Kumuk Turks

Kumuk Turks are a Muslim Turkic people living in Dagestan. Etymologically, the name "Kumuk" has been written in various forms throughout history (Kumık, Kumıh, Kumuh, Gumık, Gumuh) and appears as a tribal chieftain’s name in Dîvânü Lugât’it-Türk. While there are differing views regarding their ethnic origins, they are generally accepted to have emerged from a mixture of Oghuz and Kipchak Turkic groups.

The Kumuks typically reside in the northeastern part of Dagestan, along the Caspian Sea coast. During the Soviet era, it is known that they migrated to regions such as Türkiye, Chechnya, North Ossetia, Syria and Iran.

Historical Process

The history of the Kumuk people has been shaped within the complex ethnic fabric of Caucasus. In the 7th century, within the boundaries of the Khazar Empire, the Kumuk people formed through the fusion of Oghuz-Kipchak tribes. In the 12th century, after displacing the Kazı-Kumuks, the Kumuks established a feudal principality known as "Shemhallik" following the collapse of the Khazars. This principality resisted Russian occupation for a long time with the support of the Ottoman State and other Caucasian peoples. However, from the second half of the 19th century, the region came under the control of Tsarist Russia.

Culture and Language

Kumuk Turkish is the second most widely spoken language in Dagestan after Avar. According to linguists, Kumuk, belonging to the Kipchak-Oghuz subgroup, occupies a position between Ottoman Turkish and Kazakh Turkish.

Initially written using the Arabic alphabet, Kumuk later adopted the Latin alphabet in 1927 and the Cyrillic alphabet in 1938. Among the modern founders of Kumuk literature are figures such as Yirçi Kazak and Mirza Muhammad Mavaraev.

Social and Economic Structure

The Kumuk people are a sedentary agricultural community. Agricultural activities such as grain cultivation, fruit growing and viticulture are predominant. Economic activities in the region are concentrated in Dagestan’s most industrially and agriculturally favorable areas. Moreover, during the Soviet period, many Kumuk intellectuals faced repression; nevertheless, the Kumuk people successfully preserved their national identity.

Kumuk Turks (Anadolu Agency)

Religion

Shamanism, after Christianity and Judaism, adopted Islam during the period of the Golden Horde. The majority adhere to the Hanafi school of thought. In addition, there are Kumuk communities in settlements such as Derbent and Makhachkala who belong to the Imamiyya school.

Geographical Distribution and Population

The Kumuk Turks live in the Hasavyurt, Babayurt, Kizilyurt, Karabudakhkent, Kayakent and Kaytak towns and regions of Dagestan. Some ethnic groups are also found in the Gudermes district of Chechnya and the Mozdok district of North Ossetia. The urbanization rate among the Kumuk is 47 percent; the vast majority reside in Dagestani cities such as Makhachkala, Buynaksk, Izberbash, Kaspiysk and Kizlyar. Makhachkala is also the historical center of the Kumuk people.

Law and Settlement Units

Traditional legal customs among the Kumuk have maintained their validity for centuries. To resolve disputes or legal cases, elders from the villages of Aksay and Endirey gather along the banks of the Yamansuv River to deliberate. When a definitive and lasting solution is reached, it is accepted among the Kumuk as "adat". Crimes such as murder, rape and theft are adjudicated under the "töre" legal code, and the public is obligated to comply with the punishments prescribed by töre. However, the community may appeal these rulings by petitioning the council of elders known as "aksakals". In such cases, the elders’ council may annul the decision of the töre court.

Russia’s Caucasian Policy and Forced Migration

Throughout the 19th century, Russia aimed to conquer the Caucasus and forcibly relocated its indigenous populations. The surrender of Sheikh Shamil in 1860 marked the end of Caucasian resistance, and the Kumuk people, who had participated in this resistance, migrated to the Ottoman State.

Migration and Settlement Process

The Ottoman State implemented settlement arrangements for migrants arriving from the Caucasus. The Kumuk people were resettled in various regions of Anatolia, including Kütahya, Bursa, Erzurum, Bolu and Sivas. The Ottoman government provided economic support to Kumuk and other Caucasian groups during their resettlement, facilitating their integration through land allocation, housing, agricultural tools and food aid. Daily stipends were granted to the migrants, and social adaptation processes were supported.