Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 09:11, 21 September 2012

You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Lithuanian. (September 2012) Click for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Lithuanian article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Misplaced Pages. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Lithuanian Misplaced Pages article at ]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|lt|Karaimai}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Misplaced Pages:Translation.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (September 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Karaylar

Dulo Tamga of the Karaylar.
Total population
2,469
Regions with significant populations
Ukraine	1,196
Crimea	647
Lithuania	273
Russia	205
Turkey	80
Poland	45
UK	23
Qatar	1
Languages
Karayce
Religion
Karaite Karaism

The Turkic Karaites or Karaims (Karaim: sg. къарай - qaray, pl. къарайлар - qaraylar; Trakai Karaim: sg. karaj, pl. karajlar, Template:Lang-he, Template:Lang-tr, Template:Lang-kz, Template:Lang-fa, Chinese: 克烈), also known as Karaimi and Qarays, are a community of ethnic Turkic adherents of Karaite-Karaism (not to be confused with Karaite Judaism) in Eastern Europe. They believe Christ is a prophet, are required to follow the name Muhammad by the phrase salallahu aleihi wasalam, they call God Тэнъри or Алла, and except for clergymen, are not circumcised, nor separate meat and milk or observe anything from Torah other than the Ten Commandments. "Karay" is a Romanized spelling of the original name "къарай" used for clergy, while "Karaims" is the term for the community as a whole. Karaims were once well established in Transylvania, and Halychyna, as well as other parts of Ukraine and later also Lithuania from late medieval times. Before the Holocaust, Lithuania had the greatest population. Significant numbers now only remain in Crimea.

Name

The name "Crimean Karaites" can be considered as something of a misnomer because many branches of this community found their way to locations throughout Europe and the Middle East. As time went on, some of these communities spread throughout the region, one of which was Crimea. The more appropriate term "Karaimlar" is used for the Turkic-speaking community of Karaims which originated in Crimea to distinguish it from historically Aramaic, Hebrew, and Arabic-speaking Karaite Jews of the Levant, Anatolia, and the Middle East (to show the difference between the ethnic group and the religious denomination). For the purposes of this article, the terms "Karaylar" (Qarays) for clergy are used interchangeably with "Karaims" which refers to the community as a whole, while "Karaite Jews" refers to the general Karaite branch of Judaism.

Geographic distribution

Local communities of Karaims have long existed in Lithuania (where they live mostly in Panevėžys and Trakai regions) and Poland. The 1979 census in the USSR showed 3,300 Karaims. Lithuanian Karaims Culture Community was founded in 1988. According to the Lithuanian Karaims website the Statistics Department of Lithuania carried out an ethno-statistic research "Karaims in Lithuania" in 1997. It was decided to question all adult Karaims and mixed families, where one of the members belongs to the Karaims. During the survey, for the beginning of 1997, there were 257 people of the Karaims according to nation, 32 of which were children under 16.

Culture

Language

Karayce is a Kypchak Turkic language being closely related to Crimean Tatar, Armeno-Kipchak etc., traditionally written in the same script as Classical Arabic. Among the many different influences exerted on Karaim, those of Arabic and Persian were the first to change the outlook of the Karayce lexicon. Hebrew does not have much influence beyond liturgical vocabulary. Later, due to considerable Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian influence, many Slavic words entered the language of Polish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Russian Karaims. Hebrew remained in use for liturgical purposes. Following the Ottoman occupation of Crimea, Turkish was used for business and government purposes among Karaims living on the Crimean peninsula. Three different dialects developed: the Troki dialect, used in Trakai and Vilnius (Lithuania), the Lutsk or Halych dialect spoken in Lutsk (until World War II), and Halych, and the Crimean dialect. The last forms the Eastern group, while Troki and Halych Karaims belong to the Western group.

Religion

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (September 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Karaims preserve the only living example of Islamized Mosaism known to the published world, first described by John Kinnamos. They believe Christ is a prophet, and are required to follow the name Muhammad by the phrase salallahu aleihi wasalam.

The Karaim word for "the spirit" is Tengri (тэнъри) and God is Allah (Алла). The word "Karaims" refers to the disciples of the "Karays". Karaim is a singular noun and adjectival describing a person who follows the Karay clergy who live to serve the disciples (Karaims) they dwell among. The disciples (Karaims) wear white caps while the clergy (Karays) wear black.

The role of the Karay clergy is one of servitude and spiritual support to the Karaim community, otherwise a Karay is to the Karaims as a Rabbi is to the Rabbinics, although in terms of Torah observance Karays to Karaims is more like Jews to Noachites. The highest spiritual level which can be attained by Karays is Gahan (historically misinterpreted by Jewish ethnographers as Hakham). Other offices in the Karay clergy include Raban/Uluhazan, Hazan and Shamash. Among the Karaims, only the Gahans and Rabans/Uluhazans will be circumcised and do their best to perform the Torah Laws of Moses in harmony with the ways of Abraham's people as described in the Bible and unpublished Karayana (teachings/lessons) guarded by the Karays. The Shamash has 7 years to choose whether to have his ear pierced and become a lifelong Hazan or not, both offices needing only to observe the Ten Commandments. The Karay interpretation of Torah is significantly different from both Karaite Judaism and Orthodox Judaism, so for this reason their observances are classified as Mosaism (along with Molokans, Gerei, and Subbotniks) but not Judaism.

The origins of the Karay clergy are traditionally traced back to a period of chaos in the Eastern Kanisa from 604AD-628AD. Not long after this the Khazars rose to prominence in the Western Turkic Kaghanate where the Karay clergy took refuge from Babai the Great's new Church of the East, from the spread of Caliphism from the South, and from Byzantine-Roman Church in the West. The traditional wisdom of the Karays was greatly appreciated by the Khazars who soon became their disciples (Khavars), which many Jewish scholars have historically mistaken for Judaism. "Karaims" was originally an exonym applied to the Khavar disciples of the Karays, but which was eventually adopted. Karaims may study in a Madrasa and at times announced by the Karays may attend Kanisa, while oak (Terebinth/Elim) groves have also been traditional places of worship in times of persecution and/or poverty.

Identity

In general Karaims regard themselves as the descendants of Khazars and legitimate owners of the of Khazar heritage . Most Jews along with the Israeli Rabbinate and especially Karaite Jews do not regard Karaims (as opposed to Karaite Jews) as Jewish.

History

Origins

Turkic-speaking Karaims have lived in the areas once called Scythia for centuries. They regard themselves as descendants of Khazar or Kipchak convert to Mosaism among the Crimean Huns by remnants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel stranded in Scythia after the Assyrian exile and this tradition was preserved up until relatively recent times (See Yitzhak of Troki's "Hizzuk Emunah" or a Karay poem from 1936). The consensus view among historians considers this Mosaism to have been a form of Talmudic Judaism and although the Karaims' clergy do not observe Hillelite Halakhah, the Shammai Halakhah presented in the Talmud is known to them again disassociating Karaims from Karaite Jews who completely reject all oral tradition.

Karaims have always sought to distance themselves from being identified as Jews, emphasizing what they view as their Turkic heritage as Turkic practitioners of a "Mosaic religion" as John Kinnamos wrote, separate and distinct from Judaism. From the time of the Golden Horde onward, the Karaims were present in many towns and villages throughout Crimea and around the Black Sea. During the period of the Crimean Khanate some of the major communities could be found in the towns of Çufut Qale, Sudak, Kefe, and Bakhchisaray.

Many Karaims were farmers. Members of the community served in the military forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as well as the Crimean Khanate.

The Khazar Khaganate

In the 8-9 centuries CE, the upper stratum of the Khazar society converted to a form of Mosaism untouched by the influence of Babai. A group of the Khazars who took part in a failed rebellion - joined the Magyars in the invasion of Hungary, and settled there in the end of the 9th century CE. An interesting relic of this Khazar settlement was discovered in (Transylvania, today Romania) in the 20 century CE. It is called Alsószentmihály Rovas inscription. It was transcribed by the archaeologist-historian Gábor Vékony. According to the transcription, the meaning of the two-row inscription is the following: (first row) "His mansion is famous." and (second row) "Jüedi Kür Karaite." or "Jüedi Kür the Karaite."

This is seen as proof that at least a part of the Khazars were Karaylar. See more details: Inscription in Khazarian Rovas script and RovasPedia.

The Karay dynasty using the Dulo Tamga spread far and wide following the collapse of Khazaria, even as far as Kazakhstan where they were known as the Kerait.

Lithuanian rule

In 1392 Grand Duke Vytautas of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania employed one branch the Karaims as Hussars inviting them to Lithuania where they continued to speak their own language. The Lithuanian Karaims settled primarily in Vilnius (Vilna) and Trakai (Troki), as well as in Biržai, Pasvalys, Naujamiestis and Upytė - smaller settlements throughout Lithuania proper - and lands of modern Belarus and Ukraine, that were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Karaims in Lithuanian territory enjoyed practical autonomy.

Some famous Karaylar scholars in Lithuania included Isaac b. Abraham of Troki (1543–1598), Joseph ben Mordecai Malinovski, Zera ben Nathan of Trakai, Salomon ben Aharon of Trakai, Ezra ben Nissan (died in 1666) and Josiah ben Judah (died after 1658). Some of the Karaims became quite wealthy in the service of Catherine the Great.

During the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Karaims suffered severely during the Chmielnicki Uprising of 1648 and the wars between Russia and Poland in the years 1654-1667, when many towns were plundered and burnt, including Trakai, where in 1680 only 30 families were left. Catholic missionaries made serious attempts to convert the local Karaims to Christianity, but ultimately were largely unsuccessful. Because the Karaims (but not Karaite Jews) were judged to be innocent of the death of Jesus, they were exempt from the restrictions placed on the Jews under the Lithuanian commonwealth.

Identity of Karaims under the Tsars

Karaims also suffered no problems under Russian rule until the final partitions of the Lithuanian commonwealth. Russia conquered Lithuania in 1783 followed by Crimea in 1793. Russian authorities were confused concerning inclusion of Karaims under laws applying to Jews inherited from the Lithuanian commonwealth revised by Catherine the Great in 1791 which had not previously applied to Karaims. The Karaims who had enjoyed privileges as loyal Hussars to the Lithuanian kings responded in 1795 by sending a delegation led by Benjamin Aga to clear the misunderstanding to Catherine who granted them lands for services rendered to the crown. From this point on, the main cultural center for these "Khazar" Karaims became the city of Eupatoria.

Thanks to the efforts of Sima Babovich, Russia granted the Karaims the status of an independent Church in 1840, putting them on par legally with Muslim Crimean Tatars and giving them rights far in advance of the Jews. The Russian government made Babovich the Hachan of the "Diocese of Crimean Karaims", based in Theodosia.

In 1872 Avraham Firkovich, published the results of his lifelong interest in the ethnography of the Karaims proving their tradition of descent from the Khazars. However, Abraham Harkavy rebutted that the Khazars were Jews in a response which Firkovich and Russian authorities ignored as the Tsarist government officially recognized the Karaims as being of Turkic, not Jewish, origin. The Krymchak community, which was of similar ethnolinguistic background but which practiced rabbinical Judaism, did however suffer under Tsarist anti-Jewish laws, and the standard opinion from Jewish sources is therefore that he forged documents and inscriptions to back up his claims. Miller stated that the phenomenon of claiming a distinct identity apart from the Jewish people appears to be no older than the 19th century, when he believed it appeared under the influence of such leaders as Avraham Firkovich and Sima Babovich as a means of escaping anti-Semitism.

Solomon Krym (b.1864, d. 1936), a Karay agronomist, was elected in 1906 to the First Duma (1906–1907) as a Kadet (Constitutional Democratic Party). In November 1918 he became Prime Minister of the second short-lived Crimean Regional Government.

Identity of Karaims under the Nazis

Their status under Russian imperial rule bore beneficial fruits for the Karaims decades later. In 1934, the Karaylar heads of the community in Berlin asked the Nazi authorities to exempt them from the regulations; on the basis of their legal status in Russia. The Reich Agency for the Investigation of Families determined that from the standpoint of German law, the Karaims were not to be considered Jews. The letter from the Reichsstelle fur Sippenforschung gave the official ruling in a letter which stated:

The Karaite sect should not be considered a Jewish religious community within the meaning of paragraph 2, point 2 of the First Regulation to the Reich Citizenship Law. However, it cannot be established that Karaites in their entirety are of blood-related stock, for the racial categorization of an individual cannot be determined without ... his personal ancestry and racial biological characteristics

— 

This ruling set the tone for how the Nazis dealt with the communities of Karaims in Eastern Europe.

At the same time, the Nazis had serious reservations towards the Karaims. SS Obergruppenfuhrer Gottlob Berger wrote on November 24, 1944:

Their Mosaic religion is unwelcome. However, on grounds of race, language and religious dogma... Discrimination against the Karaims is unacceptable, in consideration of their racial kinsmen . However, so as not to infringe the unified anti-Jewish orientation of the nations led by Germany, it is suggested that this small group be given the opportunity of a separate existence (for example, as a closed construction or labor battalion)...

Despite their exempt status, confusion led to initial massacres. German soldiers who came across Karaims in Russia during the initial phase of Operation Barbarossa, not aware of their legal status under German law, attacked them; 200 were killed at Babi Yar alone saying "Let us meet death bravely, as Christ did" as they went . German allies such as the Vichy Republic began to require the Karaylar to register as Jews, but eventually granted them non-Jewish status upon being instructed by Berlin.

On interrogation, Ashkenazi rabbis in Crimea told the Germans that the Karaims were not Jews. Many Karaims risked their lives to hide Jews, and in some cases claimed that Jews were members of their community. Many of the Karaims were recruited for labor battalions.

In Vilnius and Trakai, the Nazis forced Karaylar chief Seraya Shapshal to produce a list of the members of the community. Though he did his best, not every Karaylar was saved by Shapshal's list.

Post-War

After the Soviet recapture of Crimea from Nazi forces in 1944, the Soviet authorities counted 6,357 remaining Karaims. Karaims were not subject to mass deportation, unlike the Crimean Tatars, Greeks, Armenians and others the Soviet authorities alleged had collaborated during the Nazi German occupation. Some individual Karaims were deported.

Assimilation and emigration greatly reduced the ranks of the Karaims. A few thousand Karaims remain in Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and Poland. Other communities exist in Israel, Turkey, the United States, and Great Britain.

References

1. "Караимского-Русский и Русско-Караимский Словарь Разговорного Языка" Simferopol 2007
2. Gurwitz, Percy Die Schuld am Holocaust, pub Stadt Erlangen, 2010 p.7
3. Trakų Salos Pilis - Muziejus, Book in Karaim language in Arabic script near Menorah (Hanukkah) - Trakai Island Castle - Lithuania
4. "Караимского-Русский и Русско-Караимский Словарь Разговорного Языка" Simferopol 2007
5. Ответ С.И.Кушуль на рецензию научного сотрудника АН СССР Л.И.Черенкова
6. Green, W.P. "Nazi Racial Policy Towards the Karaites”, Soviet Jewish Affairs 8,2 (1978) pp. 36–44
7. Gurwitz, Percy Die Schuld am Holocaust, pub Stadt Erlangen, 2010 pp. 7-8
8. Brook, K. A. The Jews of Khazaria. 2nd ed. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2006. pp. 139-140
9. Blady 113-130.
10. Brook 110-111, 231.
11. Bashyazi Sevel Ha Yerushah
12. Christians in Asia before 1500 Gillman & Klimkeit, 1999
13. Vékony, Gábor (2004): A székely rovásírás emlékei, kapcsolatai, története . Publisher: Nap Kiadó, Budapest. ISBN 963-9402-45-1
14. Vékony, Gábor (1997): Szkíthiától Hungáriáig: válogatott tanulmányok. Szombathely: Életünk Szerk. Magyar Írók Szövetsége. Nyugat-magyarországi Csoport. Ser.: Életünk könyvek, p. 110
15. Christians in Asia before 1500 Gillman & Klimkeit, 1999
16. Miller, Karaite Separatism in 19th Century Russia, page not known.
17. Fisher, Alan W. (1978). The Crimean Tatars. Hoover Press. p. 264. ISBN 978-0-8179-6662-1. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
18. YIVO archives, Berlin Collection, Occ E, 3, Box 100, letter dated January 5, 1939.
19. Green 1978a p.284 quoting Kuznetsov p.61.
20. Semi passim.
21. Blady 125-126.
22. Green passim.

• Ben-Tzvi, Yitzhak. The Exiled and the Redeemed. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1957.
• Blady, Ken. Jewish Communities in Exotic Places. Northvale, N.J.: Jason Aronson Inc., 2000. pp. 115–130.
• Brook, Kevin Alan. The Jews of Khazaria. 2nd ed. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2006.
• Friedman, Philip. "The Karaites under Nazi Rule". On the Tracks of Tyranny. London, 1960.
• Green, W.P. "Nazi Racial Policy Towards the Karaites”, Soviet Jewish Affairs 8,2 (1978) pp. 36–44
• Gurwitz, Percy Die Schuld am Holocaust, pub Stadt Erlangen, 2010 pp. 7-8
• Karaite Judaism: Introduction to Karaite Studies. Edited by M.Polliack. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 2004, 657-708.
• Kizilov, Mikhail. Karaites Through the Travelers' Eyes: Ethnic History, Traditional Culture and Everyday Life of the Crimean Karaites According to the Descriptions of the Travelers. Qirqisani Center, 2003.
• Kizilov, Mikhail. “Faithful Unto Death: Language, Tradition, and the Disappearance of the East European Karaite Communities.” East European Jewish Affairs 36:1 (2006): 73-93.
• Krymskiye karaimy: istoricheskaya territoriya: etnokul'tura. Edited by V.S. Kropotov, V.Yu. Ormeli, A. Yu. Polkanova. Simferpol': Dolya, 2005
• Miller, Philip. Karaite Separatism in 19th Century Russia. HUC Press, 1993.
• Semi, Emanuela T. "The Image of the Karaites in Nazi and Vichy France Documents." Jewish Journal of Sociology 33:2 (December 1990). pp. 81–94.
• Shapira, Dan. “Remarks on Avraham Firkowicz and the Hebrew Mejelis 'Document'.” Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 59:2 (2006): 131-180.
• Shapira, Dan. “A Jewish Pan-Turkist: Seraya Szapszał (Şapşaloğlu) and His Work ‘Qırım Qaray Türkleri’.” Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58:4 (2005): 349-380.
• Shapira, Dan. Avraham Firkowicz in Istanbul (1830–1832). Paving the Way for Turkic Nationalism. Ankara: KaraM, 2003.
• Shapshal, S. M.: Karaimy SSSR v otnoshenii etnicheskom: karaimy na sluzhbe u krymskich chanov. Simferopol', 2004
• Zajączkowski, Ananiasz. Karaims in Poland: History, Language, Folklore, Science. Panistwowe Wydawn, 1961.

External links

• Gahan Mark Lavrinovičius
• Official site of the Karaylar
• http://www.cesnur.org/2003/vil2003_kizilov.htm
• http://www.berkovich-zametki.com/Nomer35/MN55.htm
• http://www.berkovich-zametki.com/Nomer41/Kizilov1.htm
• Signs of New Life in Karaim Communities
• Karaites in the Holocaust
• web site of Lithuanian Karaims
• International Institute of Karaylar
• Karaims and Tatars - 600 years in Lithuania

v t e Crimea articles
Political status Sevastopol Republic of Crimea (Russia) Autonomous Republic of Crimea
History	Greek Crimea Crimea in the Roman era Cherson (theme) Bosporan Kingdom) Akatziri Khazars Crimean Goths Kipchaks Empire of Trebizond Genoese Crimea Genoese–Mongol Wars Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 Crimean Khanate 1783 annexation by Russia Crimean War Soviet period Crimea in World War II 1944 Crimean Tatar deportation Renaming of Crimean toponyms 1954 transfer to Ukraine Crimean Tatar repatriation Autonomous Republic of Crimea President of Crimea (historical) 2003 Tuzla Island conflict 2014 status referendum 2014 annexation by Russia Supreme Council of Crimea (until 2014) (Chairman) Prime Minister of Crimea (until 2014) Council of Ministers (until 2014) Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People
Geography	Arabat Spit Arabat Bay Azov Sea Black Sea Caves Marble Vyalova Crimean Mountains Kerch Strait Perekop Isthmus Pontic–Caspian steppe Southern Coast Syvash Subdivisions Cities Raions Urban-type settlements
Politics	Republic of Crimea/Autonomous Republic of Crimea Constitution Head State Council 2014 parliamentary election Sevastopol Legislative Assembly Governor 2017 election Black Sea Fleet Crimean Federal District
Economy	Tourism Crimean Bridge Crimean Trolleybus
Society	Sports Crimean Premier League Demographics Peoples Russians Ukrainians Crimean Tatars Armenians Karaites Pontic Greeks Krymchaks Crimea Germans Languages Crimean Tatar Krymchak Russian Ukrainian Religion Christianity Roman Catholicism Ukrainian Catholicism Judaism Islam
Category

v t e Turkic topics
Languages	Afshar Altai Northern Southern Äynu Azerbaijani Bashkir Bulgar Chagatai Chulym Chuvash Crimean Tatar Cuman Dolgan Fuyü Gïrgïs Gagauz Ili Turki Karachay-Balkar Karaim Karakalpak Karamanli Turkish Kazakh Khakas Khalaj Khazar Khorasani Turkic Kipchak Krymchak Kumyk Kipchak languages Kyrgyz Nogai Old Turkic Ottoman Turkish Pecheneg Qashqai Sakha/Yakut Salar Shor Siberian Tatar Tatar Tofa Turkish Turkmen Tuvan Urum Uyghur Uzbek Western Yugur Alphabets Old Turkic Common Turkic Cyrillic Old Uyghur Persian
Peoples	Afshars Altaians Chelkans, Kumandins, Telengits, Teleuts, Tubalars Azerbaijanis in Iran, Armenia, Georgia Balkars Bashkirs Chulyms Chuvash Crimean Karaites Crimean Tatars Dolgans Gagauz Karachays Karakalpaks Kazakhs in China Khakas Khalaj Khorasani Turks Krymchaks Kyrgyz in China Kumyks Naimans Nogais Qarai Turks Qashqai Salar Shors Siberian Tatars Baraba Tatars Tatars Astrakhan, Chinese, Lipka, Kryashens, Mishar, Nağaybäk, Volga Tofalar Turkmens Afghan, Iranian Turkish in Abkhazia, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Crete, Cyprus, Dodecanese, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, North Macedonia, Meskhetia (Ahiska), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia, Western Thrace, Yemen Tuvans Uyghurs Uzbeks in Afghanistan Yakuts (Sakha) Yugurs Extinct Turkic groups Bulaqs Bulgars Cumans Dughlats Göktürks Karluks Khazars Kimek Kipchaks K'o-sa Oghuz Turks Shatuo Türgesh Uzes
Politics	Grey Wolves Kemalism Burkhanism Jadid Pan-Turkism Turkesism Turanism (Hungarian)
Origins	Turkestan Mongolia History Timeline of the Göktürks Timeline 500–1300 Migration Turkification Nomadic empire Turco-Mongol Tian Shan / Altai Mountains Otuken Oğuz
Locations	Sovereign states Azerbaijan Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Northern Cyprus Turkey Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Autonomous areas Altai Republic Bashkortostan Chuvashia Crimea Gagauzia Kabardino-Balkaria Karachay-Cherkessia Karakalpakstan Khakassia Nakhchivan Sakha Tatarstan Tuva Xinjiang
Studies	Old Turkic script Proto-Turkic language Turkology
Religions	Turkic mythology Tengrism Shamanism Aiyy Faith Tibetan Buddhism Islam Alevism Batiniyya Bayramiye Bektashi Order Burkhanism Christianity Hurufism Khalwati order Malamatiyya Qadiri Qalandariyya Rifaʽi* Safaviyya Zahediyeh Vattisen Yaly
Traditional sports	Kyz kuu Jereed Kokpar Jigit Chovgan
Organizations	Organization of Turkic States International Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) Parliamentary Assembly (TURKPA) Turkic Academy Organization of the Eurasian Law Enforcement Agencies with Military Status (TAKM) World Turks Qurultai
These are traditional areas of settlement; the Turkic group has been living in the listed country/region for centuries and should not be confused with modern diasporas. State with limited international recognition.

• Misplaced Pages neutral point of view disputes from September 2012
• Crimean Karaites
• Turkic peoples
• Kipchaks
• Groups connected to the Khazars
• Ethnic groups in Crimea
• Ethnic groups in Ukraine
• Turkic tribes