapuh Amatuni, who lost their domains in Artaz to the Arabs, moved to the Byzantine Empire with 12,000 of their people. They settled in the town of Tambut in the mountains and it was eventually renamed Hamamashen, which evolved to Hamshen (the Armenian and local name for it) or Hemşin (today the official Turkish name). This group of Armenians prospered in the Pontic Mountains, and, virtually cut of from other Armenian populations, developed it's unique dialect of Armenian.

The majority of these Armenians were Christians, belonging to the diocese of Khachkar of the Armenian Apostolic Church. However, in the 16th century and on a larger scale in the 18th century, a significant number of them began to convert to Islam. Still, these Hamshenis retained both their dialect and their culture. The Islamic Hamshenis were allowed to remain in situ, and have been left virtually undisturbed since that time.

Those who refused to convert either fled or remained where they were. Most fled to farther western regions of Turkey, but due to events such as the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish War of Independence, they emigrated and successfully established new communities along the Black Sea coasts of Georgia and Russia.

Groups

Hamshenis themselves are divided into three main groups as designated by Professor of Linguistics Bert Vaux at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee:

  • Western Hamshenis primarily reside in the mountainous villages in the Rize Province. They are Sunni Muslim by faith and abundantly present in the districts of Çamlıhemşin and Hemşin. Smaller communities of these Hamshenis can be found in farther western regions of Turkey such as Istanbul, Sakarya, Düzce, Kocaeli, and Zonguldak. The Western group speaks a peculiar dialect of Turkish called Hemşince, adopted under Turkic rule.
  • Eastern Hamshenis are also Sunni Muslims and live in the Artvin Province. They form the majority of the population in and around the town of Kemalpaşa (Makriali) in Hopa and also in Muratlı (Berlivan) village in Borçka. This group also once comprised a sizeable population in the Adjara area of Georgia, but were deported by Stalin to Kazakhstan. The Eastern group speaks an archaic dialect of Armenian, known to its speakers as Homshetsi or Homshetsi lizu ("the Hamshen language"). These Hamshenis are said to be the last to convert to Islam en masse (in the 20th century)
  • Northern Hamshenis are the descendants of non-Islamicized Hamshenis who once resided in the areas of Samsun, Ordu, Giresun, and Trabzon but fled during the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish War of Independence. Although they are Christian and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, they still keep their Hamsheni identity and culture. Like the Eastern group, they too speak the Homshetsi language (though they refer to it as Homshetsma). Most of these Hamshenis are located in the Abkhazia autonomous region of Georgia and in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia, in particular, the Sochi area.

Culture

The Hamshenis are well-known for the clever jokes, riddles, and stories that they tell. Some of the anecdotes that the Muslim Hamshenis tell are actually based on older Armenian ones. They accompany dances with their own brand of music using the tulum (the Pontic bagpipe) or the şimşir kaval (a wooden flute). The traditional occupations of the Turkish Hamshenis are cultivating tea and corn, breeding livestock, and beekeeping. The Northern Hamshenis of Russia and Georgia, meanwhile, are primarily fishermen. Some Hamshenis (both Muslim and Christian) are also active in economic life as expert bakers, restauranteurs, and transporters.

Present situation of the Hamshenis

Hamshenis in Turkey

There is a current cultural revival going on among the Eastern group of Hamshenis in Turkey. The first motion picture in Homshetsi, Momi (Grandma) was shot in 2000. Hamsheni singer Gökhan Birben (from the Western group) and Laz singer Kâzım Koyuncu had also sung in Homshetsi. In 2005, the first music album exclusively of anonymous Hamshen folk songs and sung mostly in Homshetsi, Vova was released.

Older generations of Turkish Hamshenis see the reference "Ermeni" (often used by their Laz neighbours) as an insult but some among younger generations, particularly those with strong leftist leanings (such as Huri Vayiç) tend to identify themselves as Armenians.

Mesut Yılmaz, a former Prime Minister of Turkey, was born in Istanbul to a family with partial Hamsheni (Western group) origins. Ahmet Tevfik İleri (who was born in Yaltkaya (Gomno) village of Hemşin), a Deputy Prime Minister and before that, a Minister of Education in Turkey within successive Adnan Menderes governments between 1950-1960, as well as Damat Mehmet Ali Pasha, the Ottoman Grand Vizier on the eve of the Crimean War in 1853 were also Hamshenis. The community issued other important names in Turkish history and society such as Murat Karayalçın, current leader of SHP and a former Deputy Prime Minister and mayor of Ankara.

Presently, a major issue in Turkey regarding the Hamshenis is tourism. The area's atmosphere is slowly being threatened by the increase of tourists who are drawn to the beauty of areas such as Rize, Hopa, and Ayder. Many Hamshenis are angry with this sudden boost of tourism. "Ayder's degeneration began after it was linked by road to the nearby town of Camlihemsin," said Selcuk Guney, a local Hamsheni activist. One of his aims is to ensure that his birthplace, the neighbouring Firtina valley, avoids a similar fate.

Hamshenis in Russia and the former Soviet Union

During the Mikhail Gorbachev period of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, the Hamshenis of Kazakhstan began petitioning for the government to be moved to the Armenian SSR. However, this move was denied by Moscow because of fears that the Muslim Hamshenis might spark ethnic conflicts with their Christian Armenian brothers.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most Hamshenis lived relatively undisturbed. However, those in the Abkhazia region of Georgia had trouble coping with day-to-day life during the Georgian Civil War.

Recently, most of the Muslim Hamshenis in Russia who were forcibly moved by Stalin to Kazakhstan, wish to have their own cultural organization in the Krasnodar Krai in Russia. The action was continously denied by Krasnodar officials and has prompted an organization of their co-ethnics and co-religionists in Armenia itself to appeal to the Russian ambassador in Yerevan to get Moscow to intervene in this case and overrule the regional officials who seem intent on preventing Hamshenis from gaining official registration.

Recognition by the Armenian mainstream

Whether Christian or Muslim, most Armenians are willing to work with and try to understand their ethnic cousins. From October 13 to 15, 2005, a Hamshen international scientific convention was held in Sochi. The conference was organized under the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of of Armenia with active support by the Sevan Armenian Cultural Society of Sochi. It involved scholars from Armenia, Russia, the United States, Germany, and Iran to discuss the past of the Hamshenis. Among the reports presented at the event were "Hamshen: A Historical and Geographic Outline," "Hamshen Armenians," "Pont and Armenia in 1914-1921," "Genocide of Hamshen Armenians in 1915-1923," "Abkhazian Armenians on the Threshold of 21st century," and others. Following the conference, ethnic groups of Hamshen Armenians of the Black Sea coast of Kuban gave a cultural performance.

See also

Reference

  • Bert Vaux, Hemshinli: The Forgotten Black Sea Armenians, Harvard University, 2001.
  • Mack Chahin, The Kingdom of Armenia: A History, Routledge, London, 2001. (ISBN 0700714529)
  • Robert Hewson, Armenia: A Historical Atlas, University Of Chicago Press, 2000. (ISBN 0226332284)

External links

Categories: