The Azerbaijan State News Agency

CULTURE

Azerbaijan – land of ethnic diversity

Baku, May 14, AZERTAC

Azerbaijan has an ethnically diverse population, with representatives of more than 100 ethnos living in the country.

The territorial unity, similar socio-economic, geographical and historical conditions have led to the formation of the common features of life and culture, customs and traditions of Azerbaijanis and small peoples.

In Azerbaijan, representatives of all nationalities, small peoples, ethnic minorities and ethnic groups live together in harmony, in the spirit of mutual understanding and respect.

The Tats, Talyshs, Kurds, Mountain Jews belonging to the Iranian languages group of the Indo-European family of languages, the Lezgins, Avars, Udis, Tsakhurs, belonging to the Avar-Ando-Tsez subgroup of the East Caucasian (Dagestani) group of the Caucasian family of languages, the peoples of “Shahdag group” (Khinalig, budug, Kryz), the Ingiloys belonging to the Kartvelian group of the Caucasian languages family and speaking on an Ingiloy dialect of Georgian language, live here.

The common and peculiar features of traditional life and culture of the peoples living in Azerbaijan are in close unity and complement each other. At the same time, each people, irrespective of the number of his representatives, have specific and local culture.

Avars mainly live in the Balakan and Zagatala districts of Azerbaijan. According to a number of authors, the “Didoys” mentioned in the works of famous Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher Gaius Plinius were the ancestors of modern Avars.

The Avars came to Azerbaijan from Dagestan at 15th-17th centuries. They speak the Ansukh dialect of Avar language. They are Muslims. Traditional occupations of Avars are agriculture, cattle breeding and workmanship.

The Avar language, mainly spoken in the territory of Zagatala and Balakan districts, also belongs to the Avar-Ando-Didoy subgroup of the Dagestan language group of the North Caucasian language family.

The Avars did not forget their own old trade, and have maintained the traditions of gunsmithing, cop¬persmithing, saddle-making and carpetweaving crafts with care.

The Avars living in Azerbaijan have maintained their language and customs and tradi¬tions up to the present. The Avar language, which is ascribed to the Nakh-Dagestan group of the Cau¬casian languages, is subdivided into a great number of dialects and subdialects. The Avars living in Azer¬baijan speak the Zagatala dialect.

The Avar people has centuries old rich customs and traditions. They have unparalleled folklore, music, and decorative crafts. And this uniqueness is displayed more vividly in public festivities.

The common Caucasian features of the national costume are characteristic to the Avars too. The Avar women's headgear is large, they would wear a sil¬ver bow, also head decorations with sil¬ver and gold coins hanging from them. Whereas, men would walk with charkazi Caucasian coat on and wear weapons with delicate inscriptions on them. The traditional male costume of the Avars used to consist of a shirt with a high collar, trousers, Caucasian coat, headgear, fur coat, conus-shaped or semi-secular cap of sheep skin, in winter - high boots of leather or pelt, and in summer - a soft pair of bast shoes or sandals. Up to the 1930s, the Avar women's clothes consisted of long, straightly cut shirt-like kunta (dress), khabat (tight, straight and long trousers), garakhuni (apron) and vest. On their clothes, the Avar women would wear a patterned belt made of fabric, leather or metal.

Today favourable conditions have been created to maintain and develop the ethnic identity of the Avars, like any other peoples in Azerbaijan.

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

® “INMerge Innovation Summit” uniting innovation and technology continues

AZAL launches carbon footprint offset program for passengers

Azerbaijan National Anti-Doping Agency joins international working group led by UKAD

Leyla Aliyeva and Arzu Aliyeva visit youth environmental camp in Gabala

Azerbaijan to host first FIBA 3x3 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers

COP29 discussed on Times Radio

Azerbaijani beach wrestlers ready for action at World Series Final

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to visit Türkiye on Oct. 19

COP29 will see adoption of up to 60 crucial decisions, says Lead Negotiator

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s informal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin

Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal retiring from game

Elon Musk unveils Tesla’s ‘Cybercab’ robotaxis

Turkish President Erdogan arrives in Serbian capital for official talks

Deputy Foreign Minister: COP29 will see adoption of 8 declarations and initiatives bearing the name of Baku

Azerbaijan’s Economic Council holds meeting

Minister: We need to significantly increase the availability of mitigation and adaptation finance

“System in peril”: Average wildlife populations’ size declined by 73% in just 50 years, warns WWF

Mukhtar Babayev: The COP29 Presidency has a plan to enhance ambition this year

Ukrainian President Zelensky arrives at the Vatican

Minister: We still need to deal with the severe impacts of climate change around the globe

Leyla Aliyeva and Arzu Aliyeva meet participant of “Young beekeeper" project in Gabala

Bulgarian and Austrian Central Bank Governors discuss economic challenges

Second Day of Pre-COP29 event features climate and development ministerial meeting

Speaker of Azerbaijan`s Parliament meets with Tajik President

Azerbaijan`s Foreign Ministry: COP29 Truce receives support from the Non-Aligned Movement

Oil prices slide in global markets

COVID-19 infection appeared to increase risk of heart attack and stroke up to 3 years later

Azerbaijan Naval Forces’ serviceman awarded the "Sword of Honour"

Azerbaijani oil price surpasses $80

® Bakcell CEO speaks at INMerge Innovation Summit

Pre-COP29 event kicks off in Baku

President Ilham Aliyev approves "National Strategy on Efficient Use of Water Resources" - ORDER

China to hold nationwide survey on population changes

® Affordable smartphones from Nar

Samad Seyidov: "We won the war, yet a diplomatic war was declared against us"

Pre-COP29 features discussion on "TROIKA Roadmap to Mission 1.5°C”

Azerbaijani, Belarusian military experts discuss engineering and technical support issues

Tajik delegation visits military institute in Baku

We must invest in decarbonization technologies, says COP28 President

COP29 to host Human Development Day

Chinese envoy renews appeal for external armed forces to withdraw from Libya

Azerbaijan, Brazil sign MoU as part of Pre-COP29

Azerbaijan to fight for bronze at U23 World Cup 2024

2024 Nobel Prize in literature awarded to South Korean author Han Kang

Wimbledon line judges to be replaced with Hawk-Eye technology

Digital forum of Organization of Turkic States kicks off in Kyrgyzstan

Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis embarks on working visit to Tajikistan

BBC revisits ‘Pride and Prejudice’ with Mary Spinoff titled ‘The Other Bennet Sister’

"SIMA Token" can be ordered online

Italy hosts Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium

UNFCCC Executive Secretary: We are striving to find new solutions within COP29

SOCAR and Yokogawa Europe B.V. discuss decarbonization cooperation

Pope to receive Zelensky Friday

AZAL launches online check-in for Nakhchivan flights

George Baldock cause of death: Soccer star found unresponsive in pool

® Azercell wins two gold awards!

UEFA Nations League to resume with big games after 1-month absence

President Ilham Aliyev: At national level, we are successfully implementing our socio-economic priority of “clean environment and green growth”

Trump rejects call for rematch debate with Harris, cites strong polling lead

National Defense University launches Chinese Language course VIDEO

Azerbaijan, UN discuss prospects for cooperation

Yoon says unified, nuclear-free Korean Peninsula would benefit Indo-Pacific

It is entirely unacceptable for the U.S. to raise concerns against Azerbaijan based on false pretenses - COMMENTARY

Yalchin Rafiyev: COP29 focuses on practical solutions to climate change

Hurricane Milton slams into Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm

Council of the EU to discuss Bulgaria and Romania's implementation of Schengen acquis

Oil prices surge in global markets

To the participants of the Pre-COP29

Azerbaijani oil price down in global markets

Pakistan to sign agreements worth over 2 billion dollars with Saudis

DND News Agency: The new trajectory of Pak-Saudi relations requires responsible moves from Pakistan

Media accreditation portal for COP29 Green Zone launched

Erik ten Hag demanded Manchester United build £200k wall at Carrington

Central Bank of Azerbaijan discusses cooperation prospects with Islamic financial institutions

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports meets with SESRIC Director General

Italian tourist: Khinalig village has an absolutely fantastic location

Florida braces for Hurricane Milton landfall and ‘catastrophic' storm surge

Azercell enhances “Tourist” tariff plans ahead of COP29

President Ilham Aliyev received UK Minister for Climate VIDEO

Azerbaijani boxers to fight for glory at 2024 European U22 Boxing Championships

Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum to host international exhibition “Climates and Carpets”

® Unlimited opportunities with the Umico Bonus loyalty program

Boeing halts talks, withdraws pay offer to union as strike drags on

Turkish Academy’s scientific books presented in Almaty

President Ilham Aliyev received UN Deputy Secretary-General VIDEO

Türkiye blocks social platform Discord amid child safety concerns

Azerbaijani judokas ready for action in Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2024

Baku to host EJU Medical Seminar 2024

‘100 Years Of Solitude’: Netflix sets premiere date for series adaptation of Gabriel García Marquez novel

® Mastercard launches first Priceless event in Azerbaijan: celebrating exclusive experiences of Priceless.com

President Ilham Aliyev received Senior Advisor to U.S. President for International Climate Policy VIDEO

Kazakhstan’s Almaty hosts 2nd Congress on History of Turkic Statehood

Georgian Parliament Speaker calls on “everyone, including Europeans”, to “recognise choice” of its citizens in upcoming elections

® Bakcell organizes training for journalists ahead of the INMerge Innovation Summit

David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper win 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry

Azerbaijan continues its firefighting operations in Türkiye

® akart expands its activities

Japan PM Ishiba dissolves lower house for Oct. 27 election

Extreme weather causes flooding, landslides in Italy’s Liguria

Outgoing NATO chief set to become chairman of Munich Security Conference