Hemshin people: Difference between revisions

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			{{totallydisputed}}
	{{ethnic group\|		{{ethnic group\|
	\|group=Hamshenis<br>~~Համշե(ն)ցիներ~~		\|group=Hamshenis<br>Համշենի
	\|image=]<br>A Hamsheni ~~woman~~ in traditional dress.		\|image=<br>Hamsheni women in traditional dress.
	\|poptime= 400,000 (est.)<ref></ref>		\|poptime= 400,000 (est.)<ref></ref>
	\|popplace=], ], ] (]), ], and ]		\|popplace=], ], ] (]), ], and ].
	\|rels=] and ]		\|rels=] and ]
	\|langs=] (] dialect) and ] (] dialect)		\|langs=] (] dialect) and ] (] dialect)
	\|related-c=Other ]		\|related-c=Other ]
	}}		}}
	The '''Hamshenis''' (also known as '''Hamshentsis''', '''Hemshinlis''', or '''Khemshils'''; {{lang-hy\|Համշէ(ն)ցիներ or Համշե(ն)ցիներ}}; {{lang-tr\|Hemşinliler}}; {{lang-ru\|Амшенцы}}; ]: ''Sumexi'' (სუმეხი)<ref></ref>) are ethnic ] who inhabit the ] coastal areas of ], ], and ] (]). A handful also live in ] and some can also be found in ]n countries such as ], ], and ] after being deported from Georgia in 1944 by ]. Those in Russia, Georgia, and Armenia follow the ], while those in Turkey and the deportees in Central Asia practice the ] ] of ].

	==Origins==
	According to ], the Armenian princes ] and ], who lost their domains in ] to the ]s, moved to the ] in the 8th century 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 (Համշէն, the Armenian and local name for it) or ] (today the official Turkish name). This group of Armenians prospered in the ], and, virtually cut off from other Armenian populations, developed its unique dialect of Armenian.

			The term '''Hamsheni''' has recently been used (in non-turkish sources) to refer to a number of diverse groups of people who, in the past history or present, have in one way or another been affiliated with the ] area. In historical documents this term is absent. Depending on the pronunciation and language used other designations like Hemshinlis or Khemshils; Armenian : Համշենի ; Russian : Амшенцы; Laz: Sumexi ( სუმეხი ) <ref></ref> are used as well. The turkish equivalent of the word is '''Hemşinli''' (the suffix –li showing affliation to a place similar to New York-er). This is the designation used by people who still live in Hemşin or have ongoing affiliation thereto through family ties.
	The majority of these Armenians were Christians, belonging to the diocese of ] of the ]. In 1461, the Hamshen area was conquered by the ]. As a result, in the 16th century and on a larger scale in the 18th century, a significant number of them were forced 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.

			==History==
	Those who refused to convert either fled or remained where they were such as those of Elevit (Eliovit). Most fled to farther western parts of ] like ], ], ], ], and also in 19th and early 20th centuries, to found settlements in western regions of Turkey like ], ] and in the eastern Black Sea coasts of the ]. Due to events such as the ] and the ], most of the surviving Christian Hamshenis of Turkey emigrated to the Hamsheni settlements under Russian sovereignty. A group of Adapazarı Hamshenis have reportedly taken refuge in Armenia.<ref>''Türkiye'de Etnik Gruplar'', Peter Alford Andrews, p. 183, 1992 Istanbul (attention: illegal edition! Unauthorized translation: Mustafa Küpüşoğlu, editor: Cemal Şener, cf. http://www.peterandrews.info/files/Raubedition.pdf)</ref>
			The foundation of Hemşin is often related to a migration which is claimed to have taken place in the 7th to 9th centuries from Armenia to the Hemşin region. Short passages from the medieval Armenian chronics Ghewond, Asoghik and John Mamikonian form the primary references for the migration, in spite of the fact that there are fundamental contradictions between them with regard to the time and accompanying circumstances of the migration. Neither of the chronics associate the Hemşin area clearly with the migration. The common element is the mention of a Prince Hamam who was either a leader of the migration or a descendant of the migrants.

			Regardless of the ambiguities surrounding this migration, it is generally accepted that the migrants confessed to the Christian faith and belonged to the ]. There ara no specific indications with regard to the language and/or other ethnical characteristics of the migrants. Some Turkish historians deduce that those were Turks; while many other historians deduce that those were Armenians.

			Even if the migrants have really settled down in Hemşin, whether and by whom Hemşin was populated prior to that migration and what has happened to them is not clear. There are views which suggest that the area was uninhabited due to its difficult terrain whereas opposing approaches argue that the area was already influenced by earlier movements of people which possibly include ancient anatolian people as well as caucasian and turkic tribes.

			Furthermore there are contradicting views with regard to whether Hemşin remained isolated and inaccessible or whether it was open to further migrations after in the beginning of the second millennium. This is also due to the fact that there are no historical documents clearly proving either thesis.In spite of the lack of clear documentation it is deduced that Hemşin has been governed by local lords under the umbrella of the greater regional powers changing by the time namely the Bagratid Armenian kingdom, the ], its successor the Empire of Trebizond, the Georgian Kingdom , the Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu Turkmen Confederations until it was annexed in the 15 the century by the ] which collapsed as a result of the WW1 and gave birth to the Republic of Turkey.

	{{Armenians}}
	==Groups==		==Groups==
	Hamshenis themselves are divided into three main groups as designated by Professor of Linguistics ] at the ]:		Hamshenis themselves are divided into three main groups as designated by Professor of Linguistics ] at the ]:

		⚫	*'''Western Hamshenis''' (Hemshinli) of '''Baş Hemşin''' primarily reside in the mountainous villages in the ]. They are ] by faith and abundantly present in the districts of Hemşin and ] (which literally means "]y Hamshen", originally known as Vija) but also in the mountainous interior of ] (Atina), ] (Mapavri), ] (Artaşen), ] (Viçe) districts. 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. They celebrate the Armenian festival ].<ref> ] ], '']'' {{tr icon}}</ref>
⚫	===~~Western~~ Hamshenis===
⚫	Western Hamshenis (Hemshinli) of Baş Hemşin primarily reside in the mountainous villages in the ]. They are ] by faith and abundantly present in the districts of Hemşin and ] (which literally means "]y Hamshen", originally known as Vija) but also in the mountainous interior of ] (Atina), ] (Mapavri), ] (Artaşen), ] (Viçe) districts. 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. They celebrate the Armenian festival ].<ref> ] ], '']'' {{tr icon}}</ref>

		⚫	*'''Eastern Hamshenis''' (Hamshetsi) of '''Hopa Hemşin''' are also ] 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 and ]. A considerable number of these deportees have moved to ] since 1989, along with the ]. 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'' (probably in the late 19th century).
	===Eastern Hamshenis===
⚫	Eastern Hamshenis (Hamshetsi) of Hopa Hemşin are also ] 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 and ]. A considerable number of these deportees have moved to ] since 1989, along with the ]. 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'' (probably in the late 19th century).

		⚫	*'''Northern Hamshenis''' (Hamshentsi) are the descendants of non-Islamicized Hamshenis who fled the Hamshen area following conversions and settled in other regions like ] (Kurşunlu in ]), ], ], and ] (Karadere valley in ] to the east of ]). Most of these Hamshenis currently live in Abkhazia and in the ] region of Russia, in particular, the ] area, and ]. Although they are ] and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, they still keep their Hamsheni identity and culture. Like the Eastern group, they too speak the Homshetsi dialect (though they refer to it as ''Häyren'' meaning ''Armenian''). Prof. Bert Vaux refers to this dialect as ''Homshetsma''.
	===Northern Hamshenis===
⚫	Northern Hamshenis (Hamshentsi) are the descendants of non-Islamicized Hamshenis who fled the Hamshen area following conversions and settled in other regions like ] (Kurşunlu in ]), ], ], and ] (Karadere valley in ] to the east of ]). Most of these Hamshenis currently live in Abkhazia and in the ] region of Russia, in particular, the ] area, and ]. Although they are ] and belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, they still keep their Hamsheni identity and culture. Like the Eastern group, they too speak the Homshetsi dialect (though they refer to it as ''Häyren'' meaning ''Armenian''). Prof. Bert Vaux refers to this dialect as ''Homshetsma''.

	==Culture==		==Culture==
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	], a district of ]'s ] mostly populated by Western (Baş) Hamshenis.]]		], a district of ]'s ] mostly populated by Western (Baş) Hamshenis.]]

			==Present situation==
	==Population==
		⚫	===Hamshenis in Turkey===
		⚫	The first motion picture in Homshetsi, ''Momi'' (Grandma) was shot in 2000. Hamsheni singer Gökhan Birben (from the Western group) and ] singer ] had also sung in Homshetsi. In 2005, the first music album exclusively of anonymous Hamshen folk songs and sung mostly in Homshetsi, ''Vova - Hamşetsu Ğhağ'' 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 tend to identify themselves as Armenians.{{Fact\|date=April 2007}}
	As mentioned above, Hamshenis primarily reside in ], ], ], ], and ]. Estimates of there numbers worldwide run from several thousand to several hundred thousand.<ref name="hamshen-armenianow">{{cite news
	\| title = A Different Tradition: Hamshen Armenians struggle for identity and recognition
	\| author = Julia Hakobyan
	\| publisher = ArmeniaNow
	\| date = 2007-03-02
	\| url =http://www.armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=2040&CID=2106&IID=&lng=eng&PHPSESSID=2a427a89e0d50d0490b4e9aed5a3e769
	\| accessdate = 2008-01-18 }}</ref> According to Sergei Vardanyan, a historian and journalist who is vice-chairman of the "Hamshen" charitable-compatriotic organization in ], there is no way to know exactly how many Hamshenis there are. Vardanyan's research indicates that "in some Hamshen families, people themselves did not know whether they are Hamshentsi or not." In addition, he writes, "both Christian and Islamized Hamshentsi now have a common problem - preserving their national identity, since they know their history only at the level of folklore."<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" />

	===Turkey===
	Vardanyan's Hamsheni research indicates that at least some 20-30,000 Hamshentsi Muslims who speak Armenian live in Turkey as well as some 100-200,000 Hamshentsi Turkish speakers.<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" /> Most of the 3,000 Islamized Hamshen Armenians that he encountered were blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Some said that "they did not know their nationality." They were only identified as either "Hemshil" or "Turkish" on their passports.<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" /> He noted that "while Hamshentsi in the former Soviet republics states know something of the history of Armenia, in Turkey they have no access to this" and that "that each generation of Islamized Armenians knows less and less about their origins."<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" /> However, according to some sources, while older generations of Turkish Hamshenis see the reference "Ermeni" (often used by their Laz neighbours) as an insult, some among younger generations, particularly those with strong ] leanings tend to identify themselves as Armenians.{{Fact\|date=April 2007}}

⚫	The first motion picture in Homshetsi, ''Momi'' (Grandma) was shot in 2000. Hamsheni singer Gökhan Birben (from the Western group) and ] singer ] had also sung in Homshetsi. In 2005, the first music album exclusively of anonymous Hamshen folk songs and sung mostly in Homshetsi, ''Vova - Hamşetsu Ğhağ'' was released.

	], a former Prime Minister of Turkey, was born in ] to a family with partial Hamsheni (Western group) origins.<ref name="karacaahmet">{{tr icon}} {{cite web \|url=http://www.karacaahmet.com/arastirma.asp?id=268 \|title=Lazlar/Hemşinler \|last=Şener \|first=Cemal \|work=Karacaahmetsultan Kültürünü Koruma, Yaşatma ve Türbesini Onarma Derneği}}</ref> ] (who was born in Yaltkaya (Gomno) village of Hemşin), a Deputy ] and before that, a ] in Turkey within successive ] governments between 1950-1960, as well as ], the ] ] on the eve of the ] in 1853 were also Hamshenis.<ref> {{tr icon}}</ref> 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 ] who is from Şenyuva (Çinçiva) village of Çamlıhemşin.<ref name="karacaahmet"/><ref>] interview with Karayalçın] {{tr icon}}</ref><ref>http://www.karadeniz.nl/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=118&orderby=hitsA Tevfik Rüştü Aras and Murat Karayalçın hail from Hemşin] {{tr icon}}</ref>		], a former Prime Minister of Turkey, was born in ] to a family with partial Hamsheni (Western group) origins.<ref name="karacaahmet">{{tr icon}} {{cite web \|url=http://www.karacaahmet.com/arastirma.asp?id=268 \|title=Lazlar/Hemşinler \|last=Şener \|first=Cemal \|work=Karacaahmetsultan Kültürünü Koruma, Yaşatma ve Türbesini Onarma Derneği}}</ref> ] (who was born in Yaltkaya (Gomno) village of Hemşin), a Deputy ] and before that, a ] in Turkey within successive ] governments between 1950-1960, as well as ], the ] ] on the eve of the ] in 1853 were also Hamshenis.<ref> {{tr icon}}</ref> 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 ] who is from Şenyuva (Çinçiva) village of Çamlıhemşin.<ref name="karacaahmet"/><ref>] interview with Karayalçın] {{tr icon}}</ref><ref>http://www.karadeniz.nl/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=118&orderby=hitsA Tevfik Rüştü Aras and Murat Karayalçın hail from Hemşin] {{tr icon}}</ref>
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	Presently, a major issue in Turkey regarding the Hamshenis is ]. The ] of the area and local culture are 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 Çamlıhemşin," said Selçuk Güney, a local Hamsheni activist. One of his aims is to ensure that his birthplace, the neighbouring Fırtına (Furtuna) valley, avoids a similar fate.		Presently, a major issue in Turkey regarding the Hamshenis is ]. The ] of the area and local culture are 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 Çamlıhemşin," said Selçuk Güney, a local Hamsheni activist. One of his aims is to ensure that his birthplace, the neighbouring Fırtına (Furtuna) valley, avoids a similar fate.

		⚫	There are two ongoing projects involving Turkish ]s and ], ]'s external aid instrument, that touch their issues. The more recently (2007) launched "Ecodialogue Project" () has set itself as goal raising environment consciousness of the region's enterprises and improving the poor levels and quality of the information relayed by local guides <ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.stgm.org.tr/docs/sivilizApril2007.pdf Bulletin:\| title = Ecodialogue Project\|author=\|publisher=\| access date=\|language=English}}</ref>, many of whom are self-styled and unlicensed <ref> ] himself had as primary Hemshinli informant a young man in his twenties, whose name was changed "to protect the innocent".</ref> The other project, started 2004 and involving also the ], aims to raise the profile and awareness of the ], particularly ], who visit the region, also with focus on enterprises and guides <ref>{{cite web \| url = http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:72XNmTyzzA8J:balwois.mpl.ird.fr/balwois/administration/files/iucn-see-bulletin3.pdf+%22europeaid%22+%2B+%22ayder%22&hl=tr&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=tr&ie=UTF-8&inlang=tr Bulletin:\| title = Improving the conservation status of the Caucasian Black Grouse\|author=\|publisher=]\| access date=\|language=English}}</ref>.

		⚫	===Hamshenis in Russia and the former Soviet Union===
	]		]
⚫	There are two ongoing projects involving Turkish ]s and ], ]'s external aid instrument, that touch their issues. The more recently (2007) launched "Ecodialogue Project" () has set itself as goal raising environment consciousness of the region's enterprises and improving the poor levels and quality of the information relayed by local guides <ref>{{cite web \| url = http://www.stgm.org.tr/docs/sivilizApril2007.pdf Bulletin:\| title = Ecodialogue Project\|author=\|publisher=\| access date=\|language=English}}</ref>, many of whom are self-styled and unlicensed <ref> ] himself had as primary Hemshinli informant a young man in his twenties, whose name was changed "to protect the innocent".</ref> The other project, started 2004 and involving also the ], aims to raise the profile and awareness of the ], particularly ], who visit the region, also with focus on enterprises and guides <ref>{{cite web \| url = http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:72XNmTyzzA8J:balwois.mpl.ird.fr/balwois/administration/files/iucn-see-bulletin3.pdf+%22europeaid%22+%2B+%22ayder%22&hl=tr&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=tr&ie=UTF-8&inlang=tr Bulletin:\| title = Improving the conservation status of the Caucasian Black Grouse\|author=\|publisher=]\| access date=\|language=English}}</ref>.

		⚫	Interest in Hamshen heritage is rising among Christian Hamshenis in the former Soviet Union. In 2006, the first music album in Homshetsma by the Ensemble Caravan was released in Krasnodar. Hamshen Scientific, Information and Cultural Centre began to work on exclusive projects in order to recover the cultural heritage of the Hamshenis living in the region. The Armenian newspaper published in ] carries the name ''Hamshen''.
⚫	===Russia and the former Soviet Union===
⚫	Interest in Hamshen heritage is rising among Christian Hamshenis in the former Soviet Union. In 2006, the first music album in Homshetsma by the Ensemble Caravan was released in Krasnodar. Hamshen Scientific, Information and Cultural Centre began to work on exclusive projects in order to recover the cultural heritage of the Hamshenis living in the region. The Armenian newspaper published in ] carries the name ''Hamshen''.

	During the ] period of the ] in the late 1980s, the Hamshenis of Kazakhstan began petitioning for the government to move them to the ]. Sergei Vardanyan supported the move and made an effort to resettle one of the derelict villages in ] with 150 families of Christian Hamsheis from Krasnodar and Abkhazia and Islamized Hamshenis from Central Asia.<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" /> However, ~~all~~ ~~this~~ was denied by ] because of fears that the Muslim Hamshenis might spark ethnic conflicts with their Christian Armenian brothers.<ref>{{cite web \| url= http://www.usanogh.com/content/view/418/93/ \|title= Hamshenis denied return to Armenian SSR\|accessdate=2007-02-06}}</ref>		During the ] period of the ] in the late 1980s, the Hamshenis of Kazakhstan began petitioning for the government to move them to the ]. However, this move was denied by ] because of fears that the Muslim Hamshenis might spark ethnic conflicts with their Christian Armenian brothers.<ref>{{cite web \| url= http://www.usanogh.com/content/view/418/93/ \|title= Hamshenis denied return to Armenian SSR\|accessdate=2007-02-06}}</ref>

	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 ].		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 ].
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	In the 2002 Russian Federation census, 1,542 people identified themselves as Hamshenis, two-thirds of whom were living in Krasnodar Krai.		In the 2002 Russian Federation census, 1,542 people identified themselves as Hamshenis, two-thirds of whom were living in Krasnodar Krai.

	==Recognition by the Armenian mainstream==		===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 15, 2005, a Hamsheni international scientific convention was held in Sochi. The conference was organized under the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Russian-Armenian Commonwealth Organization of Moscow (commissioned by the ]) with help from the Armenian Scientific Informational and Cultural Center, "Hamshen" (Krasnodar, Russia) and Russian Armenian newspaper ]. 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 ensembles of Hamsheni Armenians of the Black Sea coast of ] gave a cultural performance.
	Interest in the Hamshenis, whether Christian or Muslim, is also rising among the Armenians of Armenia and the ]. Sergei Vardanyan encourages efforts to "create a tie between Hamshen Armenians and their roots."<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" /> He serves as the editor in chief of ''Hamshen Voice'', a monthly newspaper published in Yerevan with support from private donations and circulated in Russia, Georgia, Turkey, ], and the ]. "I feel responsibility towards the Hamshentsi simply because I am Armenian," Vardanyan said "With the help of the law on dual citizenship or any other law, Armenia should encourage a national gathering and bring together Armenians around the world to preserve it as a nation with good prospects for the future."<ref name="hamshen-armenianow" />

⚫	From ] to 15, 2005, a Hamsheni international scientific convention was held in Sochi. The conference was organized under the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Russian-Armenian Commonwealth Organization of Moscow (commissioned by the ]) with help from the Armenian Scientific Informational and Cultural Center, "Hamshen" (Krasnodar, Russia) and Russian Armenian newspaper ]. It involved scholars from Armenia, Russia, the United States, ], 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 ensembles of Hamsheni Armenians of the Black Sea coast of ] gave a cultural performance.

	==See also==		==See also==
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	* News article about the release with concise info on Hamshenis		* News article about the release with concise info on Hamshenis

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	{{Armenian diaspora}}

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Revision as of 11:40, 12 March 2008

Template:Totallydisputed

Ethnic group

Hamshenis
Համշենի
Regions with significant populations
Hamsheni women in traditional dress.
Turkey, Russia, Georgia (Abkhazia), Armenia, and Central Asia.
Languages
Armenian (Homshetsi dialect) and Turkish (Hemşince dialect)
Religion
Sunni Islam and Armenian Apostolic Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Other Armenians

The term Hamsheni has recently been used (in non-turkish sources) to refer to a number of diverse groups of people who, in the past history or present, have in one way or another been affiliated with the Hemşin area. In historical documents this term is absent. Depending on the pronunciation and language used other designations like Hemshinlis or Khemshils; Armenian : Համշենի ; Russian : Амшенцы; Laz: Sumexi ( სუმეხი ) are used as well. The turkish equivalent of the word is Hemşinli (the suffix –li showing affliation to a place similar to New York-er). This is the designation used by people who still live in Hemşin or have ongoing affiliation thereto through family ties.

History

The foundation of Hemşin is often related to a migration which is claimed to have taken place in the 7th to 9th centuries from Armenia to the Hemşin region. Short passages from the medieval Armenian chronics Ghewond, Asoghik and John Mamikonian form the primary references for the migration, in spite of the fact that there are fundamental contradictions between them with regard to the time and accompanying circumstances of the migration. Neither of the chronics associate the Hemşin area clearly with the migration. The common element is the mention of a Prince Hamam who was either a leader of the migration or a descendant of the migrants.

Regardless of the ambiguities surrounding this migration, it is generally accepted that the migrants confessed to the Christian faith and belonged to the Armenian Apostolic Church. There ara no specific indications with regard to the language and/or other ethnical characteristics of the migrants. Some Turkish historians deduce that those were Turks; while many other historians deduce that those were Armenians.

Even if the migrants have really settled down in Hemşin, whether and by whom Hemşin was populated prior to that migration and what has happened to them is not clear. There are views which suggest that the area was uninhabited due to its difficult terrain whereas opposing approaches argue that the area was already influenced by earlier movements of people which possibly include ancient anatolian people as well as caucasian and turkic tribes.

Furthermore there are contradicting views with regard to whether Hemşin remained isolated and inaccessible or whether it was open to further migrations after in the beginning of the second millennium. This is also due to the fact that there are no historical documents clearly proving either thesis.In spite of the lack of clear documentation it is deduced that Hemşin has been governed by local lords under the umbrella of the greater regional powers changing by the time namely the Bagratid Armenian kingdom, the Byzantine Empire, its successor the Empire of Trebizond, the Georgian Kingdom , the Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu Turkmen Confederations until it was annexed in the 15 the century by the Ottoman Empire which collapsed as a result of the WW1 and gave birth to the Republic of Turkey.

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 (Hemshinli) of Baş Hemşin primarily reside in the mountainous villages in the Rize Province. They are Sunni Muslim by faith and abundantly present in the districts of Hemşin and Çamlıhemşin (which literally means "piney Hamshen", originally known as Vija) but also in the mountainous interior of Pazar (Atina), Çayeli (Mapavri), Ardeşen (Artaşen), Fındıklı (Viçe) districts. 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. They celebrate the Armenian festival Vartavar.

Eastern Hamshenis (Hamshetsi) of Hopa Hemşin 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 and Kyrgyzstan. A considerable number of these deportees have moved to Krasnodar Krai since 1989, along with the Meskhetians. 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 (probably in the late 19th century).

Northern Hamshenis (Hamshentsi) are the descendants of non-Islamicized Hamshenis who fled the Hamshen area following conversions and settled in other regions like Samsun (Kurşunlu in Çarşamba), Ordu, Giresun, and Trabzon (Karadere valley in Araklı to the east of Trabzon). Most of these Hamshenis currently live in Abkhazia and in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia, in particular, the Sochi area, and Adygeya. 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 dialect (though they refer to it as Häyren meaning Armenian). Prof. Bert Vaux refers to this dialect as Homshetsma.

Culture

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) (for the Western group), the şimşir kaval (flute made of buxus) (for the Eastern group) or the Hamshna-Zurna (Hamsheni zurna) (for the Northern group). The traditional occupations of the Turkish Hamshenis are cultivating tea and maize, breeding livestock, and beekeeping. The Northern Hamshenis of Russia and Georgia, meanwhile, are primarily known as citrus, corn, tobacco and tea growers as well as fishermen. Some Hamshenis (both Muslim and Christian) are also active in economic life as expert bakers, restauranteurs, and transporters, and those in Turkey developed a keen and nationally-renowned expertise in the production of crafted handguns.

Striking scenery in Çamlıhemşin, a district of Turkey's Rize Province mostly populated by Western (Baş) Hamshenis.

Present situation

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 - Hamşetsu Ğhağ 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 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 who is from Şenyuva (Çinçiva) village of Çamlıhemşin.

Presently, a major issue in Turkey regarding the Hamshenis is tourism. The ecology of the area and local culture are 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 Çamlıhemşin," said Selçuk Güney, a local Hamsheni activist. One of his aims is to ensure that his birthplace, the neighbouring Fırtına (Furtuna) valley, avoids a similar fate.

There are two ongoing projects involving Turkish NGOs and EuropeAid, European Commission's external aid instrument, that touch their issues. The more recently (2007) launched "Ecodialogue Project" ("Ekodiyalog", web site pending) has set itself as goal raising environment consciousness of the region's enterprises and improving the poor levels and quality of the information relayed by local guides , many of whom are self-styled and unlicensed The other project, started 2004 and involving also the World Conservation Union, aims to raise the profile and awareness of the grouse, particularly black grouse, who visit the region, also with focus on enterprises and guides .

Hamshenis in Russia and the former Soviet Union

Hamsheni baker Şerif Gülaboğlu with his wife Eva (German descent) and sons in Russia (1905).

Interest in Hamshen heritage is rising among Christian Hamshenis in the former Soviet Union. In 2006, the first music album in Homshetsma by the Ensemble Caravan was released in Krasnodar. Hamshen Scientific, Information and Cultural Centre began to work on exclusive projects in order to recover the cultural heritage of the Hamshenis living in the region. The Armenian newspaper published in Sukhumi carries the name Hamshen.

During the Mikhail Gorbachev period of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, the Hamshenis of Kazakhstan began petitioning for the government to move them 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.

Since 2000, several hundred of the Muslim Hamshenis in Russia who have settled from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to Krasnodar Krai (about 1000 total) have repeatedly attempted to formally receive registration from the local authorities. This is similar and related to the problem of the Meskhetians. These actions have been made difficult by the attitude of the Krasnodar officials. In defiance of the authorities an organisation of their co-ethnics in Armenia have appealed 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 a status of permanent residency.

In the 2002 Russian Federation census, 1,542 people identified themselves as Hamshenis, two-thirds of whom were living in Krasnodar Krai.

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 Hamsheni international scientific convention was held in Sochi. The conference was organized under the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Russian-Armenian Commonwealth Organization of Moscow (commissioned by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation) with help from the Armenian Scientific Informational and Cultural Center, "Hamshen" (Krasnodar, Russia) and Russian Armenian newspaper Yerkramas. 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 ensembles of Hamsheni Armenians of the Black Sea coast of Kuban gave a cultural performance.

References

Bert Vaux, Hemshinli: The Forgotten Black Sea Armenians, Harvard University, 2001.
Mack Chahin, The Kingdom of Armenia: A History, Routledge, London, 2001. (ISBN 0-7007-1452-9)
Robert H. Hewsen, Armenia: A Historical Atlas, University Of Chicago Press, 2000. (ISBN 0-226-33228-4)
Peter Alford Andrews, Ethnic Groups in the Republic of Turkey, Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1989. (ISBN 3-89500-297-6)