Astrakhan Tatars

Astrakhan Tatars (Tatar: Əsterxan tatarları, Әsterhan tatarlary) are a subgroup of the Tatar people.

In the 15th to 17th century the Astrakhan Tatars inhabited the Astrakhan Khanate (1459 - 1556), which was also inhabited by the Nogai Horde, and the Astrakhan Tatars experienced a profound effect on Nogais. Since the 18th century there has been an increased interaction and ethnic mix of the Astrakhan Tatars with Volga Tatars.

Population

The Astrakhan Tatars (around 80,000) are a group of Tatars, descendants of the Astrakhan Khanate's nomadic population, who live mostly in Astrakhan Oblast. For the Russian Census in 2010, most Astrakhan Tatars declared themselves simply as Tatars and few declared themselves as Astrakhan Tatars. A large number of Volga Tatars live in Astrakhan Oblast and differences between them have been disappearing.

The Astrakhan Tatars are further divided into the Kundrov, Yurt and Karagash Tatars. The latter are also at times called the Karashi Tatars.^[1]

Text from Britannica 1911:

The Astrakhan Tatars number about 10,000 and are, with the Kalmyks, all that now remains of the once so powerful Astrakhan empire. They also are agriculturists and gardeners; while some 12,000 Kundrovsk Tatars still continue the nomadic life of their ancestors.

While Astrakhan (Ästerxan) Tatar is a mixed dialect, around 43,000 have assimilated to the Middle (i.e., Kazan) dialect. Their ancestors are Kipchaks, Khazars and some Volga Bulgars. (Volga Bulgars had trade colonies in modern Astrakhan and Volgograd oblasts of Russia.)

The Astrakhan Tatars also assimilated the Agrzhan.^[2]

Culture

20th century

To 1917, the Astrakhan - one of the major centers of Tatar cultural and social life. Some Kazan Tatars settled in Astrakhan. In 1892, the functioning madrassas "lower classes." The newspaper "Azat Halyk" (1917-1919), "Irek" (1917), "Islah" (1907), "tartysh" (1917-1919), "Idel" (1907 - 1914, renewed in 1991). News magazines "Azat Khanum" (1917-1918), "Magarif" (1909), "Wheel" (1907), etc. Since 1907, he has worked Tatar folk theater. In 1919, organized by Astrakhan Tatar drama school.

Present

At present, the company operates the Astrakhan region of the Tatar national culture "Duslyk" and Tatar youth center "Umid" (founded in 1989). Parallel works "Center of preservation and development of the Tatar culture" at the nonprofit Partnership Tatar business center (NP TDC)

Well-Known Astrakhan Tatars

Renat Dasaev

Sources

• DM Iskhakov Astrakhan Tatars, ethnic settlement and population dynamics in the XVIII - beginning of XX century. / / Astrakhan Tatars. - Kazan, 1992. - S. 5-33.
• The Tartars. The people of Russia. Encyclopedia. - M., 1994. - S. 320-321.

References

1. Olson, James S., An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of the Russian and Soviet Empires. (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1994) p. 55
2. Wixman, Ronald. The Peoples of the USSR: An Ethnographic Handbook. (Armonk, New York: M. E. Sharpe, Inc, 1984) p. 15

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