The various peoples of Afghanistan pt. 2

Part two of attempting to sort out the dizzying collection of cultures found in Afghanistan.

An Uzbek Man

Uzbeks: Afghanistan shares part of its northern border with Uzbekistan, "Land of the Uzbeks", so it's no surprise that most of the Uzbek population is found in northern Afghanistan. Uzbeks are often bilingual, speaking Persian as many other groups do, but also their own language called Uzbek.

They are a Turkic people who likely resulted from the conquests that took place in Central Asia by the Mongols. During this time, much of the local population was replaced or assimilated into Turkic groups who had begun migrating into the area. This mixing of peoples eventually lead to what are now called Uzbeks. Like most others in the region, they are Sunni Muslims. Historically they have been farmers and herders, known for raising an excellent type of Turkman horse.

Aimaks: Aimaks (or Aimaqs) are not an actual ethnic group. Aimak refers to a collection of nomadic tribes located in central and western Afghanistan. In fact the word "aimaq" means tribe in Turkish. They were originally known as "The four Eimaks" because there were four major tribes, and are Sunni muslims. They speak Persian and are of Iranian blood. They are known as a "bold and wild people".

Turkmen: Turkmen are a minority in Afghanistan that hug the border to Turkmenistan in the north west. They are traditionally a nomadic people who survive by farming, animal husbandry and the manufacture of carpets. They share many similarities with the Uzbeks, including a belief in Sunni Islam, and a bilingual language. Many speak the local dialects of Persian, but they have their own language known as Turkman.

Two Baloch women

Balochs: The Baloch or Baluch are a small minority located in the deserts of southern Afghanistan. They speak their own language called Balochi are are Sunni Muslims. They are descended from ancient Median and Persian tribes, and maintain a distinct cultural identity. Much of their culture and traditions can be traced all the way back to Mesopotamia. Their customs and traditions are conducted according to rigid codes and tribal law. South of the border lies the Pakistan province of Baluchistan, where the majority of Balochs live today.

These are just some of the people who inhabit Afghanistan and which I've chosen for this little piece.There are still dozens of other small minorities sprinkled throughout Afghanistan. One thing I have learned so far from this class is that Afghanistan is a complicated place - far more so than I realized before. Although, it's really not all that different from a place like America. To an ignorant outside observer like myself, it appears to be a cacophony of unfamiliar names and peoples, but no more so than places like Eastern or even Western Europe. Like American, Afghanistan is a melting pot of a broad range of cultures, many of which are quite distinct, though to ignorant Americans they may all look the same at first glance.

I hope by the end of the course I have a better understanding of who all these people are, but writing these two posts I think has given me a nice head start.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_Afghanistan
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Aimak
http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCs/Ghor/Ghor.html